Ron Swanson Jr. Posted January 16, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2019 10 hours ago, Tom T said: Has anyone seen this happen before? No wood was near the blade and neither were my fingers. I didn’t think it a problem to lower the blade an 1/8” with the saw running. Am I wrong? I haven't heard of this happening. It doesn't logically follow that moving the blade should trip the brake. The only thing I can think of is that the blade needs to be spaced correctly from the cartridge, using that yellow spacer tool. Maybe your blade was too close to the cartridge and moving it affected that? That's the only thing I can think of. You should definitely contact SS and let them know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkinneb Posted January 16, 2019 Report Share Posted January 16, 2019 Never heard of that. I would contact SS and please report back what you hear. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom T Posted January 16, 2019 Report Share Posted January 16, 2019 I contacted Sawstop and they had never heard of this. I have an authorization to return to get it analyzed. Sure don't want to put in another WW2 until I'm sure it won't happen again. I put in a cheap blade and a new cartridge and it seemed to work fine. Hmmmm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jfitz Posted January 16, 2019 Report Share Posted January 16, 2019 Do you run an aftermarket zero clearance insert or miter guide? I agree it's weird....I raise and lower my blade all the time while it's running, never had an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Swanson Jr. Posted January 16, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2019 @Tom T Today I got my zero clearance throat plate from Infinity Cutting Solutions. To install it, you lower the blade all the way, turn the saw on, and raise the running blade through the plate. Anyway, I was thinking about your issue while I was doing this and REALLY hoping it wouldn't trip the brake as I moved the blade up. It did not do it. But after I tripped the brake the first time, and killed the brand spankin' new blade that came with the saw, I went and bought a $30 combination blade to use while I get acclimated to this new saw and the brake. Please keep us up to date when SS gets back to you after their analysis. I am very interested in this one! And, sorry about the WW2. That's a nice blade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat60 Posted January 17, 2019 Report Share Posted January 17, 2019 I like my fingers but I think it would me understandable why some would not want a SS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bankstick Posted January 17, 2019 Report Share Posted January 17, 2019 After reading through this thread and the posts, I'm going out into the shop and kiss my Ryobi BT3000! The only trouble I have is cleaning the sawdust out of the cabinet- Shop Vac doesn't get all of it. Don't get me wrong, this has been an interesting thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Swanson Jr. Posted January 17, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2019 @Bankstick, @mat60 After my inadvertent brake triggering, I was understandably upset. It ruined s brand new blade and I had to replace a $80 cartridge. But having said that, I do not regret the purchase one bit. The fit and finish on the saw are simply excellent. It's by far the nicest tool I've ever owned. As with any technology that's brands new, there are going to be things that happen that we didn't see coming. And even without the flesh sensing feature, there is always a period of getting to know a new machine -especially when that machine is the center of the shop. I hope this thread doesn't discourage anyone from purchasing a Sawstop. I am a few weeks into ownership now and am getting more comfortable every day. I've accepted that I have to be more deliberate in evaluating what I'm about to cut for moisture or imbedded metal. That's new. But if there's any doubt I simply run the piece through on bypass mode and they tells me if I need to keep it in BM or not. I've taken the cheap replacement blade off and resumed using my "good" blades. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mat60 Posted January 17, 2019 Report Share Posted January 17, 2019 I always thought if I was looking for a new saw it would be a Powermatic. Part of that reason was I thought the Sawstop would be allot more money and I see that's not the case. I also looked into the price of the break cartridges. I see on Amazon they are only $69.00 for a 10 inch blade cartridge and $89.00 for the 8 inch dado blade. I have been in the shop at the tablesaw all day and have given this some thought. Sometimes when you get old you get set in your ways.. I changed my mind. Enjoy your saw. