Magazine
Woodworking Comments, August 2015
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Tell It to the Judge

SawStop says it filed complaints at the U.S. International Trade Commission and the U.S. District Court in Oregon against Robert Bosch GmbH of Germany and its U.S. subsidiary Robert Bosch Tool Corporation to stop what it sees as infringement of SawStop’s patented inventions.

 

Comments:

"Remember when Apple sued Microsoft over Windows95? SawStop can’t patent micro current detection if Bosch found a different way to take advantage of that phenomenon. If Bosch prevails we can see the price of this safety feature plummet and it will appear on every new saw in the market." – Joinery45

"I thought it was legal to improve on an existing patent.  Looks like Bosch has done just that." – NSchlee

"The Bosch appears to be a superior product in that the blade is not destroyed when the safety device is activated. I say that Dr. Gass wishes that he had thought of that. He is certainly no friend of the woodworker. He is simply greedy and does not want to lose market share."  – Jeffs55
 
"Okay, I just read over the case that SawStop brought to court in 2014 & apparently they already attempted to license the technology to Bosch among others. If Bosch is infringing their patent in any way, SawStop should win a reasonably large settlement. If there is no infringing, SawStop should shut up."
– Chaos23
 

Tall Timber High-rise Building

Cross laminated timbers are being used in mass quantities for the tallest wood building so far: a 121-unit, 10-story  apartment complex  in London. Architects Waugh Thistleton, CLT and engineers Ramboll say the most exciting aspect of the project is its sheer size and its completion thousands of cubic meters of concrete.  It will save 2,400 tons of carbon, compared to an equivalent block with a concrete frame.

Comments: 

"I’m excited about all the enthusiasm for Cross Laminated Timber, but no one can tell me the trick. When I cross laminate timber the joints shear from cross grain swelling and shrinking.  They will do this from atmospheric humidity changes, and one can only think that a plumbing accident would really tear the laminations apart. Might you be able to feature some explanation of how the CLT producers are circumventing the swelling/shrinking problem?" – John K., Illinois Institute of Technology
 

Matchstick City

Patrick Acton has recreated the fictional Lord of the Rings city Minas Tirith with 420,000 wooden matchsticks. (White pine and aspen are the species for most matches.) He has also created a business around his matchstick models, in the form of a museum he operates to display his works. 

Comments: 

"Ohhhhhh I’m gonna watch all 6 movies back to back... Now." – Michael M.

"Matchstick building. So easy to burn." – Celina A.

"Will Woodrow, now you can make a cool castle without all the extra weight!" – Aaron M.

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