I recently bought a SawStop tablesaw. (Is that the sound of applause I’m hearing?) On the one hand, it was an easy decision. Who wouldn’t want the blade brake safety feature only SawStop offers. On the other hand, it wasn’t a snap decision. In fact, years went by between the time I first used a SawStop and when I finally bought one.
I was lucky enough to have hands on experience with a SawStop Industrial saw at a previous job. Recently, I even had the opportunity to write a complete review about the SawStop Contractor’s saw for WWGOA. I even performed the hot dog test myself. There was no doubt in my mind; this was the best table saw on the market and the blade brake was a game changer destined to carve out a big chunk of market share for SawStop.
In hind sight, it seemed like such a no-brainer, yet I hesitated. for years. Those years of procrastination were a huge and unnecessary risk. It’s my hope that my experience will help you cut through the issues and get yourself a saw that may one day save you from a life changing accident.
So, what took me so long? Leaving aside any explanation based on intelligence, there were several reasons:
For starters, I had a perfectly good tablesaw. It was a 1983 Delta / Rockwell Unisaw with a 52″ Biesemeyer and an HTC Brett Guard. It was as safe as I could make it and I had it pretty well rigged up for dust collection. There was nothing to complain about regarding the saw’s performance other than the fact that it was missing a proper riving knife. It cut wood just fine. That’s what table saws are supposed to do. So why spend thousands on a tool that does the same thing? Especially when there are other tools I needed and didn’t have. A SawStop would add no new dimension to my shop, but an oscillating edge sander sure would. I’ve had my eye on one of those machines for a long time. So now I had two voices in my head; one telling me about the safety of owning a SawStop, the other squawking about the cost for a tool that does nothing new.
I could see the benefit, but the cost seemed to loom larger.
Since my cost/benefit analysis couldn’t tip the scales, I moved on to a risk/rewards analysis.
The issue was simple; was the risk I took using my old saw worth the money I save by not buying a SawStop? Again, the two voices chimed in immediately. One asked what would be the cost of dismemberment. While the other would tell me that I’ve worked on table saws for over 30 years and the only accident of consequence resulted in a small scar on my thumb.
My cost/benefit analysis went nowhere.
Next step: I know, I’ll ask my wife. She almost always frowns when I bring up spending money on new woodworking tools but the safety issue would add a whole new angle. She’d be the tie breaker between those two voices in my head and help me decide once and for all. I think I might have stacked the deck a bit when I showed her one of the SawStop ads with a guy holding up his hand graphically displaying a missing finger. Really, I just wanted to clarify the safety side of the equation. One look and she was on board. “You should get that saw.” I dismissed her response as purely emotional.
So now I’m back to the cost/risk/benefit analysis and those two voices that won’t stop arguing in my head.
Then came the straw(s) that broke the camels back. It was a one – two punch.
The first punch came when I heard about a friend’s accident. Like me, he was sitting on 30+ years of woodworking experience when a kickback took off the tips of four fingers. That’s when I knew I was going to buy a SawStop..soon. But despite my renewed determination, the weeks turned into months and I still hadn’t bought the saw.
The second punch came in my own shop. My youngest son, Ben, now in his early 20’s, had taken an interest in woodworking. As we worked together and he became more and more comfortable with the power tools, I decided it was time to let him use the table saw. I gave him my table saw 101 lecture, and supervised his first cuts. All went well until one day as Ben was ripping plywood panels I heard a bang and a thunk. I knew immediately it was a kick back. I’m not sure how it happened, but it did. The board being cut never left his hand but it was thrust back with enough force to yield a pretty colorful bruise on his stomach. It could have been much worse.
That was it. The next day I bought a SawStop Industrial. I have to say that I have absolutely no regrets other than having waited so long.
As of this writing, I have owned my SawStop for a year. The piece of mind this saw gives me is one thing, but SawStop is also a great saw on its own merits. The insert adjusts for height and width so there’s no slop in the fit; the same zero-clearance insert is used for straight or 45-degree cuts; the fence is rock solid and glides like a dream; the over arm blade guard has built-in dust collection to capture the fugitive dust thrown off the blade; the miter gauge bar can be adjusted for a perfect fit and super accurate cuts (no need to buy an aftermarket gauge); in short, it’s as good as a table saw can get.
