Small Bandsaw Accident

[Larry Fox]

Wanted to post this as a "refresher" because typically when you hear of a shop accident involving a saw it is the tablesaw but my bandsaw gave me a warning bite over the weekend. Nothing serious, just took a small chunk out of the end of my left midle finger (could have been much worse). Was a bit distracted and came a bit too close.

No pics but I can assure you that it did happen! :(

(3-tpi Woodslicer)

[Don Bullock]

Sorry about your accident Larry and I'm glad it wasn't any worse. Your post is a good reminder to all of us that concentrating on what we're doing on all out shop equipment is most important. Yes, they are all dangerous, not just the table saw.

[Jeff Raymond]

Thank goodness you didn't hurt yourself badly.

Yup, the woodshop is a place where diligence is the most important attribute of having a good time.

A friend just told me of an industrial setting where a stationary edge router was being used. The operator jammed the workpiece into it so tightly the bit stopped.

What did the operator do?
















He stuck his finger into the space between the bit and workpiece and the router bit did what it was supposed to do.

Watch yourselves out there.

[frank shic]

Heal up and watch out next time!

[Jim Becker]

Ouch! 'Hope you heal fast!

[glenn bradley]

Glad it wasn't worse. Its always good to post these so we all get a frequent reminder. Some folks tend to consider the BS real safe due to how it operates. Its good to be reminded that it is designed to cut something a lot harder than flesh so be careful. Heal fast.

[Alex Elias]

Glad that you'r ok and you still have all 10. Heal fast and take care of your extremities.

[Kyle Kraft]

Hope you heal up quickly!! Next trip to the local butcher shop, notice the machine they use to cut cow thighs up with. HINT: It is considered one of the safer machines in the woodshop. I think the safest machine in the woodshop is the CD player.

[Bob Feeser]

Sorry to hear about the accident. I hope you have a speedy recovery. Glad to hear that you still have all of your fingers.


I hope we can all learn from each others accidents.

I know with the bandsaw, I have to constantly remind myself, every time I get near it, that even though it is offering a lot of resistance when I am making the cut, as soon as the cut comes to an end, it's going to instantly fly. If something is in that flight path, it's in danger. I purposely slow down my cut toward the end, thereby exerting less pressure.
I am not saying that is what happened in this case, but I think that is the single most important factor in band saw accidents.

I have a friend who when using a circular saw, getting tired, when at the end off a pass, allowed it to drop some, and not having maintained the guard properly, left the blade open, doing damage to the thigh of his leg.


"Protect the most important tool in the shop, and that is you."

[Lawrence See]

I always mutter the mantra "It takes a lot less horsepower for any machine to cut meat than oak".

Gruesomely, Larry