Gabbett Machinery’s ‘sacrificial sausage’ demo has been a popular draw card at wood shows for several years now. The video below was shot at the recent Timber & Working With Wood Show in Brisbane.
A lot faster than you can say ‘five milliseconds’ is how long the sawblade on a SawStop tablesaw takes to literally drop down into the saw cabinet on contact with fleshy substances like sausages or, much more importantly, human flesh.
The demos are fun to watch but the reality of losing a finger or part of a hand to a machine that spins a sharp blade at 1000s or revs is chilling, as are injury statistics…which explains the attention and respect the Sawstop machine has gained.
How does it work? Basically there is a detection system, and a reaction system. Very low voltage (3 volts) runs through the sawblade as it operates. Wood is not a good conductor of electricity, however human flesh is. The Sawstop brake cartridge registers a drop in the voltage (if it touches flesh) and sets off the reaction process whereby the blade stops and drops under the table, and the motor also stops.
There are three models, the new Professional, the Contractor, and the largest Industrial model. Aside from the trademarked safety system, the SawStop boasts operational features including European style riving knife, precision alignment system, blade shroud dust collection system, a large cast iron table top and more.
The safety features are a plus for anyone who uses a saw and especially in training situations such as TAFE colleges and prisons where there may be inmate work programs.
There is a cost every time the safety unit goes off, as both the sawblade and safety mechanism (a cartridge is $155) need replacing, however ‘It’s really how much your finger is worth, as to how much a cartridge is worth’, says Matt Gabbett who is shown demonstrating on the video shown. More info from here