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  #1   Report Post  
J. Clarke
 
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Default Sawstop--the wrong marketing approach?

It just occurred to me that the replacement parts for the Sawstop could be a
profit center for saw manufacturers. Especially if it falses occasionally.
Probably be able to make as much margin on those as on a blade.

Wonder if he tried to sell it that way? The razor and blades approach.
Give away the sawstop and figure enough people are hamfingered enough to
make up the cost in consumables?

Be interesting to see some market research on that.

If there are 30,000 table-saw related injuries that require a hospital visit
every year (and presumably most of those would have triggered the sawstop
if it was present) how many more were there that did not require a hospital
visit but would have triggered the sawstop? There seem to be about ten
non-amputations for every amputation, if that carries through to
non-hospital then there would be about 300,000 Sawstop activations a year.
So what is that in terms of percentage of the installed base of saws?

--
--John
Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)
  #2   Report Post  
Bob
 
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Would you pay $100 for everytime Sawstop fired or misfired to replace
the parts? Would you be comfortable installing safety mechanisms
yourself? Personally, I would answer No to both questions and therein
lies the dilemma for being commercially viable in the hobbyist market.
Bob

  #3   Report Post  
J. Clarke
 
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Bob wrote:

Would you pay $100 for everytime Sawstop fired or misfired to replace
the parts?


If the choice was that or 1600 bucks for a new saw, then the answer is
obvious.

Would you be comfortable installing safety mechanisms
yourself?


From what the sawstop people say, replacing the cartridge is in the same
order of difficulty as replacing a fuse. No "installing" required beyond
pull out the old one, stick in the new one. If it's more complicated than
that they've got a problem.

Personally, I would answer No to both questions and therein
lies the dilemma for being commercially viable in the hobbyist market.


How about in a pro market?

Bob


--
--John
Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)
  #4   Report Post  
J
 
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Default

"J. Clarke" wrote in message
...
Bob wrote:

Would you pay $100 for everytime Sawstop fired or misfired to replace
the parts?


If the choice was that or 1600 bucks for a new saw, then the answer is
obvious.


Why would that be the only choice? Do you buy a new saw when you have an
accident on it?

An equally valid choice would be pay $100 or have a peanut butter and jelly
sandwich rammed down your throat by a purple titanium robot while you are
sleeping. I hate false dilemmas.

-j



  #5   Report Post  
J. Clarke
 
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J wrote:

"J. Clarke" wrote in message
...
Bob wrote:

Would you pay $100 for everytime Sawstop fired or misfired to replace
the parts?


If the choice was that or 1600 bucks for a new saw, then the answer is
obvious.


Why would that be the only choice? Do you buy a new saw when you have an
accident on it?


If the accident does $100 worth of damage to the saw then the choice is to
pay the $100 to fix it or to get a new saw. Same situation.

An equally valid choice would be pay $100 or have a peanut butter and
jelly sandwich rammed down your throat by a purple titanium robot while
you are sleeping.


How is that an "equally valid choice"? It makes absolutely no sense as an
analogy.

I hate false dilemmas.


What "false dilemma"? If one has a saw equipped with a Sawstop, then the
choice is to replace the cartridge for 100 bucks, replace the saw for
whatever is the price of a new saw, defeat the absent cartridge, or don't
saw. I don't see another option.

-j

--
--John
Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)


  #6   Report Post  
J
 
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Default


"J. Clarke" wrote in message
...
J wrote:

"J. Clarke" wrote in message
...
Bob wrote:

Would you pay $100 for everytime Sawstop fired or misfired to replace
the parts?

If the choice was that or 1600 bucks for a new saw, then the answer is
obvious.


Why would that be the only choice? Do you buy a new saw when you have an
accident on it?


If the accident does $100 worth of damage to the saw then the choice is to
pay the $100 to fix it or to get a new saw. Same situation.


??? really?


An equally valid choice would be pay $100 or have a peanut butter and
jelly sandwich rammed down your throat by a purple titanium robot while
you are sleeping.


How is that an "equally valid choice"? It makes absolutely no sense as an
analogy.


Hey! That is what I was trying to say!

I hate false dilemmas.


What "false dilemma"? If one has a saw equipped with a Sawstop, then the
choice is to replace the cartridge for 100 bucks, replace the saw for
whatever is the price of a new saw, defeat the absent cartridge, or don't
saw. I don't see another option.


