What power tool are you most cautious with?

[Handplanesandmore]

I am now crawling...back into my shop.

[Cooler]

All the stories about radial arm saws has be extra careful, though I have never experienced any issues at all.

[Dave Diaman]

I have seen my fair share of accidents in a shop. We had a guy stab a chisel all the way through his hand after I repeatedly told him not to hold a piece in his hand while trying to shave wood off. I watched a guy slice the whole end of his thumb off on a tablesaw doing something really stupid with all the guards off. I had just built a jig to do the operation safely but he didn't need a stupid jig because he had 40 years of experience. I watched a guy end up getting a whole lot of stitches after he decided to turn his pants into shorts with a utility knife. The problem was he was still wearing the pants. Another guy had his hand sucked into a shaper because he didn't check which way the cutter was spinning on a shaper. I have a friend who is a member here who nearly cut his hand in half with a tablesaw. He admitted that at the time he had no clue what he was doing and had no business on the saw. The most injuries I know of are on a router table and the jointer though. I know three guys who were face jointing boards without push blocks and stuck their hands into the knives when the board came apart on them. Two of the guys had their hand over a knot that exploded. The other guy was jointing a piece that was so thin it blew apart when his hand got over the cutter. All the router table accidents were either the result of a run away climb cut or just not paying attention and catching their fingers. I didn't see all of these accidents happen but I was there to see the outcome. I'm sure you can see a common theme here. Every injury came from the operator doing something that was obviously stupid and dangerous. If you use the guards supplied with a machine and a little common sense you should be able to use all the machines in your shop and keep all your digits.

[Arlin Eastman]

I am not afraid of any of them, however, I do have a list on each tool to look at safety sheet of things to do and things to look for and look out for.

I also read and have ALL the manufactures instructions on the sheets to.

[joedunn26]

I am scared to death by every tool in my shop! 50+ years ago, I learned a very painful lesson while cutting heater hose with a utility knife while working after school, in a gas station. My boss threatened to fire me, if I did not solemnly promise to treat every tool, including electricity, as if it were a mad dog to whom you would never "turn your back." He told me that whenever I pick up a tool, think of the worst possible injury that it could inflict and then proceed accordingly. (To this day, when working with electricity, I imagine what it could do to my tongue.) The lesson has served me well as I have never been injured since.

[Arlin Eastman]

Another fool speaks 




Your fear ran so deep you ditched your Griz saw for a nanny saw 

Careful when you throw stones at glass houses 

signed still using all 10 daily thank you very much mainly becuase  I KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FEAR AND RESPECT 

HTH HAND

Joe

Ease up buddy.  Other people have opinions to and like or dislike tools that they have or got rid of.  It is just personal preference OK.

[K. L. McReynolds]

Maybe I am lucky. I prefer to say I am careful. Now and then I do something not recommended by safety gurus. When I do those things it is for two reasons.

First and foremost, I understand simple physics as it pertains to tools and seldom have to consider what the tool can do if misused. That info is imprinted in my brain.

Second, I understand tools are simply a manner of doing a job. Fast/slow, easily/more difficult, and all have limitations. That means if a tool is not doing the job, there is something wrong. The tool is an incorrect choice, dull(dull tools hurt more operators), malfunctioning, or is being used incorrectly.

 I decide to use a tool for a job after considering which one to use. Now and then just as I start the job, the hair raises on the back of my neck. Seriously, that actually happens. Clear signal to NOT do what I was going to do.

I try not working when over tired or distracted. Those were the main factors that were in effect when I have been injured. Once, was distracted when removing a radiator cap on an overheated truck engine. There was an over the front rack, necessitating leaning over the radiator under a partially opened hood, while attempting to stand sideways between two 3' diameter wire reels. Something I had done a dozen times before. Yes, there is a safe way to do that---but I was talking and not paying attention. 2d degree burns. And, yes, I did that very same thing several times afterward---paying attention---and never had an issue.

I fear no tool but I do have a healthy respect for the ability of the tool to do the job or injure someone if used incorrectly.

[Papa Jim]

treat every tool, including electricity, as if it were a mad dog to whom you would never "turn your back."  

This reminds me of when I got my first table saw. Every time I turned it on I would mentally say "The snake is loose!" I no longer do that but I do occasionally ask myself, "What would a woodworking safety expert have to say about what I am about to do?"  Perhaps I moved from fear to respect as my competancy with the machine improved.  Maybe I can do that with a bandsaw.

[JGrout]

Joe

Ease up buddy.  Other people have opinions to and like or dislike tools that they have or got rid of.  It is just personal preference OK.

 I do not tolerate fools. 

This man is promoting fear which is neither fostering new people to the craft nor educating anyone as to the real danger that you can build in your mind that perpetuates the unrealistic fear that gets people hurt. 

To defend or to stand on the very basic fact that you  fear  anything is based in ignorance and a basic lack of the ability to learn.

[Handplanesandmore]

Since [t]he responsibility of tolerance lies with those who have the wider vision (George Eliot), I tolerate anyone -- even if they speak before they think.