# Excellent Quality, Anxiety Gone, Cost a Non-Factor



## woodenwarrior (May 23, 2012)

I would never poo-poo your decision to purchase a well manufactured, safety first saw. A short story, if you have a moment…My dad owned the same 1969 Sears ACCU-CUT radial arm saw until I was about 35 and he finally gave it to me. That saw and the mean-assed whine it made starting up NEVER stopped scaring the hell out of me. I leaned from my dad, from the age of 7 on to do just about ANYTHING with that saw. The one thing that he taught me that has stuck with me through all these years was this one piece of advice,"Never be afraid of the tool…respect it for what it can do, but never fear it. That's how you'll get hurt". I follow that advice each and every time I go into my shop. That being said, if it helps you not fear the tool, then good on you, you've made the right purchase.


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## NormG (Mar 5, 2010)

Congrats and I agree with Woodenwarrior


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## Ken90712 (Sep 2, 2009)

Congrats on you to your new saw a piece of mind…. Better to be safe than sorry…. I have looked closely at these saw and have thought about buying one. I talked with the engineers at the Vegas Woodworking show in detail about the rumor of random mis-fires. Putting the safety stop feature aside, as we all can agree its pretty cool and some great advanced technology. They seem to be making one of the better quality saws out there. A lot of thought went into some of the saws features. Still on the fence of which saw I'm buying soon, as I want a 5 HP saw or no less than a 3 HP. It might be Saw Stop. After all they gave me a hat… :>)

Look fwd to hearing how it performs.


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## JayG46 (Apr 24, 2013)

Just a related safety tip to pass along. Maybe this is common knowledge but it might have prevented the first kickback you mentioned. One rule of thumb that my uncle told me is that you shouldn't make a through-cut where the workpiece between the blade and the fence is wider than it is long (unless you're using a crosscut sled). I will make exceptions to the rule once in a while when the dimensions are close and the material is thin, but it's something I'm always weary of.


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## NickyP (Sep 6, 2013)

This is great feedback fellas. I like and believe in everything woodenwarrior said and truly wish I could feel that way. When I was in my late 20's I suffered from anxiety attacks. These attacks subsided and then stopped a few years later with only a rare occurrence (maybe two or three) over the past 30 years. Unfortunately, these kickbacks began to trigger these dreaded attacks again. They are a horrible feeling that the best way I can describe them is you feel like you are going to die. I'm not looking for sympathy here as this is just a part of my life, I'm just informing those who don't know about them. With this in mind, purchasing the SawStop was a simple decision, giving me peace-of-mind that allows me to partake in perhaps the best hobby on earth. The SawStop really does look like a nice piece of equipment and I'm thrilled like a kid on Christmas waiting for it's arrival. Thank you woodenwarrior, NormG, Ken, & Jay for your great feedback on this.


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

Nicky, Anything that eases or eliminates your panic attacks is worth whatever you paid. 
Everything I read indicates that this is a fine tool, never mind the saw stopping technology.


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## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

I applaud your purchase and understand the reasons behind it. It's the same path I'm planning on going eventually. I've got an old rockwell/Delta that still keeps cutting. Hard to get rid of a tool that works but if I cut off a finger that would just be a moot point wouldn't it.

Just wanted to add that my tough cuts and kickbacks ended when I started jointing all my wood before ripping it to size. Oh, I don't doubt that it still can happen but hasn't since I start with a perfectly straight line against the fence. Sometimes when I have a very long piece and can't joint it like I want, the cut is sometimes more difficult and I stay out of the way and sweat it. But jointing has greatly eased my cuts.


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## EdwardR (Mar 24, 2012)

I can see out of one eye, 20% of the side of my left foot is amputated and I have steel bars and pins in my right lower leg and foot. I'm like a weeble wobble but I don't fall down yet. Hence the saw stop NOPE because my grandsons want to learn plain and simple.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Your story is interesting and well written. I was looking forward to a review by someone who previously used a Delta contractor but unfortunately this is not a review, you don't even possess the machine yet. That said, considering your injuries I believe you have made a good decision. Hopefully once you've actually received the saw and had some time with it you'll come back and give us a good write up.


