Metsch

The only thing missing is non-slip gloves. I use them for ripping plywood or other panels that I can't get my fingers onto an edge to avoid slipping. I can't see a savings if you are doing a bunch of tenons. The hard part of dado blades is getting the width set up, not just throwing the blade on the saw.

Kiln tried oak can be bent just fine. That's all I can get around here and at 1.25" it bends just fine.
Don't do your steaming inside your shop unless you want to rust all your machines.

I think the problem is in the courtroom, not the shop. I bought a Sawstop because I thought the safety feature was worth the money and it's a good tool. When I bought equipment for my company I spent the extra money to get better safety and comfort. The table saw is the MOST dangerous tool in the shop, but not the only one. The Sawstop feature can be bypassed (with some effort) and must be if you are cutting wet wood or metal, so you are still free to cut off your hand.
I don't think this rises to a PUBLIC safety issue like seat belts and airbags. It is a WORKPLACE issue and should be regulated there.
BUT, the government is really bad about enforcing regulations.

About to take the plunge.

It's your fault. Your illustrations should all show the proper guards in place and/or the proper workaround. Use photoshop to make the guard mostly transparent if it important to convey that info. Beat safety into the reader.