Now you offer 4 choices. You understand that this proves that the first post
with only two choices was a false dilemma, don't you?

-j


  #7   Report Post  
Edwin Pawlowski
 
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Default


"J. Clarke" wrote in message


What "false dilemma"? If one has a saw equipped with a Sawstop, then the
choice is to replace the cartridge for 100 bucks, replace the saw for
whatever is the price of a new saw, defeat the absent cartridge, or don't
saw. I don't see another option.


That is the point he is making. You'd happily pay $100 or more if it save
your finger from being amputated. Yes, you'd be very PO'd on a false
reaction, but I'd put $1000 in the till if it saves a finger.

IMO, the idea if fantastic and I'd be willing to pay a premium to have it on
my saw. Just like airbags in a car and life vests on a boat. BUT . . . yes,
that is a BUT I want to see it as proven technology that it will save my
skin and not give false tripping.


  #8   Report Post  
Vic Baron
 
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Default

An equally valid choice would be pay $100 or have a peanut butter and
jelly
sandwich rammed down your throat by a purple titanium robot while you are
sleeping.



That happened to you TOO??


  #9   Report Post  
J
 
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Default

"Vic Baron" wrote in message
. com...
An equally valid choice would be pay $100 or have a peanut butter and

jelly
sandwich rammed down your throat by a purple titanium robot while you

are
sleeping.



That happened to you TOO??



Nah, I have invented the
"PurpleTitaniumRobotWithPeanutButterAndJellySandwi chStop". It works great.
As a side benefit, my weiner hasn't been cut off since I've had it.
Currently I'm in negotiations to make it mandatory so that no one else will
be traumatized again.

-j


  #10   Report Post  
Andrew V
 
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Default


"Vic Baron" wrote in message
. com...
An equally valid choice would be pay $100 or have a peanut butter and

jelly
sandwich rammed down your throat by a purple titanium robot while you are
sleeping.



That happened to you TOO??


No, I just paid the Hundred


.......enjoy




  #11   Report Post  
ted harris
 
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Default

In news:Bob typed:
Would you pay $100 for everytime Sawstop fired or misfired to replace
the parts? Would you be comfortable installing safety mechanisms
yourself? Personally, I would answer No to both questions and therein
lies the dilemma for being commercially viable in the hobbyist market.
Bob


In my case it would be $70- for the cartridge, and $110- for the blade...and
I would like to state emphatically "yes" that I would gladly pay that many
times to keep my fingers and limbs intact. Is there really any other way to
look at it? Maybe for someone that was so cheap that they can justify not
spending the money to keep their digits and limbs there is a different
answer...but I don't think so!
--
Ted Harris
http://www.tedharris.com


  #12   Report Post  
Scott Lurndal
 
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Default

"ted harris" writes:
In news:Bob typed:
Would you pay $100 for everytime Sawstop fired or misfired to replace
the parts? Would you be comfortable installing safety mechanisms
yourself? Personally, I would answer No to both questions and therein
lies the dilemma for being commercially viable in the hobbyist market.
Bob


In my case it would be $70- for the cartridge, and $110- for the blade...and
I would like to state emphatically "yes" that I would gladly pay that many
times to keep my fingers and limbs intact. Is there really any other way to
look at it? Maybe for someone that was so cheap that they can justify not
spending the money to keep their digits and limbs there is a different
answer...but I don't think so.


The "right way" to look at it is statistically. There are X tablesaws
being used in a given geographical area. There are Y tablesaw injuries
in that same geographical area. Of those Y injuries, there are Z that
would have been prevented by SawStop. Unless Z is a significant
fraction of X, SS will likely not find much traction amongst the X
tablesaw owners.

Isn't easier to just not put your fingers in the blade rather than add
hardware to stop the blade when you do? A couple of home-made pushsticks
accomplish the same goals as the Saw-Stop, and the SS can't prevent
all tablesaw injuries (such as those caused by kickback) and may infact
cause more because of operator complacency.


scott
  #13   Report Post  
Brett A. Thomas
 
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Default

Scott Lurndal wrote:
Isn't easier to just not put your fingers in the blade rather than add
hardware to stop the blade when you do? A couple of home-made pushsticks
accomplish the same goals as the Saw-Stop, and the SS can't prevent
all tablesaw injuries (such as those caused by kickback) and may infact
cause more because of operator complacency.


