Replies

1. 
   Dave45 | Dec 22, 2008 06:27pm | #1

   I suspect that a fingernail wouldn't trigger the SawStop. Apparently, it works somewhat like a circuit breaker. It puts a 3vdc charge on the blade and senses a current between the blade and ground (due to a finger or hot dog touching the blade). I doubt if a fingernail would have enough moisture to pass a current.

   I also wonder how the SawStop would react to really wet wood. I've cut redwood that is almost dripping water and suspect that a SawStop wouldn't let that happen - lol.

1. 
   TaunTonMacoute | Dec 22, 2008 07:37pm | #2

   You have to disable the brake when cutting wet wood.

2. 
   JerryPacMan | Dec 22, 2008 09:12pm | #3

   The Sawtop has a test mode where you can touch the material to the blade, while the saw is off, and see if it will trip the brake or not.  Maybe a Saw Stop owner could do this with a fingernail and post the results here.

    

   Life is what happens to you when you're making other plans .

   "Life is not a success only journey."  Dr. Phil

3. 
   JohnWW | Dec 22, 2008 09:40pm | #4

   A fingernail is a good enough insulator that it won't trigger the saw's brake. As someone else has already explained the saw has a test mode to determine if a material like a wet wood would trigger the brake. The SawStop will also, when cutting wet wood, turn itself off, without triggering the brake if the wood starts to get close to the trigger point.

   John White

1. 
   jeffs | Dec 22, 2008 11:32pm | #5

   John W....

   My friend who had the accident did a net search and wrote to me "As for the SawStop stopping if it contacted a fingernail, that would depend on the electrical conductivity of keratin.  Doing a quick google search for "electrical conductivity of keratin", someone has actually done this experiment and published it.  Essentially, if the keratin fibers are hydrated, it will conduct.  I do not know what the sensitivity of the SawStop mechanism is, but I suspect a fingernail would trigger it." so perhaps the answer is maybe... until someone actually tests it.

   Jeff

1. 
   QCInspector | Dec 23, 2008 02:49am | #6

   After reading Johns reply I went and looked at my machine.
   The warning lights flash that the blade would fire when I touched the blade with the tip of my finger.
   When I did the same with the nail of the same finger it did not indicate it would fire.
   Lastly I licked my nail and tried again and it still did not indicate that it would fire. So it looks like I will need a manicure if I touch my nail to the running blade before the more conductive flesh and I somehow got it past the guard. I wonder if the blade brake would work if I changed my lifestyle and started painting my nails with metalized polish?

1. 
   jeffs | Dec 23, 2008 02:58am | #7

   thanks to all for the replies, I have forwarded them to my friend... who should consider himself lucky to have gotten off with such a minor injury....

    

2. 
   JohnWW | Dec 25, 2008 12:47am | #9

   Metallic paint will trigger a SawStop. Learned that the hard way sawing some gold painted picture molding.John W.

1. 
   jeffs | Dec 25, 2008 03:02am | #10

   that must have hurt... but at least it was only your wallet and not your appendages.

4. 
   UnclePablo | Dec 24, 2008 01:13am | #8

   Jeff,
   Your friend is very lucky. Why was he drop cutting onto a dado blade in the first place? Please tell him to use another method for cutting stopped dadoes. I can't picture how your hands would have to be oriented in order to cut them fingernails first on a table saw?!?!

   'Tis the season to please be careful out there!!

   Merry Christmas,

   -Paul

5. 
   RalphBarker | Dec 25, 2008 09:29pm | #11

   I'm glad your friend didn't lose the finger, but to paraphrase one of my favorite member tag-lines, "Count to 9.8 when you're finished." ;-)

   I also agree with the suggestion of your friend selecting a better tool for the job of doing stopped dados - like a plunge router, for example. It's good to think through a shop procedure before actually performing the task, focusing on what might go wrong, and how much it might hurt.