Tablesaw got hungry..

[steven c newman]

Been OVER 30 years since the last time....oh well..
Trying to thin down some stiles and rails, today....got most of them down to 3/4" thick...one more Stile to run through..
487827
Got in a bit of a hurry....
487828
Left hand was adding pressure to hold the stile to the rip fence...social finger was a hair too low....OUCH!...:mad:
487829
There is now an 1/8" wide "groove" across the end of that finger...not very deep, mind you, about 2 layers...

So, off to the local Urgent Care Center.....iodine hurt worse than the saw blade...then a spot of their "Super Glue" and a few bandaids....with a drop of Antibiotic gel under them...

Looks like the building of a Chest of Drawers will be on hold, for a day or 2...

Stay tuned...:D

[Mark Hennebury]

Everyone should do this at the beginning of each year, it will keep you safe for the rest of the year. Heal fast and live long.

[Prashun Patel]

Wow!!!! I am so glad it was not worse. Still. I am so sorry this happened to you. I hope you heal fast. It shakes me to the core - even when it happens to someone else…

[Thomas Wilson]

You do more with less than anybody I have ever seen. Heal quickly and be careful. A GoFundMe for a SawStopforStephen would max out. Really think we should do it for you.

[Greg Parrish]

Yikes. Makes me hurt thinking about it. Hope it heals quick.

Seems like this has been the year of table saw injuries. Think I’ve seen more posts with finger/hand cut pictures this year than ever before.

[Keegan Shields]

Glad you are ok Steven!

I would recommend the Microjig push blocks.

Both versions work great. Generally much cheaper than a single trip to Urgent Care.

Version 1 (https://www.amazon.com/GRR-RIPPER-Pushblock-Router-Jointers-MICROJIG/dp/B001I9UNWC/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?keywords=microjig+push+block&qid=1665678832&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIyLjQwIiwicXNhIjoiMS45NCIsInFzcCI6IjE uOTYifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=microjig+p%2Caps%2C116&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFTMEdZVVJKTTBMSTcmZ W5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAzODEyNjMxMTFCOTMyUU9GSUxVJmVuY3J 5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTEwNDEyOTgzQ0NJOTVWNlA2SlFOJndpZGdld E5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm9 0TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==)

Version 2 (https://www.amazon.com/GRR-RIP-BLOCK-Pushblock-Router-Jointer/dp/B00DNX3N7S/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?keywords=microjig%2Bpush%2Bblock&qid=1665678916&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIyLjQwIiwicXNhIjoiMS45NCIsInFzcCI6IjE uOTYifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=microjig%2Bp%2Caps%2C116&sr=8-2-spons&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzQjlSSEZJOUlIQTBYJ mVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMzE1MTAyM1JGN1pDUUhPOVZaMiZlbmN yeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMzkwNzg4MzRVT0lFTEcySEVISCZ3aWRnZ XROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05 vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU&th=1)

[Prashun Patel]

I am sure he is about as careful and experienced as he can be. Imho this is a humble reminder that no matter how much we love our pet, a lion is ultimately a lion.

[George Yetka]

I have a bunch of the version 2's around for the bandsaw/jointer/router table. I have 2 version 1's for the tablesaw that collect dust. I felt less comfortable using them.

[Edward Weber]

Yikes. Makes me hurt thinking about it. Hope it heals quick.

Seems like this has been the year of table saw injuries. Thinks I’ve seen more posts with finder/hand cut pictures this year than ever before.


I thought the same thing, While I hope Steven heals up, I'm wondering if SMC needs one of these signs.
487889

I also give a thumbs up for the Grripper. I've had them since the first came out and have no regrets.

[steven c newman]

And even a common house cat can bite...

[Stew Denton]

Steven,

Glad it wasn't worse than it is, and also am hoping it will heal up fairly quickly.

I don't use my table saw a lot, but am pretty careful using it. Mine is old enough that I don't think that they even made guards for that table saw back when it was made. Even so I know that the table saw can do a lot of damage in a real hurry, so I try to be careful, as I am certain you do also.

My younger brother was a law enforcement officer for many years, and he recently told me that the number one cause of car wrecks was not alcohol, not speeding, not running stop signs, not mechanical problems with the vehicle, etc., but it is inattention, so I am going to try to keep that in mind any time I use a power tool.

I sawed into a finger a few years ago with a jig saw, fortunately not too badly, but it took a month or more to heal up, so BTDT.

