Is the table saw (non sawstop) the most dangerous tool in the shop?

[Michael Yadfar]

I've been thinking to myself about what the safest and most dangerous tools are in the shop. Someone told me bandsaw was the most dangerous once, but I think that may be the safest saw in the shop. It's hard to determine the safest because all power tools are dangerous, but I think the most dangerous is the table saw, eapecially without sawstop. There's so much that could go wrong. Obviously, it's relatively easy to cut your finger off, and in many ways. You also have the risk of kickback which creates safety issues. The is also a high risk of long clothing or hair getting caught in the blade.

As for safest, talking power tools only, I think planer is because no blade is actually exposed. If you stick your hand in the machine, you are in for a bad day, but that's not something done by accident

[Dan Keeling]

Any tool can be dangerous if the operator is careless or distracted. My worst injury came from a simple handsaw. Table saw always gets my full attention.

[Michael Yadfar]

Any tool can be dangerous if the operator is careless or distracted. My worst injury came from a simple handsaw. Table saw always gets my full attention.

Thats a good point, the most dangerous may be the least expected. I've never been injured or witnessed an injury, but the closest I've seen was on a drill press, where a guy didn't have his wood clamped and it hit him

[Erik Loza]

Any tool can be dangerous if the operator is careless or distracted. My worst injury came from a simple handsaw. Table saw always gets my full attention.

+1.

My dad was a contractor and industrial arts teacher for most of his life and used a cabinet saw all time. Never got injured but told me about witnessing folks "joint" the bottom of their hand off or get hair caught in a drill press. "Inattention" is the most dangerous thing in the shop.

Erik Loza
Minimax USA

[glenn bradley]

Motorcycles aren't dangerous but, the people riding them sometimes are ;-) The bandsaw is dangerous because there is a mindset that it is safe. You do know how they break down sides of beef, right? The tablesaw gets a lot of bad press but, I don't know that anyone has done a 'per instance' sort of comparison as in; there are 10 untrained folks using tablesaws for every untrained shaper user so, if there are 10 tablesaw accidents and 1 shaper accident, they're even . . . that sort of thing.

[Michael Yadfar]

I mean personally I have used all these tools many of times and never had any "close calls" but I'm also trained. I guess I'm speaking on the basis of say a person who's just as careless on every machine or someone who's untrained

[scott spencer]

A table saw is a much more widely used tool than others....just about everyone and their first cousin owns one. Plus a TS sees proportionately more action in my shop. It's logical that it causes more injuries than other tools. Does that make it more dangerous per minute of use? I dunno....the router scares me more than the TS....depending on the cutter in use, it can really mangle flesh, and is less predictable than a TS for me.

[Jay Jolliffe]

The only time I've ever been hurt was using the table saw...From kickback to running my finger into a dado blade....Now I have a saw stop & I'm still careful because I don't want to test it....

[Chris Fournier]

It's been years since I looked at the accident stats regarding woodworking machinery. If memory serves me correctly Scott wins the prize, TS injuries were reported more than other injuries but TS were present in more shops than any other tools. As others have said the TS gets my full attention every time and it has never tasted my flesh. My handtools have drawn blood, chisels, knives and one errant plane blade all being nasty, and I loved them all! So unfair.

As far as the BS being percieved as friendly, I'd say not in my shop! The bandsaw IIRC was responsible for the most "gross amputations" like I lost my hand or all of my thumb.

[Joe Hillmann]

A planer is capable of horrible kick back if the conditions are right.

A band saw is often called one of the safest saws in an an average shop but I assume the people who say that are referring to fairly small saws with narrow and fine tooth blades. If a 1 1/4 inch blade with 7/8 tooth spacing breaks in the wrong spot you don't want to be any where near it. (Usually the blade stays in the saw but it can come shooting out)

A lathe is a a fairly safe but you can get tangled in one, the piece you are turning could explode, you could leave the key in the chuck or have a tool grab in the work.

A drill press can become very dangerous if drilling through sheet metal. If the bit grabs the metal can start spinning and most peoples first reaction is to grab the metal to stop it.

The table saw probably is involved in more accidents than any other power tool but is that because it is more dangerous or just more used?

[Cary Falk]

I have by far drawn more blood by a box cutter than anything else. My worst accident was on a drum sander. I temporarly lost a fingernail.

[Wade Lippman]

The only time I've ever been hurt was using the table saw...From kickback to running my finger into a dado blade....Now I have a saw stop & I'm still careful because I don't want to test it....

Just yesterday I took the guard off my SS to run a little dado, and then cut a small sheet of plywood without putting it back on. Twisted the darned thing and took it in the gut. Isn't the SS supposed to prevent that?!

Only tool I have hurt myself on was a bandsaw (50/50 chance of losing a fingertip, but got lucky), but the one that scares me the most is the router table. Lots of way that can get you.

[Matt Day]

Agree that they are all dangerous in the wrong hands.

To me a big router is probably the most dangerous - simply cutting in the wrong direction of the grain can cause a little trickle in the pants or far worse.

[Brian W Smith]

JMO,they aren't the most dangerous....but they are,with out a doubt the most ignorant pce of "convenience",style of equipment ever devised.I'd say big(+20) disc sanders as the most dangerous.Next would be any pce of equipment where there's a "range" of tooling sizes,and you're runnin at the upper end.

[David Gutierrez]

it would be interesting to see the number of accidents per hour of usage for each tool. Tools are inherently dangerous if misused or if one is not paying attention. The SS does not prevent kick back especially with the guard removed.

[Michael Yadfar]

A planer is capable of horrible kick back if the conditions are right.

A band saw is often called one of the safest saws in an an average shop but I assume the people who say that are referring to fairly small saws with narrow and fine tooth blades. If a 1 1/4 inch blade with 7/8 tooth spacing breaks in the wrong spot you don't want to be any where near it. (Usually the blade stays in the saw but it can come shooting out)

A lathe is a a fairly safe but you can get tangled in one, the piece you are turning could explode, you could leave the key in the chuck or have a tool grab in the work.

A drill press can become very dangerous if drilling through sheet metal. If the bit grabs the metal can start spinning and most peoples first reaction is to grab the metal to stop it.

The table saw probably is involved in more accidents than any other power tool but is that because it is more dangerous or just more used?

I've heard about planer kickbacks, but they are extremely rare and I've never seen one.

As far as bandsaws are concerned, back when I was in high school we used a Delta Rockwell 17" bandsaw with atleast a half inch blade. My teacher worked there for 35 years and he said he only saw a broken blade shoot out once, and he said it can only come out the side of the machine. If you did get your finger in their it is dangerous; on our safety lesson every year he would show is how quickly it can cut a pencil, and a finger can be cut just as quickly. I feel that's due to carelessness though, but then again if you aren't paying attention...

