Popular Woodworking 2001-12 № 125, страница 4
What's Your Finger Worth? New technology could save thousands of fingers a year. How much more would you pay for a table saw equipped with a passive safety device that would send you looking for a bandage after a saw accident instead of to the emergency room carrying your finger in a baggie? Woodworkers were first shown the Saw-Stop (sawstop.com) system 18 months ago. It halts a table saw blade in less than a quarter turn, or within milliseconds, when the blade senses contact with human flesh. I saw it operate, and it performed as advertised. Of course, this doesn't mean it's foolproof. Field testing is necessary to learn how reliably it operates in the real world. And while testing is underway, what should be of concern to woodworkers is why the evaluation process hasn't progressed more. Understandably, manufacturers are now figuring out how this safety feature would change their business. Key issues include: • Product liability (some say it would actually rise for tool manufacturers). • How many millions of dollars it will cost to retool the manufacturing plants to accommodate the device. • And the impact on sales when the cost of the device itself — plus fees to the inventor, a patent attorney named Stephen Gass — are all added to the price tag. There's disagreement between the inventor and tool manufacturers about how much this device will cost you on a new table saw. Our best guess, and it's only a guess based on their disparate claims, is about $150 to the price of a contractor saw and $200 or more for a cabinet saw. But it's not just the price of a table saw that is slowing this process down. Manufacturers I spoke with made the case that they can't simply rush forward. And while some manufacturers seem more interested than others, none has set the goal of finding a way to make it work. While nobody wants to be first to market with the device, most admit that once one manufacturer takes the plunge, the rest will follow. Then there's Mr. Gass. His frustration with not seeing his invention enthusiastically embraced by manufacturers may also be an obstacle. When interest among woodworkers upon its announcement didn't translate into licensing agreements with tool manufacturers, Gass took his case to governmental safety regulatory agencies, which may force its use by fiat. This tactic raised the hackles of most tool makers. Gass also appears to want greater fees for Saw-Stop as time goes on because, he says, his investment continues to rise. From my understanding of Mr. Gass's royalty structure, he will make millions every year on table saws alone. If installed on other equipment, millions more will flow to him. We don't take issue that Mr. Gass should enjoy a comfortable life if his clever device prevents thousands of serious finger and hand injuries every year. We also recognize that manufacturers have to make money to stay in business and can be held responsible to shareholders when they don't. All parties involved need to focus on the fact that it's their current and future customers whose hands and fingers are at risk here. And to their customers they also have a responsibility. It's time manufacturers and Mr. Gass get together and map out a plan that takes everyone's best interests into account then move forward with all deliberate speed. You can help this process. Please go to our web site (popwood.com) now through December and weigh in on your willingness to pay more for equipment that offers real protection without interfering with your use of the machine. Or send us a postcard stating "yes" or "no" to spending an extra $150 on a contractor saw equipped with SawStop. We'll share the results with you, the manufacturers and Mr. Gass. The results just might be the nudge that will get the decision makers off square one. PW Popular December 2001, Vol. 21, No. 6 www.popularwoodworking.com Editor & Publisher Steve Shanesy Art Director Tricia Barlow Senior Editors David Thiel, Christopher Schwarz Project Illustrator John W. Hutchinson Photographer Al Parrish Editorial Intern John Tate Editorial Assistant Barb Brown Contributing Editors Nick Engler Bob Flexner Glen Huey Scott Phillips Troy Sexton Technical Advisers: Bill Austin Makita USA. Inc. Scott Boxl Delta International Chris Carlson S-B Power Tool Bill Crofuttl Grizzly Industrial Dale Zimmerman Franklin International Senior Vice President David Lewis Editorial Director David Fryxell CIRCULATION David Lee, Vice President Lynn Kruetzkamp, Group Manager PRODUCTION Barbara Schmitz, Vice President Heather Griffin, Production Coordinator ADVERTISING National Sales Representative Bill Warren, Five Mile River Assoc. LLC RR1 Box 1400, Stockton Springs, ME 04981 Tel. (207) 469-1981; Fax (207) 469-3050 Advertising Sales Joe Wood, Tel. (513) 336-9760 Fax (513) 336-9761 Classified Advertising Sales Joan Wright, Tel. (800) 388-1820 joanwright@ix.netcom.com Advertising Production Coordinator Debbie Thomas, Tel. (513) 531-2690, ext. 219 SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES Subscription inquiries, orders and address changes can be made at www.popwood.com (click on Subscriber Services). Or by mail: Popular Woodworking, P.O. Box 5369, Harlan,IA 51593 or call (515) 280-1721. Include your address with all inquiries. Allow 6 to 8 weeks for delivery. NEWSSTAND DISTRIBUTION Curtis Circulation Co., 730 River Rd., New Milford, NJ 07646, (201) 634-7400, fax (201) 634-7499 ATTENTION RETAILERS: To carry Popular Woodworking in your store, call Reader's Service at 800-844-7075, or write: Popular Woodworking Magazine Dealer program, c/o Reader's Service, 4099 Martel Road, Lenoir City, TN 37772 Back issues are available for $6.50 ($8.50 Canada; $10.50 other foreign). Ohio residents include 6% sales tax. Send check or money order to: Popular Woodworking/F&W Publication Products, PO Box 2031, Harlan, IA, 51593 or call 1-888-4190421. Please specify publication, month and year. Woodworker's Book Club: 1507 Dana Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45207; (513) 531-2690 6 Popular Woodworking December 2001 |
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