20 Feb
2010
20 Feb
'10
7:19 p.m.
This is a pretty cool design for table saws:
http://www.sawstop.com/
"We're passionate about preventing saw accidents.
That=92s why SawStop=AE saws are equipped with a safety
system to stop the blade within 5 milliseconds of
detecting contact with skin."
I am not convinced. My main moan is that you have to replace the complete
safety device if it trips? Why? I am darn sure you could make something
as quick-acting that was resetable.
Due to this, if it trips in the middle of a job and you don't have a
spare one to hand, you are going to find some way to disable it. Which
means you have no protection, but subconciously you will think you do and
won't take as much care.
Also, since you have to replace all the driver electronics every time
(why not just the fuse wire?) how do you know it's going to work? If it
was resetable, you could test it every month or som wy touching the side
of a the blade with a soft metal rod. If it trips, fine, if not, you fix
it. Better than that it not work when you need it. Of ocurse even if
you're prepared to waste a safety module every month to do that test, it
doesn't tell you anything. You don;t know the new one you've fitted is
going to work.
-tony