Table saw horse power

[halfdome, Danny]

When I was in High School I took an elective class off campus at the Junior college for Mill Cabinet.
We spent a full semester in the classroom on shop safety and weren't allowed on the equipment until we passed.
Later during my apprentice I ended up at the same classroom and had to go through the same safety semester.

There are other saw accidents that don't involve the hot dog trick like in the Saw Stop.
One guy I was working with was careless and ended up with the piece of thin oak he was ripping in his side from kick back.
The only thing that saved him is he had a big belly that took the projectile.

In this picture you'll see my cutoff trays that slide into the miter runners, great for squaring up ripping's up to 30" wide, and safe if used properly.
It's my original 3 HP Unisaw.

This is the second and only 87 serial numbers off from the original saw.

This is a view of both saws, a very efficient set up for a small area.
I have two mobile carts, saw height, to handle sheet goods etc. great safety item and back saver.
Danny

[tony.latham]

The only thing that saved him is he had a big belly that took the projectile.

Was there a riving knife on that saw?

Superb shop, by the way. Just as I expected.

Tony

[halfdome, Danny]

The only thing that saved him is he had a big belly that took the projectile.

Was there a riving knife on that saw?

Superb shop, by the way. Just as I expected.

Tony

Thanks Tony.
As far as the riving knife I don't know, he was a careless individual and would throw scrap on the floor and had to stand on it to use his saw, bozo.
As you may have noticed I have no guards like most cabinet shops, their a hazard in themselves.
If you need a guard you shouldn't be on the saw , IMHO.
I finally removed my riving knife as it too was a hazard more that a help.
Over the years I've seen some sawyers that do crazy things and loose fingers etc.
Make sure that blade is nice and tight and you're sober.
Danny

[Tom&Shelly]

I was reading some of the comments about safety above to Shelly and she reminded me of her "accident history" starting at age 2 up to the most recent--a sprained foot a few weeks ago when someone secretly added a step to the staircase when she wasn't looking. We'll go with the Sawstop, although I wish there were competition. If another manufacturer did license the technology, I wonder how much cost would have to go into making that vendor's saw rugged enough to stand a fast emergency stop?

The Craftsman saw does have a blade guard which was cracked when my friend gave it to us, and the crack catches the wood--making it more dangerous. It also has prawls and a riving knife attached to the blade guard. Very cheap and bendy! They are downright dangerous. So, I admit I don't use them. So that saw now has similar safety features to the one I used in Jr High School shop in the mid-70's, which is not the greatest thing. We tend to try and use other tools in our shop to accomplish the job, when possible.

BTW, interesting thing about that saw in the shop class. I unplugged it one time to sweep or something, and plugged it back in, into the outlet next to the one I'd unplugged it from. A friend noticed the blade was going backwards--luckily before anyone fed material in there. Must have had a 3 phase motor, and the 2nd outlet was wired with two of the wires reversed. A very dangerous thing! I don't remember any serious accidents, but safety just wasn't taken as seriously as it is now.

Tom

[halfdome, Danny]

You may have noticed the two rubber mat’s in my photo.
Their great for comfort and also allow a good stance when cross-cutting.
A great safety feature.
Danny

[QueticoBill]

I wouldn’t have a Saw Stop for anything since they won’t share that technology with other manufacturers.
If it’s about safety the why corner that market.

They have offered to sell the technology they developed to other manufacturers. But none are willing to pay for it.

Heck, it's the ugly side of capitalism, I suppose.

I bought mine because of a friend, that I call three-finger Jack. For me, individually, in my shop, it is about safety.

Tony

It didn't endear anyone that SawStop tried to force their competitors to license their technology by lobbying for legislation requiring it. I see some others have introduced products with similar function.

[tony.latham]

It didn't endear anyone that SawStop tried to force their competitors to license their technology by lobbying for legislation

I agree 100%.

Tony

[Tom&Shelly]

It didn't endear anyone that SawStop tried to force their competitors to license their technology by lobbying for legislation requiring it. I see some others have introduced products with similar function.

That's true Bill. (Thanks for reminding me about that!) IMO, it's one thing to vigorously pursue patent rights, even regarding safety, particularly when the patents are a foundation of a company's products; quite another to attempt to manipulate the laws to coerce the use of the technology. (I may have even expressed on this forum my displeasure with the results of certain aspects of government overreach in that regard. )

We'll be buying a Sawstop table saw despite their legislative efforts, not because of them. I've known, and may have even worked for, certain other companies where I have the deepest respect for their engineering departments while despising their upper management's policies.

Tom

[QueticoBill]

For myself, I'm fine with my DeWalt contractor saw. If I were running a shop, especially one with students, no way I wouldn't have a saw stop or equivalent from another manufacturer.

I'm 70 and a couple years ago I nicked the end of my pinkie rabbeting a 12' PC of poplar. Only injury ever from power tools, starting around age 10. (Well, blind for a couple days from arc welding at 20 years old, but fully recovered.)

[Capebuild]

Beautiful shop set up, Danny

[halfdome, Danny]

Thanks John, it makes a fun place to work.
Danny

[Greg M]

Is that the extra wide beissemeyer fence on the first saw Danny?

[halfdome, Danny]

Yes Greg, it's a Biesemeyer T-Square fence.
I didn't have a lot of room so this one safely cuts at 51 3/4".
The original fence on my Original Unisaw slipped a couple times so it went in the trash.
The other saw has a copycat Shop Fox 24" capacity fence system.
Since the fence won't go over the 51 3/4" width my crosscut sled can trim the end of a 96"+ sheet if I rip it to width first.
Danny

[Tom&Shelly]

This afternoon I mentioned our desire to buy a Sawstop to the friend who lent/gave us the Craftsman table saw. He told me a mutual friend, who seems to always be pretty safety conscious to me, managed to trip his Sawstop on New Year's day, and came away with a relatively minor gash on a hand.

Ya, we'll be buying a Sawstop. After this, and watching many horror stories on You-tube, I may be too afraid to use the Craftsman again!

Tom

[Tom&Shelly]

In the daily e-mail advertisement from Grizzly, they said that Sawstop will be raising their prices 5-6% in early May, so we called the local Sawstop dealer and bought a 1.75 HP Contractor saw with 36 inch table. They have all the pieces in stock except they'll be getting the mobile base in next week. Looking forward to putting it together!

Already have room for it in the shop and wired the 20 amp circuit in February. Asked our friends with a Tundra and Tommy Lift to help us move the boxes to our shop.

Tom