SawStop 10 Years and 50,000 Units

[cnorwood]

I work at a school district that has a Sawstop in one of its shop classes. It is a very nice tool but the shop teacher told me that they had to go to the lumber yard to get a sheet of plywood to finish a project before the school year ended. It was a foggy and damp morning that day. They got about 6 inches into the cut and the machine detected the moisture and it locked. They were not able to finish the project with the table saw because it was down and no spare parts. And it cost a lot more than $69 to get it back working and plus the downtime...

[JPG]

I work at a school district that has a Sawstop in one of its shop classes. It is a very nice tool but the shop teacher told me that they had to go to the lumber yard to get a sheet of plywood to finish a project before the school year ended. It was a foggy and damp morning that day. They got about 6 inches into the cut and the machine detected the moisture and it locked. They were not able to finish the project with the table saw because it was down and no spare parts. And it cost a lot more than $69 to get it back working and plus the downtime...

Could have been avoided by foresight, understanding how it worked, and turning the detection off.(wonder how the 'administrators' would react to turning it off):D

To say nothing of the foresight that leads to spare parts.(wonder[not really] why the 'administrators' did not provide them.)

Yes I am cynical. Reality tends to make one that.] is[/B] another!:)

[terrydowning]

And the reality is, you could purchase several new saw stops for less than a single injury settlement should a student get seriously injured..

Schools are the perfect place for saw stop technology.

I don't blame Saw Stop for the shop not having spares, I blame the shop teacher and/or the administrators.

IMO shop classes should teach hand tools, less risk of serious injury, much more knowledge of how wood and tools behave, not to mention design and history as well.

[dusty]

And the reality is, you could purchase several new saw stops for less than a single injury settlement should a student get seriously injured..

Schools are the perfect place for saw stop technology.

I don't blame Saw Stop for the shop not having spares, I blame the shop teacher and/or the administrators.

IMO shop classes should teach hand tools, less risk of serious injury, much more knowledge of how wood and tools behave, not to mention design and history as well.

And would you have the automotive shop use a timing light to set spark advance.

[terrydowning]

Wow talk about an apples to oranges comparison.

What does wood working have to do with Auto tune ups??

But to answer your question; If it's appropriate for the engine technology sure, why not? I used a timing light and dwell meter for a lot of years and they did the job just fine. I think I still have those laying around in a tool box somewhere.

[dusty]

[quote="terrydowning"]Wow talk about an apples to oranges comparison.

What does wood working have to do with Auto tune ups??

But to answer your question]
My point, though very poorly made, was that technology has left a few tools laying around the shop with no useful purpose.

This just proves that trying to be glib seldom pays off.

Now don't pounce on me for being against hand tools. I am not. I admire anyone who can make them work. I don't do well with them so I use them as little as possible. Consequently, I will probably never use them well.

[skou]

And would you have the automotive shop use a timing light to set spark advance.

Dusty, that depends ENTIRELY on the car.

(And yes, I understand the analogy you're trying to make.)

steve

[ChrisNeilan]

Dusty, I got your reference regarding the timing light! The only time I can use it is on my 62 Falcon!:)

[JPG]

Dusty, I got your reference regarding the timing light! The only time I can use it is on my 62 Falcon!:)

I used mine last week. To determine if the pulgs were getting voltage. Regardless of what was firing the plugs, it will function as a timing light. Now dwell check is another matter. Dwell on what?:D

[terrydowning]

I guess I don't get your point Dusty, and don't agree with the analogy. What has changed in wood structure in the last - oh i don't know 100,000 years at least. Maybe the arrival of engineered wood products over the last century or so (Which contrary to popular belief/opinion can be worked very effectively with had tools; You just have to sharpen/hone more often as the glue will wear the edges faster).

In my shop there is no such thing as tool with no purpose. Picking the right tool for the job and knowing how to use it correctly is what I'm saying. BTW, mastering hand tools leads to a better understanding of wood, its structure, character and properties when being worked. This only serves to enhance/improve the the quality of work when using machines.

This is all just my opinion. I have no issue with machine only wood working. I'm not trying to push a snob/elitist position/agenda here. As stated I often use machines especially when I need to make the same cut over and over again and the time invested in setting up the cut is worth it. Many/most of the projects I do require a lot of one off cuts and dimensions and I find using hand tools to be more efficient for my style. I also enjoy less dust and noise as a result. Personally I now prefer using hand tools to machines for most operations. When I do want to use a machine, my trusty SS is there to see me through for most of it. I also have a router table and a circular saw. I doubt I will ever own a cabinet saw (While at one time this was an object of lust for me. I now find it would be more expense, shop space, and in general hassle than I want to endure.) Hand tools are inherently safer, quieter, and use way much less electricity. I have the advantage of learning to use hand tools from the start more than 40 years ago. So it is very natural and easy for me to return to those roots.