Lathes I've heard of peoples hair getting caught, my teacher witnessed a girls hair get ripped out of her head in college on one (ouch). And I can definetely see a drill press as dangerously fine metal.

One I forgot about is the jointer, I know people who have cut their finger pushing the back of the wood, and same can be done with a router

[Bruce Volden]

My "worst" injury came from learning to use a Japanese pullsaw. My 2nd worst injury came from using a Japanese pullsaw.
Guess I'm a little slow on the uptake of things despite having 7 years of high school!

Bruce

[Larry Frank]

I think that the statistics show that the table saw is the most dangerous. But, as others have mentioned, you have a shop full of tools designed to cut, plane, drill, route wood and these tools are more than capable of doing the same to you. There is little doubt that the table saw has the potential of doing great damage and has cut off many fingers, bruised many arms and such with kick backs.

The most important thing is to always be aware of the dangers and think through what you are doing. The best safety item is your brain and keeping yourself safe. If you are concerned that something might be hazardous, then it is time to find another way.

Training is important but not 100%. Everyone has a moment or time or day when there mind goes elsewhere and that is all that it takes.

[Shawn Pixley]

Dangerous power tools:

Table Saw, drill press (I have witnessed a number of close calls by others), lathe (people have died from these), chainsaw, jointer (also witnessed close calls), power press, press break (know people who lost fingers in it), shear, triphammer, bandsaw (witnessed a close call because guard was not down at all), nailgun (said to be the leading cause of injuries in doit yourselfers), and skill saw.

For me personally, I tend to nick myself on chisels most often. Luckly these are very clean cuts and they heal quickly. Closest call I ever had was when a 24" breaker bar broke when loosening a nut on a tie rod end. I should have used the nutbreaker but was impressed by my own strength and tried something stupid. My forearm slammed into the frame. Still have the bump on the bone. This coild have been much worse.

[Kevin Jenness]

Just yesterday I took the guard off my SS to run a little dado, and then cut a small sheet of plywood without putting it back on. Twisted the darned thing and took it in the gut. Isn't the SS supposed to prevent that?!

Only tool I have hurt myself on was a bandsaw (50/50 chance of losing a fingertip, but got lucky), but the one that scares me the most is the router table. Lots of way that can get you.

The main safety feature of the Sawstop saws is the electronic brake triggered by flesh contact. It will not prevent kickback due to faulty technique, though the riving knife should help prevent twisting the workpiece into the blade. The guard won't do much to prevent a kickback injury. Was it the riving knife that you failed to reattach? Sawstops are not miraculously injury free and shouldn't be expected to be so.

[Pat Barry]

To me, scariest tool is the jointer, by far. It will be the last power tool that I think I will ever buy for my shop. Tool I got hurt the worst with was a hand held Greenlee hole punch. I was trying to punch a hole in a piece of sheet metal and it wouldn't go. Really squeezed that sucker - it popped thru and crushed my pinkie between the handles. That was 30 years ago and my fingernail never grew back right.

[scott vroom]

Most dangerous tool in the shop:

[Michael Liechty]

my left index finger which is 3mm shorter than the right says the shaper can be the most dangerous. I don't recommend letting a raised panel get away from you and get your hand pulled into the shaper bit.

[Wade Lippman]

The main safety feature of the Sawstop saws is the electronic brake triggered by flesh contact. It will not prevent kickback due to faulty technique, though the riving knife should help prevent twisting the workpiece into the blade. The guard won't do much to prevent a kickback injury. Was it the riving knife that you failed to reattach? Sawstops are not miraculously injury free and shouldn't be expected to be so.

I was joking. Not about the kickback, that was real enough and hurt like crazy, but about expecting SS stopping it.

[Wade Lippman]

press break (know people who lost fingers in it),

I know someone who lost a finger to a printing press! He used to put his cigarette on the rack, and one day misjudged his timing. Incredible thing is that he just doing it that way.

I also know someone who lost an eye to a stone shooting out of his lawnmower. I wouldn't have thought that was possible.

[Lornie McCullough]

I think the table saw can be dangerous if it is the only saw you have in the shop, and you try to make every kind of cut with that one saw.

However, if you also have other saws: perhaps a radial arm saw, a band saw, a chop saw (sliding compound miter saw), hand-held skil saw, and hand-saws, then the table saw only gets used for what it does best, and it becomes one of the safest saws.

Lornie

[Loren Woirhaye]

Lathes can be dangerous. There was a prominent turner killed last year in the USA and a graduate student was killed by a metal lathe at a university a year or two back. Spindle turning is probably pretty safe if you're attentive but burls and other things like that can blow up.

[Peter Quinn]

As far as bandsaws are concerned, back when I was in high school we used a Delta Rockwell 17" bandsaw with atleast a half inch blade. My teacher worked there for 35 years and he said he only saw a broken blade shoot out once, and he said it can only come out the side of the machine. If you did get your finger in their it is dangerous; on our safety lesson every year he would show is how quickly it can cut a pencil, and a finger can be cut just as quickly. I feel that's due to carelessness though, but then again if you aren't paying attention...

To me the danger with a BS isn't "Not paying attention" Its paying too much attention to one thing and not enough to another. If you are cutting patterns or curves close to a line for plush trimming, especially curves that change direction, its real easy to be so focused on the work you lose track of the the hands. The BS was the first shop tools I was allowed to use as a kid and it came with a good lesson on where to stand, and how to "look" in a manner that my eyes never come off that giant spinning thing with the hundred or more razor blades attached. I've caught myself a few times headed into the blade with my hands, bad place to lose focus on safety. I've seen a dozen or more blades brakes and never seen one come flying out of the machine. Scary sounding, always makes me jump, but not particularly explosive IME.

Most dangerous tool? The one you fail to understand or under estimate. The table saw has great potential for injury with the double whammy of large exposed cutter and kick back potential. When they quote the statistics on TS injury, its never done as a percentage of cuts resulting in injury, because they don't have that information. Of the possibly millions of TS operations performed weekly across the country, how many result in injury? That information might put the numbers in perspective. I'd say when averaged for volume of use the TS is probably still a bit more dangerous than some tools because its dangers are not always understood by users.

The worst injuries seem to come from shapers and routers. Put your finger in a TS, lose a finger. Come into contact with a shaper, it can take all you fingers and most of your hand. There is a lot more potential for steel hitting wood on a shaper, the injury numbers are probably lower because the units in use are lower and more users are trained professionals (theoretically anyway).

