All table saws shall having riving knives?

[cgallery]

I read somewhere online that in the coming year (I think 2008 is the deadline) all table saws sold in the U.S. will be required to have riving knives. Has anyone else heard this?

If this is true, then current table saw models may be drastically reduced so manufacturers can get rid of them. Perhaps some manufacturers will introduce other new features, seeing as they have to redesign things anyhow.

While I'm not typically looking for more government regulation, it is amazing how little the basic contractor saw design has changed in the last fifty years.

[Popeye]

Haven't heard anything about it but for a change I'd agree with the regulation if it turns out to be true.
I've bought my last tablesaw but if they would come out with an add on mod for mine I'd buy it in a heartbeat. Pat

[cgallery]

From this document:
http://www.cpsc.gov/library/foia/foi...f/tablesaw.pdf

Sections 40A.2 Riving Knife and 40A.3 Riving Knife/Spreader Combination require that a riving
knife or a riving knifelspreader combination unit be installed on the table saw, and section 40A.5
Antikickback Devices requires that antikickback devices be provided with a table saw. Section
40A.4 Spreader provides requirements for a spreader if the blade guard andlor antikickback
devices are mounted to a spreader. All these requirements are intended to reduce kickback of the
work piece when the sides of the cut piece bind against the saw blade. This indirectly addresses
some blade contact injuries that occur during kickback of the work piece. The riving knife
requirements were added in the updated 6th edition of UL 987, which was issued in January
2005. The effective date for these new requirements is January 3 1,2014 for currently Listed
products and January 3 1, 2008 for new products submitted for investigation.

Well, I think I jumped the gun. New products will be required to have a RK by Jan 31, 2008. But manufacturers can continue making current models until 2014. Knowing woodworking tool makers, that means we will see absolutely no new products for another seven years!

[drumpriest]

Woot! I've been compliant for 4 years or so!

[Ed62]

It might not be something we'll see right away, but it's an interesting thought.

Ed

[Knottscott]

If someone starts producing a full size contractor saw or hybrid at a reasonable price, others will likely be forced to follow soon after. Once one of the Chinese factories has the design in place, it should open up several brand options for us.

The RK, much like the hybrid design, is simply overdue in our market IMO. I'd guess they were seeing cast iron wings and Biese clone fences as more marketable upgrades, as that's been the trend in the past 5 years or so. It shouldn't cost much more to do add it during the manufacturing stage...but maybe I'm wrong.