I thought I would post this just to point out how stupid I can be.
Maybe it will help someone else.
Saturday afternoon I decided to continue work on a work bench I've
been working on for a year - almost the whole time I've been
woodworking. I had my homemade crosscut sled on the table saw. It's
design doesn't allow for the original guard. I lifted it off to make
a single rip cut, thinking I wouldn't need the guard for one cut. I
ran the piece through using two hard maple push sticks. Just after it
went through I noticed the cutoff piece dancing by the blade and
decided to move it with the stick. I heard a "click" as the stick
touched the blade and then all hell broke loose. The blade caught the
stick and drove it back into my hand.
The net is, eight stitches in my hand, but no loss of function.
There a couple really stupid things I did here. First of course, is
that the guard wasn't on. This would have completely prevented the
accident. Secondly, if I had cut the way I had been taught, turning
the saw off before removing the piece, it wouldn't have happened.
Finally, my homemade push stick, although very stylish, should not
have come to a point at the back end. (Damn that was stupid!)
One more point - I should have made sure I could get the first aid kit
off of the wall easily. This was the first time it was opened and I
didn't even know what was in it. Although things worked out this time
maybe I need to think this stuff through some more.
I hope that helps other novices. Thanks.
Guppas! wrote:
> There a couple really stupid things I did here. First of course, is
> that the guard wasn't on. This would have completely prevented the
> accident. Secondly, if I had cut the way I had been taught, turning
> the saw off before removing the piece, it wouldn't have happened.
> Finally, my homemade push stick, although very stylish, should not
> have come to a point at the back end. (Damn that was stupid!)
Add to this list...
Push the stock and scrap all the way past the blade at the end of the
cut. If you had pushed it at least 6" past the blade it never would
have been a problem. If there wasn't room to push it past, thats
another problem.
Tried to e-mail you but got a Relaying Denied
message.
I've put up a whole section on KICKBACK on my
site, in the hopes that the info might save
someone some grief. Have a page on push sticks
but had overlooked their potential for being
kicked back. I'd like to include you're
description of your accident in the push stick
area. Of course I need your permission and
can either attribute it to you or leave it
annonymous.
Note the square corners on the simple push stick
in the first illustration on this page
www.wood-workers.com/users/charlieb/KickBack5.html
If it's ok to use please e-mail me
[email protected]
Thanks
charlie b
"Guppas!" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> The net is, eight stitches in my hand, but no loss of function.
Amen to that!
> There a couple really stupid things I did here. First of course, is
> that the guard wasn't on. This would have completely prevented the
> accident. Secondly, if I had cut the way I had been taught, turning
> the saw off before removing the piece, it wouldn't have happened.
> Finally, my homemade push stick, although very stylish, should not
> have come to a point at the back end. (Damn that was stupid!)
Hrm. You know, my push stick has a pointed back end (where I cut it
wrong) -- hadn't even thought of the issue there. I think I'll be making a
new one now.
--randy
All things considered it was your lucky day! Glad to hear you have no
permanent damage, either nerves or missing parts. Thanks for the post, I
need to go shopping tomorrow for a first aid kit.
--
Larry C in Auburn, WA
"Guppas!" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I thought I would post this just to point out how stupid I can be.
> Maybe it will help someone else.
>
> Saturday afternoon I decided to continue work on a work bench I've
> been working on for a year - almost the whole time I've been
> woodworking. I had my homemade crosscut sled on the table saw. It's
> design doesn't allow for the original guard. I lifted it off to make
> a single rip cut, thinking I wouldn't need the guard for one cut. I
> ran the piece through using two hard maple push sticks. Just after it
> went through I noticed the cutoff piece dancing by the blade and
> decided to move it with the stick. I heard a "click" as the stick
> touched the blade and then all hell broke loose. The blade caught the
> stick and drove it back into my hand.
>
> The net is, eight stitches in my hand, but no loss of function.
>
> There a couple really stupid things I did here. First of course, is
> that the guard wasn't on. This would have completely prevented the
> accident. Secondly, if I had cut the way I had been taught, turning
> the saw off before removing the piece, it wouldn't have happened.
> Finally, my homemade push stick, although very stylish, should not
> have come to a point at the back end. (Damn that was stupid!)
>
> One more point - I should have made sure I could get the first aid kit
> off of the wall easily. This was the first time it was opened and I
> didn't even know what was in it. Although things worked out this time
> maybe I need to think this stuff through some more.
>
> I hope that helps other novices. Thanks.
Guppas! wrote:
> The net is, eight stitches in my hand, but no loss of function.
Wow! Glad your hand is relatively OK! My first experience with kickback
was the same as you, I just heard a click and the piece of wood
disappeared. Glad I was not in front of the saw when it happened.
I was working outdoors then, and we found the piece of wood in the backyard
of a house two houses down the street!
--
gabriel
On 19 Jan 2004 11:50:42 -0800, [email protected] (Guppas!) wrote:
>I thought I would post this just to point out how stupid I can be.
>Maybe it will help someone else.
>
>Saturday afternoon I decided to continue work on a work bench I've
>been working on for a year - almost the whole time I've been
>woodworking. I had my homemade crosscut sled on the table saw. It's
>design doesn't allow for the original guard. I lifted it off to make
>a single rip cut, thinking I wouldn't need the guard for one cut. I
>ran the piece through using two hard maple push sticks. Just after it
>went through I noticed the cutoff piece dancing by the blade and
>decided to move it with the stick. I heard a "click" as the stick
>touched the blade
I have found one (fairly) safe way to push a cutoff away from a
spinning blade..... with a shot or compressed air.
>and then all hell broke loose. The blade caught the
>stick and drove it back into my hand.
>
>The net is, eight stitches in my hand, but no loss of function.
>
>There a couple really stupid things I did here. First of course, is
>that the guard wasn't on. This would have completely prevented the
>accident. Secondly, if I had cut the way I had been taught, turning
>the saw off before removing the piece, it wouldn't have happened.
>Finally, my homemade push stick, although very stylish, should not
>have come to a point at the back end. (Damn that was stupid!)
ouch....
>
>One more point - I should have made sure I could get the first aid kit
>off of the wall easily. This was the first time it was opened and I
>didn't even know what was in it. Although things worked out this time
>maybe I need to think this stuff through some more.
>
>I hope that helps other novices. Thanks.
sorry to hear about your hand, but glad it's not worse. Its good to read
these from time to time - I bet it's hard to post something like this to
the whole group (especially typing one handed!) Of the 3 things you said
you did wrong, I also have one to report - I have no clue where the
closest first aid kit (ok, so now I remember, its in the basement with my
duck tape, tarp, sw radio flashlight and 20 gallons of water; thanks
homeland security) is. I'll get one closer to the workshop (erm, studio).