Table Saws - Be Careful

[Fins59]

Article in latest Jan '12 Consumer Reports magazine states Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates 11 amputations a day and thousands of injuries each year from table saws.

The commission favors the Saw Stop technology while mfgs argue it's too expensive.

A couple weeks ago a guy (in his 30's) I know who has been a carpenter all his working life, cut an inch off his middle finger using a hand held skil saw.  Goes to show  they all require utmost attention when using.  

[Ken Darga]

I've seen the ''saw stop'' in action---

it worked on a ''hot dog''---

the saw-stop demonstrator wouldnt' try his finger.

[Ken Darga]

I heard of a worker cutting into his leg.

He rested a 2x4 on his leg, while kneeling down, making a cut with an electric circular hand saw, 

and ran the blade into his leg---

YIKES! 

That must have hurt like hell.

[Steven Croney]

A circular saw on top of your leg..

Hmm.. Don't think I ever thought of doing that..

[Tony Olivares]

that hotdog test is using Lab View? I remember a promo of NI using that test, if so I'll sell some licences jeje

[Fins59]

Awhile back my wife and I were sitting in this restaurant and next to us were 2 ladies.  This one lady was telling the other how her husband was drilling a hole in a board while board was setting on his knee/leg.  Yup, he drilled right into his leg.  The way she was telling the story was actually funny.

I had a co-worker whose husband was a carpenter.  According to her, he was a frequent visitor to the ER.  This same guy gave my friend a roofing estimate for $7200, while the rest were in the $4200 range.  He probably had to charge more to cover his cost of insurance:). 

Per those table saw injuries, I was surprised at the number - 11 per day.  And most say the Radial Arm Saw is the most dangerous.  But I bet the use of table saws out numbers the RAS by great numbers.

[John R.]

I purchased a Saw Stop PCS 3hp model 2 1/2 years ago & could not be more pleased.  My first table saw was a craftsan contractors saw. It was okay, but when I decided to step up to a real cabinet saw I was impressed with the Saw Stop! Blade changes & dado stack installations take no time. The dust collection both above & below realy keep my garage & lungs very happy. It came with a great accurate fence (like a Beisemyer) The hyrolic mobile base is easy to use & works great. Yes, it has a high initial purchase price, but so did the Uniisaw, & Powermatic, which I looked at. When I sat down to make my decision, I concidered the Saw Stop's safety feature & figured that there was no price I could put on a finger. A guy two doors down from me @ the local cabinet shop lost two fingers in an instant.  A shop accross from us had a guy with 2.25 fingers & part of a thumb missing from his table saw. I get night mares just thinking about it.  When the saw arrived @ my house, I was impressed with the instruction manual & assembled the whole thing in a couple of hours. The fit & finish are fantastic.  All of the adjustmets were spot-on from the factory & even if things needed to be adjusted, the supplied the tools & all of the adjsters are easily color coded. I installed & adjusted my fence & started making test cuts. Man that thing cut like the proverbial hot knife through butter, and the cuts were precise! I was completley satisfied with my desicion. Anyone want my old Craftsman?  And to answer Doug Harwoods question, yes any standard 10" blade or 8" dodo works. Even the red coating on the Freude blades is not an issue.  I love my Saw Stop, like I love my Kreg!

[Hugh Clare]

The Saw Stop technology is very desirable, but the manufacturers are correct that the patent holder wants, in my opinion, entirely too much money to license it. The technology will likely not be affordable for the average person while I still need it.

That being said, it should be a requirement that every person about to use a power tool perform this ritual -- take a board and whack yourself on the fingers. Repeat the following: ":Board hurts fingers, saw blade hurts board, fingers do NOT hurt saw blade." :) This from the OSHA poster child.

[Fins59]

The patent situation for Saw Stop reminds me of the Fein Muti-purpose oscillating tool.  I think it was $400 awhile back.  I think the patent ran out and other mfgs jumped on band wagon and now everybody makes them.  I just saw in our Menards flyer you can buy one for $20 and get a $10 rebate back, so total is 10 bucks, and it's variable speed or maybe 2-speed.

[Mike Kahle]

Yes, the SawStop tech is awesome. It will save a finger. But I will never buy one. Call me weird, but I can never willingly give money to any company who tries to get congress to pass a law saying all manufactures of table saws must license the tech from them or they cannot make a saw. Thats a bad business model. When the patent expires (if it ever does with the ever changing patent and IP laws) then I might buy one from Ridgid....
Also, any of you out there who do have the SawStop, dont test the tech out yourself even when trying to impress a friend. You have to replace the entire assembly and I am sure that the cost is not cheap... probably cheaper to buy a whole new saw....

[Johnny D. Rich]

This is more like it...

http://www.whirlwindtool.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=...

[Rick in Pittsburgh]

I believe to replace the assy (which is not very big or hard to do) the cost is around $100.00. Way cheaper than your deductable and even way more cheaper than a table saw. I'm sure the company is pushing hard to get the law passed which I don't like either. However, if you ever saw pictures of someones hand after it meets the spinning blade, it makes you think twice. I just read a post with pictures of a guy who (after many years of using a saw) had his hand go thru the saw blade. Took 10.5 hours of surgery to repair it and I'm sure many many hours of pain and rehabilitation.

I myself don't own one, but when/if I replace my table saw I will be considering buying one. I'm also sure the other manufacturers are designing their own devices for their saws. The writing is on the walls.

 

 

Mike Kahle said:

Yes, the SawStop tech is awesome. It will save a finger. But I will never buy one. Call me weird, but I can never willingly give money to any company who tries to get congress to pass a law saying all manufactures of table saws must license the tech from them or they cannot make a saw. Thats a bad business model. When the patent expires (if it ever does with the ever changing patent and IP laws) then I might buy one from Ridgid....
Also, any of you out there who do have the SawStop, dont test the tech out yourself even when trying to impress a friend. You have to replace the entire assembly and I am sure that the cost is not cheap... probably cheaper to buy a whole new saw....

[Tony Olivares]

take a look:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3mzhvMgrLE&feature=player_embedded