Question for Saw Stop guys

[Ray Newman]

Re: shop electrical lockout. I thought about a lockout between the shop panel and the incoming power, but decided not to do i as there are no children to worry about. Know a friend who did do it, but he had the shop wired so only the shop lights and the emergency light would still be "powered" when the shop power was turned off.

[lincmercguy]

When my kids were younger and I was working out of the garage, I would put a bolt or machine screw through the power switch lockout. For the tools that have the removable key, I would remove them and put them in the tool box. I did other things like drop the saw blade down into the table, lock the miter saw down, and unplug any portable power tools.

None of this was perfect or fool-proof, but it added extra steps to turn on a power tool. It also means less chance of them bumping into a power switch.

This seemed more important to me when we would walk in/out of the garage with the kids to leave the house. Now they are a little older and my shop is a separate building. They are not allowed in there without one of us. I still stick a screw or Allen wrench through the lockout when changing blades/bits.

[John Mihich]

Great to hear all the good things about the SS.  I am going to order mine probably next week.  I have seen several SS at wood shows and of course Rockler.  I am replacing an old 3 HP Craftsman contractor's saw.  I am expecting great things from the SS.

[Handplanesandmore]

Sawstop has good customer service in addition to a good QA program in place. I have yet to meet one single sawstop pcs or ics user who isnt happy with the saw's performance. 

Some anti ss people are still waiting for the patents to expire so they can finally get a nonss finger saving saw. That day will come (5 years later, 10? I dont know), but they might not realize that the most critical part of a tablesaw is its performance as a saw not as a safety device. They might get a cheaper finger saving saw, but mediocre in all other aspects.

Btw, get a pcs or ics...nothing less. 

Simon

[Murray M]

Unconventional reply:

I've got a 4 and 8 yo that increasingly frequent our barn/shop/studio. 

The comment above about 10 sharks in the pool and a SS only muzzling one of them is right on the money: particularly when you consider that exacto blades are [IMO] the most dangerous tool in the shop and bandsaws are #2 [nobody is scared of them but they'll take a finger just as easy as anything]. Surprisingly, drill presses are the most common tool I personally hear horrible stories [and death] about. 

I'm not arguing against SS. But with kids, SS is only part of the story. 

My personal solution is skipping a TS altogether. In it's place I have a larger panel saw (I love this--it saves a lot of floor space and MUCH easier to process thick plywood on since I'm short). I compliment the panel saw with a high capacity sliding miter saw, a dedicated straight cut large BS and both the small and large Festool track saws (I cut a lot of angles--if I were doing it again btw I'd just get the large one) and the Festool table. I'll get a TS when shop floor space becomes less valuable (currently I make big things) and when the kids get older. 

Do I miss the TS for some cuts? Yep. But surprisingly not as often as I'm smiling about how great the panel saw is. And I'm saving SO MUCH floor space!

[bmich]

I have never used anything else. When I bought my first saw, I went with SS. Customer service is top notch, between moving the saw when we sold our house and losing a part to just wanting to ask a few questions it has always been an native English speaking person. Assembly is a breeze, the parts are extremely well labeled. The instruction book comes in a binder and spiral bound. Its the little differences that make this saw above the competition. I have the SS professional 3HP and the mobile base. I have never stalled the saw, only once have I remotely bogged it down. Cutting old barn wood with nails in it with a dull blade. Also not the smartest thing. But yes, no complaints here.