Regards,

Stew

[steven c newman]

Tools I use on this saw..
487890
And..today was a little different set up...more finger-friendly...can use that push stick a lot better..
487891
Had grooves to mill...
487892
Lots of them..
487893
2 set ups, just move the fence a bit to take out the center...1/4" x 1/4" groove..

Then remove the Zero Clearance Overlay...and start on tenons
487894
testing for fit...

I kept the bad finger out of the way, today...I was a good boy..:rolleyes:

[Edward Weber]

I kept the bad finger out of the way, today...I was a good boy..:rolleyes:

Now I have a Badfinger song stuck in my head

[andy bessette]

Rather than someone saying: "My table saw ate the end of my finger." or "Table saws are dangerous--better buy Saw Stop." it might actually help someone avoid a similar injury if a photo was posted showing precisely HOW the injury occurred, a reenactment, so to speak (with the saw off). Those who have actually suffered such injuries are the best prepared to provide such safety tutorials.

[steven c newman]

I did indeed post a how it happen photo....with a bright red arrow showing where the blade came through, and "tickled" my finger. Finger was there, to press the board against the rip fence...and I thought the finger was high enough and far back enough to miss the blade...

BTW..Finger is still sore, today..

[andy bessette]

I did indeed post a how it happen photo...

I wasn't trying to be critical--just offering a way of graphically showing how these injuries occur. ie showing the hand position where it should never be. A "don't do this" photo.

[Bruce Page]

Steven, I hope you heal quickly. I'm glad it wasn't worse.

[Gary Focht]

I cut my hand once on my table saw, but I was brushing sawdust away on a saw that wasn’t on and I thought I had lowered the blade all the way. I hadn’t quite lowered it below the table surface and even though it was off it still took a chunk out. Now I use a brush to brush it off.

[Mel Fulks]

Good time to rest and remember “ make haste slowly”. I think the safest way to work is have your own rules. Decide that hands have to
be a certain number of inches from sides of blade and at least 5 inches from spinning teeth, both ends ! Work by good habits , not “ tryin to
find new ways “.

[Frederick Skelly]

Im glad it wasnt any worse. I hope you heal up quickly.
Fred

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I do not look at these injury threads until I know that the images are far enough back to be out of sight. Very Sorry for your misfortune. : (

[steven c newman]

Spent about half of today's shoptime keeping the finger wrapped up....a bit distracting...and yes..it do stick out like a sore thumb..er..finger...

[Keegan Shields]

A proper push block would lift your hand out of the danger zone. Then the push block gets chewed up instead of your finger or hand when you have the next brain fart.

No Sawstop required.

[steven c newman]

Just watch a video today...a fellow had his push stick/block slammed back at him....it also tore up the over the blade guard/dust collector hood..too...

[Keegan Shields]

If you had used a proper push block, your finger would be uninjured. Push blocks are a widely accepted safety devices.

Given your past posts, I know that you are unlikely to change your opinion, but my hope is that others can learn from your injury.

[Larry Frank]

Interesting.... Push blocks are dangerous? I think we should rethink this entire safety issue.

[Mark Hennebury]

I agree! Safety is far more than some labeling a stick or block a safety device.



Interesting.... Push blocks are dangerous? I think we should rethink this entire safety issue.

[steven c newman]

And, by far the best is to USE your eyes....

My finger was "tickled " because I couldn't see how low it was getting...it forced the already thing piece to go into the blade...and the finger just followed along....Stile was being resawn down to 3/4" thickness. Blade only came up just over halfway into the board...should have been over an inch between the blade and the top of the board...board was trying to tilt away from the fence...thumb was applying down pressure..fingers were to keep the board vertical in the cut....Edge on the bottom was trying to move away from the fence.

The Stiles are 32" long, BTW...My right hand was doing the pushing...with plenty of clearance from the blade...

Tablesaw runs an 8-1/4" blade...there is a 1/4" Zero Clearance Overlay to keep things from dropping down into the saw ( VERY BAD throat plate design...) Stiles are 2-5/8" wide. Do the math.

Last time I was bit by a tablesaw blade...I had turned the saw OFF...was trying to free 2" foam Board that was jammed in the splitter...blade was still freewheeling down when it hit in the middle of my left index fingernail....and THAT is NOT the way to trim fingernails. Was working at a site, where we were casting concrete slabs, that are then stood erect to form walls of a factory...foam is the middle layer of a 12" thick wall...we place the first layer of concrete, then "pin" the foam in place using special pins. Needed a few panels to fill in a couple tighter spots, like around a doorway form...and they were needed NOW. That was over 31 years ago....left index finger is 1/8" shorter than the right one.

