Thread: Input on table saw purchase

I bought one of these and I doubt that I could have found anything better for the money it really is a good little unit, and the sliding table makes sheet work a breeze. Index Woodfast Group Australia

I'm far from an expert, but isn't there nowadays a likely legal risk of NOT buying a SawStop?

If one is buying for personal use, then the choice is to accept the risk of not having the stopping technology, but in a "public" place (I realise it's not strictly public, but there are a multitude of users), if someone loses a finger, lawyers could potentially point to the Men's Shed organisation and accuse them of not taking all possible steps to prevent injury.

At least, such is my understanding. I am not a lawyer, so take this for what it's worth and perhaps do some further research?

All things being equal with specs, an extra 1k or 2k for a saw stop could save much more than if an injury occurs. Read BobL posts on some of his Men's Shed experiences.

Festool is about to release its version of Saw Stop after acquiring it.

My experience with Men's Sheds is that a slider takes away the finger injury risk and does what no Sawstop can do and that is removes the kickback risk as well. More people get injured from kickback than finger injuries, way more.

Originally Posted by Handyjack

All things being equal with specs, an extra 1k or 2k for a saw stop could save much more than if an injury occurs. Read BobL posts on some of his Men's Shed experiences.

Festool is about to release its version of Saw Stop after acquiring it.

My concern with the Sawstop is they lead to complacency because people think they can't get injured. This complacency isn't going to end at the table saw, it will follow you around the shop. And like people have said the blade tech only improves one area of safety, you can still approach things wrong and end up with a serious injury.

I prefer treating all my machines like they can and will kill me if don't use them appropriately. Even still I've had some sketchy moments due to tiredness or distraction where I've had to step away and come back with more of a focus.

Originally Posted by Chris Parks

My experience with Men's Sheds is that a slider takes away the finger injury risk and does what no Sawstop can do and that is removes the kickback risk as well. More people get injured from kickback than finger injuries, way more.

My personal fingers injury was on an Altendorf slider so it is possible but not as likely.

It was the result of a kickback that flipped the panel and pulled my hand into the blade.

I will admit that I was doing something that now I would never even dream of attempting.

The use of a Frits and Franz jig has changed the way a slider is used and my use of the rip fence is about once a year.

Originally Posted by Chris Parks

The use of a Frits and Franz jig has changed the way a slider is used and my use of the rip fence is about once a year.

Sounds like some sort of Bulgarian folk dance
care to elaborate?

Originally Posted by Midnight Man

I'm far from an expert, but isn't there nowadays a likely legal risk of NOT buying a SawStop?

If one is buying for personal use, then the choice is to accept the risk of not having the stopping technology, but in a "public" place (I realise it's not strictly public, but there are a multitude of users), if someone loses a finger, lawyers could potentially point to the Men's Shed organisation and accuse them of not taking all possible steps to prevent injury.

At least, such is my understanding. I am not a lawyer, so take this for what it's worth and perhaps do some further research?

I’m not a lawyer either, but I can’t see how. You would expose yourself to liability if you imported a piece of equipment that doesn’t meet Australian standards, you custom built a piece of equipment without guarding that met Australian standards or if you removed the manufacturer’s guards or safety devices or did not provide training and safety instruction to people using the equipment. A regular table saw sold in Australia with the safety equipment it comes with (such as riving knife and overhead guard) is considered safe and I assume all the mens shed type groups have a written record of safety instruction provided to members which includes not removing or modifying safety guards.

The introduction of a new safety technology hardly obligates all workplaces to purchase it, that would only occur when it became a standard (which would then require it on all new equipment sold) or when the thing it prevented became a standard (e.g. Australia should perhaps consider adopting European regs on respirable wood dust).

Our shed already has a sliding table saw, for panel sheets. We were after a smaller machine to do the smaller stuff and maybe small sheet works. The Dewalt does do the job, however its the only machine in our workshop that is causing me stress when people are using it. I guess the biggest bugbear and one of its major detractors is the noise it make, even with ear muffs on. My Elu table saw is quite as. Now you got me wanting to check the decibel reading on the saw lol. River builder - that saw you got looks a very nice machine.

Originally Posted by Handyjack

All things being equal with specs, an extra 1k or 2k for a saw stop could save much more than if an injury occurs. Read BobL posts on some of his Men's Shed experiences.

Festool is about to release its version of Saw Stop after acquiring it.

The cost of the machines was not the issue. I was after input into what people think about the machines. I'm all for safety and I don't want to be involved when or if an injury occurs. I would not get a saw stop for my own use and that's a risk I take, in a workshop environment that's a whole new ball game.

Originally Posted by riverbuilder

Sounds like some sort of Bulgarian folk dance
care to elaborate?

YouTube

i bought the 36" T glide rail saw stop, except i only bought the contractor version not the professional.

blade was parallel straight out of the box, its fairly quite and no vibration. it actually has instructions that are understandable and colour coded when you put it together.

Brian, have a look at Sam Blasco's video on cutting small parts on a slider....