Yeah, that's my biggest concern with the SawStop. I think it's an
interesting idea, but I wouldn't be surprised if, if we ever have a
world where it's mandatory, the net number of injuries stays about
constant, as people depend on the SS to save them instead of being
really aware of what they're doing. The tablesaw is still a dangerous
machine even if it won't cut off your finger.

-BAT
  #14   Report Post  
Mike Marlow
 
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Default


"Brett A. Thomas" wrote in message
...
Scott Lurndal wrote:
Isn't easier to just not put your fingers in the blade rather than add
hardware to stop the blade when you do? A couple of home-made

pushsticks
accomplish the same goals as the Saw-Stop, and the SS can't prevent
all tablesaw injuries (such as those caused by kickback) and may infact
cause more because of operator complacency.


Yeah, that's my biggest concern with the SawStop. I think it's an
interesting idea, but I wouldn't be surprised if, if we ever have a
world where it's mandatory, the net number of injuries stays about
constant, as people depend on the SS to save them instead of being
really aware of what they're doing. The tablesaw is still a dangerous
machine even if it won't cut off your finger.

-BAT


I keep reading that from people, but how many times have you heard anyone
say that they drive more recklessly because they have an airbag in their
car? Or even really had reason to believe they do? It isn't human nature
to behave that way. Whenever I heard that argument the first thought that
comes to my mind is that it's a hollow argument from someone who simply does
not like an idea, but has not real argument against it. Sort of a red
herring. People have a natural tendency to avoid things that will hurt them
whether safety devices are in place or not. The problem comes in if they
don't know about the things that can hurt them or if for some reason they
believe themselves to be immune to the potential for injury. You know -
like we all were when we had our first cars. Before our first accidents...

--

-Mike-



  #15   Report Post  
 
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On Tue, 14 Dec 2004 18:51:03 -0800, "ted harris"
wrote:

In news:Bob typed:
Would you pay $100 for everytime Sawstop fired or misfired to replace
the parts? Would you be comfortable installing safety mechanisms
yourself? Personally, I would answer No to both questions and therein
lies the dilemma for being commercially viable in the hobbyist market.
Bob


In my case it would be $70- for the cartridge, and $110- for the blade...and
I would like to state emphatically "yes" that I would gladly pay that many
times to keep my fingers and limbs intact. Is there really any other way to
look at it? Maybe for someone that was so cheap that they can justify not
spending the money to keep their digits and limbs there is a different
answer...but I don't think so!



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.

how many times HAVE you cut off your fingers on your table saw,
anyway?


  #18   Report Post  
Grant P. Beagles
 
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Default

Also, the government mandates a technology, and leaves the companies out to dry
when the technology is rushed into use by law. Airbag suits were not thrown out
when someone was hurt or killed by an airbag that performed exactly in the
mandated manner.

Grant



wrote:


snip


There's another problem here. Technology which is rushed into wide use
by government mandate may not be completely understood and hence not
fully developed. This happened with air bags and produced a lot of
injuries.

See:
http://www.ajph.org/cgi/content/abstract/90/10/1575

--RC

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


  #19   Report Post  
ted harris
 
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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. 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. The reason I know this
is because of his invention of the very system we are debating. The system
would not even exist if he thought that the possiblity for something that
seemed impossible was in fact possible.

how many times HAVE you cut off your fingers on your table saw,
anyway?


Never, but I have touched an alternating tip blade while it was running and
not even received a scratch from it.
--
Ted Harris
http://www.tedharris.com


  #20   Report Post  
 
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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


  #21   Report Post  
J. Clarke
 
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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,


Where did he get the saws? It can't be retrofitted, after all, so he
couldn't have modified an existing saw. So he must have had one designed
and hand built "on the day it was invented".

not to mention
possibly
even some testing center that was hired to test it.


So where's the test report?

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. 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.


Huh? What are you expecting him to do about it? Redesign the whole system
because you don't like the way it works? Give everybody who bought one
their money back? Free cartridges for the rest of your life?

The reason I know
this
is because of his invention of the very system we are debating. The
system would not even exist if he thought that the possiblity for
something that seemed impossible was in fact possible.


