THE WORLD'S SAFEST TABLE SAW - Will Not Cut your fingers!

[2tone]

Have you seen this before?
a saw that Cannot cut your finger off.

unfortunately I know and have worked with many men who could have benefited from this type of technology before now but at least some digits can now be saved.....

I think the technology is still far too new to be afforded by the average bloke in his shed but at least its a sign of things to come.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esnQwVZOrUU watch demo here

http://sawstop.com/

 

[Smudger]

It's been discussed a few times on here. The general feeling seems to have been

a) We'd prefer to test it on somebody else's fingers, and
b) It might leave you damaged, but in the case of a bad accident, less so than without, but
c) it might lead to complacency.

Is that a fair summing up?

 

[wizer]

This was introduced about three years ago. If it was available here and the cost was fair, I'd buy one.

 

[2tone]

i think your right about complacency - for sure.

I don't worry about myself, more for people who work for me or a new apprentice etc.

I think the french artisans could definitely benefit from it as the obligatory bottle of wine at lunch time seems to dull there reactions a little!!!

 

[Smudger]

Ah! You know M. LeBois at our local timber yard, then!

Stuff's cheaper in the afternoons, though...

 

[Chems]

The americans are catching on about riving knifes and from reading sawmill creek seems to be they are getting the message about kick back. There saws have anti kick back pawls which I haven't seen here yet. One of the main reasons I'd like a sawstop is that they are claiming 99.9% dust collection which is impressive indeed!

 

[wizer]

Riving knives and anti-kickback pawls are now the law over there. But there's still a great deal of tablesaws that are unprotected. But the mags and media over there seem to have finally caught on.

 

[WoodAddict]

i remember seeing something similar on a smaller scale. i think it was a tool for removing plaster-casts??

good technology but surely safer working is the best way to go rather than trusting something like this?

 

[Kalimna]

Am I correct in thinking that once the sawstop fires, it costs a fair bit to replace the 'firing' mechanism? And as someone posted in an earlier thread, it's all very well (and damned impressive) to stop on contact with a sausage, but what about when that cooked meat product is forceably pushed onto the blade (as may happen with an accidental slip) rather than gently introduced?

Adam

 

[wizer]

Yep the blade and 'cartridge' is destroyed once triggered. Cost to replace about £100. Price to replace a finger/hand/life ?

I imagine more damage can be done to ones hand than is shown on the sausage. But it appears that that damage would be much less than if the saw remained in place.

 

[Smudger]

I think that's exactly the point. In an accident a tragedy becomes just an injury.
Wouldn't it have been nice if that poor kid whose father let him use a table saw aged 4 had the luxury of a saw stop, rather than going through life with a missing thumb?

Or our technician - the worst bit for us was going through the extractor bag looking for the finger, it was more serious for him...

 

[Kalimna]

Oh, it's an absolutely fantastic bit of safety kit indeed. And, as you say, the ability to turn a tragedy into a mere 'accident' is hard to argue against.
I was merely suggesting that it perhaps isnt without it's drawbacks (which arent that severe given the plus points!).
Similarly (and I don;t know the answer to this), but in a realworld situation of slipping under the mechanical pressure of feeding timber into the saw, does the saw stop and retract well enough to prevent serious injury (for instance, a severely lacerated/mangled hand or finger will end up reducing the function of an arm just as much as amputating the digit or hand)?

Cheers,
Adam

 

[Smudger]

I think it gives you a chance for surgeons to fix it.

 

[Kalimna]

That's a fair answer. I suppose it's much like wearing a seatbelt - if you hit a lampost at 60 mph, with a seatbelt you have a chance, without you don't.....

Adam

 

[Smudger]

I did a first-aid course years ago, and when we did heart massage one of the people on the course cavilled at possibly breaking ribs to do it properly, only to be told severely that broken ribs could be fixed, death couldn't. That's stayed with me, unsurprisingly...

 

[Kalimna]

Having had occasion to break ribs in such a fashion, I can tell you it's quite an unpleasant sensation. Though, as your instructor mentioned, ribs can be fixed, prolonged death can't.
And on that cheery note.....
Adam

 

[Smudger]

Fortunately I've never had to. And hopefully...

 

[woodsworth]

What about the apprentice that decides to try it just for ***** and giggles? Your saw is down till you get a replacement and it cost you for the part. It doesn't look so attractive then. If you think they won't do it think again.

 

[shannyla]

What about the apprentice that decides to try it just for ***** and giggles? Your saw is down till you get a replacement and it cost you for the part. It doesn't look so attractive then. If you think they won't do it think again.

Then send the apprentice to try the same trick on the bandsaw... or just feed him through it...

 

[duncanh]

someone posted a link to this video where the designer demonstrates using his finger rather than a sausage. He doesn't exactly ram it into the blade though!