Stop Saw!

Not a finger! The sausage does sustain damage. The concept and execution is excellent, though.

So what is new?

SAW STOP

We have been over this before! Only difference is that the Saw Stop Table Saw is now on the commercial market.

THE SAW STOP TABLE SAW

There is no substitute for a deeply ingrained sense of safety and safe working practices.

Relying on a crutch may require replacing the crutch at SOME CO$T

Well said. There's just one slight problem with relying on a deeply ingrained sense of safety and safe working practices: human stupidity, as seen on MTV's Jackass.

Reading some of the posts makes me wonder if there is a clear difference in peoples heads between a safety device designed to minimise or negate harm in the event of an accident, and education and training. Yes, there is no substitute for adequate training and safety awareness, but accidents still happen. The usual example is driving a car. Everybody who drives a car has to have training and pass an exam, but there are still a lot of fatal accidents. Do we say we have to improve the training? No, we make the cars safer so that they protect the occupants better. Does this reduce the incidence of accidents or fatalities on the road? No because drivers feel safer and take more risks. The UK has one of the toughest driving test's in the world, and everyday I see some numpty do something stupid. (Some big companies are now saying that people who drive a car as part of their everyday duties are not competent to drive unless they have advanced training) So, back to the point. Any device that minimises the risk of harm in the advent of an accident has to be a good thing.

But! We shouldn't let this philosophy stop us having fun!

These have been around for a few years. A cabinet shop in my town has had one for almost 5 years now.

They're a great idea and will likely stop serious injury for many users ... but stupidity will find a way to rear it's ugly head and someone will likely stick a real finger in there just to see what happens ... or ... someone will get careless and stick they're appendages into 'other' machinery as they develop a careless attitude due to this saw's safety features.

I still think it's a good idea though and would love to have that feature on my table saw as I have a beautiful, (and very quiet), 60"W 240V industrial table saw with a 12" blade that's 'very' unforgiving on wood, so I'd hate to see what it could do to flesh - my flesh!.

There is a lot of comment about how a false sense of security will make woodworkers careless around the saw. My guess is that the first time the saw stop deploys there are going to be some damp underpants in the shop. I expect that the same guys that were careless before are going to be careless now, but this device does nothing to make me think of the saw as friendly. Antisway bars and antilock brakes make me feel more in contol, and I therefore drive faster and closer to the car in front. Airbags on the otherhand I never think about, and didn't change my driving habits. It is more of an after you need it appreciation: "Thank God, That could have been a disaster!" I think Stop Saw is more of an airbag than a swaybar.

Very well put. I would like to fit this to my saws for the same reason that I buy good quality motorcycle safety helmets, cars with safety features, RCDs on electrical circuits and insurance etc., etc. I don't want to collect on any of them but like to know they are there.

I first saw this item at a National Instruments seminar and was told the trigger is a sensitive RCD. I don't know how well it will work in green timber or high humidity (phantom trips).