I don't think it ever "seemed impossible". Just that most people were
looking for an American-style fix and he found a Japanese-style fix.

how many times HAVE you cut off your fingers on your table saw,
anyway?


Never, but I have touched an alternating tip blade while it was running
and not even received a scratch from it.


You would have paid the price of a cartridge for that if it had a Sawstop.

--
--John
Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)
  #22   Report Post  
 
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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.


from rcooks post:


7) According to the power tool manufacturers, saw makers who tested
SawStop reported an unacceptably large number of false responses --
both false positives (tripping unnecessarily) and false negatives (not
tripping when it should. They also found a lot of other design issues
and pointed out the SawStop would have particular problems with
direct-drive or geared saws.


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. 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,



his behavior so far would seem to indicate the opposite.




and
could be convinced one way, cannot be the only way. The reason I know this
is because of his invention of the very system we are debating. The system
would not even exist if he thought that the possiblity for something that
seemed impossible was in fact possible.

how many times HAVE you cut off your fingers on your table saw,
anyway?


Never, but I have touched an alternating tip blade while it was running and
not even received a scratch from it.


like a fein multimaster?
  #23   Report Post  
Hank Gillette
 
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In article ,
"J. Clarke" wrote:

It just occurred to me that the replacement parts for the Sawstop could be a
profit center for saw manufacturers. Especially if it falses occasionally.
Probably be able to make as much margin on those as on a blade.

Wonder if he tried to sell it that way? The razor and blades approach.
Give away the sawstop and figure enough people are hamfingered enough to
make up the cost in consumables?


I may be overly suspicious, but I think the saw manufacturers don't want
to put it on their saws because in effect they would be admitting that
their previous saws were unsafe.

--
Hank Gillette
  #24   Report Post  
 
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On Tue, 14 Dec 2004 12:55:13 -0500, Hank Gillette
wrote:

In article ,
"J. Clarke" wrote:

It just occurred to me that the replacement parts for the Sawstop could be a
profit center for saw manufacturers. Especially if it falses occasionally.
Probably be able to make as much margin on those as on a blade.

Wonder if he tried to sell it that way? The razor and blades approach.
Give away the sawstop and figure enough people are hamfingered enough to
make up the cost in consumables?


I may be overly suspicious, but I think the saw manufacturers don't want
to put it on their saws because in effect they would be admitting that
their previous saws were unsafe.


Given today's litigatious climate, that's probably a real
consideration.

--RC
Projects expand to fill the clamps available -- plus 20 percent
  #25   Report Post  
igor
 
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On Tue, 14 Dec 2004 12:55:13 -0500, Hank Gillette
wrote:

I may be overly suspicious, but I think the saw manufacturers don't want
to put it on their saws because in effect they would be admitting that
their previous saws were unsafe.


Hank -- Assuming that the technology works, then I can see the saw
companies coming to this very conclusion (with a number of twists and turns
in the analysis) as a reason to not go that way. After all, they might
have offered two lines -- one w/, one w/o. Certainly there is some
substantial market out there for this feature. (Of course, as always, there
are costing issues.) Actually, I would take a slightly different view than
yours: Not so much that adding sawstop would say that past TSs were unsafe,
but that a significant market would still want the less expensive saws w/o
this dealie and that selling w/ and w/o versions would look bad -- that is
what the companies may have concluded.

While car companies have offered air bags as optional equipment on some
cars, maybe from a jury perspective a "safe" saw and an "unsafe" saw could
not be justified. People think they understand cars; even some of us who
use TSs are still working out all the dynamics.

Think about how various safety features of today's cars came to market,
from collapsing steering columns, padded dashboards, and crumple zones, to
airbags. Generally, there was industry opposition and eventually courts,
Congress, or stockholders required them. At least until maybe 10-15 years
ago, safety was not embraced; it was eventually accepted, IMO. Think about
roll cages in minivans. They make huge sense in light of the fact that
minivans are sold to families, yet Detroit did not rush to design them into
minivans. IIRC, the feds eventually set a deadline. Sure, there have been
some companies to jump on a new safety opportunity -- the Germans and the
Japanese often are in this group. But base on looking at what US-based
companies bring to market, the _general_ view is that "safety" only sells
to a marginal group.

