On 3/14/2013 10:56 AM, -MIKE- wrote:
On 3/13/13 10:10 PM, Leon wrote:
On 3/13/2013 6:04 PM, Leon wrote:


OK, ;~) I probably have that covered.

Actually I am looking for experience with 3 different saws that I am
considering. I am workinging working with a Jet JTAS cabinet saw, left
tilt. ths saw sets on a 3 wheel dull mobile base that I love. The saw
also has a fold up/fold down 15 roller out feed that has not supports
legs and is totally supported by the saw cabinet. I love that too.

I am looking for a saw with a true honest to goodness riving knife plus
other better features to help justify the cost of upgrading.

Number 1 choice would be a SawStop Professional of Industrial saw. Also
considering a Laguna TSS.

The SawStop Professional should be the equivalent to current saw however
it's rip fence is shorter and it seems lighter weight than my saw.

The SawStop Industrial Is physically larger, table wise, and about 50%
heavier, the trunnion is massive compared to the Professional version.

Over and above mine, They both offer a riving knife and the blade brake
feature.

The Laguna TSS is a different beast altogether and if some one owns one
I would love to hear details.

Over and above my saw this thing weighs about 1,000 lbs. It has a
sliding table that is the entire surface immediately left of the blade.
This thing has a 48" cross cut capacity and 50" rip capacity It has
scoring blades and it has the riving knife.

Regardless of which saw I pick the saw must be mobile.

Pricing for these saws equipped the way I would want one would be about
$3500, $4600, and $5800 respectively.

Oh, I want to sell my Jet cabinet saw so if any one in the Houston area
is interested, let me know.

Any thoughts from SawStop or Laguna owner/users?



Something that I have learned about the SawStop. The stop triggers only
if there is direct or indirect contact with the operator.

What this means is that you can cut through a nail as long as you are
not touching the end of the nail when it is cut. If you are touching
the nail, you complete the circuit and it trips. Wet wood will not
trigger the stop unless it is wet enough to provide an electrical path
to your hand.

I plan to find out if the electrical path could also be the table top.

There is a bypass mode to prevent a trigger and the bypass mode is used
to test cut a material to see if the material will cause a trigger when
in protection mode. Basically if you are cutting a material that may
complete an electrical circuit to your hand test cut it in bypass
several times and see if the saw detects you. If not run the material
in protected mode. If it detects you, run the saw in protection mode.
The saw always reverts back to protected mode after the motor switch is
turned off. As long as the motor is running the saw remains in bypass
mode.

The stop cartridge records the type condition that causes the trigger.
At least at this time if you sent the cartridge to them and it indicates
that it detected a direct flesh contact SawStop will replace the
cartridge at no charge.

The blade that has been embedded in the cartridge may not be destroyed.
It is advised that an inexpensively made blade be discarded while a
better quality blade may only need to be trued and teeth replaced as
needed. I have seen pictures of some of the blades after being pulled
out of the stop, if you did not know otherwise you would not be able to
see any damage. I suspect the most damage is that the blade would no
longer be flat and would need to be re-flattened.

Just a FYI


Unless you're dead-set on getting the sawstop technology, the Laguna is
a no-brainer to me. If money isn't the real factor here, Laguna is just
a much better machine, don't you think?

Well actually the Laguna is built in Bulgaria. That may or may not mean
anything, probably as good as a better Asian knock off. FWIW I love my
Laguna BS however Laguna is not a manufacturer of woodworking machinery
rather an importer that has the machines built to their specifications
much like many other brands these days. I will say that the Laguna
machines do have very nice and well thought out tweaks. I gave the
Industrial SawStop a close look under the hood yesterday and it is much
more impressive than the Pro version. Depending on how the saws are
equipped the industrial is at least 200 lbs heavier and that according
to SawStop is in the 3 extra inches in the depth of the top and in the
trunnion. The trunnion and every thing in between is all cast iron on
the industrial where as only the trunnion tilt and supports are cast
iron on the pro. Every thing in between is a welded torsion bar system
of some sort. Don't quote me on that description.



How long have you gone without cutting off a finger?

It has now been almost 24 years since I cut half my thumb off.

Who knows maybe you
already have and that's why you're looking at the sawstop. But someone
who's gone as long as you have in a shop and still can count to ten has
been practicing safe techniques with the table saw.

I can assure you not every one always practices safe woodworking habits.
I have talked to many many people that claimed to follow the rules and
something happens. I am getting older and I don't want to give up
woodworking because of the possibility of making a mistake again. It
would tickle me to death should I buy the SawStop that I never trip the
brake from doing something questionable.



That Laguna with the sled just make things even safer, imo.

Absolutely and the reason that it is on the table of saws to consider.
The biggest drawback is that with its "bolted on steel out feed" the saw
becomes 32" deeper and while I do have room that is about 26" farther
out than my current fold down out feed which would not transfer over
because of the sliding table. Then there is the right tilt which I am
not fond of. The mobility kit that requires the front and back wheel to
be jacked up and down. I would be moving the saw more than I would be
benefiting from the sliding table, every day I work with the saw.

Deep down I think the Laguna would be a great step up but I don't want
to loose sight of why I am upgrading to start with. Safety is my number
one concern.

I will be kicking this around more, I have not definitely decided one
way or another but the Industrial SawStop is looking better with less to
have to learn and most all of my jigs and fixtures would work with it.
It is an all new ball game with the Laguna.



The scoring blade, alone, is worth the price of admission in my book.
That would certainly save me from making two passes when cross
cutting plywood when the cut is not going to be buried in a dado.


Do I want curtain A, B, or C?...