Saw Stop Contractor's Saw

[Hank Knight]

I just got a good look at the Saw Stop contractor's saw. The local dealer has one on the floor. Man, that's a nice saw. Saw Stop applied the same approach to the contractor's saw they applied to the cabinet saw: heavy and very well built. It has cast tables - not pressed steel, and a heavy extension wing. The base is heavy and solid. The fence is very nice and works smoothly - like on the big Saw Stop. All in all, a very nice saw. It should be, it retails for $2,100. I've been trying to make up my mind to trade my Unisaw in for 3 hp cabinet Saw Stop. I really like my fingers and I figure a Saw Stop is probabaly the best insurance I can get for them, but it's a lot of money, even with selling my Uni.

Hank

[jason lambert]

I saw one as well looks nice but the one I saw had the stamped steel wings. Not so nice, Get the cast iron wings unless you are moving it alot. the roller base was also nice much larger wheels than the normal base which is a improvnment. The internals, quick changed riving knife, break, adjustnments looked similarto the cabnet saw. Looked pretty nice still not sure how I feel about the motor hangin off the back though.

[Peter Quinn]

Looks like a nice "contractor's" saw. I particularly like the optional job site cart for mobility. But seriously, $2100 for a contractor's saw with a 15A motor? That must be for really expensive high end contractors. That would look great next to a new KAPEX!

I guess I'm asking does a $2100 contractor's saw have much place in the market? Will or can many actual working contractors justify that expense given the alternatives? Would insurance companies be willing to reduce WC insurance premiums for guys providing these for their crews?

I only paid a few bucks more for my PM66, and believe me its a good bit more saw than that one (though not very portable). Some of the saws I've seen guys use in the field these days are some real frightening pieces of work though. Be interesting to see how this one does.

[Geoff Barry]

I think the market will be a bit bigger than contractor-types. I'm a hobbyist, and I'd love a Sawstop. But anyway you slice it, $3500-4000 is just too much for me to spend on a saw, especially when I can get a perfectly good grizzly or steel city cabinet saw for $1100-1200, and a used saw for even less. It's not that the Sawstop isn't a nicer saw, it's that occasional hobby use can't support the price for me. I once saw an article that claimed the Sawstop mechanism should add a couple of hundered dollars to the price of a cabinet saw, and I'd be willing to pay that much more for such a saw. However, Sawstop apparently has been selling its cabinet saw as fast as they can make them, so the price is unlikely to come down anytime soon.

From their perspective, though, that leaves an untapped market of folks who want a Sawstop, but for whom $3-4k simply is too much. So the contractor saw is a good move for them. I can envision paying $2k for a saw (though I won't be anytime soon :) ), so now such a saw would be in the running if I ever step up from my current saw, even if it only is a fancier contractor saw. So I think this is aimed as much at the hobbyist types who want the Sawstop technology, but who can't afford the price of their cabinet saw, as it is at actual contractors. I do wish it were a hybrid, though. A choice between the aforementioned cabinet saw, and a hybrid with the Sawstop technology, even with an $800 price delta, would (for me) tilt fairly easily toward the hybrid. An $800 price delta between a cabinet saw and a contractor saw is probably goes the other way, even though I'd really like to have the Sawstop tech. But I'd still have to think about.

[jason lambert]

Geoff the one thing you are over looking is this saw stop is $$$ for a contractor saw but it also has the nicest features, probably better features than most cabnet saws. Nice table cast iron wings, quick change riving knife and guard, etc. Plus it is really stable before you look even look at the saw stop feature. I did not get a chance to see it run, so I don't know power and how smooth it is. I think this will really appeal to the tool guroo/hobbiest. But I do aggree the premium is high for just the saw stop technology.

