Dewalt's answer to SawStop

[awdriven]

Saw this interesting blog post today:

http://www.tool-rank.com...

It looks like Dewalt has filed a patent application for a safety system. This one appears to rapidly lift up a portion of the table to conceal the blade, rather than having the blade withdraw underneath the table.

It seems like it would be rather violent and probably not as effective as SawStop's, but better than a severed finger. What if you were cutting a large sheet of plywood at the time of activation? If the whole table didn't rise, couldn't it bind the blade?

 

[Alan m]

its good news that tool companies are develoving their own systems.
i think they need some formula one car designers to show them. they can spot a loophole anywhere.

i would like to see a video of the device working. it sounds dangerous . if the wood being cut is pinching in but the riving knife is stoping it ,what will happen when the wood shoots up above  the riving knife.

why dont they just make a blade that explodes when trigered

 

[John Stevens]

Nice--doesn't ruin the blade.  I'm wondering if it will work even better than SawStop.

Regards,

John

 

[tvgordon]

I saw that someone had invented a system where the blade stops if you touch the guard. I believe it could be installed on any brand saw.

Tom

 

[jmbfestool]

Nice doesn't ruin the blade!  

But it would have to be pretty strong if it was to lift you up as some times you could have a pretty heavy piece of wood youR cutting and your often pushing down to make sure to wood stays on track. So the force would have to be pretty great to counter act all this.

Jmb

 

[tbellemare]

I saw that someone had invented a system where the blade stops if you touch the guard. I believe it could be installed on any brand saw.

Tom

I think you're referring to Whirlwind Tool, Tom. Apparently, it is adjustable to some extent so you can set it for just getting too close to the blade guard.

Tom

 

[mlfaber]

I wonder how responsive the table will be with an 80lb+ sheet of MDF on it?

 

[bpitch]

I am already picturing how instead of losing a finger one gets hit by a wood piece that was on the table.
Theoretically, the spring should lift the guard lightning quick, and a 2x4 receiving such directional force would leave a good looking blunt injury.

 

[RONWEN]

I wonder how responsive the table will be with an 80lb+ sheet of MDF on it?

[eek]  [scared] That sounds like it could create a bigger safety issue than "just loosing a mere finger"...  [unsure]  [crying]

It really makes a person wonder, when you look at the improvements made in the last 100 years what things will be like in the next 100 years.  [eek]

 

[MarkF]

It saves the blade but has the potential to break your fingers or hand?  I think ruining the blade and a small nick from a SawStop mechanism is a better option.  My ER copay is twice the cost of the best blade I own. 

 

[fshanno]

I don't know about this DeWalt thing.  Have you ever seen the movie "Elf"?  Remember the part where Buddy is testing the Jack-in-the-boxes?  That would be me using such a saw.

California is set to enact the first SawStop law.  It will pass next month and it pretty much dictates SawStop technology.  Gass has around 90 patents in his stable covering most everything that makes sense.  

What about that benchtop unit we've heard rumors about?  Are there clues in what Gass himself has to say?

Gass interview with FWW from Oct.  2011  Interesting isn't it?

Anyway, with this new thing in California at hand I'm interested to see what Panda..... oops, I mean Grizzly.... does.  If anybody could incorporate Gass's brake and keep the cost down it would be Griz.  (I'm permitted to make the panda crack because I have a G0691 in the garage.)

 

[otis04]

More rent seeking on the part of business.  He has locked up the patents and bought the politicians to dictate his technology, now let the profits begin!  Sure beats trying to be competitive (yes, I do think the Saw Stop is a good saw, might even buy one some day ( though now I won't reward the rent seeking business))

 

[Michael Kellough]

More rent seeking on the part of business.  He has locked up the patents and bought the politicians to dictate his technology, now let the profits begin!  Sure beats trying to be competitive (yes, I do think the Saw Stop is a good saw, might even buy one some day ( though now I won't reward the rent seeking business))

Reminds me of the story of the "Three Little Pigs".

One of them works hard and builds something substantial
and when the others realize they need something like that
they resent having to pay rent?

 

[PaulMarcel]

Reminds me of the story of the "Three Little Pigs".

One of them works hard and builds something substantial
and when the others realize they need something like that
they resent having to pay rent?

That's the best explanation I've heard; thanks!  See it all the time in high-tech, too.

 

[fritter63]

I plan do what I've always done ...  respect the blade, keep your eyes on it and your hands.

And push sticks

 

[Brice Burrell]

More rent seeking on the part of business.  He has locked up the patents and bought the politicians to dictate his technology, now let the profits begin!  Sure beats trying to be competitive (yes, I do think the Saw Stop is a good saw, might even buy one some day ( though now I won't reward the rent seeking business))

Reminds me of the story of the "Three Little Pigs".

One of them works hard and builds something substantial
and when the others realize they need something like that
they resent having to pay rent?

[thumbs up] [thumbs up]

 

[Jesse Cloud]

I suspect it would be cheaper for DeWally to just pay the rent.  Can you imagine how many lawsuits they are going to have to pay out when this thing screws up and throws a piece of wood or metal at you?

By the way, Sawstop doesn't ruin the blade.  At the school where I took classes we saw several "activations".  Two or sometimes three teeth are damaged.  Any decent sharpening shop can replace teeth.  Last time I had it done, it cost about $5 a tooth.  On the other hand, the thingy that stops the blade has to be replaced, and thats about $75.  Still cheaper than even a copay on a finger...

 

[Dane]

To the be benchtop question: I emailed Sawstop asking about it back in the spring.  I got a reply, surprisingly, and was informed that it would be out in December.

 

[GhostFist]

Again, while sawstop saws are very good, and the tech may actually save fingers. I'm against this being a mandatory law. I've seen sawstops misfire and completely halt production. In a one man shop go for them. Larger production, forget it.

 

[fshanno]

To the be benchtop question: I emailed Sawstop asking about it back in the spring.  I got a reply, surprisingly, and was informed that it would be out in December.

If it's coming out in Dec. then certainly (maybe) that it will be announced, to great fanfare no doubt, at the IWF in August.  Along with the roll out of the prototype.  Perhaps.

I was wondering because I've been holding out.  There was a SMC thread last Nov. with a picture.

[attachimg=1]

Looks a little photoshoppy to me.

As far as the DeWalt idea goes, maybe it would be better to force the saw down rather than the throat plate up.  Wouldn't that be a hoot?  You're cutting a board and suddenly the whole thing just drops out from under you and collapses into a heap of broken parts on the ground.  "Well, looks like I'm done cutting till I can get a new one of these.  But I've still got all my fingers!"  But all seriousness aside, it might turn out to be a good system.