Just a few years back a girl at Yale was killed in a metal shop when here hair became entangled in a metal lathe. Shocking and horrible, but completely avoidable. Still, the danger is every where. I'm not a gambler so I don't play the odds and treat them all with respect.

[Justin Ludwig]

I also know someone who lost an eye to a stone shooting out of his lawnmower. I wouldn't have thought that was possible.

I've knocked out a window in my vehicle with a push mower in a well manicured yard. I've been hit in the top of the head (among numerous other place) from debris off my riding lawn mower. Maybe it's all the scare tactics and safety stand-downs during my Naval career, but I don't do anything in my shop or around the house without eye and ear protection.

As irony would have it, my worst injury came at the hand of my steel toe boots. They got caught in between 2 moving pieces of steel and I now have a pinky toe that is without a nail and a bit shorter than the other. The steel toe hit my pinky toe as it was ripped from my boot.

The most dangerous tool in your shop? The one you're most comfortable using. Complacency...

[Jesse Busenitz]

The shaper is the tool I really watch..... as in I'm paying 150% attention, but as everybody said the table saw is the most popular tool hence more accidents...

[John TenEyck]

The most dangerous tool in my shop is the one I'm using at the moment.

John

[Dave Zellers]

The most dangerous tool in my shop is the one I'm using at the moment.

John

That seems to be the consensus. Great thread. Be careful and fully understand what you are about to do. My worst injury thus far was from a very sharp 1/2" chisel that slipped off the wood and went right through the tip of my index finger. Lots of blood. Even made the nurse go "Oooh!" when I unwrapped my bandage after driving myself to the medical center.

Hope that remains my worst story.

BE CAREFUL.

[Michael Yadfar]

I actually feel like one of my enemies with safety is becoming good at woodworking and more friendly with machinery. When I first started woodworking, every guard was set properly, all safety precautions were met such as rolled up a sleeves and safety glasses, and I was always cautious. Now that I'm comfortable, I'm not so cautious which is a very bad habit. I'll find myself with my full bandsaw blade exposed on occasion and such. I have to start reverting back to my cautious side before I end up getting hurt, I don't want it to take a lost finger to make me more cautious. For some reason it's hard to be so cautious because I use these machines so much it makes me feel like I can't make a "stupid mistake".
Unfortunately that's bound to happen

[Harold Burrell]

Man, I am so going to get crucified for this, but...

IMHO, I'd say that the most dangerous tool is the SS. :eek:

Well...OK...not exactly. But, sort of. Let me explain...

I am actually quite fearful of the current trend of technological safety features. Oh, don't get me wrong, I think they're great. But anything that might get us to let down our guard (even for a moment) in the shop is dangerous. The moment that we think that ANY tool in our shop is "safe" is the moment we get hurt.

[ed vitanovec]

A Bandsaw can be dangerous if your hand slips as your pushing. I worry the most when I use my Shaper cutting raised panels.

[Anthony Whitesell]

but as everybody said the table saw is the most popular tool hence more accidents...

You beat me too it. I found two interesting statistics while doing research on another topic. First, the number of reported incidents is directly proportional and corresponds to the prevalence of the tool in the shop. Secondly, the average age of the various levels of table saws (contractor, hybird, and cabinet) is much higher that one would expect (and is stated in the CPSC report).

[Tai Fu]

Sawstop only protects against blade to flesh contact, it does not prevent kickbacks. Obviously you have to fit the riving knife properly.

For bandsaws NEVER have your body part in line with the blade, because sometimes the wood can cut a lot faster than you expect.

[Dave Zellers]

Now that I'm comfortable, I'm not so cautious which is a very bad habit.

IMO, that is the entire focus of this thread. Every tool is dangerous.

But it doesn't have to be.

[Loren Woirhaye]

Ok. Table saws can be dangerous. I knew that when I got my first one so I bought a book, read it and acquired a rather rounded academic understanding of the machine. I'm a flamenco guitarist and I still have all my fingers over 15 years later. I have cut myself on band saws, with hand saws and stabbed myself with chisels twice, but that silly book seems to have protected me from the table saw.

Unfortunately many people are sub-literate or are trained on-the-job in table saw use. I suppose I used the machine before I read a book about how to use it, but I reckon it scared me enough to heed the book.

[Ole Anderson]

Whenever I use the band saw, I can't help but think of it being used in a butcher shop to cut meat and bone. Keeps me careful.

[Mike Henderson]

I guess it's hard to say. Most of the serious accidents I hear about are due to the table saw (loss of fingers) but that may be because the table saw is pretty much in all shops and gets a lot of use.

What I might ask is, "What tool has the highest serious accident rate per hour of use?" I can't answer that but the tools that really scare me are the shaper and probably the jointer. I know that the only really serious accident Sam Maloof had was on a jointer. If you get tangled with either of those, you're probably going to have a serious injury.

Mike

[Earl Rumans]

I think the most dangerous machine to use is the shaper but the TS has the worst statistics. The reason the TS is rated so high is just about every Tom Dick and Harry can afford a cheap TS and then off they go cutting things, without a clue about how dangerous it can be, or how to correctly set up and use one. I think this is why it has such high statistics.

[Rick Fisher]

Only nasty injury I have had from a floor machine is the edge sander..

Why ?

Cause I took it for granted.. no spinning carbide after all.

Injury was a knuckle bumping the belt at 1500 feet per minute.. Result was a terribly painful flat spot .. which bled like a GSW ..

[Tai Fu]

I use the bandsaw to cut bone blanks to size to make nuts or saddles... think about what it would do to YOUR bone.

[Anthony Whitesell]

Same here. Every time I turn mine on I think "Interesting I'm cutting wood on this thing that was originally designed for use in a butcher shop".

[Anthony Whitesell]

What I might ask is, "What tool has the highest serious accident rate per hour of use?" I can't answer that but the tools that really scare me are the shaper and probably the jointer.


I would like to know that as well. I was only able to find accidents by machine per year and number of machines in use per year. Nothing on how much run time each machine type was in use per year. That might be difficult since table saws don't have hour meters. If they did it might be dangerous ammo for the LOML to know exactly how long I was in the shop. LOL.

[Tai Fu]

However bandsaws do not kick back, unless you touch the blade, nothing else should happen. I guess there's the blade shooting out the side after it breaks too

What makes me cringe is those contraptions that you put a skilsaw under a table to turn it into a tablesaw. As if they are not dangerous enough.

[Curt Harms]

It seems like anything that can cause a kickback would rank pretty high on the list. The one thing I can think of that can move your hand from several inches away from a cutter into the cutter in less than the blink of an eye not to mention wham! into the gut (or head or ............). A bandsaw doesn't normally kick back, you have to feed your extremities into it at normal feed rate:eek:.