So, if you’re sitting on the fence about a SawStop, don’t do what I did. My advice is to get off that fence and do what just about every school and commercial shop in the nation is doing; get a SawStop now. Any model will do. Trust me, you won’t ever be sorry.
Photos By Author
I am not a woodworker. I am a contractor. I needed to rip a mile of 2X6s for a project. I wanted a powerful saw. I walked into a name brand woodworking store and told them about the mile of wood, on a job site and that I wanted a saw that would make short work, with a big motor. They sold me a $3500.00 SawStop. I thought they would steer my in the right direction. All of the safety features have to be turned off to rip my treated lumber. The saw shuts down and won’t start 4 or 5 times a day. It is quite frustrating. All I wanted to do was cut wood and the saw is programmed to shut down at every little nuance. And, the 1.75 HP engine is worthless because the blade stops turning and gets stuck just like a cheap little saw would. After 2 days of living with this saw, I am regretting it.
At 400 pounds, it should be a brute. But, it is so polite, it keeps shutting down and wasting my time. Not what I paid $3500. for. Warning: Don’t take one of these to a job site. It will shut down and drive you up a wall. B
Best safety i’ve ever seen.
Did I buy a “saw stop”? I understand it is a good tool to have on the saw. I just don’t remember doing it. Please put my money back in my account. If I do want it I will buy again. Just not now.
I’m taking the story a little differently than have some of you.
I took it that the author knows that a SawStop has no magic which prevents kickback. I think he had connections to bad outcomes which emphasized that the tablesaw is a very dangerous piece of equipment and mistakes or accidents can happen which can result in expensive, painful, and sometimes permanent functional damage. This led him to buy a piece of equipment which has an uncommon safety feature.
I’d really like to get a SawStop. I don’t have the money for that as of yet but when I’ve the money for something better than my jobsite tablesaw, the SawStop will be of major interest.
Buying it so stop would wipe out my savings, but so word dismemberment. I’m 65-year-old moderately experienced woodworker and I live alone. Every time I use power equipment, I wonder if I’ll be able to call someone if something goes wrong. I think the peace of mind factor is at the top of the list for me.
Only a numbty would use a panel saw without a riving knife in place or top/crown guard.These are demanded in factory laws for the operators safety .Think saftety keep your fingers,be safe
I am very interested in acquiring a SawStop.
Good article, BUT you state that “no other saw has the blade break”, You’d better take a closer look at Porter Cable, as they have a blade break that senses the hot dog, and does not destroy your blade when activated.
As you were speaking about kickback, I got the impression that you feel the Saw Stop won’t kick back … Well they will … Any table saw will kick back, it’s the nature of the beast.
I’m very against the Saw stop brand because Steve (the inventor) tried to get Legislation passed that would make it illegal to own and operate, any saw, with out his very costly safety devise.
In my book a very unfair business practice.
I agree that it is a very good safety product, but forcing every saw owner to own one just because he makes a pocket full of money on each sale? nope not fair.
I’ve had one for a year now and my fears are being realized. The mechanism is becoming really annoying. The saw does its own safety check each time you turn it on but now, it trips on a regular basis (not the brake, just the controls) and, so far, I haven’t been able to find the problem.
you new saw stop will not stop a kick back 100 % if its still in the blade and did not reach riving knife, if the wood bins its coming back at you Saw stop or Delta. I bought my table saw when I was 24 now 60 and I have all my fingers never had a cut, I love my saw its the go to tool most used offend among all other power tools I own, and I would not think of trading for a new Saw stop No way in my life time, if you treat the saw with respect it is safe and no need for a sensor saw that will never go off with your Delta experience so why waste money on a new saw
My husband bought in a SawStop after I put my left hand fingers through a table saw. We were building our home and I built all the cabinets for 2 bathrooms and the kitchen. I had 7 door which were made, but I wanted to put glass in them and was trying out how to trim pieces of wood that were dado’s. I though I had taken all the fingers off, put it was just the tip of my little finger, the ring finger was the worse (put somewhat down the middle),and a little off the middle finger. This was in 2009 or 10. When we were at the ER, a Doctor told us about the saw and the next month we looked up who sold them and went to Sacramento and bought it. It is a wonderful saw and have had no accidents since. I can not recommend it more highly. I am leaving it to my son who also does a lot of woodworking.
