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Thread: Shouldn't Have Been Cutting - Sawstop Saved My Finger or Worse

  1. 01-03-2021, 4:34 PM #1
    Mike Shields
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    Shouldn't Have Been Cutting - Sawstop Saved My Finger or Worse

    I have been struggling on how to get some dimensions correct on a project, and was getting frustrated.
    In haste to make some progress, I wasn't paying close enough attention, and after pushing the miter fence through
    to the complete the cut, the saw BANGED.

    After gathering my senses, I tried to figure out why the brake engaged, but nothing was obvious. About 30 minutes
    later, I decided to look at my right hand, and then saw a nick that wasn't even bleeding. If this was any other saw, I would
    have lost my middle finger, or worse.

    First accident ever with a WW'ing tool, and I'm at least glad it was on the SawStop:
    SawStop middle finger.jpg
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  3. 01-03-2021, 5:22 PM #2
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    Jim Becker
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    Wow....that was fortuitous for you, Mike...'glad you were uninjured for sure!
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...
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  4. 01-03-2021, 5:22 PM #3
    Carroll Courtney
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    Good testimony for Saw Stop and yourself knowing that it will work if ever needed.
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  5. 01-03-2021, 5:28 PM #4
    Jack Frederick
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    Life is a humbling experience. Thanks for sharing and glad you are ok.
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  6. 01-03-2021, 5:30 PM #5
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    Brian Tymchak
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    Glad you're OK Mike.

    I had one misfire on me while I was volunteering at the local furniture bank. With hearing protection on I never heard the bang. With the blade guard covering the blade, I couldn't easily see the blade had dropped. For several seconds I couldn't figure out why the saw was not cutting. We couldn't figure out why it fired.
    Brian

    "Any intelligent fool can make things bigger or more complicated...it takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." - E.F. Schumacher
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  7. 01-03-2021, 5:31 PM #6
    jim sauterer
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    Glad to hear a good story glad you are ok
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  8. 01-03-2021, 5:54 PM #7
    Frederick Skelly
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    Man that's scary. Very glad you are ok! But that saw just paid for itself, the cartridge and the blade.
    Thanks for the safety reminder.
    Fred
    "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

    “If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”
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  9. 01-03-2021, 6:34 PM #8
    John Lanciani
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    Seems like a bit of an odd spot for a contact, have you determined the sequence of events yet? Safe to say there was no blade guard in play?
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  10. 01-03-2021, 6:37 PM #9
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    Tony Zona
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    How did you get you middle finger that far up while using the miter fence? It is good you did not get hurt worse, but I cannot visualize what position you were in.
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  11. 01-03-2021, 6:58 PM #10
    Roger Feeley
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    I’ve had a Sawstop for about five years. I’ve had three brake fires and all were my fault. No flesh involved. Just a mis adjusted miter gauge.
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  12. 01-03-2021, 7:22 PM #11
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    Mike Henderson
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    Your story is why I bought a SawStop. I like using my fingers. I had two activations from fingers.

    In case you don't know this, SawStop will give you a new brake if you send the old one in. It has to be one where there was flesh contact, not where you hit your miter gauge or something else. Go to their web site and they'll be a place where you can report the accident and get an RMA.

    Mike
    Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.
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  13. 01-03-2021, 7:42 PM #12
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    Lee Schierer
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    Glad you are okay. One of my shop rules is to quit after the second mistake made in any single shop session.
    Lee Schierer
    USNA '71
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  14. 01-03-2021, 7:51 PM #13
    Ron Citerone
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    Glad you are ok, things can happen fast!
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  15. 01-04-2021, 12:10 AM #14
    johnny means
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    lol. I see what you did. Subversion at it's best.
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  16. 01-04-2021, 9:54 AM #15
    David Utterback
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    Glad you are ok. I bought my SawStop after making contact with blade on my PM66. Minor injury to tip of thumb with a few stitches. Thankfully, the blade was only 1/8" above the throat plate.

    My inattention was the cause and the injection to numb the area before stitches was incredibly painful. I have been shy of the workshop ever since with not a single major project started.
    Rustic? Well, no. That was not my intention!
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