[Prashun Patel]

Bad things happen when I have to exert any kind of pressure into the cutter. It's a sign that something can bind, kick, roll, or shatter.

[Ellen Benkin]

I have never had a table saw injury because I always stop and review what I am doing before I use it. My worst injury was on the bandsaw when I pushed a piece through and sliced my thumb. I didn't cut anything off but it gave me new respect for the bandsaw. I think the bandsaw is dangerous because you don't see the blade moving and, because you can push or pull material through it people become casual while using it.

[Joe Hillmann]

Just yesterday I took the guard off my SS to run a little dado, and then cut a small sheet of plywood without putting it back on. Twisted the darned thing and took it in the gut. Isn't the SS supposed to prevent that?!

.

No, the sawstop is not designed to prevent that, and the fact that you thought it did and didn't take proper precautions to prevent it probably made it more likely to happen. I would recommended reading through the users manual that came with your saw to see what types of cuts are unsafe to make with it. And also to understand the safety features it has.

[Joe Hillmann]

I've heard about planer kickbacks, but they are extremely rare and I've never seen one.

As far as bandsaws are concerned, back when I was in high school we used a Delta Rockwell 17" bandsaw with atleast a half inch blade. My teacher worked there for 35 years and he said he only saw a broken blade shoot out once, and he said it can only come out the side of the machine. If you did get your finger in their it is dangerous; on our safety lesson every year he would show is how quickly it can cut a pencil, and a finger can be cut just as quickly. I feel that's due to carelessness though, but then again if you aren't paying attention...




My stepdad had a planer kick back at him once when doing beams. It kicked back, hit him hard enough to knock him out for a few seconds. When he came to the planner had tipped towards him with the end of the beam preventing it from tipping all the way over but it was still running and pulling the beam in. Had he not been able to shut it off it would have ended up on top of him pinning him down once the beam had run all the way through. Of course this was a large planner, a small lunch box planner won't be able to produce those kinds of forces.

[Joe Hillmann]

Band saws can kick back and throw your hand into the blade if the edge being cut is above and forward of where it is supported such as cutting off a cylinder. I have also seen it happen with other odd shaped pieces.

[Shawn Pixley]

I know someone who lost a finger to a printing press! He used to put his cigarette on the rack, and one day misjudged his timing. Incredible thing is that he just doing it that way.

I also know someone who lost an eye to a stone shooting out of his lawnmower. I wouldn't have thought that was possible.

My best friend lost his eye splitting firewood. Splinter driven into the eye. The world is unsafe.

[Tai Fu]

Or you could get into a plane that crashes for whatever reason, be it snakes, missiles, weather, or UFO...

[Michael Yadfar]

My best friend lost his eye splitting firewood. Splinter driven into the eye. The world is unsafe.

Back in high school the only injuries I saw people go to the nurse for was splinters, but nothing serious like that. I once had a one inch splinter go into my hand but it was buried so I didn't know what it was. I was wondering why my hand hurt so bad for a few days, so I started to dig out what I though was a tiny splinter. That sucker was nearly an inch long and hurt like hell taking out.

[Michael Yadfar]

Now that I think about it, the least expected may be the most dangerous. I've never had any injuries in the shop, but at work I use a box cutter and I have about 3 or 4 scars on my arm from that thing. My most serious injury actually occurred in my shed before it was a shop, when I was standing on a metal storage bin inspecting a leak in the roof. Corner sliced my knee open and required 130 stitches

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Just yesterday I took the guard off my SS to run a little dado, and then cut a small sheet of plywood without putting it back on. Twisted the darned thing and took it in the gut. Isn't the SS supposed to prevent that?!

Only tool I have hurt myself on was a bandsaw (50/50 chance of losing a fingertip, but got lucky), but the one that scares me the most is the router table. Lots of way that can get you.

The SS has safety features to prevent that, but so do all newer saws. In this case (running a dado), you removed those safety features (since you can't use them while cutting a dado). I took one to the gut while cutting a piece of plywood, but, the saw did not have a splitter, riven knife, etc.

That said, the most dangerous things in my shop...



Me, and the stupid things that I do such as removing the safety equipment or not paying attention.
Router. I have only had a few incidents with the router. Paranoia (leading to attempts at attention and good technique) avoided injury to myself (a piece of wood might have been harmed). Yesterday, I was routing many pieces of wood with a round-over bit... You get in a pattern and disengage your brain. Two potential incidents. First, a piece of wood fell off something. I instinctively went to grab for it.... and it was right next to that spinning bit. Also, I realized that I was starting to get a little sloppy in my attention. Did not get close to the blade, but, realized that I was not paying sufficient attention to the bit while I was putting up one piece of wood and grabbing another.
Angle Grinder. Do we really use all the safety gear that we should? Always put on those safety glasses?
Table Saw. I really should hold that small piece better while cutting it.

[Mike Ontko]

I once read that any dull tool is the most potentially dangerous piece of equipment in a shop.

This thread reminds me of my 9th grade woodshop teacher, who implemented a particularly effective method for helping adolescent boys (not many girls were taking woodshop in the early '70s) remember the safety rules and to pay attention during the safety lectures. If you were caught violating a safety rule or operating equipment in a non-safe way, you were subjected to a "hot-hand"--a quick slap of a 12" steel rule across your open palm, which you had to offer voluntarily or else drop the class. I had one once, as the result of a near kickback situation I'd created on the tablesaw (through improper use of a miter gauge). There was one kid in class who was famous for getting the ol' hot-hand on a regular basis--once deep enough that you could read the eighth-inch markings--ha ha. He was eventually "voluntarily" dropped from the class. I seriously doubt that today's shop teachers (for those schools that are still fortunate enough to have a shop class) would be applauded for using such a method. But it was definitely effective for its time.

[Pat Barry]

sliced my knee open and required 130 stitches
Yikes - that's one helluva lot of stitches. It sounds gruesome

[Michael Yadfar]

I once read that any dull tool is the most potentially dangerous piece of equipment in a shop.

This thread reminds me of my 9th grade woodworking teacher, who implemented a particularly effective method for helping adolescent boys (not many girls were taking woodshop in the early '70s) remember the safety rules and to pay attention during the safety lectures. If you were caught violiating a safety rule or operating equipment in a non-safe way, you were subjected to a "hot-hand"--a quick slap of a 12" steel rule across your open palm--which you had to offer voluntarily or else drop the class. I had one once, as the result of a near kickback situation I'd created on the tablesaw (through improper use of a miter gauge). There was one kid in class who was famous for getting the ol' hot-hand on a regular basis--once deep enough that you could read the eighth-inch markings--ha ha. He was eventually "voluntarily" dropped from the class. I seriously doubt that today's shop teachers (for those schools that are still fortunate enough to have a shop class) would be applauded for using such a method. But it was definitely effective for its time.

