Anyone read the Hitachi lawsuit article in Woodshop News?

[Larry Edgerton]

I find Gass's position in this thing less than ethical. He is using our taxpayer dollars to further his own position.

No problem at all with his product but the man himself disgusts me.

[Dennis McGarry]

Its simple for him, Make a law requiring my invention so I can become a multi-billionare..

NO WAY.

I found this part rather disturbing..

"Therefore, the design of the bench-top table saw was defective because it did not have a system to protect the user in the event of contact. That's a big deal in terms of the statement this sends to manufacturers about making their saws reasonably safe."

Saws have been around for decades without his invention, with the normal safety measures in place. Yes there are accidents, as there always will be. Saying the design is at fault is akin to saying my caviler should be destroyed because it doesn't have a crash avoidance system like a volvo.

They want to talk about safety, then why not require airplanes to use the fuel that when exposed to air foams up and become non flammable?

I personally was considering at the end of the summer buying my first cabinet saw, a sawstop, but after reading his views on this, I will not give him one penny.

I hope more enlightened heads will prevail and not make a law requiring this! Suddenly a 100 saw will be 500.00 bucks min! Woodworking will on the hobby side cease to exist.

Also, if he wants it required on all tablesaws, then he should be forced to release his patent on it into the free market. Then its about safety not profit.

[Ed Griner]

I believe the article was about a Ryobi saw. Ed

[Jim Rimmer]

I hope more enlightened heads will prevail and not make a law requiring this! Suddenly a 100 saw will be 500.00 bucks min! Woodworking will on the hobby side cease to exist.
A law like that would drive used TS on to the black market. Remember a few years ago when the tree huggers decided we needed toilets that use less water and now you have to flush them 3 times. Old toilets went on the black market. Anytime an old hotel/motel was torn down, people lined up to buy the old toilets.

As schools and industrial plants dump the old saws to avoid law suits, there will be a line up to buy them.

[Dennis McGarry]

A law like that would drive used TS on to the black market. Remember a few years ago when the tree huggers decided we needed toilets that use less water and now you have to flush them 3 times. Old toilets went on the black market. Anytime an old hotel/motel was torn down, people lined up to buy the old toilets.

As schools and industrial plants dump the old saws to avoid law suits, there will be a line up to buy them.

Problem with that is it could go the other way and if they are required to replace with one that has "flesh sensing tech" they might also require the old non conforming ones to be destroyed.

Has happened before..

[Alan Trout]

Having had a reasonably serious accident on a jointer. I lost about 1/2" of one finger and severed the nerve in the other. My numb and shorter finger remind me every day that I can blame only one person on my accident, me. it was my own complacency that created the opportunity for my accident, and my stupidity for continuing with such complacency.

After reading how the man was using this saw he is lucky he has a hand at all. It was misuse and stupidity on his part that created the situation. But yet he was rewarded buy a jury for this?

I think Sawstop products are fantastic and they give the consumer a choice however choice being the key word. I would like all of us to continue to have our own choices and to take responsibility for our own safety. I have always had a bit of heartburn with the way Mr. Gass has stated his position in the past and on this case. This is his right but I still very uneasy with his perspective.

Alan

[Larry Edgerton]

I was a Ryobi Ed.:o Was still fumeing when I posted.

My big concern as a Pro is what this will do to our business, and where it will stop.

Will flesh sensing shapers be next?

Will it be mandated that I get rid of all of my current tools.

Is this a free country, or is it now just an illusion?

Once we saw the likes of the McDonalds coffee settlement that transfered personal responsibility to large corporations we had to know this was coming, but is it right?

How much is the necessary liability insurance that a company must carry costing us now, and how much will this add?

How many good tool designs will never see the marketplace because of this precident?

Why is the one man to gain from this called as the star witness. Isn't there a conflict of interest here?

There is something fishy in all of this......

[Mitchell Andrus]

they might also require the old non conforming ones to be destroyed.

Has happened before..


I'm thinking you might be right, but when - except for recalls at the mfgr's expense.
.

[Bruce Page]

This has been hashed & rehashed. Please see Chris Padilla’s sticky in the General Woodworking and Power Tools forum.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=135782