It's certainly worth it to avoid a lost digit, but keep in mind that the explosive clutch packs for that thing are MONDO expensive, and only good for one stop.
OOPS! I finally looked at the video. They've changed the brake mechanism since I saw the first reviews a couple of years ago. It looks like only the "shoe" and the blade would have to be replaced with this version.... not bad!
The world is becoming increasingly risk averse. I was taught (at school aged 15) always to use a pusher if your fingers would come within 5 inches of the blade, and to respect the tools in the workshop as very useful, but potentially lethal, friends. The more safety features these things end up with, potentailly the less careful people become using them. The analogy of the car is similar, the more isolated from the 'road outside' you become, the more risks you take. It's reckoned that the best safety feature of a car would be a 6" spike pointing at the driver from the steering wheel ! People would be ultra careful then
"Andrew Mawson" wrote: (clip) The more safety features these things end up with, potentailly the less careful people become using them. (clip) ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ I can name two friends, both very safety conscious, intelligent and well trained, who injured themselves seriously. One is a member of NRA, and a gun safety instructor--shot himself while hunting. The other was a senior lab technician who cut two fingers off while building his house. Your best protection is attention and care, but even that fails sometimes.
This shutoff device came out a few years ago, and proved very effective, but the developer had trouble getting it accepted, because of the cost.
This device came out quite a few years ago and was roundly rejected by the bulk of the woodworking buying public and the manufacturers.
The inventor of this failed product then tried to petition the CPSC to make their failed product a mandatory addition to all table saws, something widely decried by the public. At some point this inventor managed to get a saw custom manufactured with their safety device, which is the product you find available now.
Certainly they have had some sales, but the general woodworking public still doesn't want the product and a great many (myself included) consider the Saw Stop company to be blacklisted for their unethical behavior.
Table saws are great at ripping through wood, but the power tools can also cause serious injuries, sending upwards of
40,000 people to emergency rooms each year. More than 3,000 of those people -- professional woodworkers, hobbyists, students in high school shop class -- suffer amputations..."
On Fri, 08 Jun 2007 14:15:13 -0500, with neither quill nor qualm, "Pete C." quickly quoth:
That was primarily due to the frequent false alarms and the costly replacement of the mechanism, not to mention the 2x too high price of the saw in the first place. Now the fix is "only" $50...if you can find one available. The last time I looked, it took 2 hours to install, too.
Amen to that. Effem -forever- for pulling that crap.
Well, right off the bat you know the story has zero credibility based on this doosey or a line "students in high school shop class". There hasn't been a high school shop class in the US in at least a decade.
--FWIW I bought one about a year ago; no complaints. I've cut metal with it on several occasions: there's a bypass mode and what I like about this feature is that it turns itself back to non-bypass mode when you finish the cut so you don't have to remember to make the saw safe to use with wood again. IMO it's a very well thought out machine and I'm very pleased with it. The company stands behind their product too: I had one cartridge trigger for an unknown reason and they replaced it, no hassles. Had another one trigger like it's supposed to when I did something extraordinarily stupid so I'm a *really* happy camper. The cost of replacing a cartridge is less than a hundred bucks; maybe $70 or so; where the money comes in is if you trash an expensive blade too. The good news is good blades are getting cheap as well. Still got all ten fingers, heh.
jkmnk "steamer" wrote: (clip) The cost of replacing a cartridge is less than
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ If it saved your finger or your hand it certainly was worth the $70, plus the initial cost of the unit as well. You saved more than that in doctor bills would have been, unless you have incredibly good insurance. And, insurance won't make YOU whole.
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