RE: T/S Inertia

[Lew Hodgett]

I have been taking a basic wood working at a local community college.

As you would expect, there is a heavy emphasis on safety.

They have a collection of table saws including General, Delta Unisaw and PM66.

Over the years there have been a few T/S accidents.

Analyzing these accidents revealed the following:

1) The majority of accidents involved the PM66.

2) After shutting off, the PM66 required 20-30 seconds more to come to a rest than either the General or Unisaw.

Looking at the saw blade, it was very difficult to see if the blade was still spinning.

You had to literally "feel" the blade still turning by touching the table.

Those of you who have a PM66 are aware of this phenomena; however, if you buy a PM66, be aware.

A PM66 is NOT the same as the General or the Unisaw.

BTW: These saws were all equipped with Biesemeyer fences.

Strong like bull, but give me a Unifence anyday.

Lew

[krw]

The only time I've ever come close to getting bitten by my Unisaw was exactly this. A blade brake would be a great addition to any table saw.

Never used a Unifence, so can't say whether I'd like it better or not. Why?

[Nonnymus]

Strange, I had a PM66 and didn't feel it took that long to coast down. I'm not disagreeing- just commenting. It sure was a great saw and once adjusted with the TS Aligner, it stayed that way.

Nonny

[HeyBub]

Some years ago, the federal government, in its infinite wisdom, and all the while thinking of the children, mandated that washing machines come to a complete stop in just a few seconds (like three).

It shouldn't be hard to transfer that technology to table saws.

[Ed Pawlowski]

"HeyBub" wrote

They have. Toss a dirty sock into the blade and it stops faster than a washing machine.

[Sonny]

How do you know this? LOL.

Sonny

[Lew Hodgett]

------------------------------- If your saw is a stand alone device, you become aclimated to it; however, if you have a shop with a PM66 AND say a Unisaw, it could be a problem.

---------------------------------

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1) No need for a separate stop block and clamp. 2) Can quickly move fence to either side of the blade as req'd. 3) If you mount a 1.5" thick sacrifical fence, you can use existing calibrated tape measure directly without making a separate calibration.

Lew

[J. Clarke]

They did in the EU and then found out that the mandated brake wouldn't stop a dado in the specified time, so their solution was to require that the shaft be too short to accommodate a dado. Be careful what you wish for.

[CW]

My Hitachi has a brake. Last shop I worked in (that I used a tablesaw), there was a rule that when you turned it off, you cranked the blade down below table height. Not always possible but could do so most of the time.

[krw]

Explain please.

Huh? The Beisemeyer moves pretty quickly.

Ok. I don't use the tape measure. I have one of the Wixey gauges, and still check it off a tooth.

[krw]

Musta been one PITA for dado cuts. ;-)

[Lew Hodgett]

--------------------------------- Good rule.

Lew

[CW]

As I said, not always possible though I never had a need for a dado blade. I was making vacuum molds, not furniture.

[Lobby Dosser]

None of these saws have blade guards?

[CW]

We had two cabinet saws, neither had guards. I have owned two saws myself. First one, I had the guard on for about two days, then I took it off and never put it back. The one I have now, I never put the guard on. Didn't even know that I still had it. Ran across it the other day, still in the factory sealed bag.

[Lew Hodgett]

-------------------------------------- None are equipped with guards, all are equipped with a removable splitter, zero clearance plates and a 2P-30A, non-fused disconnect.

Standard procedure is to leave saw in the blade down position and the disconnect in the "OFF" position.

Also the disconnect is in the "OFF" if you are even going to think about removing the throat plate to change blades, install dado, remove/replace splitter, etc.

Did not have a disconnect on my personal saw; however, did have a plug and receptacle the served the same function.

NEVER trust just a switch, sooner or later it will bite you.

A visible disconnect is your friend.

Lew

[Ed Pawlowski]

Sorry, that is confidential information by the R & D department.

[HeyBub]

Sure. All new saws come with blade guards and the guards receive about as much attention as the sixteen-page safety manuals that also accompany a new saw.

Like the safety manuals, the blade guards are included with a new saw for the company's benefit, not the consumers'.

[krw]

You mean the one that says that the saw is not for internal use?

I must be the odd-man-out here. I often use the blade guard. I'll put it on if I plan on doing a lot of ripping and what I'm ripping isn't too narrow. IOW, if the guard is more use than it is hindrance.

[krw]

So *that's* what happens to the missing socks.