Shown above is the Milwaukee 2729S-22 M18 Fuel dual-trigger cordless band saw with band saw blade covers, a late-2019 release.
This saw features a 5″ x 5″ cutting capacity. Yesterday we talked about their 2829S compact band saw, which is available in standard and dual-trigger versions.
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So, what’s the point of a dual-trigger cordless band saw?
Some cordless band saws are operated in the same manner as other cordless power tools. Depress the safety lock and squeeze the variable speed trigger. Dual-trigger cordless band saws, on the other hand – literally – require users to place both hands on the tool for operation. One hand activates the switch on the auxiliary handle and the other operates the main handle’s variable speed trigger.
In their press materials, Milwaukee says:
In response to calls from safety directors for band saws that include certain features, Milwaukee developed a dual-trigger system for our M18 product that meets their jobsite needs,” said Kevin Gee, Group Product Manager for Milwaukee Tool. “With the M18 FUEL Deep Cut Dual-Trigger Band Saw, the combination of the added trigger system and performance of the original M18 FUEL Deep Cut Band Saw results in a product that can be used to safely cut a variety of jobsite materials.
Got it? This is a safety feature that customers asked for.
Rosendin Electric is a large electrical contractor with more than 6,000 employees and estimated revenue of $2 Billion a year. Some time ago a reader commented or emailed with a link to a video discussing their appeal for a dual-trigger band saw solution.
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In a discussion video (embedded below), Mike Greenawalt, a Senior VP at Rosendin, says that they were looking for a solution to avoid the types of hand and wrist injuries resulting from the improper use of portable band saws. In the video, Greenawalt says that they requested this product from Dewalt, indicating that this was a user or manager-requested safety feature.
This makes reasonable sense to me. If I were a manager and some of my electricians or pipefitters were injuring themselves with portable band saws, I would see the appeal of band saws with dual-trigger switches.
With cutting tools, lacerations (or worse) are often the biggest safety hazards. In this case, with the Rosendin VP mentioning hand and wrist injuries, I wonder if users are injured by using larger band saws one-handed and losing control of the tools once the cut is completed. I could certainly envision a large tool swinging down following a cut, twisting the user’s hand or wrist in the process. Requiring two hands on the tool *should* give the user more support and control, and could potentially reduce certain injuries.
The Rosendin VP mentions injuries due to improper use, but doesn’t specify beyond that. Are these users untrained in the use of portable band saws, or taking shortcuts? Either way, it seems like they’re pleased with the availability of dual-trigger safety features.
The demand must have increased from there, because Milwaukee has also come out with dual trigger band saws.
If you don’t like the idea of a dual-trigger band saw, both Dewalt and Milwaukee continue to offer traditionally designed cordless band saws as well.
Buy Now: Milwaukee Deep-Cutting Saw via Tool Nut
Buy Now: Milwaukee Compact Saw via Tool Nut
It’s also possible there are other injuries the dual-trigger system is intended to help prevent.
To me, it seems that this might not be the best tool for all users. In the Rosendin video, the VP mentions switch activation sequences aimed at preventing circumvention by creative users. If the dual-trigger switch is cumbersome to use, it might slow down and frustrate users who are more experienced and adherent to proper cordless band saw use.
I would imagine that individual users might see more appeal in the standard versions of these tools, but I can certainly see the appeal for larger organizations that have to pay insurance claims and make up for downtime whenever a worker is injured on the job.
If you were a purchasing manager at a large construction company, is this something you would equip your crews with?
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Champs
I’d choose the thing that costs minutes a day, not a lifetime, but some people have to shake hands with danger while they still can, I guess.
Kenneth Stephens
For some reason that “shake hands with danger” saying is coming back. I know it from a 1980 Caterpillar safety video. But I saw that years ago. Way before I heard anyone else say that. I wonder why it’s trending now
Tom D
AVE had a video that featured a reference and some of the song, and no doubt a number of people looked it up.
Adam
There’s also a fantastic RiffTrax of it, which has been featured at some of their live shows.
Adam
From previous reading, or almost seemed like the larger 2729 was being replaced by the dual trigger 2729s. Today’s article about the smaller 2829, makes it seem like Milwaukee is going to offer both options in that size. Is Milwaukee going to continue to do that with the larger band-saw?