I AM GLAD FOR YOU, I HOPE YOURS WORKS BETTER THAN MINE. BOUGHT A SAWSTOP INNOV. 2014 AND PUT IT IN MY SHOP IN 2015 WHEN MY SHOP WAS COMPLETED.
I REPLACED THE MITER GAUGE WITH MY INCRA 1000 AND STARTED TO WORK. THE SAW IS A VERY FINE SAW AND IT HAS THE BEST DUST COLLECTION SYSTEMS I HAVE EVER USED.
I DID NOT HAVE MUCH TIME ON THE SAW UNTIL IT TRIPPED OUT, I CONTACTED SAW STOP AND THEY TOLD ME TO SEND THEM THE BLADE BRAKE CARTRIDGE FOR ANALYSIS WHICH I DID A TOSSED THE BLAD IN THE TRASH.
THEY CAME BACK TO ME AND SAID THE BLADE HAD MADE CONTACT WITH METAL. I SENT THEM A PICTURE OF THE BOARD I WAS CUTTING AND THE FACE OF MY INCRA GAUGE . WHICH DID NOT HAVE A MARK ON IT.
IN THE PROCESS OF A YEAR I TALKED TO JUSTIN, DARIN AND TRENT THEY HAVE REPLACED THE FIRST BRAKE CARTRIDGE BUT THAT IS ALL. THEY HAVE BEEN VERY NICE ABOUT THE PROBLEM EVERY TIME I TALKED TO THEM . AND IT IS WELL LETS TRY THIS OR THAT TO TRY TO GET IT TO TRIP.
THE PROBLEM IS I ORDERED 6 BRAKE CARTRIDGES AND HAVE TWO LEFT, BUT I STARTED RUNNING THE SAW IN THE LOCK OUT MODE AND HAVE BEEN DOING THAT EVER SINCE THEY TOLD ME MY WARRANTY WAS UP.
HOWEVER IT IS A FINE SAW , I ASK THEM IF THEY EVER HAD ANY REP IN THW ALANTA AREA TO GIVE ME A CALL AND I WOULD DRIVE UP AND PICK HIM UP AND TAKE HIM BACK, ALL I WANTED WAS THE SAW TO WOUK LIKE IT SHOULD AND THAT IS THE REASON I GOT IT. I THINK IT IS A VIBRATION PROBLEM IN THE SWITCH OR THE CABLE BUT HAVE BEEN ADVISED NOT TO FOOL WITH IT. THE REASON I BELIEVE THS IS THE PROBLEM IS THE SAW WILL WORK FINE 3 TO 5 DAYS AND THEN IT MAY TRIP 2 TIMES IN ONE DAY, AND I CANT AFFORD SAW BLADES AND CARTRIDGES AT THA RATE.
HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT TIME WITH YOUR SAW AS I TOLD YOU IT IS THE BEST OUT THERE, I JUST WISH MY WOULD WORK LIKE IT SHOULD AND WE HAD THE PROBLEM WORKED OUT BEFORE MY WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED.
LYMAN BONE
PINE MOUNTAIN, GA..
I have an older Grizzly Cabinet saw that honestly works great with zero problems. I tuned it up and check it’s tune and alignment frequently. Plus, I made a elongated splitter that fits closer to the blade. I NEVER get kick back. I just think the main issue here is MONEY. If you have enough, and don’t trust your (safety) skills, get the SawStop and you’ll probably be very happy. If not, get a high quality Cabinet saw at near half the cost and enjoy !! Even in the long run your ahead, no destroyed blades and having to replace the cartridge because the saw didn’t like the “moisture” in the wood.
I could have bought 30 of the low-end SawStop saws for what the surgery to put my hand back together cost. Just saying. I can’t afford one but I certainly still want one.
