Shhhhh! Sawstop will release new portable jobsite table saw shortly!!

[SittingElf]

Steve Gass, the founder and inventor of the SawStop safety system, recently was interviewed regarding a current new lawsuit against Ryobi for a table saw accident.

During the interview, and probably much to the chagrin of his marketing department, he let loose that SawStop will be introducing a Portable JobSite tablesaw within the next couple of months that will have roughly the footprint of saws like the Bosch 4100, but will include the SawStop Safety Braking system.

As an owner of the SawStop PCS, and soon to be upgrading to the Industrial Cabinet Saw (ICS), I personally don't have a need for a portable, but I can see that a SawStop Jobsite saw that is easily transported will be a tremendous seller. Their fit and finish, as well as their designs and features are simply superb, and this new saw will probably be in very great demand immediately upon release.

Keep an eye out!  Festool quality in an American designed product!! [big grin]

Cheers,

Frank

 

[ccmviking]

Their bench-top saw has been about to come out for 3 years now. 

 

[SittingElf]

According to Gass in the interview, they are currently producing and preparing to ship to dealers. Official announcement is only being held until inventory is readily available within their dealer chain. Ramped up production is currently taking place.

Frank

 

[Kev]

Great - all we need now is a Systainer to hold a lawyer in the workshop.

I'm sorry for the fans, but I'm going to say it ... I see people like Gass as a leech on the industry and profession. Safety needs to be taught, not legislated !!!

Safe practice, a blade guard, safety glasses and a push stick makes you a thousand times safer than ignorance and a saw stop ... but who cares huh?

There's a lot of great things about the US, but the fear driven marketing and the legal system driven legislation landscape are not two of them!

Angry, angry Ozzie .. Oi Oi Oi !!!

 

[WarnerConstCo.]

Oh joy.

 

[AlexThePalex]

Angry, angry Ozzie .. Oi Oi Oi !!!

Kev, it doesn't sound very healthy to me to get angry over things that have no impact on you, and neither do you have any impact on them.

 

[PreferrablyWood]

I don't even know what saw stop is, If the blade is running and I want it to stop I usually just press the stop button..

Barring that I bite the blade to stop it, but my dentist does not approve..

 

[WastedP]

I love the idea of passive safety devices like GFCI's, automotive airbags, and SawStop.  I don't have to change my habits to be safer, and I'm partly protected from the actions of others.  I've had people walk up to the saw while I was cutting sheet goods and set things right on the table or in the path of the stock.  I've got ten fingers and want to keep it that way.

I've been thinking of replacing my old Makita portable tablesaw, I may wait now to see what SawStop brings to market.

 

[Dane]

I was actually contacted by Sawstop to purchase an early release model for testing- I didn't have the funds available in the timeframe they gave me.  So, I can confirm that it's real and about to be released.  But, I got a look at the sell sheet and it looks pretty good.  They made a point to integrate duct collection in a thoughtful way and it comes with a mobile cart.  It's about the same size as the larger Bosch.

 

[overanalyze]

I think it is a great product with a good market appeal. That said I won't ever buy one because of the guys bs tactics to try and force it on every saw...of course for our own "safety" and his personal gain.

 

[bigjonh]

That said I won't ever buy one because of the guys bs tactics to try and force it on every saw...of course for our own "safety" and his personal gain.

Same here, and if it's the same size as the larger bosch it's still too big.

 

[grbmds]

The quoted starting price was $1,300. For those of us looking for a high quality table saw with great dust collection, a small floor print, and highly accurate, it might be a great tool. Since moving to Festools, I have not upgraded my table saw and am trying to do without. I'd like to have a good one that I could move into a corner when I'm not using and those on the market seem to have a bad rep for dust collection with some other drawbacks. So, as an option for someone like me, I think it might be a great chance to get a safe, high quality saw. However, at that price, it won't be something most contractors will jump at. They can buy 2+ of the Bosch or Dewalt's and, for their purposes, with improved blade guards, riving knives, I can't imagine why they would invest in a $1,300 option. I was amused that, when asked about the ongoing Gass assertion that these saws could be made and sold for competitive prices with his mechanism, he answered that the cost of the safety mechanism only added $75 to the cost. Maybe, but the other improvements that needed to be made to a small saw to handle the mechanism must be costing $500 - $700. It's probably going to be a great saw, but Sawstop has been predicting this for about 4 years now. I will wait to see if it really comes out and whether the saw really keeps to the same dust collection and accuracy standards.

