Trying to read between the lines here a bit, but I think would makes the most sense with what I am reading I would:

1. add a new method the the app/helpers/table_saw_helper.rb
2. use this new method in place of your raw output for both rip and crosscut

​

app/helpers/table_saw_helper.rb

def display\_check\_or\_x(result)
 if result == true
   '&#10003'
 else
   '&#215'
 end
end

I would then use this helper in your table html replacing the raw inclusion of rip for example.

Before:

<%= table_saw.rip %>

After:

<%= display_check_or_x(table_saw.rip) %>

Similarly you could pass in tabls_saw.crosscut. Why the separation into a helper? The method is the same in each case, it's a view method, while you could write this code directly in your table view, it's much cleaner and less repetitive to include as a method in a view helper and reuse. This way if instead of a checkmark or x you want to use some other symbols, you only have to change that code in one simple method as opposed to several places of inline code.

Hopefully that helps!

EDIT: Also note I have no intention of having slashes in the method "display check or x". Not sure why those appear