My high school shop teacher never had a method like this, but he told us a story how he taught a kid a lesson who didn't listen to rules. This kid was one of the big football kids, thguht he can do whatever, and always broke safety rules regardless the warnings. One day he decided to free hand a board on the table saw, and the teacher saw it, but decided to let it go because he knew what would happen. Board smacked the kid in the face right in front of the class, and he was supposedly dropped the class right after

[Dave Cullen]

My high school shop teacher was missing a finger from one hand. He always started a class with, "This is what happens when you ignore the safety rules".

I've nipped a fingertip in my shop twice - once with my jointer (not using a push block) and once on the band saw trying to move a cutoff piece without waiting for the saw to come to a stop. I've never been hurt by a tablesaw, probably because I respect it so much.

Did get smacked in the head by a block of wood that was being machined on my router table. It knocked my hearing protector and safety glasses off my head. I use a faceshield with that machine now.

[Bill McNiel]

For me, it's the router. Spinning, sharp, exposed cutter. Can't begin to count the number of times that impatience or lack of focus when using a router has resulted in a near miss or damaged jig / project element.

[Mike Henderson]

My high school shop teacher was missing a finger from one hand. He always started a class with, "This is what happens when you ignore the safety rules".

I've nipped a fingertip in my shop twice - once with my jointer (not using a push block) and once on the band saw trying to move a cutoff piece without waiting for the saw to come to a stop. I've never been hurt by a tablesaw, probably because I respect it so much.

Did get smacked in the head by a block of wood that was being machined on my router table. It knocked my hearing protector and safety glasses off my head. I use a faceshield with that machine now.
I had a guy in one of my dovetail classes. He had been a shop teacher for many years, and one day cut off his thumb and first finger on the table saw. They re-attached the thumb but the finger was gone.

He told me that he bought a SawStop for his home shop - too late, of course, but better late than never.

Mike

[Michael Yadfar]

My teacher actually lost a fingertip saving another student from cutting theirs on the table saw. This is why I'm cautious on who goes in my shop, I'm even hesitant on letting my father use my equipment. I hate to see someone get hurt in my shop, or see myself getting hurt saving someone else.

Ive also learned some lessons on the importance of "stupid" safety protocols. I used to think it was pointless wearing safety glasses, but I actually got hit in the eye by a nail once, luckily while my safety glasses were on

[Rich Riddle]

Research indicated the stationary tool with the most accidents is the table saw; however, it's likely more folks have a table saw than may other tools. I consider one of the most dangerous saws the band saw because there are times one doesn't even know the blades moving. A feeble or tired mind doesn't help in the shop either.

[John T Barker]

All my machines (table saw, band saw, drill press, shaper, jointer, planer, mortiser and miter saw) are very safe. They all have on/off switches. I always remember that phrase;"Guns don't kill, people do." Woodworking machines don't injure people, people do. The most dangerous tool is that two legged creature that doesn't take the time to figure out how he/she can hurt them self. If you don't have good self preservation instincts than you might hurt yourself.

[lowell holmes]

The tool in use at the moment is the most dangerous tool in the shop. I put my hand behind a board that I was drilling a hole in one time. In a moment of distraction, I drilled into my finger. I would not normally consider an electric hand drill to be dangerous.

[Jerome Stanek]

The utility knife. May not cause the damage as a table saw but a lot more accidents cutting yourself with it.

[Mike Ontko]

I once hired a "carpenter" to help me with a quick framing job that was missing fingers on both of his hands. I didn't ask how he lost them, but recall that he teased me for having a sidewinder circular saw while boasting about how efficient his worm-gear saw was. I've heard they can be pretty torque-y and will take off digits in a hurry if you're not paying attention. :rolleyes:

[mreza Salav]

The most dangerious tool is the one you least expect it from (and so pay the least attention). I have had accidents on pretty much all my tools (table saw, bandsaw, planer, sander, lathe, drill press) some caused blood others scraed the !@#$ out of me. The user must respect all the tools and pay attention to what they are doing.

[Kelly Cleveland]

A lathe is a a fairly safe but you can get tangled in one, the piece you are turning could explode, you could leave the key in the chuck or have a tool grab in the work.

A student here was killed when their hair got caught in a lathe. I have never heard of someone dying from a table saw or router accident, not that it couldn't happen.

[Tai Fu]

Well honestly if you have long hair you are supposed to secure them. Any spinning things can catch that hair and kill you (most likely). I was looking at a facebook picture of a luthier and he's carving braces (with a chisel thankfully) with his hair down. I said he should tie it because a spinning tool can grab it and hurt you badly.

[Kevin Bourque]

I've hit my thumb with a hammer about 900 times. Never had an issue with a table saw.

Therefore the hammer is the most dangerous tool in the shop.

[Michael Yadfar]

I feel like long hair+ lathe or any spinning tool is just asking for trouble. I've heard of many deaths from lathes catching long hair, and lathes obviously have uses on other purposes too other than woodworking. Like I said, a guy I know saw a girls hair get ripped out of her head on a lathe in high school. That was probably one of the worst pains ever, but she's very fortunate the hair got ripped out rather than her dieing. Even if you have it tied back and tucked in your shirt, the pony tail could probably still sneak out. I guess best option is to tie it up in a messy bun, although it would look pretty gay on guys

[Jim Andrew]

I think I must be the luckiest guy I know, Have cut myself with a utility knife, sanded myself with a belt sander, knicked a finger with a router, had a piece kick back on the tablesaw, but have never really had a bad accident since I have been grown. Once put a skilsaw down on the floor, had the guard stick open and it kicked back, but stopped at my foot. Had a couple bad ones as a child, but survived both and neither were in the shop, but on the farm. One was riding behind my sis on a bicycle, and the other was riding a horse.

[Dave Zellers]

Once put a skilsaw down on the floor, had the guard stick open and it kicked back...
I worked on a house as a ute, where a professional crew was brought in to frame it. Every job for them started with new Milwaukee circular saws and the first thing they did was remove the guard. I was stunned, remembering the fear I felt the first time I picked up my new Skill Saw and pulled the switch years earlier. They beat the heck out of them and used the deck or a nearby stud to stop the blade. They were super fast and very professional and did excellent work. This was back in the seventies but even then we never used them again. Just too much potential for something to go seriously wrong.

