PSA. I apologize in advance if this video has been posted and discussed here before. I just saw it on YouTube and it blew my mind. Had to watch a couple of times to fully understand how a minor little oversight on the table saw can have devastating consequences. Highly recommended.
An interesting insight into the foibles of TS usage.
It still amazes me, as one from the European & British traditions of woodworking, that TS use in The States is still shown with a continuing inability of users to see all the risks, despite the advent of saw-stop and lots of videos like this one.
There is the Nubby fellow showing us how to be aware of a certain kickback phenomenon whilst ignoring the obvious solution, to not only that particular sort of kick back but also to the imminent danger of him cutting off his thumb and.or finger from his left hand as he uses it to help push the workpiece at the unguarded blade!
The solution to this issue (and many others with a TS) is to employ a fingerboard to press the workpiece against the fence, in front of the blade. The fingerboard fingers stop just before the front of the blade. They point forward and have some spring in them, so that when the workpiece is past the front of the blade and the fingers, those fingers spring forward a little. This will prevent the offcut from coming backwards as it'll hit the fingers. Only a push-stick is used to move the workpiece through the blade, not one's vulnerable flesh-fingers and thumb.
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This particular video is at least showing one danger of TS use, even as it completely ignores another - the left hand operating in lieu of a finger-board, risking loss of the flesh fingers rather than a bit of plastic, should there be a second's inattention. But there are still 50 videos to this one that show no concern for TS safety at all - no riving knife, guard, finger board; and fellows bringing their digits to within millimetres of that bare spinning blade as they stand right in the firing line of the highly-possible kickback.
Most amazing of all, this potentially self-harming behaviour occurs in a nation in which any serious injury risks the loss of your house and every other one of your worldly goods as the "health care" system fleeces any and all of the unlucky bleeders with their fingers in an ice-pack!
I have evidence of two . . . ummmmm . . . incidents approximately 15 feet away from and in line with my tablesaw.
One is a 1/2" hole in the door on the cabinet that holds my shaper cutters. The other is a hole in the drywall about three feet above the hole in the cabinet door.
I always point out the holes to anyone that wants to get comfortable on my stool at the workbench while I am using the tablesaw. When I say "Don't sit there now." and show them the holes, they move.
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(02-11-2021, 07:21 AM)Capel Sion Wrote: An interesting insight into the foibles of TS usage.
It still amazes me, as one from the European & British traditions of woodworking, that TS use in The States is still shown with a continuing inability of users to see all the risks, despite the advent of saw-stop and lots of videos like this one.
There is the Nubby fellow showing us how to be aware of a certain kickback phenomenon whilst ignoring the obvious solution, to not only that particular sort of kick back but also to the imminent danger of him cutting off his thumb and.or finger from his left hand as he uses it to help push the workpiece at the unguarded blade!
The solution to this issue (and many others with a TS) is to employ a fingerboard to press the workpiece against the fence, in front of the blade. The fingerboard fingers stop just before the front of the blade. They point forward and have some spring in them, so that when the workpiece is past the front of the blade and the fingers, those fingers spring forward a little. This will prevent the offcut from coming backwards as it'll hit the fingers. Only a push-stick is used to move the workpiece through the blade, not one's vulnerable flesh-fingers and thumb.
*********
This particular video is at least showing one danger of TS use, even as it completely ignores another - the left hand operating in lieu of a finger-board, risking loss of the flesh fingers rather than a bit of plastic, should there be a second's inattention. But there are still 50 videos to this one that show no concern for TS safety at all - no riving knife, guard, finger board; and fellows bringing their digits to within millimetres of that bare spinning blade as they stand right in the firing line of the highly-possible kickback.
Most amazing of all, this potentially self-harming behaviour occurs in a nation in which any serious injury risks the loss of your house and every other one of your worldly goods as the "health care" system fleeces any and all of the unlucky bleeders with their fingers in an ice-pack!
wow. You pack a lot in one post. Get if all off your chest.
I said "holy ----" when I saw him pushing with the left hand. He really is going to be stumpy nubs with technique like that.
I would never cut a bevel on something so narrow just using a fence. Pretty decent chance his right hand goes into the blade too. The thing people don't seem to think about is what if some part of their setup disappears or goes in an unexpected direction.
wow. You pack a lot in one post. Get if all off your chest.
[/quote]
Now then, now then! I yam getting it off my chest so you don't get them off your hand (your digits, that is). Mind, I realise that some fellows "don't need no stinkin' safety" as they are rough & tough and never make an error.
On the other hand, there is the alternative of buying a saw-stop TS, which allows anyone to shove their fingers into the blade as many times as they like albeit at a significant cost per shove. Still, it can't be as bad as those enormous medical bills and the risk of an opiate addiction, as the finger-less lad discovers the bluddy things still ache like mad even though they're not there!
Here's a pic of some safety thingies. These too cost less than 1,000,000th of a US medical bill!
Capel, still able to raise 8 fingers and 2 thumbs in various configurations. :-)
(02-11-2021, 08:17 AM)EricU Wrote: I said "holy ----" when I saw him pushing with the left hand. He really is going to be stumpy nubs with technique like that.
I would never cut a bevel on something so narrow just using a fence. Pretty decent chance his right hand goes into the blade too. The thing people don't seem to think about is what if some part of their setup disappears or goes in an unexpected direction.
I cringed too when I saw him make that cut. Way too narrow for me. Wonder if doing it on Saw Stop gives a "perceived" sense of security in that the saw will protect him. I would have used some kind of a sled or better still do some cut planning ahead of time so I don't end up cutting small / narrow pieces on the table saw.
My 10th grade furniture shop teacher introduced our class to the tablesaw but forcing a piece of oak to kick-back and slam into a metal tool cabinet. The dents from years of class demonstrations were a constant reminder every time we went near that cabinet. That was 45 yrs ago and I'm still mindful. Good lesson, Mr. H.
Got to be honest here. I'm sure I've made many cuts that had small little pieces remaining. After watching the video, I was surprised how forceful that kickback was on such a small, non-trapped cut-off. It's just not something you think could happen, but I guess we now know.
Telling a man he has too many tools,
is like telling a woman she has too many shoes.
I had a couple of those types of kickbacks on my old Craftsman TS. This saw was a direct drive, .75hp, glorified benchtop saw that was so underpowered I could probably stall it cutting styrofoam.
One time a piece kicked back into my stomach. It left a welt and a bruise that lasted over a week. Another time, a narrow cut off slipped through the gap in the throat plate, shot to the floor, but was stopped by the top of my foot. I was wearing sneakers at the time, but like before, it left a lasting impression. I actually limped for a day or so because of that. I would never have imagined this saw could hurt me, short me sticking my hand in the running blade, but even a weak, POJ table saw can do harm.
If you are going down a river at 2 mph and your canoe loses a wheel, how much pancake mix would you need to shingle your roof?
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