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

I have never feared kickbacks, but I learned to never stand behind the workpiece. I had a few kickbacks when I first got my table saw. They were like shot out of a gun. I can't remember the circumstances as that was 17 years ago, but probably caused by me doing something dumb as I was inexperienced at that time. Nevertheless, I can see the advantage of the Saw Stop and I understand that it is a very good quality brand. Unfortunately, every advantage usually comes with a related disadvantage, and that is that they fire off and ruin the blade if they come in contact with metal, not just flesh. I've only hit metal in my table saw a few times, mostly staples I didn't notice, but If my table saw had been a Saw Stop I would have had to replace several good quality blades and buy replacement firing device cartridges. Pretty expensive compared to the cost of abiding by good practice which is free. That said, those who are willing to pay the price for a super safe Saw Stop and ensuing replacements will never get seriously cut or lose a finger on one.


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

Stefang, I understand that the brake can be disabled. The cost of the saw doesn't seem all that much more than any other saw of Saw Stop's quality and other features. 
If I were in the market, I'd seriously consider the Saw Stop.


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## NickyP (Sep 6, 2013)

This is really great as I like hearing and learning the different points-of-view from all of the experienced woodworkers and hope to hear allot more. My personal levels of (1) enthusiasm is high regarding woodworking, (2) learning safety is at the top of my list, but unfortunately at this time (3) experience and knowing safety is something I lack as I strive each cut I make to become better in my knowledge of what & how to perform each operation on all of my machinery. I'm a 54 year old man that feels like a 17 year old kid in many ways regarding this wonderful world of woodworking with the advantage of having lived, learned, and experience life enough to know that I don't know nearly enough. With that in mind the one thing I do know is that time, patience, and listening to the many different thoughts of people like all of you is the only way I can gain wisdom & experience with my love of woodworking. I look forward to putting my SawStop in action and letting everyone know how it performs.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

I believe in Saw Stops technology and know they make great saws,Enjoy


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## JustJoe (Oct 26, 2012)

*unfortunately this is not a review, you don't even possess the machine yet. 
*
+1


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## NickyP (Sep 6, 2013)

Touche JustJoe and my mistake. It appears this has evolved into more of a "safety" blog and would have been more appropriate as such as you have aptly pointed out. Regardless of where this topic is taking place it has been enlightening and quite interesting IMO.


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## CyberDyneSystems (May 29, 2012)

Nicky,
We've had the industrial SawStop in my educational shop for little over two years now.
We are in theatre, so cheap damp knotty and funky pine is prolific, and yet no false triggers to date, and no kickbacks.

The SawStops unique safety feature aside, I am even more impressed with the fact that all of the safety features and guards work, work well, and are easy to install and use.

As a lifetime Unisaw owner and user, I was not expecting to have such fantastic guards (full plastic guard with splitter and anti kickback pawls, or riving knife) These guards work well, do not inhibit use and functionality, and change out so easily that not using them is just plain silly.

On the old delta's the guards and splitter were in the way far too often, and removing and re-installing them was so problematic, that it virtually insured the fact that they would live out their lives on a shelf.

It's these totally functional parts that impress me the most, and why you are smart to feel safer with this saw. If you are using the included guards, your kickback issues likely would not have happened. (or at least would have been less scary)
Since getting the Sawstop in our shop, and insisting on the use of the guards, we've had a perfect record, zero kcikbacks etc..


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## davegutz (Oct 16, 2012)

JayG46,

My Delta fence can be loosened and slid back toward the front while still locked in cut width position so that I can use the miter fence to start the slide from the fence then clear it by the time the piece meets the blade. Works well in situations where width greater cut length as you say. I automatically use your rule and nobody told me about it, it makes so much sense.


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## roundguy (Jan 19, 2011)

Hope you enjoy it.


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## laketrout36 (Nov 7, 2012)

I wonder if not standing directly behind the saw blade, using a riving knife, using a blade guard, cutting a piece of wood that isn't cupped, warped, twisted, and learning from previous threats has any bearing on continued likely hood of problems while using machines and or tools? Unless of course if the machine or tool is damaged prior to using it.

Even a machine/tool with all kinds of proclaimed safety features can still harm you if you remove those safeguards or disregard good practices.

This isn't much of a review aside from the proclaimed desire to keep using bad practices and wondering why bad things are happening.

Good luck with your new machine and remember SAFETY FIRST!


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## Purrmaster (Sep 1, 2012)

I've got the same saw and I love it. I haven't had a kickback yet while the anti-kickback pawls were installed, which they are 99% of the time.

The only problem I had with mine is that the zero clearance insert was too narrow to accept standard saw blades. Including the one that came with it. Please let me know if you run into something similar with yours.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

What material is the insert? Can it be cut to fit or is it metal?


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## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

The *Sawdust Shop*, a shop where you can join in to use the equipment either a yearly, monthly, weekly, or even hourly basis sells the Sawstop TS. The last time I was there I looked at this saw and I was impressed by the quality of the tool without regard to the stop mechanism. Impressive tool!

