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Product Reviews » Why I Bought a SawStop
Why I Bought a SawStop
By David Munkittrick
Photos By Author
Posted: February 27, 2013
I recently bought a SawStop tablesaw. (Is that the sound of applause I'm hearing?) On the one hand, it was an easy decision. Who wouldn't want the blade brake safety feature only SawStop offers. On the other hand, it wasn't a snap decision. In fact, years went by between the time I first used a SawStop and when I finally bought one.
I was lucky enough to have hands on experience with a SawStop Industrial saw at a previous job. Recently, I even had the opportunity to write a complete review about the SawStop Contractor's saw for WWGOA. I even performed the hot dog test myself. There was no doubt in my mind; this was the best table saw on the market and the blade brake was a game changer destined to carve out a big chunk of market share for SawStop.
In hind sight, it seemed like such a no brainer, yet I hesitated…. for years. Those years of procrastination were a huge and unnecessary risk. It's my hope that my experience will help you cut through the issues and get yourself a saw that may one day save you from a life changing accident.
So, what took me so long? Leaving aside any explanation based on intelligence, there were several reasons:
For starters, I had a perfectly good tablesaw. It was a 1983 Delta / Rockwell Unisaw with a 52" Biesemeyer and an HTC Brett Guard. It was as safe as I could make it and I had it pretty well rigged up for dust collection. There was nothing to complain about regarding the saw’s performance other than the fact that it was missing a proper riving knife. It cut wood just fine. That's what table saws are supposed to do. So why spend thousands on a tool that does the same thing? Especially when there are other tools I needed and didn't have. A SawStop would add no new dimension to my shop, but an oscillating edge sander sure would. I've had my eye on one of those machines for a long time. So now I had two voices in my head; one telling me about the safety of owning a SawStop, the other squawking about the cost for a tool that does nothing new.
I could see the benefit, but the cost seemed to loom larger.
Since my cost/benefit analysis couldn't tip the scales, I moved on to a risk/rewards analysis.
The issue was simple; was the risk I took using my old saw worth the money I save by not buying a SawStop? Again, the two voices chimed in immediately. One asked what would be the cost of dismemberment. While the other would tell me that I've worked on table saws for over 30 years and the only accident of consequence resulted in a small scar on my thumb.
My cost/benefit analysis went nowhere.
Next step: I know, I'll ask my wife. She almost always frowns when I bring up spending money on new woodworking tools but the safety issue would add a whole new angle. She'd be the tie breaker between those two voices in my head and help me decide once and for all. I think I might have stacked the deck a bit when I showed her one of the SawStop ads with a guy holding up his hand graphically displaying a missing finger. Really, I just wanted to clarify the safety side of the equation. One look and she was on board. "You should get that saw." I dismissed her response as purely emotional.
So now I'm back to the cost/risk/benefit analysis and those two voices that won't stop arguing in my head.
Then came the straw(s) that broke the camels back. It was a one - two punch.
The first punch came when I heard about a friend’s accident. Like me, he was sitting on 30+ years of woodworking experience when a kickback took off the tips of four fingers. That's when I knew I was going to buy a SawStop…..soon. But despite my renewed determination, the weeks turned into months and I still hadn't bought the saw.
The second punch came in my own shop. My youngest son, Ben, now in his early 20's, had taken an interest in woodworking. As we worked together and he became more and more comfortable with the power tools, I decided it was time to let him use the table saw. I gave him my table saw 101 lecture, and supervised his first cuts. All went well until one day as Ben was ripping plywood panels I heard a bang and a thunk. I knew immediately it was a kick back. I'm not sure how it happened, but it did. The board being cut never left his hand but it was thrust back with enough force to yield a pretty colorful bruise on his stomach. It could have been much worse.
That was it. The next day I bought a SawStop Industrial. I have to say that I have absolutely no regrets other than having waited so long.
As of this writing, I have owned my SawStop for a year. The piece of mind this saw gives me is one thing, but SawStop is also a great saw on its own merits. The insert adjusts for height and width so there's no slop in the fit; the same zero-clearance insert is used for straight or 45-degree cuts; the fence is rock solid and glides like a dream; the over arm blade guard has built-in dust collection to capture the fugitive dust thrown off the blade; the miter gauge bar can be adjusted for a perfect fit and super accurate cuts (no need to buy an aftermarket gauge); in short, it's as good as a table saw can get.
So, if you're sitting on the fence about a SawStop, don't do what I did. My advice is to get off that fence and do what just about every school and commercial shop in the nation is doing; get a SawStop now. Any model will do. Trust me, you won't ever be sorry.
16 Comments
After using an early 80's Shopsmith since, well, the early 80's, I decided it was time for an honest to god table saw. I bought a SawStop contractor's saw and I absolutely love it. I looked at other saws through out the years, but at the time I was stuck with a tiny work space and none of the 'portable' saws appealed to me. When I finally got some space to work in, I knew it was time for a real saw. I looked a several saws, most less expensive, but the blade brake on the SawStop sealed the deal. The SawStop contractor saw is really well built, accurate and a joy to use.