[Dave Bureau]

I may not lower your comp rate but it might keep it from going higher. I had a guy fall 3 rungs high from a ladder and broke his arm. My rates went up $10,000 a year for three years. if the saw has 1 save, it will pay for itself 10 x over.
Dave

[Ben Rafael]

$2100 for a contractor saw seems insane. My big complaint with my contractors saw is the useless dust collection. Unless they found a way to make the DC as good as that on a cabinet saw then the price is way too high.
I'd rather save some money up and get the sawstop cab saw, even if I have to save money for a few years.

[peter de tappan]

The grizzly GO661 has riving knife, inboard motor, and under table blade shroud with dust collection hookup and costs $821 delivered to your door.
Seems to me the target audience for the Sawstop is high school shop classes for which the attendant liability exposure would justify an $1300 safety device on an $800 saw.

[Hank Knight]

Seems to me the target audience for the Sawstop is high school shop classes for which the attendant liability exposure would justify an $1300 safety device on an $800 saw.

Peter,

My dealer here told me that his biggest customer for Saw Stops is the public school system. I, personally, think that's great.

Hank

[Shawn Honeychurch]

Just saw the new Sawstop contractors saw retailing for $1450 up here on Vancouver Island in BC CANADA.

[Peter Quinn]

Just saw the new Sawstop contractors saw retailing for $1450 up here on Vancouver Island in BC CANADA.

Really? At that price point it starts to make sense.

[Steveo O'Banion]

Man, that's a nice saw. Saw Stop applied the same approach to the contractor's saw they applied to the cabinet saw: heavy and very well built.
Hank

I've looked at them and also was impressed on how they are built. Very solid indeed. The sensor is also a cheap replacement, $75.00 I was told at Woodcraft. Thats less than my E-room copay! :D

However, my experience with table saws has taught me that the most serious danger posed by the TS is kickback. Lookup "The Big Splinter" on youtube.

Get a good guard (I love the Brett Guard), keep your body and hands in the right place, use push sticks and push blocks and you can operate the saw with no fear of getting hurt. After all, it's usually not the tool but operator errot that gets us in trouble. (Thats supposed to be a little humor folks!)

Steve

[Steveo O'Banion]

The grizzly GO661 has riving knife, inboard motor, and under table blade shroud with dust collection hookup and costs $821 delivered to your door.
Seems to me the target audience for the Sawstop is high school shop classes for which the attendant liability exposure would justify an $1300 safety device on an $800 saw.

Yup, much cheaper than a lawyer!

Steve

[Steven DeMars]

I just got a good look at the Saw Stop contractor's saw. The local dealer has one on the floor. Man, that's a nice saw. Saw Stop applied the same approach to the contractor's saw they applied to the cabinet saw: heavy and very well built. It has cast tables - not pressed steel, and a heavy extension wing. The base is heavy and solid. The fence is very nice and works smoothly - like on the big Saw Stop. All in all, a very nice saw. It should be, it retails for $2,100. I've been trying to make up my mind to trade my Unisaw in for 3 hp cabinet Saw Stop. I really like my fingers and I figure a Saw Stop is probabaly the best insurance I can get for them, but it's a lot of money, even with selling my Uni.

Hank

Since I have already endured the wrath of the SAWSTOP fans, I will be careful here . . .

Why do you really want a SAWSTOP . . . have you had some near misses?

Only you can decide what you are comfortable with . . . but $2,100.00 for a contractors saw . and going from a premium cabinet saw . .uuum . . If the "implied" safety factor is that important to you, by all means go that route . . . But I would have to say at this point if you are buying it from a safety standpoint, this is good, that may be worth $2,100.00. Although, I would not sell myself short, I would at least go with the cabinet model, after all the first $2,100.00 will be spent in the name of safety . . . .

Don't get lax and forget to continue to use common sense when you operate your bandsaw, planer, jointer, drill press, lathe, portable circular saw or that eye sucking shop vac . . . yes my wife works for a hospital and they actually had a guy who "dislocated" eye in an attempt to get ants off of himself using his shop vac . . . I guess it's kinda hard to think when you are covered in fire ants . . . . they even had one guy that picked up a running mower to, "get this", hand it to his brother-in law over a fence . . . he dropped the mower along with 3 1/2 fingers . . . gotta turn that engine off first . .

