In the remote chance that someone hasn't seen this...

[thekl0wn]

I know this has been posted on almost every forum I've been a member of, but I find this neat. I don't see me every purchasing one of these units, but the technology is pretty cool!

http://www.sawstop.com/how-it-works-overview.htm

[Terry Mac]

It's a great concept. Always believe in safety first.

But if you're not careful you could go through a lot of expensive blades.

[Dagster]

Or a lot of hot dogs!

[thekl0wn]

Not to mention that you have to buy a new magnesium brake every time this happens... With some of the idiots we've had work for my dad's company in the past, I could see some of them going through 5-6 brakes a day, a package of hot dogs, and still end up in the ER! :rolleyes:

[Don]

Hey, Guys. I've seen this demonstrated at the IWF. It is pretty impressive, and it works. Anybody that has a small cabinet business and employees can expect to see something like this as a requirement for insurance. I'm sure someone's lobbying for it right now.

I've been in the trade and around blades all my life, and around "characters of questionable ability." I've never seen anyone actually cut anything off. A couple of fingertips or a thumb stuck in maybe less than 3 or 4 times. I always extolled the "snatch-back" technique. ;-)

Of course I know that it does happen and has happened, and the mechanism is a great idea for those that want to be proactive enough to use it or pay for it. What I've seen as a larger danger though is kick-backs. I've seen more people hurt on a TS from that than anything else. This product won't help with that problem.

Attention and knowledge are the main ingredients for keeping out of trouble.

dawjr

[thekl0wn]

Attention and knowledge are the main ingredients for keeping out of trouble.

Great words of advice! :D

I might even add fear and respect to the list. I've ridden dirtbikes all my life, and I apply the same concept to a TS as I do the bikes... If you don't show it respect, and practice with it, it will have no problem showing you who's boss! ;)

[mmwood_1]

I am of the opinion that the table saw is the safest of power saws. Why? Because the blade is STATIONARY. It stays in one place. You can always know exactly where that blade is when you are cutting a piece and it's never going to be anywhere else. But paying attention is CRITICAL, as with all sharp weapons of destruction. I have had 2 accidents, getting fingers into the table router. Both times, I was distracted and knew it, but I didn't stop. After the second time (they were 10 years apart) I realized that by the time I knew I was not paying attention, it was already PAST the time when I should have stopped. So, stationary or not, no safety feature is a substitute for paying attention.

[Don]

You got it MM. People need to pay attention to every pass. Sometimes you can get lulled into a false sense of security with repetive cuts, extended time between "events" or simply being in a hurry. Another issue that I'm guilty of is doing something that I know is qestionable in the name of time or speed. A better jig or push stick, a little more time making sure the off-fall will be supported after the cut. I've seen many people get hurt by the instinct to catch something thats falling. I've trained myself to never do that around any machines. Chop saws are the worst for something like this.

The table saw can certainly be one of the safest machines in the shop. Usually it's not the blade that hurts someone as much as it is the workpeice, and usually the smaller the workpeice the more dangerous it is. Always protect yourself from kickbacks and think about in advance what you are going to do when a workpeice begins to bind. Be sure the area behind the saw is safe for thrown objects.

Anyway, be careful, be safe.