Archived from the Tools In Action forum (Power Tools). This thread is read-only.
So my shop is part of a university and I have a beautifully heavy table saw from 1968. It’s either a rockwell or a delta.
I love it.
However the powers that be hate the fact that there isn’t a guard for it.
So I have told them that they have to buy me a new saw. Possibly the sawstop.
I’m a big believer that there’s a difference between accident prevention and injury prevention. But it looks like the sawstop doesn’t prevent accidents better than anything other nice saw. The concern of course, is whether or not it gives you a false sense of security. Mind you, I have never met a carpenter who gambles when it comes to a table saw.
Anyway, My main concerns for a saw are dust collection, an unobtrusive guard and a riving blade, so I would be happy with a nice general.
Is the sawstop as good a saw as a general?
do they misfire? Does humidity affect the wood?
I Cannot comment as I don’t own it Astro, but according to my fiancé when the garage is built and I get my shop up and going with a table saw, this is the one I’m getting. No ands ifs or buts. And yes humidity does affect wood, I’ve a problem storing it in my basement shop as it’s wetter than a drowning rat half the time! I have to use it or lose it down there 🙁
You have to disable the Saw Stop mechanism on really wet wood. All power tools are dangerous, but certain tools are at another level like table saws ,or chainsaws. Even nail guns to a certain point a knot can bend a nail. I came close to having a nail in my finger once. If I had the money I would probably get a Saw Stop
Saw stops are as safe as a table saw can be. I truly believe that as I witnessed and incident in woodshop when I was in highschool. A kid was ripping a board with out the fence and loss control leading him to touch the blade with his finger. The blade shot down as it should and saved his hand. He was still left with a nice little gash but nothing some bandages and superglue couldn’t fix. I would highly suggest it, especially in your case
You should have a rule that if you trip the mechanisms that person is responsible for that and a new saw blade.
If you want to use a dado blade you will have to buy a cartridge for dado use. Like DR99 says if you trip the safety you have to purchase a new cartridge and blade. I think the cartridge is about $80.00.
Charge them for the cartridge? I like that!
“Wait, I almost cut my finger off and you’re charging me $80?
“No. You get to keep your finger and it only costs $80”
DR99 wrote:
You have to disable the Saw Stop mechanism on really wet wood. All power tools are dangerous, but certain tools are at another level like table saws ,or chainsaws. Even nail guns to a certain point a knot can bend a nail. I came close to having a nail in my finger once. If I had the money I would probably get a Saw Stop
I have the worlds driest shop. Wetness really isn’t a factor.
Dry skin is.
I’m just saying you have to watch it with pressure treated wood. The shit they ship to Lowes and Home Depot is so wet sometimes its just insane once they snap the bands the shit just bows all over the place!!! It’s so hard to find decent wood now.
astroboy wrote:
Charge them for the cartridge? I like that!
“Wait, I almost cut my finger off and you’re charging me $80?
“No. You get to keep your finger and it only costs $80”
LOL…don’t forget you get to buy a new blade.
I’m not real high on Sawstop, but that’s mostly because the guy that invented it is a jackass.
If I were buying a table saw today it would be a Bosch 4100 with the digital fence.
1968……it’s probably a Delta/Rockwell. They were together at one point.
DR99 wrote:
I’m just saying you have to watch it with pressure treated wood. The shit they ship to Lowes and Home Depot is so wet sometimes its just insane once they snap the bands the shit just bows all over the place!!! It’s so hard to find decent wood now.
luckily, I build scenery for theatre so I never use anything pressure treated. 90% of what goes through my saw is pine or 3/4 ply