Hang around any group of contractors and carpenters and you’re bound to find a few guys missing fingers. Most of those guys thought they knew how to be safe around a table saw, until they weren’t so safe. All kinds of accidents happen around tablesaws, with one of the more common being kickback. One of my first remodeling learning experiences was cutting on an old Makita table saw (without any safety features, other than safety glasses), when the saw caught a small piece of wood and launched it whizzing inches past my head. I got the memo, table saws are not a tool to take lightly. Aside from kickback, I have talked with guys that have cut off one or more fingers on a table saw as well. It’s a traumatizing and sometimes career-ending injury, and it’s one that can be avoided with some clever technology. In this article and video (with slow motion, of course!) we’ll provide a detailed review of the Bosch REAXX they sent to us, along with some thoughts on its marketplace and courtroom rival, SawStop. Read More
Table Saw
Video – Step Aside SawStop – Bosch Unleashes the New REAXX Table Saw
Steve Jobs was legendary for his secrecy surrounding new technology and innovation. It’s part of the mystique that turned Apple from a dying tech has-been to the multi-zillion dollar mega-brand it is today. While secrecy surrounding tech gizmos is commonplace, it’s not often we see that intrigue spill over into the world of power tools. However, at the Bosch media event I attended a short time ago at World of Concrete, Bosch appeared to be borrowing a page or two from the Steve Jobs playbook. Signing non-disclosure agreements at media events is common. What was not common was the energy with which Bosch emphasized the secrecy of what they unveiled to the media in attendance. I assumed I would find myself answering yes to the question “Have you ever been in a Turkish prison” if I could not control the urge to live-tweet what Bosch was revealing to us. The media only knew this new product involved sawing. This led me to comment beforehand, “Unless it cuts with a high-power laser or competes with SawStop, I’m going to be disappointed.” I was not disappointed (and it doesn’t cut with lasers). Read More