But as I stated so many time before, my saw has served me well for over 45 years and I see no reason to replace it … and, more imprtantly, can't afford or justify the cost!


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## Purrmaster (Sep 1, 2012)

I think the insert is made of a combination of some kind of plastic with maybe some MDF. It has metal along the edges. It is tough stuff. It took me several hours with a file to widen it.

If yours is like that I'd get ahold of SawStop and see if they will replace it. I didn't bother with mine because I had already assembled everything and was NOT going to take it apart and take it back to the store. And it seems a little late now for me to go crying to SawStop to replace it.

You may want to considering getting the cast iron wings if you haven't already. The stamped steel wings suck because the company logo is embossed into the things.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

You are supposed to raise the blade through the insert while it's running, not use a file.


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## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

The stamped iron wings are just as bad as the cast aluminum one due to the molding draft on the edges requiring shimming to get them flat to the TS top … believe me, I have three of them I can't give away!

The very narrow slot so the insert can be customized by the user, as Rick stated, by running the blade through the slot.

I do this when I make custom ones for my TS.


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## Purrmaster (Sep 1, 2012)

Well that shows you what I know. It's not a bug, it's a feature. I could have sworn there wasn't anything in the instructions about that. But I bet dollar to donuts that if I look carefully I'll find something in the manual that says to raise the blade while running the saw.

So I guess my saw was defect free after all.

As far as the wings I was able to get the left side wing level with the saw. The left side one was a bit more challenging.


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## WOODIE1 (Feb 28, 2012)

Nice write up but not sure how a Saw Stop would alleviate the kick back anymore then any other saw with a riving knife? I think Saw Stop was a great invention and if the costs come down I wouldn't hesitate to get one. They use fear as an advertisement and it works as I do think about getting one.

I know the SawStop deal has been beaten to death. I think all the saw Mfg's have taken advantage of woodworkers for years by simply selling the same antiquated machine with ZERO innovation for over 20 years. What other product would you buy with no change at all.

I know all the I have been doing it for 40 years guys are willing to pay $4k for the exact saw they have just to prove they refuse to change and are tough guys. I just don't get why the MFG's have not come up with easier or safer ways to rip a simple piece of wood that could be included in the price. Sawtsop has gotten us riving knifes but it can't stop there.

I am one for innovation. I honestly think all the "What table saw I should buy" threads are on account that they are simply all the same with different colors and knobs. How is this possible???? Mobile contractor saws have the most change in years and if it weren't for the size is where my money would go.

Let's stop accepting 3o year old technology or expensive alternatives that fix half the problem. Sawstop at the price it is sold at should address the saw itself.


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## lj61673 (Oct 31, 2011)

*Nice write up but not sure how a Saw Stop would alleviate the kick back anymore then any other saw with a riving knife? *

It wouldn't.

As for the comments about how the table saw hasn't changed much in 30 years, well I believe that it has. The riving knife, as you stated, much improved rip fences, vastly improved over blade guards, and the addition of dust collection, something that was not even considered 30 years ago.


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## hammer6048 (Jun 4, 2013)

After looking at saws for six months I settled on Sawstop. Purchased the Professional 3hp with 30 inch fence. What a great piece of machinery. Have some time on it and it functions flawlessly. Yes it is quite expensive, but after reading enough horror stories on other brands, this was the correct choice for me.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

I read a blurb that some early table saws came with riving knives but I'm not expert enough in vintage machines to know for sure. Rip fences have definitely improved, between the Delta Unifence and Biesemeyer (whose ideas eventually won out), the other manufacturers were forced to finally upgrade their ancient designs. Dust collection was in full force 30 years ago, just less common among hobbyists. I suspect that had Delta (or maybe even Powermatic) bought or licensed the SawStop technology it would have been adopted by the other manufacturers.


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## CyberDyneSystems (May 29, 2012)

*Nice write up but not sure how a Saw Stop would alleviate the kick back anymore then any other saw with a riving knife? 
It wouldn't.*

Have you used a SawStop?

Because, actually it will and does in two ways.

One, the Guard splitter assembly has the best visibility, functionality of any in the industry, which means you can actually use the saw with the full guard/splitter assembly installed far more often. The full guard remains on for the vast majority of operations. This is a huge advantage over any other TS I have used.

Two, that same guard assembly has two sets of very effective anti kickback pawls which will go a long way to save you from kickback in situations where a riving knife may not.