I have a 2729 that I haven’t used yet. Hoping to get one of those times to use it as more of a traditional based band saw, but like to know all my options
Jon
Only one question: can you remove the electrical tape wrapped around the second trigger with one hand before the safety manager arrives on the accident scene?
Paul Ojanen
“In the Rosendin video, the VP mentions switch activation sequences aimed at preventing circumvention by creative users.”
Stuart
Let’s say you do manage to defeat the safety switch functionality. What happens if you get hurt? Or maybe you get hurt in a different manner?
Drew M
What happens if you get hurt?
You take responsibility for your actions and choices.
Personally, I would opt for a single trigger saw.
Stuart
No, that’s not what I mean. Let’s say someone else’s action leads to your being injured. If there’s even a partial chance it could have been avoided if you had not defeated the safety mechanism, that could cause all kinds of trouble for your coverage.
Let’s say someone rear-ends your car. Normally it would be their fault most of the time. But let’s say you were eating a burger with one hand, texting with the other, and wearing headphones listening to music, and it was captured on camera. Getting insurance claims settled is going to be a lot harder.
Kkwright
I spent over 40 years in a fortune 500 manufacturing firm with a recognized solid safety program and resulting record. For many years it’s been policy… If there was (any) injury as a result of one knowingly and willingly defeating a safety control, process or protocol, the result was immediate termination. No quarter, no exceptions. Even the area management came under intense scrutiny in the event something was overlooked or allowed.
Jared
Workers’ compensation regimes in many jurisdictions are “no fault” insurance systems. E.g. it doesn’t matter who caused an accident, just that there was an injury that arose out of work.
There are often exceptions, but these are typically limited to an employee intentionally harming themselves, engaging in criminal activity, having a physical fight with a coworker… etc. Using a saw unsafely in a no-fault system should not result in a rejected claim.
I’m not offering this as a reason why your company’s policy is good or bad, just a reason why a company might choose to run a safety switch like this. Accident rates are used to set insurance rates.
Tom
Yes, and Some companies also just care a great deal about their safety stats whether to win contracts, attract employees, please investors, etc.
Corey Moore
Bypassing or disabling any kind of safety device is a pretty massive citation for MSHA/OSHA, almost certainly including termination.
A W
I think it would be loss of control during the cut, rather than afterwards, caused by employees not taking the time to securely clamp the work piece.
I investigated something similar recently where a student had an angle grinder in one hand and was holding the work piece to the table in his other hand. He slipped and contacted the hand holding the work piece with the angle grinder. Fortunately, it was equipped with a flap disc, rather than a cut off wheel, but he still did some damage.
We had to remind the team that they can hold the work piece and bring it to a stationary tool, or they can hold a tool and bring it to a securely clamped work piece, but they shouldn’t be holding a power tool in one hand and the work piece in the other.
I can see a two handed portable band saw being an excellent mitigation for these type of human error injuries.
aerodawg
I was thinking it was cases where the blade binds, jerking on the saw….
David
I know this is old but that doesn’t happen. I build fences and use a bandsaw every day. The blade definitely binds but the saw makes no movement because of it, portable bandsaws are pretty slow cutting and it shocks me that anyone ever gets injured while using one. Also, I couldn’t do my job if I had the dual trigger, I usually cut posts that I prop up on my left foot and hold still with my left hand so the post doesn’t spin, it’d be pretty annoying trying to do that with no free hand.
Frank D
Seems super reasonable and it is perhaps something more tools should adapt.
Just like in some industrial settings, where both hands are required on separate momentary switches before you can activate the machine with a foot switch … why? because who knows how many people lost fingers, hands, arms, … figuring they could be quicker, hold the workpiece down, hold a tool in place while fixing something, whatever … and would be fast enough.
Years ago one of my neighbors nearly got his head blown off in an industrial setting while doing maintenance without supervision and bypassing instructions. He survived, but lost part of his skull and brain, etc.
One can bet the review of such an incident would mandate two person operation with additional safety measures and hardware controls in place to prevent that from happening again.
Anyhow, knowing how easy it is for us to hold a work piece and drill a hole, drive a screw, cut things one handed … it is easy to get complacent, and as tools get more powerful it is easy for them to kick back, jump a rail, … And, there’s no doubt, securing the workpiece and operating tools for their intended purpose, with both hands on the tool is the safest.
