Dumb Move/Don't do this at the TS!!

[Jeff Sudmeier]

Well everyone I submit to you a close call:

I was ripping down one of the feet blanks from roughed dimensions to final dimensions on the table saw. My guard has a built in riving knife and anti-kick back pawls. The pawls are great, except when ripping off a narrow peice sometimes it can bind between the pawls and the riving knife. No big deal, just shut off the saw and tape the pawl out of the way.

So I am ripping down the foot blank and it binds. I shut down the saw, tape the pawl up. Next I turn back on the saw!! Notice what is missing!??! I forgot to move the blank. I figured it out right as I turned on the saw, so I shut it back off right away. The blank moved back some, but didn't launch. Even if it did, I was out of the line of fire.

So the good things, I was smart enough to remember it and shut down the saw, before the part was launched. I was standing where I should have and would not have been hit. We know the bad thing. :eek: :confused: :mad: :mad: :mad:

Just a reminder to stick to the basics and stay safe!

[Frank Pellow]

Thanks for the reminder Jeff. I almsot did the same thing lasr week. I caught myself just before I turned on the saw.

[Ted Shrader]

Jeff -

Thanks for the reminder. You were standing there, holding your breath as time crept slowly by while the blade stopped. It was a good move not to try and pull the blank back out while the blade was still spinning.

Ted

[scott spencer]

I've gotten away with waaay too many close calls! :( I can't be reminded too many times the ramifications of one tiny slip up.

Just remember..."Murphy" was a woodworker before he got into lawmaking! :eek:

[Tom Kelley]

Sorry Jeff but I can top that. At the end of one long day despite being tired I wanted to rip just one more piece of red oak. Due to stupidity on my part it bound between the fence and the blade and shot backward. I ducked. Too bad because behind me was a double hung, double paned thermal window. The chunk of red oak destroyed the upper and lower sash. Everything had to be replaced. The cost for repairs was $288. It wasn't a DIY project. And yes I have learned my lesson. Next time I won't duck! (Just kidding)

[Corey Hallagan]

Glad there was no accident Jeff! I learned the hard way many years ago. My son who is now 19 years old, was in the shop with me. I got a cut off stick between blade and the pawl and we both happened to be standing off to the side. Just a matter of luck really. Anyway, I was working with the garage door open and we both here this whirring and the cuttoff flew out of the garage and accross the street and imbedded itself in the neighbors yard. My son who was probably only 7 or 8 at the time thought it was coo!!! Scare the H out of me!

Corey

[Michael Ballent]

This is why I disengaged the springs on the pawls on my stock splitter. They just ride up and down with gravity and they no longer scratch the suface of my wood...

[scott spencer]

... I was working with the garage door open and we both here this whirring and the cuttoff flew out of the garage and accross the street and imbedded itself in the neighbors yard. My son who was probably only 7 or 8 at the time thought it was coo!!! Scare the H out of me!
Corey Sounds like we could turn kick back into a new Olympic sport! I launched a piece of cherry 50 or 60 feet down my driveway a couple of years ago.....how far did yours go Corey? :rolleyes:

[Corey Hallagan]

Sounds like we could turn kick back into a new Olympic sport! I launched a piece of cherry 50 or 60 feet down my driveway a couple of years ago.....how far did yours go Corey?
Sounds like we might have had to let the Olympic Committie sort that one out Scott!! Had to be close.! What is amazing is that it was with my little 8 inch bench top Craftsman I had at the time.

Corey

[Bill Gerhardt]

In my shop I have 4 table saws no guards but when I first statred out years ago i worked with saws with no guards
I'm very comfortable with the way I have things I know where I am and what I am doing
I make sure I think through all the cuts before I cut
I'm sure not many out there are like me and maybe think I'm foolish but I don't rely on the tool to keep me safe I rely on me.

[Jeff Sudmeier]

Bill, your approach is fine for some people. For me it is not, my saw came with a guard and it has never caused me problems, except for that one pawl. Last night I looked at it quick and I think I will be able to remove the cutt of side pawl. That is the one that jams up, the other one works perfectly every time.

Thanks for your information, but for me, I would rather have a guard on a blade spinning at 4000 RPM.

[Bob Hovde]

Did you know that you can see the end grain from a 2x4 in the mark on your chest for a week after the blade launches the 2x4? Don't ask me how I know this. :eek:

Bob