Good luck on your purchase . . . me, I would keep the UNISAW . . . . and develop some strict safe work habits . . .

Don't forget, you still have watch out for kickback on the SAWSTOP . . .

[Charles Neil]

The contractor starts around 1450.00 with the stamped wings and the regular fence..upgrades are the cast wings, the T fence and extension tables..sizes are 36 " and 52"..at 2100. i think it would be a 52 " with cast wings and all the whistles and bells...they have a mobile base and outfeed as well available..so you can kind of make the saw fit whatever price range ya want....I Got one to demo at a get together I had..and found it to be an extremly well made saw...close as I can figure the technology thing ..jumps the price about 500.00..but once you see that thing stop and drop that blade..you understand..those trunions and all the internal workings have to be very heavy duty to take the force they go thru and be able to return to a correct position...I did the demo 4 times and it always returned to correct alignment..Just FYI

[Chris Kennedy]

I should point out that I don't have a SawStop and the SawStop was just a mythical saw when I bought my tablesaw. It was released about 6 months later, and when either my saw dies or I retire or I win the lottery, I may buy one. I don't know just yet because I am in none of those situations.

The thing I find rather strange is the logic that is being used against the Saw Stop -- yes, $2100 for a contractors saw is ridiculously steep (don't get me started on Festool prices either). But several posts have warned about getting lax because of the SawStop safety feature, and that piece of reasoning puzzles me.

Safety measures and good concentration are necessary for operating anything that can potentially harm you. I think we can all agree on that. But just because I have an extra safety feature doesn't mean I am going to stop using others. My car has air bags, but that isn't likely to make me not use my brakes to avoid hitting something because after all, there are air bags. I don't think so.

I personally see it the other way. I can concentrate all I want and I can follow good safety protocols, but I cannot foresee every possibility. That is why I use safety equipment. I couldn't foresee the bird that flew into my shop the other day nor could I foresee the tree branch breaking off, it hitting the shop, and the shock knocking things off the shelf and onto me.

And there are lots of little things like those that can happen. Having an extra measure of safety, particularly one that it unobtrusive, isn't going to make the general woodworking populace cavalier about a spinning table saw blade. Even if I know after seeing countless hot dogs spared a messy and ignominious fate, I have absolutely no intention of ever risking my hands or any other part of my body because it is somehow safe now.

Just my two cents.

Cheers,

Chris

[Dan Lee]

I should point out that I don't have a SawStop and the SawStop was just a mythical saw when I bought my tablesaw. It was released about 6 months later, and when either my saw dies or I retire or I win the lottery, I may buy one. I don't know just yet because I am in none of those situations.

The thing I find rather strange is the logic that is being used against the Saw Stop -- yes, $2100 for a contractors saw is ridiculously steep (don't get me started on Festool prices either). But several posts have warned about getting lax because of the SawStop safety feature, and that piece of reasoning puzzles me.

Safety measures and good concentration are necessary for operating anything that can potentially harm you. I think we can all agree on that. But just because I have an extra safety feature doesn't mean I am going to stop using others. My car has air bags, but that isn't likely to make me not use my brakes to avoid hitting something because after all, there are air bags. I don't think so.

I personally see it the other way. I can concentrate all I want and I can follow good safety protocols, but I cannot foresee every possibility. That is why I use safety equipment. I couldn't foresee the bird that flew into my shop the other day nor could I foresee the tree branch breaking off, it hitting the shop, and the shock knocking things off the shelf and onto me.

And there are lots of little things like those that can happen. Having an extra measure of safety, particularly one that it unobtrusive, isn't going to make the general woodworking populace cavalier about a spinning table saw blade. Even if I know after seeing countless hot dogs spared a messy and ignominious fate, I have absolutely no intention of ever risking my hands or any other part of my body because it is somehow safe now.

