Episode 131: Monopoly and safety

Making It · 18 Aug 2017 · 56m

What this episode covers

Jimmy Diresta, Bob Clagett, and David Picciuto discuss the controversy surrounding SawStop's flesh-sensing table saw technology, its patents, and potential legislation. They debate whether safety features should be mandated by law or left to the free market, with Diresta sharing his personal experience of losing part of his pinky finger on a traditional saw. The hosts also touch on the business implications of SawStop's patent enforcement against competitors like Bosch and its acquisition by Festool.

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Shop Talk Live · 1h 19m

    STL 72: Another Tablesaw Lawsuit

    Shop Talk Live hosts interview attorney John Bell and SawStop inventor Steve Gass regarding a recent not-guilty verdict for Ryobi in a table saw liability suit and the impending launch of SawStop's new portable job site saw. Bell explains that the defense succeeded by clarifying the legal standard that manufacturers must produce non-defective products, not necessarily the safest possible ones, while Gass discusses the economic justification for his flesh-detection technology and the challenges of CPSC regulation. Gass also announces the details of his new $1,299 portable saw, highlighting its unique features and the modest manufacturing cost increase to incorporate the safety system.

  • Shop Talk Live · 53m

    STL: The SawStop Bandsaw with CEO Matt Howard

    Matt Howard, CEO of SawStop (now part of Festool North America), discusses the launch of the SawStop Professional Bandsaw, which integrates Sensic safety technology to stop the blade in milliseconds upon contact. He details the engineering challenges, including the sacrificial cartridge system, tool-free blade changes, and advanced guide adjustments designed to make maintenance easier and faster. The conversation also covers SawStop's history, from Steve Gass's invention in a barn to its acquisition by Festool, and the strategic integration of Shaper Tools into the Festool brand to expand distribution and ecosystem integration.

  • Shop Talk Live · 58m

    Shop Talk Live 5: Compounding Errors

    Asa Christiana and Mike Pekovich of Fine Woodworking discuss the pros and cons of internet-based woodworking advice, emphasizing the importance of vetting experts by their portfolios. They answer listener questions on safely resawing wood on a table saw versus a bandsaw, setting up a spray booth for water-based finishes in a basement, and techniques for installing tiles in tabletops. The episode concludes with a debate on potential Consumer Product Safety Commission legislation mandating flesh-sensing safety technology in table saws.

  • Shop Talk Live · 1h 02m

    STL322: Life is like a table saw

    Ben Strano, Mike Pekovich, and Anissa Moser-Loewen of Fine Woodworking discuss the new issue 312, highlighting Peter Follinsby’s 17th-century Essex County cupboard and John Hartman’s tapered knockdown bookshelf. They analyze Mike’s table saw safety video, emphasizing the 'trapped between fence and blade' concept and proper miter gauge rotation. The hosts also answer listener questions regarding bench height for hand tool users and aesthetic beveling techniques for open bookshelves.

  • Shop Talk Live · 48m

    STL 66: SawStop Gets a Slider

    Ed Fernick and Mike Pegovic discuss woodworking basics, including how to start a hobby and tune up a jointer, before connecting with Matt Kenney at the International Woodworker Fair. Kenney reports on new products, notably SawStop's new sliding cross-cut table and Triton's modular Work Center, while noting the absence of major tool manufacturers from the show. The hosts also answer listener questions regarding phenolic plywood, PVA glue safety, and shop heating.

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