Saw kickback SO hard...JOY

[john whittaker]

In light of Shelley's post, which apparently served as a wake up call to many including myself, I had a shop incident last week that may turn out to be a good thing. (Once I clean my pants)

I do not own a table saw. My first saw was the dreaded C-man RAS and it has been my only stationary saw for the past 2 years. I learned how to tune it, use it and fear it, and have made some OK projects with it. LOML often heard me lusting for a table saw but space and wallet are a little lacking. This past week I was trying a cut that had that little voice saying....ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO TRY THAT???

Smashed the fence and sent a small piece flying off into the neighbors yard (I think) The arm is damaged, not beyond repair, but I don't want to repair it. Since the saw is worth about ......nothing in working condition, it is not worth anything to get it fixed. So I have a good reason to finally buy the table saw.

I was lucky that no one was hurt. And luckier that LOML "insists" that I replace the RAS with something that will make me happy. Ain't she great.

[John Bailey]

John,

Could you describe how the fence was smashed? I've used a Craftsman RAS for over 20 yrs. and never had an accident. I'm trying to figure out how the wood smashed the fence. I've always been afraid of the saw, especially the Sears, because it always had a little "play" in it when I was using it. My new (50 yrs. old) DeWalt doesn't have that "play" and I feel much better about it, but still nervous.

John

[John Keane]

Great line, John. I wasn't expecting it and sneezed up a faceful of diet coke.

[David Giles]

John,
Sorry about the scare. My first saw was also a CM RAS from a neighbor. Decided that the learning experience might be too costly in terms of fingers. It turned out that many of these old saws are worth $100 if you take them out of service. It is funded by a lawsuit settlement from long ago, I think. http://www.radialarmsawrecall.com/index2.htm

[john whittaker]

Zoot...My saw already got the new guard and is not eligible for the $100.00. But thanks for trying. (Welcome to SMC)

To answer Johns question of how the fence got smashed....It was operator error. I had great success using an auxiliary fence to make a series of short rip cuts. (I gave up ripping on the RAS due to a previous kickback) But devised a way to do short rips using the arm in the cross cut position by using a square 14" x 14" piece of MDF as an aux fence.

I tried to devise a way to use an aux fence while making 45's which placed the board I was cutting off the main fence. When the blade caught, the board had a running start at the fence and smashed it in half. It also bent the yoke. I'm relatively new to woodworking but have a lot of experience with machinery and have a good understanding of the way to properly set up an RAS. Obviously, I know nothing about auxiliary fences.

The blade was sharp but my mind was dull. In light of the recent accidents I am lucky to have learned my lesson and not get hurt.

[Erik Larson]

... is what my dad called the CM RAS in the garage. Scared the bejeebers out of me to the extent where I don't think I'll have a RAS high on my list of shop acquisitions in the new house.

(no, Mom is not a widow, in case you wonder...)