Sawstop stopped

[Ben Grunow]

I was cutting a 2x4 on 45 degree bevel and my saw stop just stopped for some reason- not power loss, no metal in wood and brake was not activated but it just stopped and the LED lights were flashing. I turned it off and on and it ran again just fine.

Happened on the next cut with primed pine too. Then ripped some MDF at 90 without problems.

I havent looked at the manual yet to decode the flashing lights but thought I might see if anyone has had this happen to them. Anyone?

[Greg Heppeard]

I seem to remember someone from Sawstop telling me that if the wood has too high of a moisture content, it would do this in the safe mode. start the saw with the mechanism turned off and see how that works. Just be very carefull

[Craig Colvin]

There are several reasons that can happen during a cut. I've seen it happen a couple of times if someone is cutting really thick maple and feed too fast bogging down the motor. It has thermal protection circuitry that stops the motor to keep it from burning out.

I also recently had one of our members who kept complaining about this happening and it wasn't the thermal protection. The error lights indicated it was an open door, but I checked and they seemed fine. I was suspecting a faulty door switch but then noticed that the brake was a little far from the blade. I didn't get any error lights when turning on the saw but decided I'd adjust it anyway. Moved the brake a little closer to the blade and that solved the problem.

[Alan Turner]

Ben,
Call Steve at SS, and please report back. We have not had any issue along these lines.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I won't buy so much as a stove with a computer in it much less a table saw.
Dust, dirt and microchips tend not to work and play well together in the long haul. It is possible to build micro processor systems that are proof against environmental contaminants. But it costs money and nothing's perfect.

I am guessing it's a failure in the processor system somewhere. Do not use an air hose to clear it. Use a vacuum and don't set it to high. Maybe a good sucking out may help.

If your shop has high humidity you might want to consider a dehumidifier

[John Bush]

Hi Ben,
I had the same problem when ripping at a 45 deg bevel. I was cutting some old cedar fencing to make Adirondak benches and I thought there may have been a little higher moisture level. I called SS and they suggested the distance from the brake to the blade was too great. I checked that and the problem returned inconsistently, then the lights went nuts and the saw wouldn't turn on at all. They sent me a new switch the next day and all seems to be OK.. They were very helpful and responded quickly, i.e., good
cs, but weren't able to give an exact diagnosis of what the problem may be. I'm still very pleased with the saw and hope this is a mere fluke. JCB.

[Ben Grunow]

I just remembered that I changed the blade to an old junker that I had around while the SS blade went to be sharpened. In doing this I discovered that the riving knife was too high (by about 3/32) which means that the diameter was different. I bet this is the problem and the brake is too far from the blade.

This must be the problem, the saw is new and I just changed the blade. I have been too busy to look at the manual to decode the lights so thanks for the replies. New blade is back at the lumber yard so I'll replace it and update if the problem persists.

[Joe Jensen]

I won't buy so much as a stove with a computer in it much less a table saw.
Dust, dirt and microchips tend not to work and play well together in the long haul. It is possible to build micro processor systems that are proof against environmental contaminants. But it costs money and nothing's perfect.

I am guessing it's a failure in the processor system somewhere. Do not use an air hose to clear it. Use a vacuum and don't set it to high. Maybe a good sucking out may help.

If your shop has high humidity you might want to consider a dehumidifier

Better not use any variable speed tools, or tools with magnetic starters, they all have chips in them too :eek:

[Art Mulder]

I won't buy so much as a stove with a computer in it much less a table saw.
Dust, dirt and microchips tend not to work and play well together in the long haul.

Be reasonable, Cliff! Look at how many things these days have microchips and/or circuit boards in them! :p:p

I just installed a Garage Door Opener - It's got a circuit board in it. And trust me, my garage is not a dust-free environment. So does my car, and I drive that through slush and so on. In both of those, of course, I expect them to have designed for that. Ditto for Sawstop, don't you think?

And if your stove has a digital clock, well, you've alread got a computer in there. Then there is the electronic thermostat, modern furnaces, shop stereos:rolleyes:, ... ... ...

[Kent Fitzgerald]

Better not use any variable speed tools, or tools with magnetic starters, they all have chips in them too :eek:

Not quite. A mag starter is a purely electromechanical device - no solid state electronics.

[Joe Jensen]

Not quite. A mag starter is a purely electromechanical device - no solid state electronics.

My old one yes, but the new one that came with my Oneida DC is solid state with tons of semiconductors in it.

[Kent Fitzgerald]

OK, I haven't seen one of those and I stand corrrected, but they don't "all" have chips in them.

[CPeter James]

The computer in any car made in the last 10 or 15 years has a very powerful computer. Every drop of gasoline is metered in by a computer. The timing and idle are controled by computer. The automatic tranny is run by computer. They are everywhere, many we don't even know are there..

CPeter

[Larry James]

Read this article about SawStop (http://www.designnews.com/CA6360672.html).

Referenced on the Rockler blog.



Larry