Make of it what you will, but my point is the same as others have made- the problems lie with the user. These guys were crazy, but understood what they were doing and never had an accident that I knew of.

Not my cup of tea, but...

[Dennis Aspö]

This conversation reminds me of surfing a british woodworking board, they're always up in arms when dado blades are mentioned and how unsafe they are, it's basically a hot button issue. The router is considered the way to go and it's seen as very safe tool in comparison. When I read here I instead see several people saying they fear the router more than the table saw. Interesting.

[Paul McGaha]

Motorcycles aren't dangerous but, the people riding them sometimes are ;-) The bandsaw is dangerous because there is a mindset that it is safe. You do know how they break down sides of beef, right? The tablesaw gets a lot of bad press but, I don't know that anyone has done a 'per instance' sort of comparison as in; there are 10 untrained folks using tablesaws for every untrained shaper user so, if there are 10 tablesaw accidents and 1 shaper accident, they're even . . . that sort of thing.

I remember a thread similar to this a few years ago. One of the creekers that posted was a high school shop teacher. He said the tool the students had the most injuries with were the band saws.

Any of the tools are capable of it though.

PHM

[Richard Wagner]

I don't think we know enough about injuriews to answer the original question. What power tool in our shop is most dangerous? Which one do we hear the most about? Probably the table saw. Which one gets used the most? Probably the table saw. If either the jointer or the shaper was used an equal amount of time as the table saw, I believe ther would be a different metric to discuss.

Which power tool results in the highest incident of serious injury per hour of operation?

Have you ever seen a finger that had been mauled by a shaper? An ugly sight. My only serious injury in the shop.

[Ronald Blue]

The most dangerous tool is the one you have became so comfortable using that you know longer respect it as being dangerous. In a word as others have said you have became complacent and careless.

[Michael Yadfar]

Something else I find to be dangerous is music in the shop. It seems pretty popular, and some may say you listen to it when you drive and your fine, but I feel 100% of your attention has to go to the tool. Sometimes personally I get a bit zoned out when I hear a good song

[Jason White]

The most dangerous tool in the shop is the one you don't know how to use properly.

If you're new to tablesaws, buy a book on tablesaws and read it or, even better, take a class.

[Jason White]

Worm-drives are no more or less safe than sidewinders (I've owned and used both). You pull a trigger and a sharp blade spins very fast.

Worm-drives do, however, chew through framing lumber a bit easier and the added weight of the saw can work to your advantage in some instances.

If I had to guess, your carpenter probably lost his fingers buy removing or disabling the blade guard because it was getting in the way of some cuts. I've seen a few framing guys do that. Don't be one of them!



I once hired a "carpenter" to help me with a quick framing job that was missing fingers on both of his hands. I didn't ask how he lost them, but recall that he teased me for having a sidewinder circular saw while boasting about how efficient his worm-gear saw was. I've heard they can be pretty torque-y and will take off digits in a hurry if you're not paying attention. :rolleyes:

[Kent A Bathurst]

..........but the closest I've seen was on a drill press, where a guy didn't have his wood clamped and it hit him

Or where the fool looked away, and his hand on top of a block of wood slipped into the business end of a brad point bit. Which drug the hand forward as the spurs dug in.

I would generally consider the BS or the DP as the safest. Only the RAS scares me - and that is why I don't have one.

My point - every machine is safe. Every machine is unsafe. All depends on operator's attention to correct operating procedures.




293864

[Gus Dundon]

Any tool can be dangerous. That's why we need to read the manual. When I was starting, I always asked questions. I don't assume.

[John Stankus]

Worm-drives are no more or less safe than sidewinders (I've owned and used both). You pull a trigger and a sharp blade spins very fast.

Worm-drives do, however, chew through framing lumber a bit easier and the added weight of the saw can work to your advantage in some instances.

If I had to guess, your carpenter probably lost his fingers buy removing or disabling the blade guard because it was getting in the way of some cuts. I've seen a few framing guys do that. Don't be one of them!

My dad tells me of when the circular saws were starting to become available to carpenters, that there were a lot of injuries. This was due to the fact that with handsaws they used to brace the board across their leg and cut the piece to size. Many carpenters followed the same work process and cut into their legs with the circular saw.

John

[Mike Henderson]

My dad tells me of when the circular saws were starting to become available to carpenters, that there were a lot of injuries. This was due to the fact that with handsaws they used to brace the board across their leg and cut the piece to size. Many carpenters followed the same work process and cut into their legs with the circular saw.

John
THEY STILL DO THAT!!! I have a friend who's an emergency room nurse (and a woodworker). She gets guys in the ER who have cut across their thigh. She always asks them what they were doing and whether they had tied the guard back. Most of them were cutting across their leg and they had the guard tied back.

Mike

[Lee Roberts]

Just yesterday I took the guard off my SS to run a little dado, and then cut a small sheet of plywood without putting it back on. Twisted the darned thing and took it in the gut. Isn't the SS supposed to prevent that?!

Only tool I have hurt myself on was a bandsaw (50/50 chance of losing a fingertip, but got lucky), but the one that scares me the most is the router table. Lots of way that can get you.

You're joking about the SS preventing kickback, right?

The three 'more than minor' injuries I've sustained in my shop:

Worst: Years ago, I upgraded to a SS from a cheap contractor's TS. With the old saw, the blade would simply slow down or stop if my workpiece got bound or crooked, so I didn't give it a second thought when I loaded up a 2'x4' piece of 3/4" MDF and began cutting it the 'wrong' way (making the cut on the 2' side). Well, the piece got bound and the SS kicked the piece back so hard and fast that it knocked me down a left a cantaloupe sized bruise on the front of my upper thigh. I walked with crutches for a week. If I hadn't been wearing a thick tool belt, I think it might have broken my leg.

Not Quite As Bad, But...: I keep sheet goods standing on end and I used to fasten the batch to the wall using a bungee. I had 5 sheets of 4'x8' plywood/MDF against the wall and was trying to remove a piece in the rear. The tipping point at which one can no longer continue to hold the entire stack was MUCH less than I anticipated. I realized that the whole stack was coming down and tried to just let it go, but I got trapped by the refrigerator in the garage. I 'helped' lower the stack on top of me, but my ankle ended up wedged between the wood and the refrigerator. In case you're wondering, getting out from under 5 full sized pieces of sheet goods isn't easy. Really bad sprained ankle.

Lastly: I neglected to clamp a large-ish piece of metal to my drill press. The bit caught and spun the piece of metal into my hand. Broken pinky.

I spend about 30 hours per week in my shop. I've slowed my roll quite a bit, and safety is always my first consideration (thought it was before, too). I simply can't afford to get injured, but I'm sure I'll screw something up in the future and bang or break something.