Whenever I start to get in a hurry around a spinny blade, I usually STOP, and think it over...and see if there is a different set-up I could use. I had already ran all the rails through this set-up, and 3 of the 4 stiles...and this was the first of 2 passes to complete the thicknessing operation....Push it through, rotate 180, run the other edge through...Might have been getting a bit tired that day...

I do have that yellow, plastic push stick....there is also another one..built with 1/4" plywood attached into an old handsaw handle...for doing narrow work...the plywood "blade is notched to both push the piece along, and hold it down...with my pushing hand well above things, holding the old saw handle...left hand is able to catch the parts before they fall to the floor, well beyond the blade..

[Mike Allen1010]

I am sure he is about as careful and experienced as he can be. Imho this is a humble reminder that no matter how much we love our pet, a lion is ultimately a lion.

Well said Prashun

[steven c newman]

Well, been a week..how is it healing up?
488414
Not doing too bad, actually....

[Ed Hilton]

a reenactment, so to speak (with the saw off).
With the younger folks today, it has to be a video or they won’t watch it.

[steven c newman]

Where my tablesaw USUALLY sits in the shop...the stairs that lead up to the rest of the house is almost in line with that blade...

Noticed this on the way back upstairs the other day...
488832
This is a 1 x 1 x 1 cube,,,sitting on the fifth step from the bottom....I had just shut the saw off....a cut-off was near the blade.. I had turned away from the saw..when I heard a "ding, ding, ding..thud...most of that cut off was still on the saw....just turned 180 degrees from where I last saw it sitting....there WAS a split in the board about there...

[Derek Cohen]

In sympathy I mention this: about two months ago I was using the bandsaw. Usually a moving blade has me hyper vigilant, but on this occasion I clearly was not. The blade was moving invisibly fast and the bandsaw was quiet, so much so that I forgot that it was on. I reached across the table … at which point my right forefinger blushed the blade. It was like an electric shock - I instinctively pulled away, which saved my finger. There was a deep cut on two, with the nail corner removed. I did what any other red-blooded woodworker would do … slapped on some blue tape and continued. Jokes aside, the shock of the contact remained vivid for days. It could have been so much worse. Pay attention all the time.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[William Fretwell]

My workshop is slap bang across the street from the town ambulance station. The noisy reminders as they leave remind me to be vigilant! Worst case; I may be their first walk in but I’m rather set in my safe operating ways.

[Assaf Oppenheimer]

I spend most of my days sewing up people who make these mistakes. Please be careful, woodworking isnt half as fun without fingers

[James Pallas]

I always feel badly for people injured while working wood. The focus here should be on how to prevent it. In your own shop you can do as you wish. Home made, not expensive, feather board or boards, a push stick and the 6” rule would most likely have prevented this injury. My fifty plus years of woodworking will not shield me, it just allows me to know better.
Jim

[steven c newman]

So that one person's "mistakes" can teach others NOT to do that "Mistake"....

No feather board..because the thin off-cut would have been pressed against the spinning blade,,,causing things to either jam up...or get thrown to the rear via kick back...


The operation was to rip about a 1/8" ( or less) from the face of a 2-3/4" piece...Blade can only reach up maybe 1/2 way....piece was also 32" long...piece was being run through on it's edges..with maybe a 1/16" overlap. Piece was also rough sawn...so there was some variance along the way...some thicker, some thinner....I happened to find a thinner stretch, is all..where that 3" long section was already down to the 3/4" thickness I was trying to get to. Which is why the blade came out the side of the piece.

The thickness of that off-cut was around 1/16" thick, btw.....as I was going from around 7/8"- 15/16" thickness down to 3/4" and I do not have a planer in MY shop....

Other shops?

[andy bessette]

...No feather board..because the thin off-cut would have been pressed against the spinning blade,,,causing things to either jam up...or get thrown to the rear via kick back...

Feather boards are not positioned at the blade, but rather before it.

[steven c newman]

THIS post was more of a WARNING to others, so that someone else doesn't make the same mistakes.

Also, not every saw can even USE a feather board...just because yours does.

A warning to ALWAYS keep your eyes focused on what you are doing....NEVER, EVER look away during any operation....always have a clear view of what is going on...