SawStop - "StupidStop"

[ChuckM]

=268

Instead of using lights, my solution is low-tech but also simpler: I have a shop vac to extract dust directly from the SawStop's dust guard blade. The shop vac in turn is hooked up to thishttps://www.leevalley.com/en-ca/sho...ccessories/63013-ivac-automatic-vacuum-switch which powers the saw, dust collector and shop vac. When the saw is turned off, both the shop vac and dust collector keeps on running for 6 seconds or so. When the noise from the vac or collector stops, I know the blade has come to a stop, too. (Actually the blade stops a few seconds before the vac and collector do.)

 

[AlexThePalex]

StupidStop indeed. You have the wrong mindset when you rely on indirect information to know whether the blade is stopped or not.

There is only one way. Look at the blade with your eyes, take the time for it. Don't move a finger until you visually confirmed it came to a full stop.

 

[cpw]

I agree there is no substitute for paying attention and looking at the blade.  There are plenty of other tools that have a coast down with even more inertia and without any protection for your fingers.

Related to your Vac, 18 months after upgrading to a 3hp dust collector and fixed pipes, I finally wired in an iVac contactor and put an automated blast gate to my Sawstop last weekend.  Getting dust collection to be automatic is really important to me, so that it doesn't get ignored for "just one cut".

 

[ChuckM]

StupidStop indeed. You have the wrong mindset when you rely on indirect information to know whether the blade is stopped or not.

There is only one way. Look at the blade with your eyes, take the time for it. Don't move a finger until you visually confirmed it came to a full stop.

According to him, he has an ADD condition (not sure what it really means as I have not watched his article or video on that [laughing]), and has activated his SS twice (glad that he has been a SS customer (first with a jobsite saw then the PCS). Apparently, his StupidStop is helping him save some money (blade & cartridge)  [tongue].

 

[ChuckM]

  Getting dust collection to be automatic is really important to me, so that it doesn't get ignored for "just one cut".

Agreed. I use the iVac for my Kapex, DF500, routing etc. as well. It's a standard shop practice (I use a different type of "auto switch" for the bandsaw or sander, which also turns on task lights and a shop vac).

 

[tallgrass]

While I do not get the problem with being able to tell is a blade is spinning, this brought up a good idea. I have these lights on my cnc machines to tell me the state of the machine. Maybe I should place a couple around my shock so when the red lights are flashing I am not to be disturbed. The idea of being startled while working on a machine is a constant concern. So while I do not consider the idea of using the lights to tell me not to touch that which I can see, I think watching this has given me a solution that I had not considered for a different problem. For that I am thankful and glad this was shared.
.

 

[grbmds]

I just look at the blade and see that it has stopped. Not sure why I would need anything else.

 

[ChuckM]

I use a blade guard/shroud whenever possible (even when cross cutting with a mitre gauge/cross-cut sled), and it is not always easy to tell if the blade has really stopped unless I tilt my head and sight down (the blade guard and its condition (dusty & cloudy) also matter). For me, I'm 100% sure the blade has stopped without looking when the shop vac or dust collector comes to a stop.

 

[Michael Kellough]

Hmm, I guess some people’s saws are not noisy enough.

 

[Bob D.]

True, I can not hear my cabinet saw over the noise of the dust collector.

If he's using a shop vac then as you know most of them scream bloody murder unlike the Festool vacs.