There can be an irony in the law about such things. If the sawstop
technology does work and it catches on, then if a company that does not
sell sawstop is sued for its "plain" TS, the plaintiff can say, "They could
have added this new technology but they refused." OTOH, if the same
company had licensed sawstop and then was sued, the fact that it had added
a sawstop line would not be admissible in court. YMMV, depending on your
state, but that irony exists in many states. FWIW. -- Igor


  #26   Report Post  
GregP
 
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On Wed, 15 Dec 2004 01:20:49 GMT, igor wrote:

On Tue, 14 Dec 2004 12:55:13 -0500, Hank Gillette
wrote:

I may be overly suspicious, but I think the saw manufacturers don't want
to put it on their saws because in effect they would be admitting that
their previous saws were unsafe.


Hank -- Assuming that the technology works, then I can see the saw
companies coming to this very conclusion (with a number of twists and turns
in the analysis) as a reason to not go that way.


A lawsuit may come from any direction. You can just as easily
make the argument that a saw company may be sued because
it *could* have installed Sawstop but didn't. So I don't believe
that fear of lawsuits was the primary rationale for turning down
Sawstop. I would bet on cost being the primary reason.

...... But base on looking at what US-based
companies bring to market, the _general_ view is that "safety" only sells
to a marginal group.


Su just look at the reaction in this ng.
  #27   Report Post  
Dave Hinz
 
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On Wed, 15 Dec 2004 23:17:40 -0500, GregP wrote:
On Wed, 15 Dec 2004 01:20:49 GMT, igor wrote:

...... But base on looking at what US-based
companies bring to market, the _general_ view is that "safety" only sells
to a marginal group.


Su just look at the reaction in this ng.


How so? I drive Saab cars in part because they're so safe. I take
safety precautions, often with extra expense, with many aspects of my
life. But, my adverse reaction to SawStop is that (a) it doesn't
exist as a product I can buy, and (b) they want to force me to buy
an unworkable solution. Maybe in another 5 years they'll get their ****
together and actually be able to sell 'em, and I'll think about buying
one, but don't force me to buy something that doesn't work.

  #28   Report Post  
GregP
 
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On 16 Dec 2004 16:39:02 GMT, Dave Hinz wrote:

On Wed, 15 Dec 2004 23:17:40 -0500, GregP wrote:
On Wed, 15 Dec 2004 01:20:49 GMT, igor wrote:

...... But base on looking at what US-based
companies bring to market, the _general_ view is that "safety" only sells
to a marginal group.


Su just look at the reaction in this ng.


How so? I drive Saab cars in part because they're so safe. ....


That makes sense. But a fair number of the objections
here boiled down to I've never been hurt and I never
will get hurt; only careless people have accidents;
and exaggerating the negatives, such as you have to
ship your saw back if the safety device "fires."
  #29   Report Post  
igor
 
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On Wed, 15 Dec 2004 23:17:40 -0500, GregP wrote:

On Wed, 15 Dec 2004 01:20:49 GMT, igor wrote:

On Tue, 14 Dec 2004 12:55:13 -0500, Hank Gillette
wrote:

I may be overly suspicious, but I think the saw manufacturers don't want
to put it on their saws because in effect they would be admitting that
their previous saws were unsafe.


Hank -- Assuming that the technology works, then I can see the saw
companies coming to this very conclusion (with a number of twists and turns
in the analysis) as a reason to not go that way.


A lawsuit may come from any direction. You can just as easily
make the argument that a saw company may be sued because
it *could* have installed Sawstop but didn't. So I don't believe
that fear of lawsuits was the primary rationale for turning down
Sawstop. I would bet on cost being the primary reason.


That is what I said later in my same post. Here it is:

"There can be an irony in the law about such things. If the sawstop
technology does work and it catches on, then if a company that does not
sell sawstop is sued for its "plain" TS, the plaintiff can say, "They could
have added this new technology but they refused." OTOH, if the same
company had licensed sawstop and then was sued, the fact that it had added
a sawstop line would not be admissible in court. YMMV, depending on your
state, but that irony exists in many states."