Of course I am not advocating anyone disregard safe practices. In my shop I teach all the tricks of the trade to prevent any accidents. That said, when dealing with students of ANY kind, including a new comer hobbiest, there IS a learning curve. It is good to know that safer equipment can help get one through that learning curve in one piece.


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## lj61673 (Oct 31, 2011)

*"Have you used a SawStop?"*

Yes. It's a good table saw. Nothing more.

*"One, the Guard splitter assembly has the best visibility, functionality of any in the industry, which means you can actually use the saw with the full guard/splitter assembly installed far more often. The full guard remains on for the vast majority of operations. This is a huge advantage over any other TS I have used."*

Then you haven't used many. The Powermatic PM200 and new Unisaw, to name a few both have great visibility and allow use of guard/riving knife (not splitter) for the majority of operations.

*"Two, that same guard assembly has two sets of very effective anti kickback pawls which will go a long way to save you from kickback in situations where a riving knife may not."*

This is a fallacy. First, any $300 table saw comes with a splitter and "anti kickback" prawls. Secondly, NO anti kickback prawls are going to stop a 3-5 HP tablesaw from throwing a piece of wood back at you. They are just pieces of sheet metal in most cases rivited to the "plastic" guard. Useless.

So, no reason why a Sawstop would do a better job at preventing kickback than any other well made saw with a riving knife. A well made and properly installed riving knife prevents kickback. Not a splitter, not a pretty blade guard, and not anti kickback prawls.

All high quality tablesaw manufacturers provide high quality riving knives with their units. manufacturers names mean nothing.


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## NickyP (Sep 6, 2013)

Well . . . I see this posting has taken on quite the personality as I've not returned to it for a while. Allow me (I believe I originated this post) to attempt to clean this all up.

1. This is a "review" section and unfortunately I did not choose wisely on where to post my topic that dealt primarily with anxiety and safety. My mistake - I will learn from this in future endeavors. But needless to say this entire post has been entertaining.

2. Yes it's true a SawStop will not stop kickbacks. I guess my overall point of view in owning a SawStop is in the event of a kickback (that can still do major harm - SawStop or no SawStop) I (personally) now at least have the satisfaction of knowing that a hunk of flying wood will not include a cut off finger or worse. Hence, a reduction in anxiety (again for me personally) as I continue to gain knowledge and practice shop safety on a table saw of any kind.

3. I have received, assembled, and have had a chance to use my SawStop and am now ready to properly give my review. So without further ad due . . .

*Receiving the Saw* - I ordered the Saw on Amazon on a Friday. On Tuesday the delivery company contacted me by phone (as stated by Amazon) to set up a date and time. You could chose a morning time from 8-12 or an afternoon time from 12-4. I chose Wednesday (the following day) and picked the 12-4. The saw arrived at my house at 1:15. Two nice men used a pallet jack and rolled 4 boxes on one pallet right into the middle of my shop. The boxes looked to be in good shape. My rating here is A+.

*Assembling the Saw* - This was an absolute pleasure! The directions come on big, clearly written, color-coded flow charts and all nuts & bolts are individually packaged and color-coded to match. This process of assemble took about 4 hours and I really felt I was taking my time. This process included my addition of an optional cast-iron wing & a Bench Dog router table extension with a JessEm router lift . . .










Note the instillation of the on/off switch at the end of the TS fence. A few more pictures . . .



















Well everything was going smooth as can be. The final piece to install prior to the fence is the extension table on the right side. As i unboxed the table I was saddened to see a crack on the corner of the table where it may have been dropped:










Needless to say I was not happy. I called SawStop and explained the situation. The gentleman I was speaking to showed a genuine concern regarding this and said he would ship a new one out right away. This is where it gets good again. He one-dayed the table top and I had it in about 18 hours. Nice right? But here is where the SawStop company blew me away . . .They never told me it was coming and sent a free saw blade! Now THIS is customer service at its finest. I give this assembly rating an A grade and they made the Dean's List top of the class with their customer service.

