At the wood show last weekend, I got to set off the SawStop mechanism, not once, but 3 times.
Funnily enough, I was quite tentative about it the first time – we are talking about an extremely violent reaction at massive speed.
However, in practice it was a lot quieter and more gentle than I was expecting (but just as fast!) It was amazing just how easy it is to do something stupid, and how capable the SawStop is in allowing you to be able to get away without permanent disability.
You don’t change your work practices (you remain working as safe as ever) – noone wants to set it off even so. Like airbags in a car, you’d not want to ever see them deployed, but if you did, you would be most grateful they were there.
So here is the video of the very first time I got to set off the SawStop brake.
SSYTC057 1st Hands-on Experience of the SawStop
Thanks to the guys from Gabbett Machinery / I Wood Like for letting me give the machine a workout!
Filed under: Manufactures and Suppliers, Podcast, Safety, Tools | Tagged: Sawstop |
Stu's Shed 
Haha, fists pumping, reminds me of a kid in a lolly shop!!!!
Totally felt like it too!
would really like to see the installation of the new safety mechanism
Will definitely be covering that off when I get the SawStop into my workshop. Took only a couple of minutes (if that), and that was without any prior experience.
Hi Stu
I noticed in the video that the Blade guard had been removed for demonstration purposes only I assume however I have had significant problems with the guard on the Sawstop that we have at work and was just wondering if you have had or have heard of others having similar problems.
I have also set off the safety mechansism (not with my fingers but a metalised label from a bottle of ‘V’) and found that fitting the new unit was quite easy and if you don’t count the price of the new blade resonably affordable.
Keep up the great work
There have been a few types of blade guard, so in the first instance it depends on which of them you are experiencing, and what particular problem you have been having.
The guard was removed for the demo – they were focusing on a particular issue, rather than the whole sawing operation.
Can’t quite work out how a label from a bottle of V would have come in contact with your blade during a cut, but there you go! A nail scraping on the top of the saw (ie earthed), then being cut with the blade will also cause it to activate.
If you have a genuine save, the brake is replaced free of charge (at least here in Australia). The onboard computer in the brake can be interrogated to determine blade speed, and what was being cut (among other parameters). If it confirms a save, a free replacement brake is sent out.
Changing the brake is a cakewalk!
The Saw is the Professional Grade Cabinet saw no more that 3 years old. The problem is that we have experienced is lateral movement in the guard resulting in the guard contacting the blade. The first guard was hit twice before we replaced it. Besides the guard problem it is a great saw to use.
The ‘V’ Label had been removed from the bottle and stuck to a sheet of ply. I was ripping the ply into small strips and just happened to be touching the label when it hit the blade.
Good to now about the Nails, I rip a lot of recycled hardwood at home and no matter how much you look you just can’t find every nail. I use Mustang blade that you reviewed because of the nails. Looks like if I ever get a Saw Stop I would still have to keep the old contractor saw for breaking down the Hardwood.
Also good to know about the free replacement, funny that the distributor didn’t ask why we were ordering a new brake, probably wouldn’t have qualified anyway but good to know.
I have had the same problem with the guard on my TS10L – unfortunately the guard gets made a bit too close to the blade – good for dust extraction, but it does get too easy for the blade to flex slightly around the hinge and contact the side of the blade.
Interesting about the label – the whole SawStop system is very much about creating a circuit – nails, and I guess metallic labels(!) all help create that circuit.
You can still use the SawStop, rather than having to keep a second machine as well, by using the bypass function.
Not sure how widespread the free replacement brake program is – certainly is available in Australia from the local importer/distributor (Gabbett Machinery)