In my experience following such industry developments, in fact suits DO
come from both directions, yet companies generally only predict those
coming from the first direction -- i.e., that a "new safety technology"
will suggest that their existing products are defective. If they can kill
that new tech, then when a lawsuit comes they can say that the technology
was "unproven", "too costly", etc. But if they do not kill it -- i.e., if
their refusal to license it does not prevent it somehow coming to market
eventually -- then they really can end up being hit harder in court.
Please also note my initial caveat: "Assuming the technology works". --
Igor
  #30   Report Post  
GregP
 
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On Fri, 17 Dec 2004 02:51:30 GMT, igor wrote:

In my experience following such industry developments, in fact suits DO
come from both directions, yet companies generally only predict those
coming from the first direction -- i.e., that a "new safety technology"
will suggest that their existing products are defective. If they can kill
that new tech, then when a lawsuit comes they can say that the technology
was "unproven", "too costly", etc.


I can see that. Sounds a lot like stuff we've been hearing
for years from the US auto industry.


  #31   Report Post  
Mike Marlow
 
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"Hank Gillette" wrote in message
...
In article ,
"J. Clarke" wrote:

It just occurred to me that the replacement parts for the Sawstop could

be a
profit center for saw manufacturers. Especially if it falses

occasionally.
Probably be able to make as much margin on those as on a blade.

Wonder if he tried to sell it that way? The razor and blades approach.
Give away the sawstop and figure enough people are hamfingered enough to
make up the cost in consumables?


I may be overly suspicious, but I think the saw manufacturers don't want
to put it on their saws because in effect they would be admitting that
their previous saws were unsafe.


Not unsafe - dangerous. There is a big difference. Table saws have always
been acknowledged as being dangerous. I suspect it's more of a combination
of a few things. 1) Cost - always the big decider. 2) They may like the
idea but are now working on their own version so they are not subject to
redesign just to accommodate a proprietary solution. 3) They may be
resisting yet another government forced solution to a problem that is
sensationalized by an individual who is trumpeting it for his own personal
gain.
--

-Mike-



  #32   Report Post  
J
 
Posts: n/a
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"J. Clarke" wrote in message
...
It just occurred to me that the replacement parts for the Sawstop could be

a
profit center for saw manufacturers. Especially if it falses

occasionally.
Probably be able to make as much margin on those as on a blade.

Wonder if he tried to sell it that way? The razor and blades approach.
Give away the sawstop and figure enough people are hamfingered enough to
make up the cost in consumables?

Be interesting to see some market research on that.

If there are 30,000 table-saw related injuries that require a hospital

visit
every year (and presumably most of those would have triggered the sawstop
if it was present) how many more were there that did not require a

hospital
visit but would have triggered the sawstop? There seem to be about ten
non-amputations for every amputation, if that carries through to
non-hospital then there would be about 300,000 Sawstop activations a year.
So what is that in terms of percentage of the installed base of saws?

--
--John


If there were 300,000 saws that required re-activation and new blades every
year (and you are talking US only) at a cost of several hundred dollars
each, you would see the price of pre-sawstop saws go through the roof.

You would also likely see a class action suit from users of expensive
sawblades for damage due to false positives. I'm not sure how users on a
remote site would take to having their saw shut down because someone screwed
up and used it to cut a ham sandwich. Would you be willing to wait for
either the saw to be shipped to an authorized service center, fixed and
returned (and you still have to buy a new blade) or wait for someone to come
out and fix it (and you still have to buy a new blade)?. Or would you rather
wrap your knuckle in a starbucks napkin and run a few layers of masking tape
over it and get on with your work?

Sure it is an interesting idea, but it doesn't have practicallity on it's
side. Saw manufacturers want to sell saws. They do not want to have to deal
with servicing saws. Saw buyers want to use saws. They do not want to wait
for service which they can not perform themselves.

-j


  #33   Report Post  
GregP
 
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On Tue, 14 Dec 2004 09:56:38 -0800, "J" wrote:


Sure it is an interesting idea, but it doesn't have practicallity on it's
side. Saw manufacturers want to sell saws. They do not want to have to deal
with servicing saws. Saw buyers want to use saws. They do not want to wait
for service which they can not perform themselves.



That is quite true, but the "idea" you are describing here
has very little relationship to what Sawstop is supposedly
selling.

  #34   Report Post  
J
 
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Default

"GregP" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 14 Dec 2004 09:56:38 -0800, "J" wrote:


Sure it is an interesting idea, but it doesn't have practicallity on it's
side. Saw manufacturers want to sell saws. They do not want to have to

deal
with servicing saws. Saw buyers want to use saws. They do not want to

wait
for service which they can not perform themselves.