Just my two cents.

Cheers,

Chris


Couldn't agree more about the 'logic' of becoming lax with the SS feature. I am just as saftey concious and think thru every cut as I did berfore.
I have never thought ... gee I got the SS brake so even tho this cut doesn't seem right .. what the heck let it rip.

[mreza Salav]

I should point out that I don't have a SawStop and the SawStop was just a mythical saw when I bought my tablesaw. It was released about 6 months later, and when either my saw dies or I retire or I win the lottery, I may buy one. I don't know just yet because I am in none of those situations.

The thing I find rather strange is the logic that is being used against the Saw Stop -- yes, $2100 for a contractors saw is ridiculously steep (don't get me started on Festool prices either). But several posts have warned about getting lax because of the SawStop safety feature, and that piece of reasoning puzzles me.

Safety measures and good concentration are necessary for operating anything that can potentially harm you. I think we can all agree on that. But just because I have an extra safety feature doesn't mean I am going to stop using others. My car has air bags, but that isn't likely to make me not use my brakes to avoid hitting something because after all, there are air bags. I don't think so.

I personally see it the other way. I can concentrate all I want and I can follow good safety protocols, but I cannot foresee every possibility. That is why I use safety equipment. I couldn't foresee the bird that flew into my shop the other day nor could I foresee the tree branch breaking off, it hitting the shop, and the shock knocking things off the shelf and onto me.

And there are lots of little things like those that can happen. Having an extra measure of safety, particularly one that it unobtrusive, isn't going to make the general woodworking populace cavalier about a spinning table saw blade. Even if I know after seeing countless hot dogs spared a messy and ignominious fate, I have absolutely no intention of ever risking my hands or any other part of my body because it is somehow safe now.

Just my two cents.

Cheers,

Chris

Very very well-said Chris.

That reasoning of some here (and other places) is beyond me.
I don't have a SS either, but if and when I decide to upgrade that would be the saw I'd buy.

[Per Swenson]

Hello All,

We are Sawstop Cabinet saw owners.

Early adopters if you will.

We run a very small commercial operation (check my profile)

But, I am that overconfident guy who without the benefit of my

Fathers wisdom, would not have considered sawstop as a purchase.

Bob, my Father is 83 years old, Hunter my son is 18,

selfishly I never considered that prior to purchase.

That I would not be the only one to ever use this saw.

It is that one nagging concerned lessened that just adds to my

daily comfort. Granted no tool is 100 percent safe. Ever.

But still.....

Per

[Mac Cambra]

I just replaced my Unisaw with a Sawstop cabinet saw. All the bells and whistles and I am still dizzy from the cost, second guessing myself, wondering if I got caught up in the intoxication of tool lust. On the positive side I sold my Unisaw for $1200, purchased it 3-4 years ago for $1450, which takes some of the sting out. Still coughing up $3k extra for something that extensibly adds no real additional capability to my shop was a battle that I still am fighting. One other concern that lingers is the company Sawstop and its longevity prospects, I want this to be a lifetime purchase. Will parts be an issue? Seems that is a risk that needs consideration as well.

I haven't had a chance to really put it to the test but what I will say and this echos the sentiments of many here is that the build quality and precision is second to none, I couldn't be more pleased. Further all the best intentions, work habits, etc., the bottom line is "stuff" happens. My hope is that I never have an event where I can say boy I am glad I bought the saw because it save my fingers or hand. If that turns out to be the case does it mean that I wasted my money, I don't think so.

You can argue the value proposition until you are blue in the face it all boils down to PERSONAL satisfaction after the purchase. And it is just that a personal judgement. If I get the chance to use the saw for another 20-30 years, God willing, the cost really amounts to an extra $10/month or so. I'll eat lunch out one time less a month and be money ahead.

One final comment, irrespective of the safety features, I still plan on running my saw as though it doesn't have them. Kind of a belt and suspenders approach.

