Popular Woodworking 2002-04 № 127, страница 10

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Letters

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Readers Weigh in on SawStop Device

SawStop May Save Fingers, But it Shouldn't be Forced on Us

I recently answered "no!" to the SawStop poll on your magazine's web site. I wish I had read Steve Shanesy's "Out On a Limb" column about the issue first. I would have added where Stephen Gass could stick his SawStop device. The SawStop is a great idea, and it may very well save a few fingers, but just as I don't believe in helmet laws, I don't want the SawStop forced on me either. And, now that I see Gass is not only trying to get rich on the idea, but is trying to use the government to help him, I don't want it.

On the practical side, I'm a maintenance electrician, and I've seen many pieces of electrical/electronics equipment fail, for virtually no reason. Some of the equipment has not been in as harsh an environment as my table saw. I would hate to be cutting a $65 cherry board (or worse) when the thing failed. I could re-cut the board and actually waste very little, but why would I want that at all?

There is one more reason why I don't want it. As electrical/electronics components age, their electrical characteristics change. This is why there are adjustments, such as nulls and offsets on various electronic components. Heat, humidity, vibration and many other things have an adverse effect on these electrical properties as well. Will the SawStop have an offset or a null adjustment? It may work great on a hot dog right now, but a year from now will my saw stop when it hits a small knot or a change in moisture content in the wood?

Steve Snodgrass via the internet

SawStop Inventor Explains the Risks Ahead for His Company

We were gratified with the strong positive response to SawStop from woodworkers reflected in the results of the Popular Woodworking survey. We appreciate Popular

Woodworking's interest in promoting the adoption of new technology that promises to make woodworking safer. We hope the survey will help tool manufacturers understand the value of safety to woodworkers.

Manufacturers say they have not embraced SawStop because of the possible loss of sales when costs of retooling and our royalty are added to the price of a saw. However, the results of Popular Woodworking's survey confirmed our belief that a large majority of woodworkers are willing to pay a reasonable premium for SawStop. We believe the $150 premium used in the survey is more than sufficient to cover the costs to implement SawStop. Nonetheless, we have tried to minimize the introduction cost by offering manufacturers a royalty rate that starts very low (approximately $12 on a contractor-type saw). The rate increases (to about $30 on a contractor saw) only if most consumers buy saws with SawStop instead of other saws in the marketplace. As to the cost of retooling, manufacturers face that issue whenever they introduce a new product, and it is not unique to SawStop.

Manufacturers also say they are concerned with product liability issues. We have provided prototype saws for testing to almost every major saw manufacturer in the world, and to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety

WRITE TO US

Popular Woodworking welcomes letters from readers with questions or comments about the magazine or woodworking in general.We try to respond to all correspondence. Published letters may be edited for length or style.All letters become the property of Popular Woodworking. How to send your letter:

• E-mail: popwood@fwpubs.com

• Fax:513-531-0919

• Mail carrier:

Letters • Popular Woodworking 1507 Dana Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45207

Popular Woodworking April 2002

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