"GregP" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 01 Feb 2005 12:15:10 GMT, "snowdog"
wrote:

1. Historically, if you build something that takes away the need to think
about what you are doing, people will stop thinking.

It's hard to imagine running wood through a table saw
without "the need to think." Maybe you're capable of
that and there may be others like you. But I suspect
that you're in a small minority.

Lets put it this way. If you are on top of a tall building and you are
close to the edge, you will have a tendency to much more careful about what
you do if a railing is not there. Oddly enough the railing doesn't even
have to be strong enough to keep you from going over the edge, just the fact
that it is there is enough to cause you to be less attentive than if it was
not there are all. If you put a device on a saw that will (hopefully) stop
the blade if you touch it, you will have a tendency to do things you
normally would not do on the table saw. Perhaps not use that pushstick that
is just out of reach, or cut a piece that is way too small without the
proper support. It is part of the human condition to get "lazy" when the
percieved level of danger decreases.


2. If don't feel comfortable with a device, that if it misfires, is going
to destroy my $100+ saw blade, the safety device itself, and possibly
damage the saw. ....

Right there you've listed another reason to keep thinking:
you're going to lose at least $150 if you goof, plus maybe
a nice chunk of wood.


I am not goin to argue that in the (unlikely) event a person does make
contact with the blade, the cost of the blade and safety device becomes
trivial, of course it does. However, when you weigh the cost vs. the risk,
I don't believe the risk in this case is great enough to justify the cost.
This is no different than other decisions made in the wood shop, there are
those who will argue you must wear a dust mask at all times in the shop,
because the risk of inhaling the dust that you will generate justifies the
need for the mask. There are others who will only wear a mask (or
respirator) only when working with certain types of wood or other products.
It is a decision each person has to make for himself (or herself).

4. I mean no offense to those who will feel safer having a saw that is
equipped with one of these devices, more power to you, just don't force it
on the rest of us.


I don't know of anyone who has posted in this n.g. who has
the wherewithal or the will to force this saw on you. Do you ?

The makers of this device have petitioned the Federal Government to make
this device mandatory on all tablesaws (I won't argue with you on specific
sizes of saws, suffice it to say that is there ultimate goal). This is
equivalent to forcing it on the general populace. I will grant you that
they probably do not post on this n.g., though I am pretty sure that they
(or someone in their organization) lurk here.

John C.