I had taught wood shop at the high school level for years before the sawstop came out. Never had an accident. As soon as they came out i started asking for one for my shop. Always got turned down. Apparently our head custodian was the deciding factor. He did not see the need to spend the money, then it happened. I was ripping a small block of rough basswood for a students project using a push stick and no splitter. The old rockwell style pull up splitter would not allow the push stick to pass by. The block of wood hung up on the push stick and then dropped on the blade propelling it into the tip of my index finger. It exploded in a bloody mess. I lost about a 1/4 inch of the finger and the bill from the doctor was $40,000 to sew it up. Still they would not buy the saw. The guy finally retired and his replacement immediately told me they wer buying a Sawstop. Before the year was over he said we would buy another one to replace our dado head saw. His reasoning was that we shouldn’t have two different saws that could confuse kids.Finally got someone with a brain in his head that was in charge. The school ended up paying big time with workmans comp insurance rates for that plus several back injuries in the kitchenn and some other accidents. I believe the rate rate went over$100,000 per year after all of that. They never admitted any responsibility for it, but I’m not surprised. Our super at the time was an idiot also.
I bought the industrial Sawstop several years ago after my Craftsman contractor saw quit working. I researched my choices and when my wife, an xray technician and EMT, saw the safety features, said ” buy the Sawstop”. She had seen her share of fingers missing and the cost of the Sawstop is insignificant in comparison to the cost of medical expenses, and you do not get your missing fingers back. I have been extremely pleased with the performance, balance and safety. I had one issue with the fence being defective when first purchased and Sawstop assisted by correcting the problem – very professional.
I am the perfect person for the reasoning behind the issue of a beleaguered buy. I have two nasty wounds in my immediate past. Like the “friend” who had a bad experience with a saw which was not a saw stop. The second was the doctor exclaiming the damage was a 3/4 amputation of my right thumb. I am fine and recovered well. The problem is my love of wood working. I too had experience of 30 years without even a near miss. My “minder” is opposed to the money spent getting a saw stop. Subsequently I still have a nice saw, a poor recent record (I am now 68 years old) with an understanding of reduced reaction time and the poor judgement which is a feature of growing older. Consider the amount of money saved if I’d put it into wood. I will keep on keepen’ on. The machine is a work of __________ please fill in with your own words.
I also love my sawstop professional. I’ve had it for 2 years and never had any issues with kickback due to the excellent riving knife and the superior fence perfectly aligned. I traded in my old craftsman saw with aftermarket fence. It had kickback occasionally. But what really did the “justification” for me was the cost of just one hospital visit for a future potential injury vs the incremental cost of this life changing saw. No lengthy decision process. I knew immediately this was well worth the cost. I plan to stay healthy and enjoy my woodworking for many many years. In addition to the safety brake (which sold me), this is truely a superior saw
30 years with your Delta and
bough a Saw Stop and the dam thing dose not do any thing new in my mind its a waste of good money and 30 years and that saw came with a splitter that prevent kick back with anti kick back paws and it dose a good job, also that is why one use a feather board before the blade and after it, and use a push stick or the gripper a safer way, so if one practice saw safety he has no need to change to a Saw Stop and why so he or she do so, Yes I can see if this is first table saw he getting, but not after owning a Delta over 30 years
You forgot one important aspect: With over 30 years (me too) in woodworking the “Law of Average” is working against you. I have all of my fingers and thumbs. Fear was the foremost reason that I purchased a SawStop. Like you I have had several top level cabinet saws. The frosting on the cake: Turns out it is a great saw.
I obsessed, too. Told my wife who asked, “Gee, Dave. How much is a finger worth?”
I would not buy a Saw Stop for the reason they have continuously worked to eliminate any completion from other manufactures either by asking the FTC to grant them exclusive license to any type of automatic blade stop systems. They want to force you not to have any other options from other manufactures. Which is anti-competitive and anti-American as far as I am concerned. They want to mandateyou to buy their product only and no one else. I will NEVER buy a saw made by them. If you are a safe woodworker you don’t need it! They are afraid of completion , I am sorry Bosch has not been able to win in court, so you can have a second choice if you want this type of safety item. Don’t buy!
