Saw Stop table saw?

[HOBrian]

I just started looking for a good table saw that will last. I came across this http://www.sawstop.com/ and was wondering what you guys think of this product. It is a little pricey though. I wish they had a price for the contractor saw, it would fit me better.

 

[WWildbore]

HOBrian, I do not have that table saw, but I have heard good things about it. Try this woodworking forum sawmillcreek.org , good bunch of guys there.



wayne

 

[rbattelle]

Those stop systems are becoming very popular. As far as I know, all the major manufacturers are offering them now (Powermatic, Delta, others).



I think it's a great idea, but for 2 issues:



1. Depending on the mechanism, I've heard some of them can only be used once, then the mechanism must be changed out ($$).



2. They work by measuring resistance. If you're working with wet wood (even "fresh" pressure treated lumber), I've heard it can set off the mechanism.



I don't own one (table saws scare me to death), but that's what I've heard about them. A friend just bought a table saw and did all sorts of research on them.



Ryan

 

[JDecanter]

I just completed a do it myself retirement home: took five years working spare time. The most important thing I learned about tools is don't go by price. I started out with a table saw that cost less than $200. 00: it plenty of power to cut anything I wanted, but it was hard to get consistent square cuts. Take a good look at the table and and all adjustments: check to see if they are rock solid and you will make a good decision.

 

[MRFost]

The SawStop *destroys* both the installed blade, and an internal saw mechanism each time it fires. You must replace both pieces after it trips. I've been using a table saw for 40 years without a blade guard. Recently, I bought a Delta X5 5HP 10" saw. It's a horse. I can, however, understand a less experienced user wanting a SawStop. Before I made my decision, I pushed some wood through a SawStop at a store. The saw was nice enough to the touch. It did not see remarkable, given the price. My opinion only.

 

[MChildress]

I have Rockwell 12" table and radial arm saws. I believe alot of the safety mechanisms are company liability issues from inexperienced users as mrfrost states. Most are in the way and get removed, but the company can say the machine came with safeguards. Just my two cents I still have six fingers left.



Hey Ryan,I ordered that Eaton compressor the 5hp 2 stage 80 gal. It should be arriving this next week (fingers crossed).

 

[bighammer]

I had a long response typed, but bumped the backspace and POOF... . :{ #@$%!

Anyway, a guy that did a lot of our cabinet work downstate, in a rush one day, ran his 5 fingers over the blade. U of M surgeons put him back together and after a LONG bit of therapy he had a surprisingly useful hand. I'm sure the added cost of a safety device would be paid for MANY times over if you consider the pain, lost work, permanent deficit.

I bought my 3hp cabinet saw before these things were available, but I wonder about replacing it before I'm an absent-minded, accident-prone, middle-aged, idiot. (Oh, wait a minute, maybe it's time to go shopping, I'm about there )

Seriously, I haven't looked ino them, but it sounds like a good thing. (like insurance on your home or car)

 

[Grizzly]

I have the 10" Delta Unisaw with the long extension table. It's a true cabinet builders saw, which is what I use it for and furniture making. I love and respect it. I believe the Sawstop is worth considering.

 

[lil red cummins]

i watched the saw stop work in person about 2 months ago at an open house. the developer-owner of the product does a demo with a hotdog. very impressive!!!!!!! if i did a lot of sawing, this would be a worthwhile investment.



if you are concerned about the cost of the sacrificial block and blade being a big deal, DON'T BE!!



this is designed to save your hands, what price do you put on them??



if you find yourself using this safety device more than once in the same year, you need to get into a different line of work. if you can't change fields, you will at least retire with all your fingers intact.



jim h

 

[Turbo Tim 1]

A friend of mine cut half way through his hand with a radial arm saw but he was 14 at the time. I bought a Delta contractors saw a few years ago and the first thing I did was take the blade guard off because it was a pain. My grandfather designed and built wooden boats and houses for 60 years, none of his tools ever had guards. He was consiensious and a perfectionist and died with all of his fingers. When we were young and would work in his basement in his shop he would stand over us and make sure we worked the same way as him. We learned how to make jigs in repetative work and how to use push sticks for other work. If you're the kind of guy that messes up everything he touches get every safety feature you can otherwise learn to work safe.

