Flesh detection is coming to band saws. SawStop just confirmed its first band saw, the new PBS model, and it brings the same active safety idea that made its table saws famous to an entirely new tool type.
This announcement is aimed squarely at the woodworking shop. It is a machine many joins have been hoping SawStop would tackle for years.
The PBS model
It is a 14-inch floor-standing band saw, the standard size for a serious home woodshop or small cabinet shop. Both 120V and 240V motor options are on offer.
Star of the show is a new electronic brake system SawStop calls “Sensic.” Under normal operation it stops the blade in roughly 2 seconds.
If the flesh-detection sensor actually trips, the system grabs and stops the blade in a few milliseconds. The blade is spent in that scenario, same as a table saw firing its cartridge. Gearheads are still asking whether the brake mechanism can be reset or needs replacement.
Still unclear
- Price: not named
- Full specs: not published by SawStop yet
- Feature set: multiple speed settings not confirmed
- Availability: mid-2027
Details in this first announcement were pieced together from retailer posts and influencer coverage. A few numbers deserve a check of manufacturer specs before anyone orders. Either way, the key fact holds: a band saw with active flesh detection now exists, and it arrives in the middle of 2027.
How it compares
Reaction to the news is mixed. Competitor Harvey sells a “smart” band saw with tension sensors, multiple e-stops, and a digital control panel, plus multiple speed settings. It is not yet clear whether the PBS includes features like those.
With the tool roughly a year out, the spec sheet still has room to grow before it ships. SawStop will likely respond to early feedback between now and launch.
For buyers
For most DIYers this is a story to watch more than one to act on. A band saw with flesh detection is a meaningful safety step.
But a 14-inch floor model will run well past $1,000 and there is a year-long wait attached. If you are already shopping the class, the existing field of solid 14-inch machines still gets the work done. If you can hold off, the PBS is worth checking when official pricing lands.
Related reads
While you wait, a couple of related reads from the PTI shop: our best portable table saw guide covers the other big floor standing category.
For full-size saws, the best cordless circular saws roundup is the place to start when you are outfitting a shop from scratch.
For a sense of how fast the big brands are moving this season, Milwaukee Pipeline 2026 walked through a hundred plus new tools in a single announcement cycle.
Source: ToolGuyd coverage of the SawStop PBS band saw announcement.