Bud, I understand why you feel this way, but the inventor tried to sell his invention to all the saw manufacturers….and then I heard he even offered to give it away free to any of them that wanted to use his invention. In any event, NONE did (dumb dumb dumb….any one of them could have likely obtained an exclusive licensing arrangement, which now would be worth millions more than they paid) and then the inventor and other investors formed sawstop…or sawstop bought the patent…..If you had made this invention, which is obviously worth a lot of money, do you think you should be forced to just give it away? What if you tried to sell it/give it away and nobody wanted it, so you and your friends and family sink every dime you have into “Bud’s No Amputation Saws”. You start slow, but then things pick up and you and yours are finally making some money ….. AND NOW HERE COME the same saw manufacturers who poo-pood the idea a few years ago and they want your technology…..for free, but now you ain’t selling because you hustled and started a company and struggled. Do you think it fair when I say you are not a good patriot because you won’t essentially give your money/invention to somebody else or because you choose to assert your rights to your patent, which I believe lasts about seven years, which by the way is the American law that we all follow. I hope this little story has perhaps revealed a different viewpoint shed and I wish you well in the future. Stay koolio.
While I think some insightful thinking went into the saws design it is way over priced. I compare Saw Stop to the drug industry. They clam that their research is what makes the saw so so expensive, but just like the drug companies they are cheating the public because they can which is the reason they fight every other company the attempts to offer a presumably safer saw. I also suggest that there so many better saws on the market with a lower price tag. Just my opinion, but if you build and use jigs for safety and use the same safety precautions that you, as a woodworker, use with all of the other potentially dangerous power equipment in their shop.
Yes, I agree with you that the saw is very expensive when compared to other models. However, I don’t view it like the drug company. I see it more as safety insurance. The one-time cost increase of the saw is chump change when compared to an ER medical bill. I too use jigs for safety. However, even jigs can’t prevent all kickbacks. At least the technology in the saw gets the blade out of the way in case something goes wrong.
The SawStop saw is not overpriced compared to others on the market. A SawStop contractors saw is about $1750; a comparable Powermatic is about $1600. How much is your thumb, finger, hand worth? A friend recently cut off his right thumb…his medical bills exceeded $70,000!! The built-in safety features are definitely worth the cost.
I also purchase a Saw Stop. The reason that I bought one is that I’m getting older and the mind and body does not work as well as a 20 year old. I enjoy woodworking and it will be a lifelong hobby for me. So I wanted to continue to do woodworking safety, so the Saw Stop was the only choice for me. I didn’t want a accident to happen and ruin this hobby for me. So I made the decision to purchase this saw and I love this saw. Great power and the fence moves smoothly. Thanks Saw Stop for making a great saw that helps protect us woodworkers.
I agree that the safety feature of the SawStop is well worth the price however I’m unclear about your story. The two incidents you mention were from kick back. This was likely due to the fact that (as you note) your saw didn’t have a proper riving knife in place. You seemed to use the incidents to justify but SawStop has nothing to my knowledge other saws don’t have to deal with kickback.
That said, I have one and I love it.
Thanks for this great review, and my wife appreciates your pushing me in this direction. She can’t stand to watch me use my conventional table saw. I am recovering from shoulder surgery, but as soon as I am back in the workshop, this is the first order of business.
This article nails it! The fit and finish of the Sawstop is the best. Dust control is phenomenal. The safety issue cannot be underestimated.
Remember. The inventor of the safety mechanism first tried to sell the concept to existing sawmakers. Their lawyers counseled against it because of the potential need to retrofit earlier models.
I sold Sawstops when I worked part time for Woodcraft. When my new wife saw the tool, she just said two words…”BUY IT!”.
David apparently lost his previous job due to his carelessness.
In this one article he talks about too many “close calls” and it appears he’s passed it along in his genes.
He needs to unplug all of his tools and walk away. Find a line of work that doesn’t require acuity, agility, and attention. Maybe he can start a website and make videos?
Your comments reveal more about you as a person than anything useful for the readers.
