Comments on flesh sensing saws....

[Handplanesandmore]

How long before someone figures out a way to defeat the flesh sensing technology to prevent inadvertent activation where you waste a blade and spend money on a new cartridge?

Regarding "a way to defeat" the safety measure, it already exists: you can turn off the feature with the key supplied with the saw. You would turn that off, for example, if you want to cut wet wood. 

In a way, I consider the wrecking of the blade a good thing as compared to the Bosch design, because it is a "bonus" that you don't want to activate the SS through carelessness and destroy a $150 blade. As an employee, you certainly don't want to tell your boss that he or she is out $150 because you were careless. I do know a shop here where the bypass key is kept in the hands of a supervisor. Some have reported that they could reuse (or resharpen) a blade after the trigger.

Simon

[Admiral]

Ah, well it's now Festool's parent owns SS!!

[fredhargis]

  How long before someone figures out a way to defeat the flesh sensing technology to prevent inadvertent activation where you waste a blade and spend money on a new cartridge?

It's fairly simple, apparently. A few years back someone here linked a CL ad where a cabinet shop (I think) was advertising his SS ICS for sale. The brake system had been completely removed, and the ad proudly stated you would never get a misfire with this saw.....or words to that effect. It's my back up plan should anything ever happen (which I see as highly unlikely) where I wouldn't be able to get electronic repair parts for mine. All you have to do is remove the cartridge, wire the motor to a switch and you're up and running.

[EricU]

IIRC, the proposed rule was announced in March, the sale happened afterwards.  I'm sure that was used as motivation for the sale.

[Tapper]

The political math that would require Saw Stop mechanisms on saws is not clear to me. Far worse injuries are suffered at a greater scale with other technology, like alcohol and cars, and alcohol mixed with cars, but similar safety measures are not required. The table saw injuries I have seen are usually hands and eyes. Cars and alcohol often involve coffins.

Why are table saws such a target for consumer protection?

Yeah, and I bet somewhere, somehow some clever gent was able to amputate his fingers/hands with a paper clip - it happens! 
 This technology protects EVERYONE who avails themselves of it, no matter what level their experience. Get over it!

Doug

[JGrout]

Yeah, and I bet somewhere, somehow some clever gent was able to amputate his fingers/hands with a paper clip - it happens! 
 This technology protects EVERYONE who avails themselves of it, no matter what level their experience. Get over it!

Doug

Removed because I know what would come of my comments

suffice it to say not all will avail to the Ga___ err cyborg and retain all their fingers for life

IOW the sky is not falling

[TucsonLawrence]

They can take my '80s Unisaw when they pry it out of my cold, dead hand.   ;-)

Fixt

[iclark]

Steve, the government can't "waive" patents.  That would be an unconstitutional "taking" of Article I, Section 8 property rights that is banned by the Fifth Amendment, unless the government paid for the patent rights.

How would that be different from what Obama did when he canceled the bonds for GM & Chrysler and gave partial ownership to the unions?

It would seem that declaring the patent overreaching in terms of how it has been interpreted to prevent competition would not be taking of property.

Obviously, just my $0.02

[K. L. McReynolds]

Money. This is all about money. Gass invented(reapplied/adapted existing technology) to build a safer machine. And did a really good job. Until he screwed things up by demanding his patent be the do all/be all for the industry(the money part) and, since he is a lawyer first and a humanitarian second(If one at all), created this entire crapshoot.

I think all schools should be as safe as possible, having a SS makes good sense. Why risk injury when learning? I think any company/individual should have the choice to buy a SS or not.

But to have it mandatory? Nope, no way. Why? Simple. Because the same level of protection is not mandated(or even discussed) with other machinery/safety applications.

Take seat belts. Mandatory because of scare tactics and some reality based testing. Makes sense. However, the design is severely lacking. Race car drivers have much better designs. And there are a lot of examples where the current passenger design has been insufficient. Money. Costs too much to design passenger systems with multiple shoulder straps, crotch strap, and so on. The current required design is a compromise of safety and cost. The vehicle manufacturers balked at the cost of safer belt designs, customers objected to the increased cost, and insurance companies wanted them to lessen their payouts.

Plus, requiring SS tech means the more Nannystate the government becomes. And personal responsibility is thrown out like a baby with the bath water.

[fredhargis]

Well, I think today is the day to submit public comments at that link...hope everybody got their position expressed. For the record, I did post my opinion...and I'm not in favor of mandatory anything.