>Ron, why wouldn't professional woodworkers like it? What are the >downsides, besides the initial expense? (Assuming you don't trigger the >safety device a few times a day...) > >--Cy Shuster-- Hi Cy, Typically, the first thing the professional does is take off all the OSHA approved guards and toss them in the shed. They tend to want to be able to see the blade so they know where their hands are in relation to it. In this case, the brake doesn't create a hazard by hiding the blade, but it adds extra cost for magic that looks altogether too good to be believable. Professionals tend to get hurt on table saws by kick-backs while sawing something. Can this braking system tell the difference between cutting a piece of maple and cutting a piece of maple AND a couple of fingers? Seems like that's asking a lot, especially to a professional who has spent a lot of years experiencing the limitations as well as the capabilities of machinery. It supposedly can, but how far can it be trusted, what kind of maintenance is required, does it reset automatically, and do you have to risk an occasional hot dog to verify that it is still working? Electronic ignitions come to mind. I've spent thousands of dollars through the years having electronic ignition systems on furnaces and cars repaired (replaced, actually), when I could have fixed something with a standing pilot or gapped points easily, cheaply, and quickly myself. Does it affect changing blades quickly and easily? Maybe I'm wrong, but professionals I've known want simple sturdy precise indestructible machinery that doesn't get in their way, or depend on something they can't see to work. Ah, that's another thing I didn't read. Will a saw thus equipped still work if the sensor dies, or is there a "dead man" switch that shuts down the power? Is it self-diagnostic? Can replacement parts be gotten for self-maintenance, or is the saw down until it can go in to the service center for authorized, and presumably expensive, repair? None of this would look awfully good to the professional. Is there a site that has some detailed practical information? Ron N
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