Table Saw Safety

[maxpower_hd]

I don't know if this will get many views here Cebby so feel free to cut and past as you please.

A friend of ours recently had a mishap at work. He is a carpenter and was at the end of a hardwood flooring job. He was on the last small corner piece of the flooring and it was the end of the day. In a rush, he pushed the piece through the table saw and cut into his hand. He nearly cut his thumb off! He sliced between his thumb and forefinger deep enough that his thumb was literally hanging off. He had it stitched back on but it is still up in the air as to how much use he will have and how much therapy he will need.

Just goes to show even professionals can have accidents when they become complacent and rush.

I write this as a reminder to those of us who may continue working into the wee hours of the night to finish a project we are almost done with because we are a little anxious to finish. The project will still be there in the morning while your fingers may not.

Work safe!

[Cebby]

Good advice! (Actually we talked about a shop safety forum and I dropped the ball on setting it up) That's where this will end up...

"Tired" and "Spinning Blades" do not mix. I fear saws already because I know too many 3 fingered guys....

Someone made a device that would stop a blade instantly when it touched flesh - they demo'd it with a hot dog. There was a tiny scratch on the hot dog, nothing else. I need to see if I can find that article...

[maxpower_hd]

I'm very respectful of power equipment as well. My brother once crushed his hand in a plastic mold machine while repairing it. He is a machine mechanic. The safety switches had been jumped out for testing and the machine was accidently turned on while his hand was in there. He broke every bone in his right hand with the exception of his thumb. Lockout/Tagout training anyone?

He now has nearly full motion and still works in the trade so he was very lucky. He was out of work and in therapy for about a year.

Another friend of mine, an electrician, cut the tip of his middle finger off with a table saw working on his own house.

Now this guy. I used to work in construction and still work nights and weekends on occasion so I have seen my share of other accidents as well. They all have been avoidable.

So as you can see, I am acutely aware of what can happen when you become complacent. There is always time for personal safety.

[MXtras]

I was gonna look for that product, too Cebby - I remember seing the demo video. Very cool, but it sounds....uhm...expensive. Cheaper than losing a finger, I suppose.

Scott

[Cebby]

I was gonna look for that product, too Cebby - I remember seing the demo video. Very cool, but it sounds....uhm...expensive. Cheaper than losing a finger, I suppose.

Scott

AND, I think it was a one time use product. As in, it saves your bacon once and then you have to buy another one...

[MXtras]

I think there is an expendable brake shoe that gets destroyed along with the blade, but it is better than losing a finger or three...or five....

Scott

[EMF]

Was poking around the site this afternoon, and came across this thread. The machine that stops in a whiskers time is called "SawStop Cabinet Saw". See it and theire demo and info atwww.sawstop.com. This will push this back to the top, and bring a good subject for continuous discussion back to the board. I was doing some miter work on some aluminum channel and angle the other day, and was reminded how tight a 45 degree angle can be, with that twelve inch blade whizzing away right there.

[EMF]

Another bump to the top, just for fun.

I was in a local woodworkers store last week, and they have a "SawStop" machine in their showroom, along with the usual Deltas, Jets, Powermatics, etc. It is a good looking machine, and fits right in there with it's peers. It did not have any table extensions, or a fancy Beismeyer fence on it, but the basic machine looks to be very serviceable. I am planning to go back and look closer sometime in the future, when I'm not getting there at closing time. And, the price was in line with the others, as well, as I recall.

[Glenn]

I have already made the decision that my new table saw will be a saw stop. Knock on wood, I have yet to put my hand in the blade, but I want to keep it that way.