I purchased my SawStop about 2 years ago. It was my first and only table saw. In 2009 I was assisting another woodworker by catching his outfeed pieces and I watched him get dangerously close to the spinning blade. I was wondering if I should say something. Just as I was drawing in a breath to object, there was a loud bang, followed by a confused look on his face (and probably a stunned one on mine). The blade was missing, It was oddly quiet. His fingers were still there -- attached to his hand. Thank God this table was a SawStop! The cut on his index finger was less serious than a paper cut. He produced not one drop of blood and barely needed the band aid. The one-day-old Woodworker II blade was all done, as was the aluminum brake shoe, but we were running again only 10 minutes after our nerves settled down. A professional who was across the room confided with me that the way it happened would have costed the gentleman 2 or 3 fingers. Purchase decisions CAN be easy. I have never regretted paying too much for a tool. I have often regretted paying too little.
Tod and radtech: I couldn't agree with you guys more.
So you guys would not recommend the new Delta Unisaw for security and quality purpose . I am planning on buying the Unisaw , in a close future , for my retirement '' work job '' as I probably can not stay in a rocking chair and watch tv all day . Take care everyone . Pierre frrom Laval , QC , Canada
Pierre I have had the opportunity to use the new Unisaw. It is undoubtedly a fantastic table saw with great features such as built- in dust collection and a well designed riving knife system. The thing you give up is SawStop's blade break technology.
David do you think it will become a mandatory piece of equipment in the future , if not could it be install as a aftermarket equipment?? Thank's for your response . Pierre from laval , QC , Canada
Salut Pierre, There has actually been some history in the last 10 years or so about safety systems to be mandatory. SawStop was in the process of having California to pass a bill for their product to be mandatory, until all major companies united together in a consortium called PTI and countered their initiative. PTI came up with a blade guard that is easier to see through, permits more tasks to be done without the need of removing the blade guard, and could be installed on all of their models. That is why today's blade guards have that funny spaceship appearance (!). In my opinion, that does not offer more protection to someone who is already using the blade guard, but it might convince some people to start using it. As of your second question, SawStop system cannot be adapted to other bench saw and they do not seem to have any plans of doing it - anyway all the legal fights that happened between SawStop and the tools companies certainly do not point toward any cooperation. Another system exists called WhirlWind Tool Company that stops the blade when your hand approaches the base of the blade guard, but they do not produce their system, they rather try to have some major players purchase their patent. As for myself, I realize that I am becoming more and more distract with age, and I know it only is a matter of time before something happens. I also realize that I pay almost two grants a year for insuring cars and house, when I do not even know anyone whose car was stolen. Paying a couple grants once for insuring against something much worse that I know has happened to many people in my surrounding finally is a no brainer ... Au plaisir ! Michel from St-Jerome, QC
Pierre, Michel is correct; you cannot retrofit a SawStop brake system. I was not aware of the bill before the CA legislature that Michel mentioned. I have heard that the consumer product safety commission was considering making them mandatory, but that was a while ago. But, mandatory or not, you can't beat the insurance the blade break provides. Michel - my grandfather was from Marbleton, QC!
Hi All - I sold my Delta about 2 years ago and bought a SS pro. I wired it for 220 it it is a dream. You don't sacrifice accuracy or quality for safety. The fit and finish are first rate. Technical support is awesome and so are the assembly directions - bagged and color coded. I waited a few years to ensure that the software was stable - this thing is a computer, after all. The saw is awesome...pull the trigger and get it. Here was my logic. The only way not to have a TS accident is to not use a TS. The more time in front of spinning blade raises the likelihood of a mishap. 30 years of experience might mean that your number is coming rather than your experience insulates you from an accident. So...do it while you can count to 10 with your fingers. :)
Hi David, greetings from QC ! : )
Well written. I am getting ready to purchase a new table saw and have struggled with the cost of the SS. However every time I think about my age and how much insurance I have it would seem logical I wouldn't consider anything else. It is a lot of money for a hobby, not near as much as a finger or two. I ask myself if I would buy a car, house, boat, or anything else and not buy an insurance policy for it. It should be that simple. The politics of the patient is for the manufactures to work out, in the mean time I will buy an insurance policy.
I am a surgeon. 'Nuff said.
I am a little confused. You mentioned the second of your one-two punch was your son getting hit with kickback. I am not familiar with how the Saw Stop Brake technology would prevent kickback. I understand how it saves fingers.... but just wondered how it prevented kickback moreso than other table saws.
Gary You are spot on. I would add that the Saw Stop technology is akin to seat belts in a car. Not many of us would consider a car without them.
Vaughn Good question. The blade break technology does not prevent kickbacks but the riving knife does. My old saw did not have one. I believe most, if not all new table saws come with riving knives, so this is not a feature unique to the Saw Stop. It was one more factor that pushed me over the buying edge.
Hi, I'm a carpenter/builder in England. You should always use a riving knife on a table saw or hand held circular saw. The riving knife stops the wood binding and pinching the blade once it has passed through the sawblade, and throwing the wood back towards you (kickback). Wood has stresses in it and cutting the wood releases the stresses. That's why when you rip a long piece of straight wood down the middle you end up with 2 bananas! You should also use 2 pushsticks when ripping: The first to push the wood through the blade and the second to push the wood against the fence. Eye protection should of course also be worn.