yankee2

I myself know and fear my tablesaw. I know it is a dangerous machine, especially in the hands of someone even slightly inclined to be careless. I've never been seriously injured myself, but I HAVE been bruised by a kickback.

However, I don't blame the saw manufacturer! I know several people who HAVE lost or nearly lost fingers to their saws, but none of them have been sufficiently craven to sue anyone! Tablesaw accidents are virtually always the fault of the user. It is not possible, or even desirable, to make these tools perfectly safe. Every safety device has drawbacks, which make the tool more difficult to use, or much more expensive. Sure, I'll take a SawStop machine, but I want it for $1500, and the cartridges must be free!

No, the court made a big mistake to award this man a win in this suit against Ryobi. To demand that any manufacturer use an expensive technology, which it does not even own, and which may be much too costly for the market segment it serves, is outrageous. Users MUST take most of the responsibility for accidents upon themselves.

Yes, tablesaws could be made safer, but in the process they will also be made less useful, harder to use and/or much too expensive for many of us to afford. I for one get some genuine satisfaction from being knowledgeable, self-controlled and careful enough to use these and other dangerous machines WITHOUT GETTING HURT!

Next I suppose, someone will sue a chainsaw manufacturer, for not embedding the chain in a huge block of concrete!

There was nothing preventing this guy from buying a SawStop tablesaw, except perhaps the same things that cause many of us to buy different machines. Nor did anyone force him to use ANY tablesaw. Apparently he mis-judged the hazard involved, and was careless. THAT should be HIS responsibility.

Woodworking machines are necessarily hazardous. Cowards and exploiters should find a safer hobby, buy a SawStop machine, or take up Bridge.