That is quite true, but the "idea" you are describing here
has very little relationship to what Sawstop is supposedly
selling.


OK, so if it is self service, customers don't want to have to have a
replacement module and extra saw blade if they don't need to. I'm not saying
sawstop is a bad thing. I'm just trying to give some reasons why
manufacturers might not want to include it.

-j


  #35   Report Post  
ted harris
 
Posts: n/a
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In news:J typed:
OK, so if it is self service, customers don't want to have to have a
replacement module and extra saw blade if they don't need to. I'm not
saying sawstop is a bad thing. I'm just trying to give some reasons why
manufacturers might not want to include it.

-j


Do you just like to hear yourself talk? Why don't you do some research
before you perpetuate this crap? It is people like you that hold up the
evolutionary process.
Maybe manufacturers don't want to include it because they don't give a crap
about whether or not you keep your limbs...ever think of that?
--
Ted Harris
http://www.tedharris.com




  #36   Report Post  
Scott Lurndal
 
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"ted harris" writes:
In news:J typed:
OK, so if it is self service, customers don't want to have to have a
replacement module and extra saw blade if they don't need to. I'm not
saying sawstop is a bad thing. I'm just trying to give some reasons why
manufacturers might not want to include it.

-j


Do you just like to hear yourself talk? Why don't you do some research
before you perpetuate this crap? It is people like you that hold up the
evolutionary process.
Maybe manufacturers don't want to include it because they don't give a crap
about whether or not you keep your limbs...ever think of that?


Do you just like to hear yourself talk? It's the bottom line that
drives the feature set of any product, including a tablesaw (and the
bottom line is a calculation consisting of "what a customer will pay
for a given set of features" minus "what it costs to produce
a given set of features").

If Saw-stop can't create a market for their product, then it should
be appropriately relegated to a niche - and if they can't survive
in that niche, c'est la vie. They certainly should _not_ rely on
OSHA or any federal or state regulation to create their market for them.

scott

  #37   Report Post  
Doug Miller
 
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In article , "ted harris" wrote:

Maybe manufacturers don't want to include it because they don't give a crap
about whether or not you keep your limbs...ever think of that?


If so, it's a peculiar business model, in that amputees are rather less likely
than the general woodworking population to become repeat customers.

--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)

Get a copy of my NEW AND IMPROVED TrollFilter for NewsProxy/Nfilter
by sending email to autoresponder at filterinfo-at-milmac-dot-com
You must use your REAL email address to get a response.


  #38   Report Post  
J
 
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Default

"ted harris" wrote in message
...
In news:J typed:
OK, so if it is self service, customers don't want to have to have a
replacement module and extra saw blade if they don't need to. I'm not
saying sawstop is a bad thing. I'm just trying to give some reasons why
manufacturers might not want to include it.

-j


Do you just like to hear yourself talk?


I usually don't sound out the words when I'm typing or reading, so no. In
fact I can even read without moving my lips.

Why don't you do some research
before you perpetuate this crap?


Perpetuate what? I just mentioned some reasons which might explain why
manufacturers rejected this product. Do you have another explanation?

It is people like you that hold up the evolutionary process.


I know you are patiently waiting for your turn to evolve into human form,
but I can't help it that the guy in front of me is asking all sorts of dumb
questions so stop pushing.

Maybe manufacturers don't want to include it because they don't give a

crap
about whether or not you keep your limbs...ever think of that?


Did I ever contend that they did? Are you trying to imply that the white hat
Sawstop folks are doing battle against the evil saw manufacturers who design
machinery specifically to maim and disfigure you? No, I think that the issue
boils down to the fact that SawStop has been vaporware for a long time which
makes me doubt it's feasibility and that requesting that the government
legislate a monopoly for your product is a sleazy business practice. Maybe
these are what are preventing it from becoming a hit product rather than my
de-evolutionary rantings. I'm sorry, you just can't blame me for their
failure to deliver.

Go ahead and buy the damn thing if you want it. Support SawStop! Just don't
bitch about it to me or make me buy one if I don't want to.