 

[CumminsAholic]

I own a cabinet shop. When or if my saw ever needs replacing I'd get a saw stop. Yes it ruins the blade and mechanism. $75 for a blade and $125? For the mechanism. So about $200. Even if I trip it a time or 2 if it ever did save a finger of mine or anybody else who is using it it's well worth it. Yeah they're a little more $ I found a 5 horse for about $2500, not way out of the ballpark. They also look to be pretty well built. You can be as careful as you want, but accidents do happen, that's why they're accidents. I know that the saw doesn't care what it cuts and doesn't care if it hurts you so I always keep my fingers a safe... in my opinion... distance away... BTW, my thumb will not fit in a 3/4" wide cut, and inch yeah but at 3/4 it gets a little callus trim. Anyways there's always kickback, that's what I'd be the most afraid of, like when I'm cutting a 6" piece off a 8' piece.

The guy that invented it, an attorney, is now trying to get a law passed that all table saws would have to have this. We'll see how that goes.

Anyways, If you can afford it I'd get the saw, it'd be well worth it if you ever needed it.

Corey

 

[HOBrian]

this is designed to save your hands, what price do you put on them??



jim h

This is my thought process as well. I would rather be safe than sorry. Oo.

 

[EKlem]

About a year ago they got 4 new saws from sawstop here at school and they have been pretty good. Considering the number of dumb things that students do with saws, they have held up very well to the abuse. They have plenty of power and they make good cuts and are very easy to use. One of them did trip when a kid stuck his hand in there earlier this year and it was insane how quickly it shut down. He didn't even need a band aid to stop the bleeding.



If you are going to be having a lot of people without a lot of experience using the saw, they are definitely a good investment. I have no complaints about the saw but I can see a very careful worker not being able to justify the extra expense.



If you want to see something really cool, go to the website and there is a video of the safety mechanism kicking in on there if I remember correctly.

 

[p-Bar]

I have been a custom cabinet maker most my life, I think mentally you will push the envelope a bit more knowing it is there. As one other person said "RESPECT" it goes a long ways. I still have all my fingies

 

[AndyMan]

Wood magazine reviewed a SawStop a year or so ago. They seemed to be thorougly impressed. They sacrificed a few blades and "stops" during some testing to gauge it's effectiveness. They used hot dogs to simulate fingers. They pushed a hot dog to one blade, slapped a hot dog against another blade, and graced a blade with the final hot dog. It barely broke the skin on any of the hot dogs. All of blades and sacrifical stops were destroyed though. Pretty nifty technology, but it does come with a price.



If you're looking for something more in the contractor style price, I'd look at a delta hybrid, or a Powermatic PM2000.



I can probably find the Wood magazine with the saw stop article if you'd like me to mail it to you.

 

[p-Bar]

Why does it trash the blade

 

[bighammer]

Why does it trash the blade

To instantly stop the blade, a heavy spring-loaded guiotine (yea, I spell that a lot Hopefully you understand like "Off with her head!") goes into the blade. I would guess a tooth gets beat up and it probably gets the blade disk itself a little bent or off balance.

 

[p-Bar]

sounds tough on the machine. I still wouldn't go to the bank on it.

 

[Grizzly]

I just started looking for a good table saw that will last. I came across this http://www.sawstop.com/ and was wondering what you guys think of this product. It is a little pricey though. I wish they had a price for the contractor saw, it would fit me better.

Yeah but, $3,923 with accessories and shipping plus tax. On the other hand it worth it, if can save a finger or two.

 

[jwgary]

Look at the high speed video

Why does it trash the blade

They have videos on their website that show the action. A perforated aluminum block is shoved into the spinning blade and the two become one. That's why the block and blade must be replaced instead of your finger. :-laf