 

[rljatl]

FWIW, I agree with those that say Gass should mind his own business and stop trying to force his will on others.  The USA is way too litigious.

I have had a full size table saw in the past, so I know how to use one safely.  However, it never hurts to have a backup safety device just in case.  This new SawStop sounds pricey, but will still consider it as I don't have room for a full size one anymore.  It depends on what my needs are as I progress in the hobby.  So far, I have been getting along fine with just my Festool track saw.

 

[grbmds]

It sounds like Gass has given up trying to force the issue after many years and is merely voicing outrage that no one accepts his way as the best and only way. These days saws are sold with very safe guards if used properly. You can't force people to be safe and use tools properly. I would guess all of us have done unsafe things with a table saw. I know I have and don't anymore; actually don't use a table saw these days. A safe, small saw that the $1,000 - $1,300 price range is a lot of money but, if it had great dust collection and accuracy would be great for me instead of a large saw or a small one with bad dust collection. So, I'm just waiting to see what the actual product looks like and how it performs. Sawstop makes other great saws.

 

[promark747]

Wouldn't making SawStop-type brakes mandatory be similar to banning dado blades as in Europe (I believe)?  In other words, it seems there is precedent for mandating certain safety standards, regardless of whether one believes he can operate a tool safely.  (Though Gass is not a sympathetic figure because he not only wanted to force legislation, but also to benefit financially by collecting the licensing fees if the brakes became required.)

 

[Kev]

Angry, angry Ozzie .. Oi Oi Oi !!!

Kev, it doesn't sound very healthy to me to get angry over things that have no impact on you, and neither do you have any impact on them.

LoL ...

Just expressing ... very little can make me truly angry for more than a few seconds.

Impact ... something like this could ultimately cause change for all woodworkers ... imagine certain brands going out of business because their bread and butter products became too expensive with mandated third party technology on board.

...

Imagine if a lift company managed to have lifts mandated in every home based on the fact that too many people get injured walking down stairs ... swimming in the ocean banned without a life jacket and a safety line ... Welcome to prison planet!

We live in a world with too many rules and not enough practical education ... and that's the way the legal profession profit - by exploiting the rules.

 

[andvari]

It seems to me that the issue of the safety mechanism is going to end when the patents on it expire in 4-5 years.

In the meantime it seems to me to be cutting one's nose off to spite their face to be making a purchase decision based on politics.

Sawstop products are about more than the safety gizmo. I expect owning one of these will be a big step up from the usual portable table saw and the decision for me will be based on the quality of the saw.

 

[Michael Kellough]

I've never met the inventor of the SawStop tech. He may or may not be a nice guy. I doubt very many of the guys who are happy to pass on the anti-SawStop vitriol they soak up on other forums have met him either.

I trust the wikipedia description of the company and it's practices way more than the characterization I read here.

 

[Kev]

I don't care if Gass is a nice guy and he's kind to cats ...

The accident saw stop avoids is the one where a table saw is being operated without appropriate safety measures if you put a body part near a fast moving sharp thing you are being dangerous and taking a risk

I bet hundreds of people have cut their thumbs off using a compound mitre saw while they hold the timber .... cut through their fingers with a jigsaw, a bandsaw ... taken their eye out with a chisel on a lathe.

To my way of thinking the mandating of saw stop technology would be like mandating seat belts only on blue Fords and making in entirely optional to wear them.

Let's be clear, my issue is the attempt to push the technology through a mandate and reap massive profit as a result.

I have have nothing against the saw itself and the OPTION to consider it's safety features along with it's other abilities is obviously a consideration to some here ... no issue with that.

Maybe Gass could devote his time to fitting an airbag to mobile phones to give texters a chance when they walk in front of moving cars (though I'd personally like to let Darwin back into the game there!)

 

[andvari]

But I will not  fork out money towards such a greedy individual who tried to make laws passed in order to make himself rich.

Reality check.

This is exactly what happens every day in our political system. Companies (both privately owned and publicly owned) routinely lobby congress and regulators for legislation and rules favorable to their particular circumstances. I seriously doubt that you will find any significant company that doesn't participate in this through at least a chamber of commerce or even your local physician through the AMA. Some of the larger companies are now making major contributions to candidates they favor in elections.

In this case we have not only Steve Gass's advocacy but also the Power Tool Institute industry association advocating various regulatory solutions.

http://www.fairwarning.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/XXPTICommentsToCPSCANPRFinal031612.pdf