Before anyone chimes in about me being a moron, I knew before each of my accidents that I was attempting something that I knew was advised against. In the moment, I thought I had everything under control. Things go south so fast, though.

Safe wishes to all!

[Pat Barry]

THEY STILL DO THAT!!! I have a friend who's an emergency room nurse (and a woodworker). She gets guys in the ER who have cut across their thigh. She always asks them what they were doing and whether they had tied the guard back. Most of them were cutting across their leg and they had the guard tied back. Mike
I can not believe any one would actually do this, besides if that's the way they are doing it having the guard tied back wont make any difference.

[Mike Henderson]

I can not believe any one would actually do this, besides if that's the way they are doing it having the guard tied back wont make any difference.
You're right. I just wanted to point out that workers do that (tie back the guard) as well as cut across their leg. I wasn't trying to say that the two were required simultaneously to cut your thigh.

Mike

[Paul McGaha]

I can not believe any one would actually do this, besides if that's the way they are doing it having the guard tied back wont make any difference.

People actually do it Pat. They wire the trigger back on framing nailers to get them to shoot as soon as the safety on the tip of the tool is depressed also. I had a carpenter shoot his foot to the floor framing the walls of my basement with a framing nailer set up like that. Crazy.

PHM

[Art Mann]

Isn't the original question a little like asking whether the automobile is the most dangerous vehicle on the roads?

[Michael Yadfar]

THEY STILL DO THAT!!! I have a friend who's an emergency room nurse (and a woodworker). She gets guys in the ER who have cut across their thigh. She always asks them what they were doing and whether they had tied the guard back. Most of them were cutting across their leg and they had the guard tied back.

Mike

Occasionally when I have a fallen tree branch, I will hold the branch in one hand if it's small enough, and cut with the chainsaw in the other hand one handed to keep the branch from pinching it. One time the chainsaw came down on my thigh while spinning, and obviously it's a bit hard to pull up one handed and also let go of the trigger. I cut a hole all the way through my jeans, but somehow very luckily never put a stratch on my leg. I still wear the jeans, and people think I'm sporting some fadish style, then I say I cut that with a chainsaw. I usually get a good look on peoples face

[Michael Yadfar]

Isn't the original question a little like asking whether the automobile is the most dangerous vehicle on the roads?

I consider it to be similar to asking if a corvette is the most dangerous car on the road. My real intention though was whats the most dangerous tool in the shop, and like most people pointed out, it depends on the operator. All in all, if you don't follow proper procedures, your chances of getting hurt increase no matter what you use

[Bill Arnold]

The most dangerous as well as the most beneficial tool in any shop is the BRAIN.

Lose focus for an instant and you could be in trouble. I've never had an accident with a table saw, but I've sliced my hand open with a razor knife while cutting veneer. It's easier, in my opinion, to stay focused on a power tool, especially the bigger ones. On the other hand, being a bit too casual with repeated operations such as cutting veneer has been my downfall. But, I still have all 20 (10 fingers and 10 toes)!

[Scott Haddix]

The lathe is the only tool where I regularly hear of someone getting killed, on top of injuries ranging from trivial to serious. When I go in my shop and work on my table saw, bandsaw, drill press, planer, jointer, etc., I'm thinking about safety and what I need to do to prevent an injury.

When I work on my lathe, I think of how I can kill myself if I'm not wearing my face shield, if I don't stand out of the line of fire, if I don't attach the wood properly, set it at a safe speed before turning it on, use the right gouge, etc. And, on the lathe, you can do everything right and still have a piece of wood come apart due to completely hidden structural issues and become a lethal projectile.

I think the fact it can kill has to rank it as the #1 most dangerous tool in the shop. The fact a safety helmet and full face shield is almost mandatory to turn anything bigger than a pepper mill says plenty by itself.

[Ole Anderson]

The lathe is the only tool where I regularly hear of someone getting killed, on top of injuries ranging from trivial to serious. When I go in my shop and work on my table saw, bandsaw, drill press, planer, jointer, etc., I'm thinking about safety and what I need to do to prevent an injury.

I think the fact it can kill has to rank it as the #1 most dangerous tool in the shop. The fact a safety helmet and full face shield is almost mandatory to turn anything bigger than a pepper mill says plenty by itself.

I don't turn, but I agree that the one that kills is at or near the top of the list. And the well known lady turner that was killed was wearing a helmet/face shield. Another one I hear about is a framing nailer and all of the guys that nail themselves in places that could be lethal. One right through the heart where he survived. More construction related than workshop though.

[Michael Yadfar]

The lathe is the only tool where I regularly hear of someone getting killed, on top of injuries ranging from trivial to serious. When I go in my shop and work on my table saw, bandsaw, drill press, planer, jointer, etc., I'm thinking about safety and what I need to do to prevent an injury.

When I work on my lathe, I think of how I can kill myself if I'm not wearing my face shield, if I don't stand out of the line of fire, if I don't attach the wood properly, set it at a safe speed before turning it on, use the right gouge, etc. And, on the lathe, you can do everything right and still have a piece of wood come apart due to completely hidden structural issues and become a lethal projectile.

I think the fact it can kill has to rank it as the #1 most dangerous tool in the shop. The fact a safety helmet and full face shield is almost mandatory to turn anything bigger than a pepper mill says plenty by itself.

I have heard of a lot of lathe deaths, but have never heard of one from an exploding piece, and that wasn't even brought to when I was trained to use one. Not saying it can't happen, but most cases I heard are from people with hair hanging down. Lathes are also used in pottery which I assume has a bit more ladies so that can add to some danger (because of more common long hair). When I use a lathe, I never take it over 20% of the max speed, even when sanding, and that's the way I was trained. I guess exploding pieces are more associated with high speeds?

[Bradley Potts]

Yep, Louis Braille was ultimately blinded by a slipped hand/scratch awl that flipped up, stabbed him in one eye, an infection ensued that blinded that eye and then spread to his other eye, which also completely lost sight. This was all before he was 12-years old too. I have had multiple stitches, multiple times in my fingers from kitchen knives -- I definitely consider them to be tools.

[John Piwaron]

IMHO, I'd say that the most dangerous tool is the SS. :eek:

I am actually quite fearful of the current trend of technological safety features. anything that might get us to let down our guard (even for a moment) in the shop is dangerous. The moment that we think that ANY tool in our shop is "safe" is the moment we get hurt.