*Using the saw* - WOW! What a fine piece of equipment. After it quickly runs through the system check you pull the start lever and the motor is smooth on start up and quiet. The fence glides very nicely all the way across the table. The mobile base works very well and the saw moves freely. It has hooks on the left side of the saw for storing the riving knife (more on that in the "safety" section), the blade changing wrenches, the miter gauge (that does not feel cheap at all) and was dead nuts square to the table right out of the box. In fact I had to do very little calibrating on this baby. I really enjoy the mechanics of using this saw. Grade: A

*Safety Features* - I spoke of the safety check and we know of its blade stopping abilities. The table is very stable and if you didn't look underneath you'd feel you were using a cabinet saw based on how smooth it truly is. I've got a few shots of the riving knife:














































In concluding, This entire process from ordering, receiving, assembling, and using the Sawstop was truly a hassle-free experience. The one snag with the cracked corner was remedied above and beyond my expectations. Also, using this saw is an absolute pleasure. And now I can say (as the title of this posting states) That this saw is of excellent quality that helps reduce my own (personal) anxiety and is worth every penny spent. Thank you Sawstop . . . your product is awesome.


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## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

My next saw (probably sooner than later) will be this saw. Thanks for the review. I sort of guessed your good experience after reading other people's favorable reviews and comments on this saw after they purchased it.

I have a question. This is a contractors saw 1.75 hp right? If so, a good test of a saw is an enclosed cut in wood. Something like cutting halfway up a 2×4 so the blade is hidden. The saw needs power because of the friction and it can't throw the sawdust as easily. A rip blade will make a big difference but even a widely spaced toothed rip blade will have difficulty with some under powered saws. It would be great if you could do this test, maybe a couple of feet in a 2×4 or even in hardwood but that would be asking a lot to have you waste some expensive wood. I have an older rockwell/delta contractors saw and it often has trouble in this area. I'd like to know if the upgrade would make a difference. Thanks…


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## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

congrats on the new saw.

with that in mind - seeing that you experienced kickback and more than once - I would strongly urge you to reevaluate your operational practices with the TS - a saw with a riving knife might give you some safety benefits, but it will not fix your operations - this could present 2 things that are best to avoid: (1) in the case you will temporarily use another saw your kickback-prone operation might leave you vulnerable to yet another happening, and (2) your cut parts would benefit from a cleaner cuts and more precise sizing if you better your practices.

Good luck and enjoy the sawdust smell!


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

I suspect you will need 3HP to bury the blade without slowdown. My Delta contractor slows if I bury a combo blade, a rip blade cuts much better but still slows a little. I raise it halfway for the first cut and make 2 passes. The Deltas seem to benefit considerably from a 220 conversion although I haven't gotten around to it yet.


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## craftsman on the lake (Dec 27, 2008)

Rick, that actually sounds pretty good. Mine burns, sputters, coughs, and nearly stops.


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## Rxmpo (Feb 23, 2008)

Craftsman, I bought the 3hp 52" SS saw about 6 months ago and I have not heard it slow even once. 8/4 rock maple cut with a near mirror polish on the cut side. I was deciding b/t 1.75 and 3hp and Lenny Butler gave me some insight since he was coming down from 5hp powermatic to the 3hp SS. I have not regretted the decision and extra money. I know I will have this saw for a lifetime and it is like driving a Ferreri compared to my old saw. I had the room for the 52" rails so for an extra $100 it was well worth the investment to upgrade. Currently working on a bed project and having support for long crosscuts has been invaluable.

When I started workworking, I was always told the table saw is the centerpiece of every workshop and this saw is spectacular. Worth every penny to me.


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## Stevenjones3 (Jan 20, 2011)

I Have a delta 10 inch platinum contractor saw with a and no blade guard they are a pain in the ass, also no riving knife. 18 years not one kick back ever. 1 1/2 horsepower is plenty - endless furniture and cabinetry turned out. If the fence is square and you use push sticks your fine. How can you rip wood if your not standing behind it. Off to the side is asking for trouble. Keep a clean shop no chords nothing to trip on and good dust collection never have a drink ever while working and if your tierd stop. My Bosch gliding mitersaw grizzly bandsaw and 10 other tools don't stop if you touch the blade. Just be carefull. If I was purchasing my first TS a saw stop wouldn't be a bad idea. But if you are used to your tool it's worth a lot also.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

I don't find difficulty in standing to the side on most ripping operations. Many years ago I saw a sizable oak board ejected from a Unisaw and knock a hole in a wall across the room, no one had to preach to me after that. In the fifteenish years I've owned my Delta I've never experienced a kickback but I still stand to the side.


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## VillageCarver (Mar 5, 2011)

Hi Guys,
I got the Pro SawStop several months ago for lack of insurance reasons and never did a real review.
I love the saw. Every time I fire it up it just hisses. Very quiet. Cuts straight. No vibration.
Don't even think about the safety feature, but it's there.
I still have my old Delta ContSaw set up next to the NewSS and I use it with a molding head which IMO is much safer than a shaper.
Dan


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