  #39   Report Post  
J. Clarke
 
Posts: n/a
Default

J wrote:

"J. Clarke" wrote in message
...
It just occurred to me that the replacement parts for the Sawstop could
be

a
profit center for saw manufacturers. Especially if it falses

occasionally.
Probably be able to make as much margin on those as on a blade.

Wonder if he tried to sell it that way? The razor and blades approach.
Give away the sawstop and figure enough people are hamfingered enough to
make up the cost in consumables?

Be interesting to see some market research on that.

If there are 30,000 table-saw related injuries that require a hospital

visit
every year (and presumably most of those would have triggered the sawstop
if it was present) how many more were there that did not require a

hospital
visit but would have triggered the sawstop? There seem to be about ten
non-amputations for every amputation, if that carries through to
non-hospital then there would be about 300,000 Sawstop activations a
year. So what is that in terms of percentage of the installed base of
saws?

--
--John


If there were 300,000 saws that required re-activation and new blades
every year (and you are talking US only) at a cost of several hundred
dollars each, you would see the price of pre-sawstop saws go through the
roof.

You would also likely see a class action suit from users of expensive
sawblades for damage due to false positives.


If in fact the blade is damaged. Does the current version of the Sawstop
damage the blade?

I'm not sure how users on a
remote site would take to having their saw shut down because someone
screwed up and used it to cut a ham sandwich. Would you be willing to wait
for either the saw to be shipped to an authorized service center, fixed
and returned (and you still have to buy a new blade) or wait for someone
to come out and fix it (and you still have to buy a new blade)?.


Uh, why would you not just have a replacement cartridge on the shelf? Who
said that the saw has to be "shipped to an authorized service center" or
that you had to "wait for someone to come out and fix it"? You don't do
either of those when you blow a fuse do you?

Or would
you rather wrap your knuckle in a starbucks napkin and run a few layers of
masking tape over it and get on with your work?


I'm sorry, but I thought we were talking about a marketing strategy, not
about my personal preferences. And if the site has a starbucks nearby then
it wouldn't seem to be so remote that getting a tech to come out would be
an insurmountable difficulty.

Sure it is an interesting idea, but it doesn't have practicallity on it's
side. Saw manufacturers want to sell saws. They do not want to have to
deal with servicing saws. Saw buyers want to use saws. They do not want to
wait for service which they can not perform themselves.


So they put the in themselves. Nobody has said anything about "waiting for
service".

-j


--
--John
Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)
  #40   Report Post  
J
 
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Default

If there were 300,000 saws that required re-activation and new blades
every year (and you are talking US only) at a cost of several hundred
dollars each, you would see the price of pre-sawstop saws go through the
roof.

You would also likely see a class action suit from users of expensive
sawblades for damage due to false positives.


If in fact the blade is damaged. Does the current version of the Sawstop
damage the blade?


When I looked at it the answer was yes.

I'm not sure how users on a
remote site would take to having their saw shut down because someone
screwed up and used it to cut a ham sandwich. Would you be willing to

wait
for either the saw to be shipped to an authorized service center, fixed
and returned (and you still have to buy a new blade) or wait for someone
to come out and fix it (and you still have to buy a new blade)?.


Uh, why would you not just have a replacement cartridge on the shelf? Who
said that the saw has to be "shipped to an authorized service center" or
that you had to "wait for someone to come out and fix it"? You don't do
either of those when you blow a fuse do you?


No, you just flip the breaker. If the breaker blows, then yes, it usually
means a trip to the store plus some serious thought about why that happened.
Some may want an electrician to do this.

Or would
you rather wrap your knuckle in a starbucks napkin and run a few layers

of
masking tape over it and get on with your work?


I'm sorry, but I thought we were talking about a marketing strategy, not
about my personal preferences. And if the site has a starbucks nearby

then
it wouldn't seem to be so remote that getting a tech to come out would be
an insurmountable difficulty.


The suggestion is that parts dealers would not be so numerous as starbucks.

Sure it is an interesting idea, but it doesn't have practicallity on

it's
side. Saw manufacturers want to sell saws. They do not want to have to
deal with servicing saws. Saw buyers want to use saws. They do not want

to
wait for service which they can not perform themselves.


So they put the in themselves. Nobody has said anything about "waiting

for
service".


You disagree with me. That is OK. I'm just glad I don't HAVE to buy one if I
don't want one.

-j




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