So to clear up any confusion about our current policy…
If the SawStop triggers for any reason [conductive material, hand, etc] while using it, the operator is responsible for paying $100. Payment can be made at the kiosk in the back of the room [by the lathes] - either cash or credit. If you feel like the trip was not your fault, send a message to the committee chair [currently @SWA] and he will review the tapes to determine the correct course of action [99+% of the time it is the operator’s fault].
The cost of the cartridges has gone up, there are talks about increasing the price to offset the costs. The “fee” does not cover [and has never covered that I know of] the total cost of the cartridge & new blade.
The dado blades should be used on the Powermatic. If the dado blades are used in the SawStop it does require a different [more expensive] cartridge - the cost of “replacement” will also be much more expensive [dado blades are ~3x the price of the regular blades]. I believe the current requirement is dado blades on Powermatic only. As a side note - all dados can also be done easily on the router table [and we just got fresh bits in!].
As to the original question - the SawStop is a really well-made machine. No real complaints. The biggest learning is to replace the belts before they start slipping [they generate static electricity which will trip the cartridge]. I would also get the sliding table for the unit - real nice when cross-cutting larger panels.
Complaints: SawStops cost a ton of money [but really well made] and they aggressively protect their patent. I assume when their patents expire [in 2024] the cost of the safety feature will drop dramatically [though hopefully not their quality].