I thought I would share my own personal demons with respect to this purchase, I love the saw but I know I pushed the personal limits with respect to what I was willing to afford.

Mac

[Jay Knepper]

Although a couple of people have commented that they continue to use best safety practices despite having a SawStop, this is not how the general population behaves. Over time safety devices seem to promote lax habits.

To see how this is so, try a thought experiment the next time you are driving. Imagine that you have no seat belts. Then notice how much more carefully you drive.

Of course this does not mean that safety features are not helpful, just that they don't give as much benefit as they might.

[Greg Pavlov]

To see how this is so, try a thought experiment the next time you are driving. Imagine that you have no seat belts. Then notice how much more carefully you drive.

I haven't seen that sort of correlation in driving habits betw people who wear seatbelts and those who don't. If anything, it seems to me that people who drive recklessly are less likely to wear a seatbelt than those who do.

People drive carefully just as much for economic reasons as safety: who can afford to miss work time, pay higher insurance rates, big traffic fines, or get caught up in an accident lawsuit?

Regardless of how carefully you drive you can still end up in an accident. The likelihood may be much lower, but it's still very possible. Six years ago I was in an accident: I was at a stop light when a car slid into me. It makes sense to wear seatbelts regardless of how carefully you drive.

Riving knives are good. They're like disc brakes and frontwheel drive, they help reduce accidents.

Most of this applies to the SawStop technology as well. It isn't a substitute, it's just another dimension. (One difference is that seatbelts are a heck of a lot cheaper .....;))

[Greg Pavlov]

So I think this is aimed as much at the hobbyist types who want the Sawstop technology, but who can't afford the price of their cabinet saw, as it is at actual contractors. I do wish it were a hybrid, though. A choice between the aforementioned cabinet saw, and a hybrid with the Sawstop technology, even with an $800 price delta, would (for me) tilt fairly easily toward the hybrid. An $800 price delta between a cabinet saw and a contractor saw is probably goes the other way, even though I'd really like to have the Sawstop tech. But I'd still have to think about.

I may be wrong, but I think that what we are seeing is a very clever marketing strategy.

I believe that Mr. Gass knew that if he came out with a saw, schools and various businesses would pretty much *have* to buy it: imagine a kid losing 2 or three fingers on one hand using a Brand X saw, and a court case where it comes out that the school could have purchased a less-dangerous (SS isn't "safe," it's simply less dangerous than other TSs) saw?

At the same time, Mr. Gass, I am sure, knew that he would start out with relatively low sale volumes. SO he developed/had developed a saw that was somewhat more expensive than the run-of-the-mill products in the marketplace, but a very decently-built one to at least somewhat justify the premium price. With such a product he gained some volume while at the same time assured a reasonably decent per-unit sale and, ultimately, profit.

It's a very well-thought out strategy, but it really doesn't do much for most hobbyists, since it's too expensive for most. So out comes a "contractor saw," something that schools and non-construction businesses are not likely to buy, thus preserving the market for the upper end offering, but priced at or even above the hybrid saw level, but not *too* high to drive away many hobbyists.

My suspicion - tho again, I could be wrong - is that we won't see a SS hybrid for at least another year or so, because such a saw probably will appeal to many schools as a cheaper but viable alternative to the $4K big brother, thus knocking down its sales. Eventually there should be a hybrid SawStop, once the development work has been paid for, the brand's well-entrenched, etc. .... about two years from now (delivery, not announcement date)?

[Steven DeMars]

I may be wrong, but I think that what we are seeing is a very clever marketing strategy.

I believe that Mr. Gass knew that if he came out with a saw, schools and various businesses would pretty much *have* to buy it: imagine a kid losing 2 or three fingers on one hand using a Brand X saw, and a court case where it comes out that the school could have purchased a less-dangerous (SS isn't "safe," it's simply less dangerous than other TSs) saw?