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted January 17, 2019 Report Share Posted January 17, 2019 12 minutes ago, mat60 said: I always thought if I was looking for a new saw it would be a Powermatic. Part of that reason was I thought the Sawstop would be allot more money and I see that's not the case. I also looked into the price of the break cartridges. I see on Amazon they are only $69.00 for a 10 inch blade cartridge and $89.00 for the 8 inch dado blade. I have been in the shop at the tablesaw all day and have given this some thought. Sometimes when you get old you get set in your ways.. I changed my mind. Enjoy your saw. Just note that when comparing the PCS to the PM2000 it's apples and oranges. The PM2000 has a larger cast iron table and more mass and features. The ICS is more the competitor to the PM2000. The PCS doens't have a competitor as much if there was one i'd say it's the Jet 3hp but even that i think is a bit heavier and larger. The PM1000 is the same size and weight but only comes in 1.75 hp. People love to compare the PCS and the PM2000 but that is very unfair to but the PCS and the PM2000. I don't expect the PCS is built to the industrial standards the PM2000 is. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted January 17, 2019 Report Share Posted January 17, 2019 14 minutes ago, mat60 said: I always thought if I was looking for a new saw it would be a Powermatic. Part of that reason was I thought the Sawstop would be allot more money and I see that's not the case. I also looked into the price of the break cartridges. I see on Amazon they are only $69.00 for a 10 inch blade cartridge and $89.00 for the 8 inch dado blade. I have been in the shop at the tablesaw all day and have given this some thought. Sometimes when you get old you get set in your ways.. I changed my mind. Enjoy your saw. Matt. When the brake kicks on, it not only ruins the brake, but it destroys the saw blade. Be careful what you wish for. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkinneb Posted January 18, 2019 Report Share Posted January 18, 2019 5 hours ago, Chestnut said: Just note that when comparing the PCS to the PM2000 it's apples and oranges. The PM2000 has a larger cast iron table and more mass and features. The ICS is more the competitor to the PM2000. The PCS doens't have a competitor as much if there was one i'd say it's the Jet 3hp but even that i think is a bit heavier and larger. The PM1000 is the same size and weight but only comes in 1.75 hp. People love to compare the PCS and the PM2000 but that is very unfair to but the PCS and the PM2000. I don't expect the PCS is built to the industrial standards the PM2000 is. Drew you are correct I wish would have known that when I bought my PCS, I came from a PM66 and it took me a long time to get used to the smaller table. In my experience other than that power, fit finish, dust collection, performance are as good or better than my PM66. Both were great saws but I’m not going to lie I like the SS better, primarliy for its smooth operation, dust collection, and the great arbor for changing blades. The safety feature is just that and I hope I never need it but if I do I’ll be glad it’s there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Posted February 5, 2021 Report Share Posted February 5, 2021 Just put my PCS 3 together and this was 4th cut on a new piece of plywood and 1" in and bam no more sawing. Wood was dry as I could tell been laying on the bench for some time. Sending in the cartridge in. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee-dub Posted February 6, 2021 Report Share Posted February 6, 2021 5 hours ago, Max said: Just put my PCS 3 together and this was 4th cut on a new piece of plywood and 1" in and bam no more sawing. Wood was dry as I could tell been laying on the bench for some time. Sending in the cartridge in. In the past they have been very good about reporting back as tot he reason for the firing. I haven't heard anything about that changing. Please post back to this thread so we can all learn something. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PacificGuy Posted February 6, 2021 Report Share Posted February 6, 2021 15 hours ago, gee-dub said: In the past they have been very good about reporting back as tot he reason for the firing. I haven't heard anything about that changing. Please post back to this thread so we can all learn something. I just bought a PCS 3 and have cut some wood through it just fine. Not a lot but will be hitting some big projects soon. I keep a spare cartridge in stock just in case. Luckily, SawStop is a local company and I can run the cartridge over. Yes, the policy is written into the manual that they will take cartridges back. The spacing on the break says to be 1/16 to 1/8. I pushed mine closer to the 1/8 mark. The farther away it is the longer it takes to come to a stop. It is just a guess that the blade is just too close. Metal push sticks. Page 30 of the manual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Noel Horneck Posted February 22, 2021 Popular Post Report Share Posted February 22, 2021 Had my SS for about 18 months and had my first "incident". The brake tripped on start up, so it didn't damage the blade at all. Was baffled by the cause since nothing was touching the blade. Taking it apart I found a piece of a staple that had been in the edge of my birch plywood had been cut previously, it got wedged in the underside of my zero clearance insert near the teeth of the blade. It only touched the blade and the medal body of the insert when the blade began to turn. I love my SS and will willingly part with the $80 for a new cartridge to have the technology to keep my fingers intact when I inadvertantly put my finger in the wrong place. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark J Posted February 22, 2021 Report Share Posted February 22, 2021 It's not the first plywood inclussion induced trigger I've heard of. Not sure what can be done to prevent those. