In article , Larry Jaques wrote:
On Sat, 22 Jan 2011 00:44:37 +0000 (UTC), Larry Blanchard
wrote:

On Fri, 21 Jan 2011 21:53:09 +0000, Doug Miller wrote:

SawStop reacts in, what? 3 ms?

They claim 5.

Versus 117ms for the Whirlwind. And you can both use the blade again
and start the saw back up 1 second after the E-stop.

If something slips, your hand can move a *long* way in 117 ms. Remember that
the Whirlwind mechanism won't engage until your hand is *right there* at the
guard -- IOW, when your hand is only inches away from the blade. And moving.
Moving *quickly*.

No thanks.

I agree that Whirlwind is clearly better than no protection at all. But better
than SawStop? No way.

The Sawstop eats
a $120 Woodworker II and a $60 aluminum stop every time.

And of course surgery to reattach amputated fingers costs much less than that.

The cost of triggering the SawStop is irrelevant: if you never get your hand
into a spinning blade, it never triggers, and costs you nothing. If you *do*
get your hand into a spinning blade, the cost of a new blade and brake
cartridge is miniscule compared to the cost of treating the injury you'd
receive without it.

And how many
false stops are happening now? Like when your buddy comes over and
wants to see it work...

Tell your buddy he's welcome to see it work if he ponies up the cost of the
replacements -- and tests with his own finger in the teeth.