At the same time, Mr. Gass, I am sure, knew that he would start out with relatively low sale volumes. SO he developed/had developed a saw that was somewhat more expensive than the run-of-the-mill products in the marketplace, but a very decently-built one to at least somewhat justify the premium price. With such a product he gained some volume while at the same time assured a reasonably decent per-unit sale and, ultimately, profit.

It's a very well-thought out strategy, but it really doesn't do much for most hobbyists, since it's too expensive for most. So out comes a "contractor saw," something that schools and non-construction businesses are not likely to buy, thus preserving the market for the upper end offering, but priced at or even above the hybrid saw level, but not *too* high to drive away many hobbyists.

My suspicion - tho again, I could be wrong - is that we won't see a SS hybrid for at least another year or so, because such a saw probably will appeal to many schools as a cheaper but viable alternative to the $4K big brother, thus knocking down its sales. Eventually there should be a hybrid SawStop, once the development work has been paid for, the brand's well-entrenched, etc. .... about two years from now (delivery, not announcement date)?

Can you say "Custom PM 2000" . . . . http://www.powermaticcustoms.com/images/myperfectsaw.jpg

[Daniel Berlin]

Although a couple of people have commented that they continue to use best safety practices despite having a SawStop, this is not how the general population behaves. Over time safety devices seem to promote lax habits.

To see how this is so, try a thought experiment the next time you are driving. Imagine that you have no seat belts. Then notice how much more carefully you drive.

Of course this does not mean that safety features are not helpful, just that they don't give as much benefit as they might.

This theory has been posited before, but statistics never bear it out.
For the seatbelt case, see for example, http://www.stanford.edu/~leinav/pubs/RESTAT2003.pdf (http://www.stanford.edu/%7Eleinav/pubs/RESTAT2003.pdf)
They find there is no support for the "compensating behavior" theory (which is what you are suggesting).

[Ben Rafael]

I think a hybrid SS would be inane. Hybrids, IMO, are neither here nor there.
I often see price differences between hybrids and similarly featured cabinet saws of about $100.
Who's going to pay close to $2500 or more for a SS hybrid?
Gass is no fool, he is not going to waste his resources on a hybrid. I'd expect a SS bandsaw soon. A bandsaw is easier to stop in an instant and probably wouldn't destroy the blade in the process. I'm surprised it isn't already available.

[Greg Pavlov]

I think a hybrid SS would be inane. Hybrids, IMO, are neither here nor there.
I often see price differences between hybrids and similarly featured cabinet saws of about $100.
Who's going to pay close to $2500 or more for a SS hybrid?
I would, if it were $1500 cheaper than the decked-out cabinet saw, and based on a lot of discussions in woodworking forums, so would a good number of other people. I guess that SawStop will watch the sales of the "contractor" saw and see what market is left after that.


Gass is no fool, he is not going to waste his resources on a hybrid. I'd expect a SS bandsaw soon. A bandsaw is easier to stop in an instant and probably wouldn't destroy the blade in the process. I'm surprised it isn't already available.
Yes, a SawStop bandsaw should do well.

[Cary Swoveland]

I may be wrong, but I think that what we are seeing is a very clever marketing strategy...
I'm not so sure, Greg. I think Steve Gass is truly on a mission. If he were just a financial sharpie, I think you'd see evidence of corners having been cut in the design of the Sawstop. I find none. I think he's actually from the "let's do it right" old-school. I'll bet adherence to that creed has bumped up costs and lengthened time-to-market. Yes, they've been quite successful so far, in part due to sales to schools, but perhaps it's due less to a clever marketing strategy than to an ingenious, well-designed and well-built product, which, safety-wise, has no competition.