I agree. I think the SS feature works and is an excellent thing to have. I'm sure other equipment will one day have similar safety features. But safety features like this can make the user complacent. "I don't have to worry, the saw is going to prevent me from getting hurt." No, the saw is only going to not let the blade cut anything off assuming the feature works correctly. Nothing more. All the other risks inherent in a TS are still there. Kickback in particular.

The kind of safety device SS has should be thought of as a last resort. Not a panacea. Nothing takes the place of training (however one gets it) and a careful knowledgeable use of the machine. Whichever machine it is. They're all dangerous. They're all designed to cut. They don't care of they're cutting the intended material or someone's flesh. It's all just "stuff" to them.

[John Piwaron]

Bad things happen when I have to exert any kind of pressure into the cutter. It's a sign that something can bind, kick, roll, or shatter.

It's also a sign of a dull cutting edge. Dull cutters are more dangerous than sharp ones for that very reason.

[John Piwaron]

My stepdad had a planer kick back at him once when doing beams. It kicked back, hit him hard enough to knock him out for a few seconds. When he came to the planner had tipped towards him with the end of the beam preventing it from tipping all the way over but it was still running and pulling the beam in. Had he not been able to shut it off it would have ended up on top of him pinning him down once the beam had run all the way through. Of course this was a large planner, a small lunch box planner won't be able to produce those kinds of forces.

I had a lunchbox kickback once. Since I'm always standing to the side of it all that happened was that the relatively short bit of wood was thrown forcefully against the concrete block wall 8 or so feet away. where it shattered. Hasn't happened since. But I know it *can* happen.

[John Piwaron]

I guess best option is to tie it up in a messy bun, although it would look pretty gay on guys

I'd rather look "gay" than have a machine scalp me.

[Bob Carreiro]

OK, here goes... on October 19th, 1971 at 8:15 AM, I was working as a ships jointer in a RI shipyard. Portable equipment was on an open air deck (under an extended overhead cover) of a ship recently placed in water. The TS had open sides with a 14" carbide blade barely protruding above table top (too large for the throat opening w/a 7/32" kerf... thick carbide in those days, so most of it sat below table). Was cutting 4X8 sheets of rock asbestos w/plastic laminate on one side (used for bulkheads & overheads, & not yet identified as bad for your health!). When cutting asbestos, dust expands expodentially causing large "flakes" above/around the TS that both inhibits visability & causes a VERY slippery surface on the morning dew-soaked, & yet unpainted steel deck)! I was holding the outfeed end while my partner fed. Inching backward, the asbestos "slush" caused my feet to slide out from under me. My left foot came into contact with the bottom of the blade and it "threw" my foot upward, through the finger plate, & wedged itself there while I yelled and the blade spun effortlessly clear through the middle of it.

Things happen. I have my foot, though I can't bend my toes, & all but a little feeling on my sole remains. I also have all 10 fingers - though a few are scared. I have on occassion (and yet would) free-handed cuts on the TS for reasons already mentioned, but I do not advocate it and in fact, would discourage it, that is, unless there was good reason and I was at the helm - one reason is cutting crowns off 4/4 or greater, warped, rough lumber. (Todays sliding TS's edge such boards safely and more efficiently, however, but if you don't own one, well...)

I have seen fingers cut off, a 2x4 "kicked back" through a guy's belly (poked right out his back - it's end was jaggered, not squared), and many, many other less dramatic accidents take place on the TS. Yet, I have free-handed both hardwood boards & sheet stock - though not in cab shops where I've worked - in my own shop & under conditions I control. As mentioned in an earlier post, motor sound, feed pressure change, wood movement, etc., all tell the experienced operator what the wood is doing. Observing these signs tells the experienced operator how to compensate to the TS's reaction to the operation.

If you have to ask the question, you have no business free-handing on the TS, and from what I've seen and experienced, the TS is the main perpetrator of equipment-related accidents in the wood shop.

[Richard Wagner]

I have read very little of this thread but I still have an opinion. The table saw is not dangerous at all. It is the person operating it that determines the level of hazard at any given moment.

[Kent A Bathurst]

You're right. I just wanted to point out that workers do that (tie back the guard) as well as cut across their leg. I wasn't trying to say that the two were required simultaneously to cut your thigh.

Mike

Darwin was onto something. One of these fools will cut higher than their thigh, and remove themselves from the gene pool.

[Bradley Potts]

Only the RAS scares me - and that is why I don't have one.

My point - every machine is safe. Every machine is unsafe. All depends on operator's attention to correct operating procedures.

Well, it's good to respect one's gut fears as long as the phobias don't lead us to continue in a more unsafe direction. I have owned a couple of TS's and they always scared me a bit. Now, I have gotten rid of the TS's and instead have both a 14" and a 12" Delta turret arm RAS, and have used them enough to have nicked myself one time -- I figure that was my one and only "get outta jail free card" in the realm of vicious spinning saw blades -- yes, I am VERY careful, deliberate, and aware when I cut now.

I see the TS and RAS as pretty comparable in the danger department, however, I consider the TS the more dangerous of the 2 tools. Why? Because the TS' blade is always mostly hidden from view, whereas the RAS' blade is almost entirely in plain sight and sound; I find the obvious danger-maker does a better job of getting and holding my attention.

Another clear benefit of the RAS over the TS is that the workpiece is always forced down into the table and forced rearward against the fence when crosscutting. Because the workpiece is held stationary during crosscuts and it is the blade that is moved along a locked track (the anti-corollary to the sliding table TS), there is no reason for the workpiece to become bound and thereby cause things to start flying around.

When it comes to ripping on the RAS, here again it has a distinct safety advantage over the TS in that the workpiece is always forced down into the table. If the workpiece binds up, it can only kickback straight to the rear, which implies that the operator is out of harm's way as long as s/he stands slightly off to one side or the other for the feed. On the TS, the workpiece can get lifted as well as launched straight backwards, so it's hard to predict where the safest place to stand is with a TS.

I've heard really icky stories RE the shaper and how it can really draw people in toward the spinning head. And as someone else pointed out, those darned bandsaws are used for carving up sides-o-beef and for cutting really large steel beams too.

Here's another vote for that tool which is the most oft used.


-- Bradley

[Matt Mattingley]

I personally think the lathe is the most dangerous machine in any shop. They can suck you in, twist a finger off. Grab razor blade tool bit and throw it out at you, blank can explode and you could never know the extent of the damage.
http://youtu.be/N9grSq-TWMQ

[sullivan mcgriff]

I tend to be the most dangerous tool in the shop, my worst accident was with a mitre saw with all guards in place I was tired and pissed off and was just going to do one cut, somehow stuffed pinky into blade. It is being complacent tires innatentive or just plain overconfident that causes problems, and don't weld while wearing crocs