Well, I just found out the saw stop brake works. But why?

[Df1k1]

So I’ve had my SawStop for about 10 years. Never had any issue. I’ve changed out blades numerous times and used my Freud SD608 with the dado brake cartridge. Never a problem.
I recently moved and have been in the process of setting up my shop. The move did not go well. The movers handled my stuff like it was garbage. Anyway, for the first time in a long time I went to put on my dado blade. Full disclosure I did not check the gap. I have used the dado blade numerous times without an issue. Well you know what happened. The brake engaged, scaring the living hell out of me.
So two questions. The only thing I can think of is during the move somehow something got out of whack. Again, my fault I did not check the gap. The second weirdest thing is the blade remained relatively unscathed. Not a chip annywhere only a couple of marks. I went over the entire blade and chippers tooth by tooth with a magnifying glass.
I know the answer but I thought I’d throw it out anyway. It’s a shame to throw away $250 dado blade that looks almost brand new but I just can’t imagine the force the blade went through and I’m very leery about reusing it. Wonder if anyone had any thoughts.

 

[nclemmons]

Could have slipped the carriage that carries the blade, I guess leading to the false trigger.

I think you are probably OK. I had a finishing blade trip my saw cartridge due to hitting a small nail in a piece of wood. It took out a couple of teeth. Took it to a local sharpener and they replaced the teeth with no issue and sharpened the blade and I use it now. I had a second blade trigger due to wet wood. That time I was able to remove the cartridge with no blade damage and still use that blade with no issue.

 

[Df1k1]

@nclemmons thanks much for the info. Good to know. I did some more googling after the mishap and the information is all over the place on whether or not the SD 608 is “saw stop compatible”. Popular Woodworking says no other groups say yes, as long as it fits on the arbor, etc. Perhaps that’s why SawStop came out with their own dado set.

 

[Hipplewm]

I have TONS of hours on my SS with both the dewalt and CMT locking Dado sets and I adjusted the brake to be in spec for both Dados and haven't checked gap ever since I got the Orange set, which has only been out a few years.

Maybe you know, but there is a "Test" and you can touch things to the blade and it will tell you if it will activate the mechanism - it isn't 100% foolproof, but I have used it on occasion for really wet wood. 99% of the time I just turn off the system no matter what to prevent an oopsie, but those times are extremely rare as well.

 

[Df1k1]

@Hipplewm I did not know that..thanks for the info.

 

[Hipplewm]

@Hipplewm I did not know that..thanks for the info.

pretty good short showing how it works

 

[Df1k1]

@Hipplewm Perfect! Thanks

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Both of the SawStops in my former employer's shop have been set off countless times, but never with the dado stack. I suppose that this is because far fewer people even use it that way. It was really only the two "special projects" department guys. We were the old guys, who were doing the more complicated work.
At one time I even consulted with the service department guys at SawStop about the limit to that. Just how many times can you trigger the same machine, without sustaining damage? He told me "I don't know, we have not reached that point." I was a bit surprised, but continued with "Over 100?" He said that wasn't even close, don't worry about it.

@Df1k1 as far as your situation, I would say that you are probably ok. The dado set is just not going to penetrate nearly like a single blade does. I have literally rolled an expended cartridge off of a blade and sent it to our sharpening service for inspection, only to get them back as "Perfectly fine, we did nothing to it". That didn't happen every time, but they were all repairable.
As I read it, yours was barely skinned, so it's very likely okay. If you are concerned, that set is valuable enough to spend a few dollars, to get it checked. It's sad that the cartridge is dead either way though.
As far as the adjustment of the cartridge, it's not nearly as precise of a setting as they act. Essentially, if it passes it's own "self test" when you turn the power back on, it's good. It's very clear, when you are too close, and if it is too far away, the machine will not start. The light will never go green.

 

[PaulMarcel]

Whenever I change blades to a new blade or swap cartridges (even one I have used, like the dado brake), I always start the saw in override then stop it. If it would have triggered, it will blink red. This may not have worked for you, but if the gap was too close, it should have blinked red.

I use shims with my dado blades and sometimes they sit into the arbor thread so the adjacent blade feels like it is fully seated, but isn't. This test also helps with that; at least for me, it always makes the adjacent blade freespin longer telling me the shim got in the way. Kinda want magnetic shims.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Magnetic shims are definitely the way to go. Having a plain one jamb down into the arbor threads can be quite a pain.

 

[Df1k1]

Thanks guys great information. I really appreciate it. Especially the information about the override. I didn’t know that. It’s really a good safety check.

 

[smorgasbord]

FWIW, Matt Estela touches a running blade on his new SawStop.


Yes, on purpose.

 

[luvmytoolz]

FWIW, Matt Estela touches a running blade on his new SawStop.

Yes, on purpose.

I know we'd all be wondering contemplating doing it, but I think most wouldn't be stupid enough to actually do it.

That was just an idiotic thing to do on so many levels.

 

[ChuckS]

Since youtubers thrive or die on likes and subs, maybe someone was trying to attract or boost views?

Touching the sawstop with a real finger is nothing new. I've seen two such vids before, the first one done by, of course, Dr Gass himself, thr inventor of SawStop.