Abstract: A safer woodworking machine is disclosed. The machine includes a cutting tool and a motor adapted to drive the cutting tool. The machine further includes a detection system to detect a dangerous condition between the cutting tool and a person, such as a person coming into contact with the cutting tool. A reaction system is provided to disable the cutting tool, such as by covering, blocking, destroying, wrapping, etc., upon detection by the detection system of the dangerous condition.

Abstract: A woodworking machine including a detection system adapted to detect a dangerous condition between a person and a working portion of the machine is disclosed. The machine includes a reaction system associated with the detection system to cause a predetermined action to take place relative to the working portion upon detection of the dangerous condition. A motion detection system is adapted to detect motion of the working portion and to disable the reaction system when the working portion is not moving. The motion detection system may include a sensor, such as a Hall effect sensor, an electromagnetic field sensor, an optical sensor, or an electrical sensor. The woodworking machine may take the form of a saw, the working portion may be a blade adapted to cut when spinning, and the dangerous condition may be a person contacting the blade.