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jfitz Posted February 22, 2021 Report Share Posted February 22, 2021 I usually do a quick once-over to check for staples, on any dimensioned lumber or sheet goods, especially from the big box stores. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PacificGuy Posted February 22, 2021 Report Share Posted February 22, 2021 1 hour ago, Mark J said: It's not the first plywood inclussion induced trigger I've heard of. Not sure what can be done to prevent those. I cut a lot of Baltic birth plywood. Have not had a problem so far, but only had a month. I'll definitely post here when/if it goes off. Remember, if it goes off and it is not your fault then contact SS. They will ship you a new one and want to see the one that went off. I keep a spare cartridge just in case. Don't want to wait for shipment or run to the store. On the other hand, might have to run to the store anyway to get a new blade depending on how it went off. Happy sawing to everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark J Posted February 22, 2021 Report Share Posted February 22, 2021 I agree with examining the wood before cutting (even if it's another brand of saw), but the stories I've heard are that metal bits, like staples, get included between the ply's during manufacture. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkinneb Posted February 22, 2021 Report Share Posted February 22, 2021 I have also noticed that several companies are starting to use stickers vs staples which will help 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PacificGuy Posted February 22, 2021 Report Share Posted February 22, 2021 7 minutes ago, Mark J said: I agree with examining the wood before cutting (even if it's another brand of saw), but the stories I've heard are that metal bits, like staples, get included between the ply's during manufacture. I would think this is more of an issue with cheaper quality of plywood from the big box stores. I buy Baltic birth from a hardwood warehouse that is much higher grade. Ironically, it doesn't cost much more than the big box construction grade plywood. For outdoor projects use a hand circular saw for the cuts. Probably the only wood I would put through my table saw from a big box store are 2xSomething to square them, and YES staples must be looked for. Anyway, my two cents. Let's see what I say after years of using my SS. So far I'm happy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Chet Posted February 22, 2021 Popular Post Report Share Posted February 22, 2021 1 hour ago, JuniperJon said: On the other hand, might have to run to the store anyway to get a new blade The condition of the blade after any activation is something that seems like too many people take for granted. It may appear to be okay to the naked eye, but there can be microscopic damage to the brazing on the carbide teeth. Something that can cause a failure down the road. Personally I use separate rip and cross cut blades but I keep a combo blade on hand and will put that on after an activation until I can have the other blade properly inspected by a pro before continuing to us it. I would rather do this than have a tooth break off and hit me like a ballistic piece of shrapnel. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee-dub Posted February 27, 2021 Report Share Posted February 27, 2021 On 2/22/2021 at 7:15 AM, Mark J said: It's not the first plywood inclussion induced trigger I've heard of. Not sure what can be done to prevent those. This comes up now and again. I have sawn through metal objects that the metal detector missed. staples, nails and so forth. Not something any of us make a habit of doing but, it can happen. My trigger was human error; I started to saw through some scrap UHMW. I had forgotten it was static-dissipating UHMW from an electronics pallet. Yep, that'll do it ;-) No cartridge events from small, isolated (in the wood) metal items though. From the website. "What happens if the blade comes in contact with a nail or staple in the wood? Generally, the safety system will not activate when a nail or staple is cut. Although conductive, these objects are not large enough to cause the safety system to activate unless they are grounded to the table or operator when they contact the blade." If yo have something you are in question about or know is a problem, just use bypass mode. This is how I machine aluminum. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark J Posted February 27, 2021 Report Share Posted February 27, 2021 25 minutes ago, gee-dub said: Generally, the safety system will not activate when a nail or staple is cut. Although conductive, these objects are not large enough to cause the safety system to activate unless they are grounded to the table or operator when they contact the blade." That reminds me, the SawStop rep gave a demo at our club a couple of months ago. He said that what the electronics are sensing is the capacitance of what's in contact with the blade. So it would have to be conductive and a sufficient size. Still non-flesh triggers happen. It would be a nice development if they could figure out a way to pull it off while preserving the blade. Or if Felder could make their system cheap enough for people to actually buy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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