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Thread: SawStop Blade Touching Question?

  1. #16
    I rotate the saw blade with the end of my plywood push stick when the blade is not moving.

  2. #17
    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ron Citerone View Post
    What Paul said emphasizing "Completely come to a stop." One time I brought a metal ruler in close to set the fence for the next cut, the blade was all but stopped and the ruler barely touched the blade and set it off.

    I was also warned about this. This is the worst kind of brake fire because the blade doesn't really dig into the brake and the unrelieved spring pressure makes it very difficult to get the blade and brake out. The good news about a slow speed brake fire is that your blade might be recoverable. I've had a total of three brake fires in the 6 or 7 years Ive had my saw. All were my stupid mistake. In one case, I was able to have the blade fixed and that one was when the saw was spinning down.

  3. #18
    The manual is pretty good, better than any others I can think of. But I don't love the fact that I feel the need to keep it handy. There are better ways to give the status of the saw than blinking lights. So I keep it handy to be able to understand what the saw is trying to tell me. But at least I don't have to go to the internet to find out what it is saying.

  4. #19
    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Dwight View Post
    The manual is pretty good, better than any others I can think of. But I don't love the fact that I feel the need to keep it handy. There are better ways to give the status of the saw than blinking lights. So I keep it handy to be able to understand what the saw is trying to tell me. But at least I don't have to go to the internet to find out what it is saying.
    I think it would be a good thing if they'd provide a quick reference label that could be applied to a convenient surface. 'Cause ya, who wants to keep pulling out the manual.

  5. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by Frank Pratt View Post
    I think it would be a good thing if they'd provide a quick reference label that could be applied to a convenient surface. 'Cause ya, who wants to keep pulling out the manual.
    You could always make your own on your computer - or even hand written - and tape it close to your switch.

    Mike
    Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.

  6. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Henderson View Post
    You could always make your own on your computer - or even hand written - and tape it close to your switch.

    Mike

    That is the obvious easy answer. It's the solution I came up with when I bought my Sawstop 7 years ago. Unfortunately I still haven't gotten around to it but am reminded every time I pull the manual out.

    Alan

  7. #22
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    My PCS came with a decal with all the light codes on the side of the switch box.

    Cliff
    The problem with the world is that intelligent people are full of doubts, while the stupid ones are full of confidence.
    Charles Bukowski

  8. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Henderson View Post
    You could always make your own on your computer - or even hand written - and tape it close to your switch.

    Mike
    I had that very thought as I was posting it. I'm going to do one & laminate it.

  9. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by Aaron Liebling View Post
    My (just arrived) ics has a nice magnetized quick receive card to stick on the cabinet. If you want their official one, I'm sure they'd send it to you
    Thanks Aaron, I might just give them a call.

  10. #25
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
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    I fired the safety brake for the first time yesterday in five years of ownership.

    This was a Dado brake cartridge.

    I'd installed it and adjusted the yellow screw that sets the gap, plugged the saw back in and watched it go through it's start up self test sequence. I had already cut a Dado in another piece of wood, so I had that laid over the blade, as I wanted the exact same depth, so I raised the blade up past the depth of the previously cut Dado and was sliding the piece backwards and forwards feeling for when the blade disengaged the wood. This naturally was turning the blade while it was set too high.

    I got ready to make the new cut, reached down and powered the saw on with the paddle switch and boom, well it was more like a click, the blade didn't rotate and the red light was flashing. I immediately powered the paddle switch off and when I realized the blade was locked, unplugged the saw.

    I printed out the instructions from the manual on how to remove the blade and brake and when those didn't help I want to the Sawstop online tech support.They were helpful and sent me a couple of videos on the process, but it appears these were for a different model of saw. There is a locking mechanism that should engage when the blade is lowered all the way down, my saw (a PCS175) doesn't appear to have this feature. Also, since I swapped out the 110v motor for the 3HP 240v upgrade, my arbor doesn't appear to go quite as low as it did before and I think this is something to do with the replacement strut that also gets installs in the conversion.

    So what caused this? ME! I normally use a WWII Combo blade, which I had sharpened. This appeared to make the blade slightly smaller in diameter. So when I put the WWII blade in, I have to adjust the yellow screw all the way to minimize the blade to brake gap. When I use my Rip blade, or in this case, my Freud Box Dado blade, I have to back the gap screw all the way out. I don't this I adjusted this correctly this time. Although the Dado blade could turn, the gap was too small and the SawStop rep told me that it the blade tip touched the plastic decal, it would trip.

    So lesson learned, but with a new Dado brake installed, after a two hour round trip to Woodcraft, I was a little concerned about tripping the new brake cartridge, so I completed all my Dado cuts in the brake override mode. After I had finished them, I got brave and them turned the saw on in normal mode and all was fine.

    The red arrow shows the only slight indent on the brake surface and this may have been made worse by me wrestling the blade and cartridge out.


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