Shop Safety

[pkunk]

Yesterday, resawing a board, it bound -flipped with my fingers on top of it-kicked back 20 feet to the garage door-and then I saw the blood. http://www.woodworkslive.com/Smileys/default/scared_smilie.gif The blade made hamburger out of the top of my index finger and part of the nail up to the second knuckle and took a chunk out of the anterior side as well. It also got a piece off the end of the middle finger. Xray showed a small fracture in the first joint of the index finger. The kirf closed up on the board. Just a riving knife would have prevented this, but my 17 YO Grizzly 1023 tablesaw is probably due for retirement anyways. This is my second & last trip to the ER for this kind of incident.
On the plus side, my buddy at the other local cabinet shop is coming on Wed. to help me finish the job. He's dropping everything to bail me out.
Tomorrow. I make the call to order the Sawstop. http://www.woodworkslive.com/Smileys/default/grin.gif http://www.sawstop.com/
My point to this post is.....even though I am a professional, was being attentive and careful, it still happened. Many if not most of you have home shops with tablesaws. They are the most dangerous tool in the shop. This board shot back 20 ft. and hit the big door at 100 mph.:shock:
I was talking about the Sawstop 2 weeks ago but decided to wait until after vacation to get one. Many small shops and hobby woodworkers can not afford one, but can you afford to be in my situation or lose a finger or 4?
Just a heads up, folks. Be careful.:mrgreen:

[c6craig]

pkunk -

I've been trying to convince myself to spring for a SawStop for a few weeks now. I agree with you that the cost simply cannot outweigh the possible damage I could do to myself with a tablesaw, especially as I am new to the whole woodworking world and having to learn much of this through trial and error.

I appreciate a post like this from a professional - too often I see the pros with comments like "If you can't use the big toys you shouldn't be touching them". It's nice to see someone who does this for a living just man up and say mistakes happen, no matter how much time you have in.

Thankfully the damage done wasn't much worse than it was, I enjoy your posts and insight on this board and wish you a very speedy recovery.

Best wishes,
Craig

[PCW]

Paul

Sorry to hear about the accident and wish a spedy recovery. Thanks for the heads up.

[twiceretired]

Paul
Sorry to hear about your accident, I hope that the healing goes well and fast. I bloused a couple, one on a table saw, another on a drill press, lesson well learned. My most embarrassing moment was when I went back to get the dressing removed, the Dr. grabbed me by that finger, and parade me around the Hospital showing everyone what a good job he did. That’s Air Force Doc’s for ya.

[Deolman]

Paul, sorry to hear this happened to you. Understandably it could have been a lot worse and I am glad it wasn't. I hope your post turns into a important reminder to all of us that an accident is only a heartbeat away. I decided that one of these GRR-Rippers:

http://www.microjig.com/

may help me to keep all of my fingers. It did on one kick-back already. I liked it so much I now have two of them. I use them on my jointer and router and anything else that needs to me to push a board through it. Paul, I hope you mend fast. - Deolman

[Kenm810]

Paul,

I appreciate Your post, and am sorry to read of your misfortune with the table saw,
like everyone else I also wish you a speedy recovery.
Over the years I've had a few close calls on table saws, plus a couple of other shop tools.
From time to time I have to thank the guy upstairs, that I still have all ten fingers to count with.

[liquidguitars]

Paul,
Hope you get better soon.


Brandon

[DocWheeler]

Paul,

Just saw this and want to add my voice to the others -
Thanks for the reminder, get yourself mended, and get back to work:mrgreen:

[JDPratt]

I don't want to sound unsympathetic and maybe I don’t fully understand what you were trying to accomplish, but "Resawing on a table saw"? I think this is a recipe for disaster. Resawing should be done on the bandsaw whenever possible with all the proper safety mechanisms in place. For others out there keep in mind the dangerous forces at work here and how kickback can cause very, very, serious injuries or worse. I have seen and heard to many close calls and injuries when people don't fully respect the tools they are working with, use the wrong tool for the job, or become complacent in the shop. PKUNK I know you are a professional and thanks for driving safety to the forefront where it belongs in every shop. Hopefully, the damage was not so extensive to keep you from your chosen profession. Get well and get back on the horse.

[pkunk]

I agree the bandsaw is the right tool for the job and should have explained more. I stripped the threads on the lower bearing block and was waiting for a replacement part. With only a few more pieces to cut, I decided to do it the way I did. With good wood, it is not dangerous, & the alder I've been using has been, with no reaction wood in the lot. I just happened to find that one bad piece at the wrong time. Granted, a second push stick, riving knife/splitter, or antikickback pawls wold have made the operation safer.

I don't want to sound unsympathetic and maybe I don’t fully understand what you were trying to accomplish, but "Resawing on a table saw"? I think this is a recipe for disaster. Resawing should be done on the bandsaw whenever possible with all the proper safety mechanisms in place. For others out there keep in mind the dangerous forces at work here and how kickback can cause very, very, serious injuries or worse. I have seen and heard to many close calls and injuries when people don't fully respect the tools they are working with, use the wrong tool for the job, or become complacent in the shop. PKUNK I know you are a professional and thanks for driving safety to the forefront where it belongs in every shop. Hopefully, the damage was not so extensive to keep you from your chosen profession. Get well and get back on the horse.

[cnsranch]

Sorry, Paul.

It is amazing just how fast you can get hurt in the shop, no matter how careful you are.

Hope you don't have long-term problems, it will be sensitive, but if you can use it, that's all the best (unless you were a hand model:rolleyes:)

As careful as we try to be, accidents usually happen when we get in a hurry, or try to do something that doesn't "smell right". Best thing is to remember that if it smells like a duck, it probably is.

That said, you're a perfect example of a guy that knows exactly what he's doing, and can still get hurt.

Should make the rest of us think about it for a while.

[atauer]

Paul,

I know 'xactly how you feel. I was cutting some plywood into strips a few years back and hit a piece of metal in the ply. Wound up shooting the plywood back at me and in the process, took the tip off of one of the fingers on my left hand.

I hate plywood. Hope you get better soon!

[SteveEJ]

Paul,
I hope you heal fast and thanks for sharing the experience.

[badger]

I hope you heal fast and are able to get back to work. Nice to have friends to step in and help out when needed.

[BBrooks]

Glad you escaped serious injury and thanks for the reminder to us all. I took a kickback in the gut a couple of months ago. Just had to make one cut and figured i wouldn't put the splitter in for one cut...same story.
Hope you heal quickly, saftey first folks!
Cheers,

[bdahlem]

I gotta tell you, you won't regret the Saw Stop. I've been using one in my scene shop for several years now, and I wouldn't go back. In addition to the safety aspects, it's a nice table saw.

[TerryT]

Paul,
If it can happen to someone as experienced as you... it can happen to anyone! Thanks for the reminder.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Paul,

Wishing you a speedy recovery.....

I have been lucky.... I am extra careful but it happens when you least expect it....

AL

[www.go3d.us]

I had one of those movement, luckily I kept my fingers away from the blade, literally. Found my stick of wood in the bush 15 feet away :)

Well, hope you get a fast recovery.

HT