TonyT
I’m not a fan of two hand controls. For one, they’re easy to defeat (e.g. with another person helping). Also, cumbersome safety that gets overridden all the time isn’t safe.
For machines that require constant manual intervention (e.g. load/unload parts every 30 sec), we use light curtains, which allow one operator to tend several machines at the same time. For semi-automated machines, we’ve used safety-rated locking mechanisms (access is locked during dangerous part of the cycle). I’m glad that I’ve never had to design a truly dangerous machine such as a sheet metal press.
Even though the safety equipment manufacturers add a lot of safeguards, ANY safety mechanism can be overridden. Light curtains can be placed next to each other. Locks can be removed. And so on. I can’t comment on whether I’ve ever put light curtains together, or wedged the robot controller’s dead-man switch, or such.
Frank D
I know there are ways to defeat many a system, shy of biometrics and detecting a live pulse on the switches while tey are being pressed … but you have to recognize that they have kept tons of people safer, prevented who knows how many workplace injuries, etc.
TonyT
I don’t want a system I’m responsible for to hurt someone (and we have an excellent track record), just noting different approaches. Our earliest machines used two hand; I like the way light curtains work better, but they don’t work in all circumstances and aren’t cheap.
BTW, the last robot controller I used had a dead man’s switch that required “just the right” pressure (not too little and not too much). It was literally a pain in the hand when doing a lot of setup, but that robot could pack a pretty good wallop.
ca
Looks like it would be awkward or impossible to use with, let’s call it, a non-standard grip (ie if you weren’t cutting something in a vice at waist height).
Julian Tracy
I bought the larger Dewalt cordless bandsaw and got rid of it partly because that dual switch. I recently picked up the smaller compact Dewalt cordless bandsaw and I’m
Glad it’s usable one handed. It’d be silly to have to hold it with two hands for the cup capacity it has. Of course, I don’t have employees either.
Bruce
Not customers, safety managers. You know, people completely divorced from production goals. If I was working on a bench all day, then I probably wouldn’t need a dual trigger because I’ll make my best cuts using two hands with the work chucked in a vise. If I was working in the field all day where the boss has chosen to buy a dual trigger band saw instead of a proper vise table, then I can’t do my job at all and I’ll switch to the sawzall. You know what else sucks about dual trigger? Now you can’t mount your portaband in a table for even better cuts. Dual triggers are for idiots that you never should have handed a band saw to in the first place.
Dale gribble
Came to say this! Nailed it
ca
It seems that buying a tool with two triggers is cheaper than hiring people properly trained in using said tool, or training them yourself.
fred
I and my partners were big believers in training, multiple re-training, empowering employees to call time-outs for safety concern. We encouraged employees to become their brother’s keepers when they observed unsafe practices – and report both real accidents and near-misses so that we could all learn. We tried to provide safe tools and proper PPE. We personally visited (unannounced) work places and jobsites to see if all was well.
Over the course of my tenure at work – we had some accidents – and took to trying to analyze why they happened and then take steps to try to prevent a reoccurrence. Once in a while we had to place employees on warning or sometimes let someone go for repeated violation of our policies and practices.
We tried not to rely on any one thing to promote safe operation – but did like to see manufacturers that offered options for improved safety. We also recognized the old adage that: “you can make something fool-proof – but not damn-fool proof – and a damn-fool will surprise you many times”
Michael
I’m just glad to see (pseudo) safety devices driven by customer demand rather than litigation.
Julian Tracy
Might as well make nail guns with a dog-cone like appendage to keep your hands from the front of the nail gun. Or require the top of your drill be gripped before the trigger switch works
Bob
I wish that was the case. I think the “customer demand” was the “saftey sally” department at a large corporation that was worried about being sued.
The saftey on ANY tool is located between your ears. If you don’t know what you’re doing, haven’t been trained, are fatigued, distracted or otherwise impaired no safety on any tool is going to help. Majority of accidents fall into one of the previous catagories.
Even with two hands on the tool if you’re using it wrong OR that one in a million freak instance and it binds it’s still going to try to rip your arms off and youll probably get hurt. Just now in both hands/arms. This is just another feel good measure to satisfy the legal/PR/HR department(s).
