SawStop Table Saw Brake Cartridge For 10 inch Blades TSBC-10R3 (Equivalent to TSBC-10R2)

As a fabricator specializing in creating sets and signs for live events of big brands, my wood shop is the heartbeat of my operation. Safety has always been paramount, especially when it comes to working with powerful tools like the table saw. The SawStop Brake Cartridge for 10" Blades has proven to be an absolute game-changer in our wood shop, and here's why. First and foremost, let's talk about safety. The wood shop can be a dangerous place, especially when we're dealing with high-powered tools like the table saw. The SawStop Brake Cartridge has transformed the way we approach safety in our shop. It's not just about preventing accidents; it's about saving someone's fingers, hands, and, ultimately, their personal safety. The technology behind this cartridge is nothing short of brilliant. It detects flesh contact and instantly triggers the braking mechanism, stopping the blade within milliseconds. This means that in the unfortunate event of an accident, the damage is minimal, and the operator's safety is prioritized. I cannot stress enough how crucial this is for our team's peace of mind. From a business perspective, the SawStop Brake Cartridge has been a significant cost-saving investment. The price of the cartridge is relatively small compared to the potential costs associated with an employee's injury. Losing a valuable team member due to a preventable accident is not only emotionally taxing but also financially burdensome. Workers' compensation, medical bills, and potential downtime can add up quickly. With the SawStop Brake Cartridge, we've managed to avoid these nightmare scenarios, protecting our team and our bottom line. However, it's worth noting that once in a while, someone may forget to turn off the SawStop Brake Cartridge when cutting plexiglass or similar materials. In such cases, the cartridge may activate, causing a brief interruption. While this can be mildly inconvenient, I'd take a momentary interruption any day over the alternative of a severe injury. In conclusion, the SawStop Brake Cartridge for 10" Blades is not just a tool; it's a lifesaver in our wood shop. Its unparalleled safety features, which help prevent accidents and protect our team's well-being, are worth every penny. The cost of this cartridge pales in comparison to the potential costs of injuries and lost productivity. As a fabricator who values the safety of my employees and the efficiency of my business, I can't recommend the SawStop Brake Cartridge highly enough. It's an investment that pays dividends in peace of mind and savings.

Do not believe you can change out the cartridge and blade in 90 seconds. I'd say 10 to 15 minutes would be more accurate. It may take longer if you don't work the blade then the cartridge then the blade and so on. Wiggle each alternately and you may still need to use pry bar on the blade and a large screw driver on the cartridge. Once it is out, the replacement is simple. I did save my carbide tipped blade and to do so, I used a large vise to hold the aluminum part, then using a piece of hardwood, and with the teeth of the blade lodged in the aluminum ingot and facing upward, place the hardwood on the blade near the aluminum ingot, whack the hardwood a few times and for me, BINGO...........blade released with very little damage. A trip to the sharpening man and back in business. Blade was flat, no wobble and only one or two carbide tips need touching up. My error was in using a metal angle jig with an aluminum piece at the near end that pushed to wood and as I watched the top of the wood being precisely cut.... CHOMP !!!!! that piece of aluminum made contact with the blade and the system functioned perfectly. A $79 screw up, and a big lesson learned. Great system, this Saw Stop.

What can one say, the brake cartridge arrived on schedule, was appropriately packaged so it was undamaged and was as described and I anticipated with the purchase of any SawStop. So overall, a good purchase and I'll purchase again in the future, well hopefully not very often. As a note, the brake cartridge was activated when my blade hit an embedded piece of a staple, one I did not see, while cutting a piece of lumber. This really demonstrated that the SawStop system works as advertised. I was impressed how quickly the blade dropped below the table surface into the cartridge. As a benefit, I was able to easily remove the blade from the cartridge. Seeing that it was apparently undamaged I took it to a local company that I used for blade sharpening and they confirmed that the blade was undamaged and acceptable for continued use.

Bought this to replace the one that came with my saw after a "BRAKE!" event. Still not 100% sure what happened. I was crosscutting using an aluminum miter gauge and then BANG! The blade snapped downwards and took out the OG brake cartridge and the blade (Broke 2 teeth off the blade). I THINK the aluminum fence on the miter gauge slipped loose, moved over, and touched the blade. It had a nick on it once the dust settled. Anyway....I ordered this replacement brake cartridge and a new saw blade and got my SawStop PCS up and running again pretty easily. If I used my PCS to make money with, I'd buy an extra to keep as a spare, but as a hobbiest, being shut down for a couple of days waiting on a replacement isn't a deal breaker.

Obviously, you will not know if it works until it does. FYI - Hitting a wet glue line will trip the brake.

When my husband first bought his fancy SawStop (on my birthday-how in the H*@# did that happen??) the salesman told us that if the gadget that makes the saw stop before you lose a digit engages you'll need to buy a new part. He said, "It's a couple hundred bucks." I said, "Our co-pay at the ER would be cheaper than that!!" The part wasn't nearly as expensive what the salesman said which was a happy surprise. He didn't almost cut off his finger by the way, I think the wood he was cutting was too wet. You know how some women go on their family computer and sudden get all these pop-ups of naked women? For 2 years I kept getting pop-ups of table saws. Daily pop-ups or table saws of all makes and models. He told me about this anti-finger loss device on the SawStop saw. I thought it was a great idea but wondered if it was a good saw or just an okay saw with the finger thing. He said all the reviews said it's a great saw. His first table saw was a small, tabletop, craftsman I gave him for Valentines Day 25+ years ago. He said he didn't want to buy a SawStop without actually seeing one in person. I found a dealer in Savannah and insisted we go look. To be honest, I was tired of hearing about freaking table saws. A woman can only stand so much. We went and looked at the saw. He was hemming and hawing over the price. Granted, it was pricey, but for God's sake the last one lasted 25 years and it cost $100!!!! Splurge on a saw!! He loves the saw!! It's precise. It's blah blah blah blah wonderful. He shows it off to other guys. Other guys are impressed. When Tybee was flooding I looked out back to the workshop bigger than all of our bedrooms combined and the water was steadily rising. I told him, "Just don't look. I'm afraid your saw may be in dire danger." He took a peek and he whimpered. The flood came within 2 inches of breaching the workshop. Forget anything else getting wet!! The saw is safe hallelujah!!!

This is the third time the saw engaged the brake and possibly my fingers. Although this is my spare brake the others have been reasonably easy to install in a little bit of a tight space. The trick is getting the locking pin and the electrical connector to line up. I would say that I would never run my saw without this brake but it will not allow you to so me saying that would not mean much. I love my SawStop.

There is no question that from a safety standpoint these brakes are in the five-star range, BUT they have an irritating tendency to activate for reasons other than the blade being touched. At $100 a pop, that gets old. I have narcolepsy and I have touched the saw blade because of falling asleep on four occasions -- making the brakes valuable to me. On the other hand, I have paid for eight brakes because of other problems. In one case a knot in a thick piece of cedar blew apart when the blade hit it and the brake activated. In another case a board I was ripping split on the side with fence and jammed the blade which activated the cartridge. In the other two cases I have no idea why the brake activated but I am nearly certain I didn't touch to blade. I have the contractor pro Sawstop and have been using it for seven years so these incidents have been spread out. I don't regret buying the saw since it probably saved several fingers but it really would be nice if it only activated when touched.