How Stupid Can I Get Around a Tablesaw???

[Ed Garrett]

How stupid can I get?


Last weekend I was cutting little stuff on the tablesaw, then I:
Took a break to vacuum off the surface
:cool: Grabbed the vacuum hose
:cool: Reached to flip on the Shop Vac

{Flipped on the table saw instead}

:cool: Proceeded to swipe the vacuum attachment across the cast iron top

:confused: Hmmm. It's not picking up any sawdust
:confused: It sounds like it's running just fine
But it doesn't feel like there's much airflow

:confused: That's odd. It doesn't even sound like it's under a load
:rolleyes: I'll look in the hose and see if there's a clog
:cool: I'll just pull off the brush attachment and set it here by the saw blade

:eek: "Oh ____" the saw blade is spinning
:eek: I could have cut my hand off...

Apparently I was thinking ahead to the next operation when reached to flip on the vacuum. Out of habit I must have flipped on the tablesaw instead. Still thinking ahead, I didn't even notice the sound difference.

All I can say is that I got lucky...

Sincerely,
Ed Garrett

[David DeCristoforo]

Just be glad it was just the DC's hose that got cut. Sometimes a "close call" is a good thing. It can be a "wake up call" when you become just a little too confident.

[Bob Hoffmann]

That was one of the few cases that paints a good case for using a blade guard!

[David DeCristoforo]

"...paints a good case for using a blade guard!"

That and for not sitting on your table saw....

[Richard M. Wolfe]

Habit, either short term or long term. Every time I use the saw whenever I'm not cutting anything (specifically working at the saw) it gets turned off. I've already worn out the switch that came with it.

We set up a new saw at a new location at a new shop and I do work both there and at my shop. New saw, new switch location. I don't know how many times I've waved my hand back and forth under the table before I conciously thought, "D'oh".

[Gary Keedwell]

I try to keep in the habit of lowering my blade all the way down when I'm through but I only seem to do it 50% of the time:o

Gary K.

[Jim Becker]

I try to keep in the habit of lowering my blade all the way down when I'm through but I only seem to do it 50% of the time
.

I'm doing that, too, Gary. And my MiniMax saw and J/P both also have an electrical cutout switch which I turn off when I leave the shop or are changing cutters or something.

-----
Ed...glad to hear you discovered "the problem" before it became a REAL problem!

[Bill Wyko]

I'd be movin some switches right now.:eek:

[Bruce Benjamin]

That was one of the few cases that paints a good case for using a blade guard!

Or...just vary the circumstances slightly but keep the same low level of attention and it's one of the many cases that paints a good case for using a blade guard. I'm glad there was no bloodshed this time...

Bruce

[Josiah Bartlett]

After I changed to a Unisaw it took me a bit of time to get used to the blade spin-down time. I had shut off the motor and set a caul with glue on it on the table top for a minute, it hit the slowly rotating blade, and flung it up against my shirt. Of course, the glue side was down. The shirt took a lot of hair with it when I took it off later that day.

[glenn bradley]

Thanks goodness for those blade guards. That sounds like a good 'heads-up' that it's time to knock off for a few and have some coffee or go to bed. Glad that was just a warning shot over the bow ;-)

I can relate to Josiah's tale as well. My TS and RT both take a long time to spin down even after the "brake" kicks in. I find myself staring at the cutter as if hypnotized until I'm sure it's done.