Table saws don't usually draw a crowd but when it's one that can detect human skin and will shut down to avoid contact, a few disbelievers will always show up.
Last week some disbelievers saw the light when Terry Fox secondary school shop teacher Peter Haerdi hosted a demonstration of a SawStop safety saw.
School District 43 health and safety manager Wendy Bennett, Port Coquitlam trustee Judy Shirra and a few other shop teachers were invited to the demonstration by KMS Tools sales representative Simon Findlay.
The SawStop demonstration has been popular on YouTube because of patented technology that recognizes human skin by detecting changes in capacitance and conductivity.
Bennett was invited to try out the table saw by pushing through a hot dog, with similar electrical conductivity to human skin, and experiencing the sensation as the the fast-acting brake stopped the saw before making contact with the processed meat.
"Whoa" was Bennett's reaction when the brake grabbed the saw within about 1/200th of a second of detecting the damp wiener. "There's not a scratch," she said examining the wiener, "It can go back to the kitchen."
Haerdi said the saws provide an extra element of safety in school shops where a moment of distraction can result in a severed finger. With $10,000 in transition education funding, he's purchased four SawStop table saws for his shop class replacing outdated equipment that had been around the school for many years.
"I truly believe this is the saw of the future. We have a lot of students who are intimidated by the table saw and some Grade 9s refuse to use it. It will also be a relief for parents because it could potentially save a major injury."
While no one has ever been injured by a table saw in his high school shop class, Haerdi said the SawStop will ensure that injuries don't happen. He is also pleased the SawStop offers many other safety features, as well. For example, a special key is required to operate and he can keep them secure until they are needed.
Although it costs $90 to replace the brake once it is used, Haerdi said the cost is minimal compared to the cost of injury. Students will likely be asked to sign a safety contract to handle the saw with appropriate care.
