Saw Stop is here

[Steve Jenkins]

There is a cabinet shop in the same complex my shop is in and they just purchased 6 sawstop saws. They are a production shop and have had two had accidents in the past year.
yea yea I know, training and supervision, but this is their solution and it will probably be a good one.
I know where there will be some table saws for sale shortly.

[Chris Padilla]

Do you guys think the European sliders are safer than the American table saws in general?

In other words, if SawStop made an American slider, it could well be one of the safest tools. I see Grizzly is the first to bring an "American" slider to the market (I think)....

Just some food for discussion on this topic.

[Michael Ballent]

Do you guys think the European sliders are safer than the American table saws in general?

In other words, if SawStop made an American slider, it could well be one of the safest tools. I see Grizzly is the first to bring an "American" slider to the market (I think)....

Just some food for discussion on this topic.

Actually Powermatic has Euro style sliders available right now... I have no idea how much they cost though or if they are even made in the USA... Below is the link.

http://www.wmhtoolgroup.com/index.cf...tail&iid=78110

[Charlie Plesums]

Actually Powermatic has Euro style sliders available right now... I have no idea how much they cost though or if they are even made in the USA...

To my eye, that looks an awful lot like the Felder "K700 professional" with the optional overhead blade guard. (Made in Austria)

Likewise, the Grizzly looks an awful lot like a MiniMax, made by SCM Group in Italy.

A European saw won't keep you from putting your fingers in the blade, but normal operations are from beside the blade, not behind the blade (not in line for things thrown by the blade), and can routinely be performed farther from the blade - with the sliding table I can easily make cuts from the far corner of the sheet, without losing precision.

[Rick Lizek]

I'm pretty sure the Powermatic slider is made by Robland. I've heard only bad things about it so far although I haven't heard anything bad about Robland in general. I know they are considered lesser quality than Felder. Years ago Delta was selling a few Euro sliders made by Invicta. Mostly 4' travel then in the 80's they were selling a 8 or 10' foot slider made, I recall in Italy. Grizzly is many years later with sliders. I don't beleive there is such a thing as a US slider except the old Oliver, Northfield, etc and it's a totally different animal. Typically only 3' to 4' crosscut and those dreadful old rip fences. Funny thing is sliders go way back in European woodworking and the US was so slow in adapting the concept. Heck, the horizontal slot mortiser goes back to the late 50's and many folks still haven't heard about it here or they equate it with David Marks and the multi-router!

[mike lucas]

I just talked to a guy that lost a finger in a tablesaw accident. He said he would have paid double the price of the saw if he had his finger back. I'm thinking about putting one in the classroom of my store and possibly retailing it...I have to check with the powers that be and see if I can do it.

How many car/truck drivers have a wreck without a seatbelt on, get hurt, and still would never consider using a seatbelt? It`s the same with this saw. And at $2500 the saw is pretty much worthless, you still need a fence, and blade guard. You can get a Powermatic Model 66 for about $1900-$2200 and other then putting it together and getting power to it, it is ready to go, the Sawstop will cost about $2700 and soon to be $3000 for it to be ready to operate.

Don't get me wrong, I like the idea, but it cost much to much.

[mike lucas]

Any major tool I might buy at this point in life will have a very limited life. It just isn't economically feasable to spend that much on a tool - any tool - at my age of 83. How much use will I get out of it. While it is true I still have ten fingers after 50+ year of table saw use, I am still scared of them. If I were an employer and had a table saw at my place of business, You bet your boots I'd have one.

Your still young, I know a local guy that is in his early 90`s (Maybe 93) and he building a new house He lived in a condemed home for the past 40+ years, now he decides to build new. He has more money then he could spend if he lives to be 150 years though. He alread built a 60X120X12 foot barn, a 48'X80'X10' garage all this year. I really don't understand his logic, but it`s his money.

[Lincoln Myers]

Some interesting videos here of the SawStop in action:

Wood Magazine SawStop Videos

-Linc

[Jim O'Dell]

Steve, will you let us all know when, what kind of saws, and how much when the time comes? If timing is right, I might be interested. Jim.