Bought a jobsite saw for my compact workshop. Worried that while being diabetic I might make a mistake that I would not be aware of until it was too late. Love the saw but have had nothing but trouble since day-1. The saw arrived with the “key” missing and they replaced it right away. Then the dado brake would not work and I was told to force the key to the lock position and it worked. Now I realized that I cannot tilt past about 38 degrees and the fix they sent me is for a different saw. Haven’t had time to look into it further but beginning to think I have a lemon!
Contrary to the opinion expressed by Bill Reily, I have had great support from SawStop over the years I have owned the machine. When I had to replace the motor and decided to upgrade, engineers at the company walked me through the process and emailed me detailed instructions with pictures. When I had questions, the engineers were extremely helpful and guided me through every step. I put my mobile phone on speaker a number of times…the engineer would walk me through several steps while I described my confusion with a procedure. It was almost like having a company engineer in my shop giving me advice. In my view, SawStop support is top notch.
My son nearly lost all the thumb on his left hand when he was a teenager from a kickback on a table saw. I watched the development of SawStop technology in woodworking magazines for years. After no major saw company would adopt the technology, SawStop decided to build their own saw. Before production even began, I was offered a chance to submit a ‘preorder’ for a saw. I submitted a preorder almost immediately. The price of the saw increased from the time I originally ordered it but the company held their original price when the machine was actually available. I have had my SawStop for over 10 years and have never made a better decision to buy a machine. I think I have one of the original industrial saws. A year or so ago, I upgraded the machine to their latest technology. I use the machine nearly every day and have never looked back.
I’d also be interested to know why the SawStop is better than other saws at preventing kick-back. Its patented feature is stopping the blade if you touch it, which has nothing to do with kick-back.
When you use the dado blades, use a dedicated insert. When you return to the saw blade, your original insert will still be a zero-clearance insert. Also use the roving knives, blade guard, push sticks, and safety gear. Since you spent money for a safer saw, follow all of the safety rules to make the most of your investment.
Apparently, the spell checker decided roving knives were better than riving knives, and I missed the change in spelling. My apologies for the error.
Great Article and comments. Like you I have the Unisaw setup in great condition. What did you do with it?
I live in the UK and ufortunately it isn’t possible to buy a sawstop. I have communicated with Sawstop but there are no immediate plans to bring it here.
Personally knowing a former product engineer for SawStop, I can buy any SawStop saw I want at cost. The problem lies in the cost of replacement blades and brake cartridges. You must turn off the safety feature any time you cut damp wood or it may trigger the brake. worked in a shop that had one and they always wanted us to use the safety bypass to save about $ 150 each time the cartridge fired. The cost for the cartridges must come way down before I will buy one. I already have a “stick” finger from a brush with a table saw blade that had no guard on it. Just have to pay more attention while using ANY power tools
No doubt that the safety features preventing the blade from causing any direct bodily harm are worth a whole lot and one could argue it’s priceless. I would like to learn more about why the kickback incident with your son helped push you over the edge as I am unaware of how SawStop differs from any other modern table saw with regard to kickback.
I’ve had my Sawstop for almost two years now, and I’m VERY happy with it. Not only for the peace of mind that the brake provides, but because it’s a damn fine saw.
That said, I’m not aware of any feature unique to the Sawstop that will inhibit or prevent kickback. The brake does a great job of not cutting your finger off, but if you do something stupid, you’re going to get kickback. Am I missing something?
I was shopping for a new table saw to replace my vintage Shopsmith. And having recently suffered a “nick” from said saw. I was comfortable with the selection of a quality name brand saw. I happened to show my wife the SawStop explaining its unique feature.
I was about to make my purchase, and she was the one to suggest I spend the extra on the SawStop.
Her rational? One of our children would one day inherit this new saw. Which one was I willing to allow to lose a finger or a hand, when I had the opportunity to prevent that from happening. Hard to argue that!
Mr. Munkittrick,
I am in the process of shopping for a table saw. Can you tell me what is unique to the SawStop that would prevent a kickback? Thank you.
Exactly. My question as well. Probably the riving knife not on his old delta.
Absolutely nothing!!!!
