4 ms·

I have had two brake activations in as many weeks, one on a dado stack (don’t ask). Neither destroyed the blade. Both blades will be back in service within a we

I have had two brake activations in as many weeks, one on a dado stack (don’t ask). Neither destroyed the blade. Both blades will be back in service within a week. Just putting out there: the popular idea that blades are always trash after an activation is not true. That said, cheap big box store blades without carbide teeth will die a horrible death.

cityofdelusion 2y ago
Carbide teeth are actually the part that gets destroyed on SawStop activations. Carbide is very brittle, so the sudden stop fractures it.
- bitbckt 2y ago
  Yes, and they are consumable and replaceable by design, which goes to my point: the blade is not irreparably destroyed by the activation. The missing teeth need to be replaced and the plate needs to be re-checked for runout, but most carbide-toothed blades are repairable.
  - 0x0203 2y ago
    How much does it cost to repair a carbide toothed blade, and how accessible are shops that can perform those repairs? Is it realistic that most consumers would be able to get a blade repaired rather than just running to the hardware store and getting a new one? Not being snarky; I've just never been under the impression that repairs could really be done for less than the value of a new blade.
    - whatshisface 2y ago
      A carbide blade costs about $100.
    - bitbckt 2y ago
      I’m paying about $50 service fees for the two blades currently out for repair. The 10” replacements cost over $200, and the 8” dado would require buying a new stack… around $250. The same folks who sharpen and true my blades do the repairs. They’re local to me here in Maine. Ruminating a bit: Cheaper blades are replaced more often with use and can’t generally be sharpened; SawStop tech doesn’t change the lifetime of a blade unless an activation happens. So, if you’re already willing to run to the box store for another blade semi-regularly, whether one survives activation perhaps isn’t material? On the other hand, somebody who doesn’t regularly use their saw is probably both more price conscious and less likely to need sharpening/replacement often. I assume they care most about whether an activation forces them to buy a new blade (and a $100 brake). I suspect those are the people who propagate “SawStop = trashed blade”. For them, it’s true.

cityofdelusion 2y ago

Carbide teeth are actually the part that gets destroyed on SawStop activations. Carbide is very brittle, so the sudden stop fractures it.

bitbckt 2y ago
Yes, and they are consumable and replaceable by design, which goes to my point: the blade is not irreparably destroyed by the activation. The missing teeth need to be replaced and the plate needs to be re-checked for runout, but most carbide-toothed blades are repairable.
- 0x0203 2y ago
  How much does it cost to repair a carbide toothed blade, and how accessible are shops that can perform those repairs? Is it realistic that most consumers would be able to get a blade repaired rather than just running to the hardware store and getting a new one? Not being snarky; I've just never been under the impression that repairs could really be done for less than the value of a new blade.
  - whatshisface 2y ago
    A carbide blade costs about $100.
  - bitbckt 2y ago
    I’m paying about $50 service fees for the two blades currently out for repair. The 10” replacements cost over $200, and the 8” dado would require buying a new stack… around $250. The same folks who sharpen and true my blades do the repairs. They’re local to me here in Maine. Ruminating a bit: Cheaper blades are replaced more often with use and can’t generally be sharpened; SawStop tech doesn’t change the lifetime of a blade unless an activation happens. So, if you’re already willing to run to the box store for another blade semi-regularly, whether one survives activation perhaps isn’t material? On the other hand, somebody who doesn’t regularly use their saw is probably both more price conscious and less likely to need sharpening/replacement often. I assume they care most about whether an activation forces them to buy a new blade (and a $100 brake). I suspect those are the people who propagate “SawStop = trashed blade”. For them, it’s true.