SawStop

SawStop

Industry	Manufacturing
Founded	2005 (2005)
Headquarters	Tualatin, Oregon , USA
Key people	Steve Gass, David Fanning, and David Fulmer (cofounders)
Products	Table saws
Website	www.sawstop.com

SawStop is a table saw manufacturer headquartered in Tualatin, Oregon, USA. The company was founded in 2005 to sell table saws that feature a patented automatic braking system that stops the saw within milliseconds if its blade comes in contact with the operator's hand or other body part.

How it works

SawStop's saws applies a small amount of electric current to the blade of the saw. This current is continuously monitored. If the saw detects a change in this current (as would occur if a hand or other body part came into contact with the blade) an automatic braking system is activated, forcing an aluminum brake block into the blade. The saw stops within five milliseconds, and angular momentum lowers the blade into the table. The operator suffers a small nick instead of an amputation or other more serious injury.

History

Steve Gass came up with the idea for SawStop's braking system in 1999. Gass first demonstrated a prototype in 2000, at a trade show called the International Woodworking Machinery and Furniture Supply Fair.

In July 2001, SawStop, which at the time was attempting to license its technology to power tool manufacturers, was awarded a safety commendation by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) for "developing innovative safety technology for power saws intended to prevent finger amputations and other serious injuries."

Citing statistics from 1998 that show accidents with table and bench saws resulted in 3000 amputations of one or more fingers, SawStop's braking technology inspired Representative Kevin Joyce to propose the Illinois General Assembly's 2005 Electrical Saw Safety Act

In June 2006, the CPSC recommended that the U.S. government begin the rulemaking process that could result in mandatory safety standards for table saws.

SawStop has provoked opposition from the Power Tool Institute (PTI), which represents Black & Decker, Hilti, Hitachi Koki, Makita, Metabo, Bosch, Techtronic Industries and WMH Tool Group. In April 2008 they told Congress that SawStop's braking system is:

• dangerous because it requires the user to come in contact with the blade before activating;
• unproven, particularly in terms of durability;
• prone to false trips caused by commonly available wet and green wood;
• potentially vulnerable to latent damage that cannot be inspected and may cause a hazard;
• costly to the user because once activated, saw blade and cartridge must be replaced; and
• significantly more expensive, ranging from a minimum of 25 percent and ranging upwards depending on saw type

The PTI also objects to the licensing necessary due to the "more than 50 patents" related to SawStop's braking system.

Restrictions and limitations

The company notes the following restrictions and limitations:

• Activating the braking system often damages one to two teeth on the blade.
• The braking system must be deactivated when cutting very green or wet timber.
• Non-conductive blades or blades with non-conductive hubs or teeth cannot be used.
• The braking system is designed to work with kerfs from 3/32″ to 3/16″; using thinner or thicker kerfs limits the saw's ability to stop the blade after accidental contact, likely resulting in more serious injury.

The company also note that the braking feature is impractical to retrofit into existing table saws.