It has a riving knife rather than a splitter at the back of the blade. With a splitter, the gap between the back of the blade and the splitter gets larger as you lower the blade, which poses a danger. A riving knife stays close to the blade no matter what blade height you’re working at. This virtually eliminates the chance of your workpiece getting caught on the back of the blade and kicking back. Unlike the blade brake, the riving knife is not unique to Saw Stop. Most newer saws now come with riving knives rather than splitters. I believe it’s mandatory in Europe.
@Murat. The Saw-Stop blade braking mechanism in and of itself does not prevent kickback. Most kickbacks occur on a saw that is not employing a splitter/spreader or a riving knife. These accessories prevent the workpiece from turning into the blade while ripping. They also prevent the saw-kerf from pinching the blade. These are the two main causes of table saw kickback.
It’s a sad fact that most people (myself included) have developed the habit of using their table saw without the guard in place. This also means the spreader, which is an integral part of the guard assembly, is not being used. Until a few years ago, most table manufacturers did not provide a riving knife as an option to the guard. They are required to do so now.
I am a high school woodworking instructor in my 12th year. 4 years ago, we upgraded our shop with Saw-Stop table saws (3 PCS and one contractor) and since then have not experiences a single kickback event. We are ALWAYS using the guard, or when not, we use the riving knife.
On the other hand, we have had 4 brake activations, three of which resulted from students mounting the aftermarket miter gauge on the wrong side of the blade, running the miter gauge into the blade. The other was the result of hitting a nail in a piece of lumber.
I am impressed with the Saw-Stop table saw, and plan to upgrade my home shop.
It sounds as if every single one of those events would have been prevented with a riving knife. After all, the single primary function of a riving knife, and reason they are required in Europe, is that they prevent kick back. This was actually pointed out in an early review of the SawStop. The most important safety feature was not the amputation prevention/blade destruction system but the riving knife. The special electronics come into play only under very unusual situations. They would not for instance protect you from a plywood kick back. Not cutting plywood on a table saw is about the only sure way to avoid that.
Very unhappy with Saw and SawStop support. The saw brake operated on Saturday while not cutting wood or touching the saw. New blade, new brake installed and brake operates again the next weekend while not touching saw. Sent the brakes to saw stop and was advised that brakes operated due to touching ungrounded metal. Bought another brake and per saw Stop, ran the saw in the bypass position for 5 minutes with no problem. Turned the saw back on again, the saw operated immediately. This saw has been great for the last 4 years, but i have spent about $500 in the last month for new replacement brakes and blades and still can not use it.
I had a similar experience. If metal from any part of an accessory, such as an Incra miter sled, comes within 1/8th inch of the blade, the static electricity will create an arc. That will cause the brake to operate, even though nothing has actually touched the blade.
I did and as a novice woodworker felt that the loss of a finger or limb was not worth the difference in price between the Sawstop and a comparable table saw from any other manufacturer.
I couldn’t agree more, except for the waiting to purchase part. My wife also insisted the SawStop was the only table saw to buy. I did an interesting piece of math to get my head around the cost (I was looking at a 3 hp PCS). Assume you’re going to borrow the money over a few years, say 4 years. Take the interest you are going to pay on that money, divide that up by the year or by the month, compare that figure with the cost of loosing the little finger on your left hand (right hand if you’re left handed) and then decide what’s more valuable to you, that finger, or the interest on the money. It makes even more sense if you have the cash and you compare your finger’s worth against what you can get in investments today. I’ve had my SawStop for two years and I’ve never regretted for a second, the wisdom in moving ahead with the purchase.
Your thought theory is fine, except for and old man with very limited income. I have a hard enough time to save up for a cheap table saw for $129, which will take me a year off my Social Security to pay for. I think it’s great for people to have wonderful things, if I could I would have a Delta.
As you, I also have a Saw Stop. My mind was made up for me after an accident that put me in a wheel chair and then I was reaching over a turning saw blade with my right arm that is also used to transfer me from the be to the chair, from the chair to couch, from the chair to a lot of places. I am so pleased with the quality, just as you are. It operates so smooth and is very accurate. My wife is also happy that I am now more safe.