New player in the big tool game

[messmaker]

I was looking around and ran into this. The first I have heard of them. Looks pretty good.http://www.woodcentral.com/cgi-bin/r...cles_766.shtml

[Stan]

Looks interesting, be nice to see some reviews when they come out.

[bigsteel15]

I'll be looking forward to seeing some but with my luck they won't have a local reseller.

[final_t]

Yup, also going to bet we won't see this beyond this writeup. No contact information I can find to even try to locate possible distros. We'll see what happens...

[LCHIEN]

With the big Deltas being very capable machines, and the history of Delta being able to provide parts and support for 30+-year old saws, how's this startup going to compete?

Let's assume they work every bit as good, but there's no guarantee that they'll be providing service for 30 years. Then they better have a very, very good price...

Or, maybe since they are ex-Delta employees, all the part number are the same and the parts are all interchangeable - bet the Delta lawyers would have a day with that!

[JoeyGee]

I refuse to do business with them.

They are obviously a sexist company. "By tool GUYS, for tool GUYS"? By the time my ACLU friends are done with them they will have no money left to sell a used Harbor Freight handsaw on eBay.

: )

[Holbren]

I'm interested in that top coating if it would mean I can stop coating my tops to prevent rust in this sponge of a place called Florida. Not that I would sell what I have and go buy their stuff.

[bigsteel15]

I'm interested in that top coating if it would mean I can stop coating my tops to prevent rust in this sponge of a place called Florida. Not that I would sell what I have and go buy their stuff.

You could get that done by someone that does metalizing. A couple companies up here do it to put hard and/or corrosion resistant surfaces on oilfield equipment. The only problem would be keeping a perfectly smooth surface.
The process I've seen applies a very thin coat of carbide or similar with extremly high pressure (very noisy) equipment and an electrical charge.

[drumpriest]

Why are they still making new saws without riving knives?!? GAH!

[jnesmith]

Why are they still making new saws without riving knives?!? GAH!

Exactly. They claim that most of their innovation and design efforts went into the table saw, yet the guard and splitter are very old school.

[Stytooner]

Here is a post I made on Woodnet concerning startup.

I feel that Sawstop would jump on the chance to simply license the design. Heck yeah. Thats free money for the work they have already done. If they sold them the actual parts, there is more profit.

Now onto the design of these saws.
I think they could have easily designed a riving knife into it. No problem at all. The RK designs are actually far simpler mechanisms than a swinging trunnion.
I wasn't aware that there was a 2008 mandate to change to RK machines, but do think it is high time they wised up. That move alone will save countless injuries.
Now about the possible pattent infringements? BS! It is simply cheaper for a startup company to buy an already existing design than it is to come up with a design on their own and have the same maker produce it.
The saws look very much like the Delta's and the Craftsman's that are already produced. I do agree that they should have introduced a little more innovation. At the very least, safety wise.
It is clear to me that these Guys used to work for the big companies. Production first, safety last.
This quote simply chaps my hide.
"As a group, the Steel City saws are strongest where it counts the most -- in their basic mechanical construction -- and less so when it comes to accessories such as blade guards and miter gauges, which are pretty standard Taiwanese fare. The serious product development has gone into the important stuff. Their fence systems range from good to superior."

To me, safety of the machine is just as important as how well it holds up over time. Label me biased if you will, but safety should without a doubt be top shelf on any new tool design. Not more of the same old crap!
There are some things that really can't be patented because the mechanisms are just so simple.
All that is needed for a riving knife is that the knife holder and the arbor raise in conjunction with each other. Not rocket science. Ryobi has been producing a design like this for years at a $250 price point.
I have been delving into CNC machine lately and I think that technology can be applied to wood working machines. A couple of lineaar slides and a couple ball screws and you have an accurate and precise way to both lift and tilt a saw blade and RK. DRO's can even be installed reasonably priced on such mechanisms. Dust collection possibilities on such machines could be stellar.
I certainly wished I had the capital to design and produce such machines. I do feel that someone will eventually do it, but eventually is going to cost a lot of injuries.
I do wish these Guys all the best. Sorry for my rant, but I am pationate about this subject.



Here's the link to that thread.

[drumpriest]

Speak the truth tool preacher!!! Seriously, if/when I "upgrade" from my BT, the Laguna is probably going to be the cabinet saw I get, just because they have a setup similar, just higher end. It's insane that there isn't a hybrid out there with a riving knife and slide miter setup.