Cary

[Greg Pavlov]

I'm not so sure, Greg. I think Steve Gass is truly on a mission. If he were just a financial sharpie, I think you'd see evidence of corners having been cut in the design of the Sawstop. I find none. I think he's actually from the "let's do it right" old-school. I'll bet adherence to that creed has bumped up costs and lengthened time-to-market. Yes, they've been quite successful so far, in part due to sales to schools, but perhaps it's due less to a clever marketing strategy than to an ingenious, well-designed and well-built product, which, safety-wise, has no competition.
Cary
I didn't criticize the saws themselves, I very much agree with you. But that's separate from my views of the order of the product rollouts.

[david kramer]

Yes, a SawStop bandsaw should do well.

Seems to me that bandsaws are not particularly dangerous tools. And there is already a very crowded market for high-end bandsaws, so I wonder what SS can offer to this market.

In terms of nasty tools, my list is TS, jointer, with everything else a distant third. I would hope to see a SS jointer. Does anyone know of actual statistics on which tools cause serious woodworking injuries?

David

[Cary Swoveland]

Seems to me that bandsaws are not particularly dangerous tools...
...which is why there are so many serious bandsaw accidents.

It's very easy to lose a finger or worse on a bandsaw. How long would it take a 1" resaw blade to take an entire finger? Jointers have taken the ends of many fingers, but not usually more.

I am so leary of my bandsaw that I made a secondary plexiglass guard.

Cary

[Cary Swoveland]

Greg,

I wasn't suggesting that you were in any way panning the saw. I just suggesting that the business model is not driven by marketing. I think Mr. Gass had such a great invention and plan that he was able to obtain as much capital as he needed to produce a really good saw. I agree that producing the cabinet saw first was wise, but I'm not sure there was much choice. As well as not having the educational market, as you noted, producing a higher-volume contractor's saw initially would have involved tremendous risk.

It will be interesting to see if anyone else comes up with a comparable safety device that gets around Gass' patents.

Cary

[Ben Rafael]

Bandsaws are very dangerous. Just pay attention at busy butcher shops, you'll see butchers with finger tips or more missing.
My only accident with a powertool was with a BS. Fortunately I just got a very bad cut.

[Jeff Bratt]

I'd expect a SS bandsaw soon. A bandsaw is easier to stop in an instant and probably wouldn't destroy the blade in the process. I'm surprised it isn't already available.

I agree that a SS bandsaw would be a logical next development. But stopping two wheels with large amounts of angular momentum is not trivial. The speculative design I read about involved shearing the blade, which would very quickly release tension and stop the blade. Then the wheels could spin down after the blade is already stopped. Another possibility (without damaging the blade) would be to develop a quick release bandsaw tensioning mechanism paired with a quick acting blade brake. But getting mechanisms such as these to work on a millisecond time scale is a real accomplishment.

The tablesaw was an obvious first choice because of its widespread use and the high number of injuries. A SS jointer could use a mechanism similar to the table saw. While the sensing technology would be similar, the brake design for other tools would need some new ideas. However, the shaper - and its little brother the router - are probably nearer the top of the injury causing list. Some design challenges there for sure...

[David Eisan]

Hello there,

The number one tool in Ontario that kids hurt themselves on in school shop class is the bandsaw.

David.

[Ben Rafael]

I agree that a SS bandsaw would be a logical next development. But stopping two wheels with large amounts of angular momentum is not trivial. The speculative design I read about involved shearing the blade, which would very quickly release tension and stop the blade. Then the wheels could spin down after the blade is already stopped. Another possibility (without damaging the blade) would be to develop a quick release bandsaw tensioning mechanism paired with a quick acting blade brake. But getting mechanisms such as these to work on a millisecond time scale is a real accomplishment.

The tablesaw was an obvious first choice because of its widespread use and the high number of injuries. A SS jointer could use a mechanism similar to the table saw. While the sensing technology would be similar, the brake design for other tools would need some new ideas. However, the shaper - and its little brother the router - are probably nearer the top of the injury causing list. Some design challenges there for sure...

It only needs to be good enough to prevent a removal of an appendage.
My BS has a brake that will stop my saw fast enough to prevent a lost finger. The trick is to have that brake activated when needed.