The fact that they still make them with one trigger tells you this is a superfluous feature for a paticular customer subset. And hey it’s a free country if you like the dual safety rock on. Just don’t tell me I’m not safe and require my saw to have two buttons.
I rag on the saftey “sally” group because of things like this. Band-aids for much larger problems (lack of training, inteligence etc). It diminishes the fact that these groups actually do make things a little safer (every once in a while).
Nice that DeWalt was quick to react to a customer request. (Think they were first to market with the dual saftey???)
Maybe if we all ask for a slick bandsaw stand like that Euro Bosch they will listen? One can only hope 🙂
ca
Ask them to put a second trigger on the stand and they’re sure to listen.
Nathan
yeah and I one hand my large impact wrench too, and any rotary hammer when I use it too.
1) yes anyone and everyone including paul bunyan needs to use their brain for safety
2) yes eanyone and everyone using their brain for safety can potentially get lost in the moment in the interest of time and do something stupid
Now all that said. Aside from the whole mounting the portable band saw thing the dual trigger makes gobs of sense and probably should have been that way decades ago. Short of the smaller models you should have 2 hands on it for guidance and control anyway. Ensuring you have 2 hands on it is risk avoidance.
Now ideally you could have the dual trigger setup and have a method of attachment to a table for fixed use that did away with 2 hand hold, like some sort of lock mechanism etc.
Failing all that in today’s market I would buy either 2 trigger setup, and I would make certain my people knew how to use it and I would make certain my insurance company and local OSHA rep knew I had the equipment. Especially my insurance company.
steve
This would basically ruin the usefulness of a portaband.
In my experience, 9 times out of 10 on a jobsite, the saws are used without a vise, where the front of the saw is resting on the ground, the material is held with your left hand, and the right hand controls the saw.
With the material being held in your left hand, it is on the opposite side of the saw where danger is present (where the wheels are open) If the blade were to break or come out of the wheels, your left hand is on the opposite side of the saw, so there is zero risk of cutting you. Your right hand and arm are out of the way holding the trigger of the saw.
I don’t really see why this is a thing.
Corey Moore
I get it. I also am known to one hand that exact DeWalt portaband so as not to let heavy stock slam to the floor, so I get that, too lol Like I’m sure everyone who’s ever hurt themselves says, I’m pretty confident in my technique, but I’m not stupid enough to argue that my unorthodox method eliminates a need for these two handed models. I’ll keep what I’ve got, and if I need to adapt as requirements change, I suppose I’ll have to do that.
Steven
Well, its time to go back to the hacksaw. This generation cannot be trusted with knives or sharp objects, or non PC statements.
I have the large deepcut bandsaw “single switch) and actuating the one safety above the trigger is very difficult at times, I consider it very safe.
Think band saws are the devil? Sawsalls have a fully exposed blade, wheres the two button safety for those?
Two button safety’s on drills, impact drivers?
Where do you draw the line? This is just too far
Bob
I disagree the double saftey makes it more safe. The sequence of start up is irrelivent if the operator is not trained or distracted.
But as a business owner I would do a cost benefit analysis. Potentially lower insurance premium and less hasseling from OSHA vs lost productivity time.
m.
Unfortunately Bob it does make it more safe. It requires two ands to both run and start. Removing any hand results in a stoppage
M.
I work for Rosendin. In the field as a supervisor . I can tell you that this negligible sequence to start and use the band saw has zero bearing on production or profit. It cannot be defeated without opening up the tool and removing a the safety device manager. It is not something that can be taped, tek-screwed, damaged or circumvented on the outside of the tool. That being said- it is frustrating when a new user is first learning this tool and i can see why one would want to defeat this. after a few hours you get it down. If you have ever watched video or seen a bad bandsaw injury you’d understand why when used on a large scale this is something shops would be interested in to prevent injury and yes… keep claims down. Construction is becoming more and more safety oriented than it ever has been. and will ultimately continue and get worse. Safety is driving this industry. This isn’t your Dads world of construction anymore. Personally i feel my skills are evolved enough to not need this but everyday we see new kids coming in to the trade that just worked at a coffee shop the month before. This tool can remove several fingers at once very fast. Be safe.
Ron Shippee
We have purchased the dual trigger and don’t like it would like to see if they sell a kit to change it to single trigger instead of buying another one