On Thu, 16 Dec 2004 19:35:37 -0800, "ted harris"
wrote:

In typed:
ok, ted, your fingers are worth more than a couple hundred bucks.
granted.

what isn't known is the rate of false positives. that information
*cannot* be known until the machine has been in use in actual workshop
use for some time.

how many times would you pay $180 for a cartridge and blade before you
started thinking about either replacing the saw or just disabling the
thing. a cabinet saw costs about $2000. that's about 11 false
positives. if it does it once a month it's costing you something like
4 new saws a year.

If I was worried about false alarms, I would like to find out what testing
has been done to prove that it will not misfire. I am quite positive that
there are saws somewhere that have been in real woodshops being used in real
working conditions since the day it was invented, not to mention possibly
even some testing center that was hired to test it. Basically, I am saying
that befoe I pursued purchasing the machine I would like to see evidence of
testing, or some sort of proof that misfires are some very small percentage
or even not possible.

Which you could do if you had freedom of choice. You wouldn't if the
government mandated this thing.

I would pay it at least once, and then I would have
to figure out whether or not I actually touched the blade, before I pursued
other avenues. If I did not touch the blade, I would be on the phone
talking to Steve Gass. I am quite sure that he is a reasonable man, and
could be convinced one way, cannot be the only way.

snip

Your faith is touching, but I suspect misplaced. At this point Steve
Gass, no matter how reasonable he might be, is deeply emotionally
committed to SawStop. His very natural inclination would be to explain
away or simply ignore any evidence of problems. So I doubt seriously
you'd get any satisfaction from him -- or indeed anyone else in his
position.

(My personal belief, based on Mr. Gass' actions, is that he is not
nearly as reasonable as you think.)

Financial interest aside, people invest in ideas and once they are
deeply invested it is extremely difficult to change their opinions.

--RC



Projects expand to fill the clamps available -- plus 20 percent