SHOP SAFETY!!!!!

[scotties22]

I watch Sam's channel (Wyomingwoodtrner)on You Tube often. Sam posted a video yesterday I thought it prudent to share. Maybe it's the mama in me but, PLEASE KEEP SAFETY IN MIND AND BE CAREFUL AT ALL TIMES IN THE SHOP!!!!

When I preview I can't see the video so here is the link in case it doesn't show up below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThMHyEeG8BM

[sandahlpipe]

I've been scared of table saws ever since I was a child and saw a friend's dad cut his fingertips off while I was using the scroll saw. It only takes a second of not paying attention to get hurt.

Thanks, pipe-mom!

[d.huber]

[scotties22]

How did you do that David?

............never mind. I copied your link and see what you did.

[andrew]

Ouch.

[Ocyd]

That doesn't seem to be a good place for those scissors

[Oakbear]

He's not going to change anything he does?
I'd maybe make a little alteration regards fingers and table saws!

Seriously though, we work with dangerous kit. A couple of years ago an Australian turner was killed when the piece flew off the lathe and hit him in the head. It's easy to get complacent.

[caskwith]

He's not going to change anything he does?
I'd maybe make a little alteration regards fingers and table saws!

Seriously though, we work with dangerous kit. A couple of years ago an Australian turner was killed when the piece flew off the lathe and hit him in the head. It's easy to get complacent.

He might not need to, even if you do everything correct you still can't take into account freak accidents. A hidden knot in a piece of wood catches the blade and causing the board to twist taking your hand with it.

[Oakbear]

Fair point. I guess we don't know what happened.
Table saws scare me a fair bit though due to what happens if they catch. If my fingers need to be that close, i'll go for another saw.

[pipedreamer]

I don't have a table saw. I have enough trying to kill me from Governments to chisels. I'm aware always, but know freaky shit happens. Be safe, my friends!!!

[scotties22]

Push sticks and make sure your weight is balanced away from the table. That way if something does happen you aren't falling into the spinning blade of death and destruction!

I have had a few close calls with the band saw and have the scars to prove it. I find the band saw much more intimidating.

[Jthompson1995]

I find the band saw much more intimidating.

I've heard this from a number of people and it is always interesting to me. I feel the exact opposite, the tables saw is a much scarier tool to me.

With a bandsaw, as long as the workpiece is supported, I can take my hands away from what I am cutting, if I need to, and the piece I am cutting stays put. With a table saw, if I move my hands the wrong way, that piece is flying somewhere, most likely at me. I am also usually feeding slower with a band saw so don't do as much damage if I do accidentally touch the blade.

That being said, I think a healthy fear of all of the tools we use is important as it keeps us on our toes when using them. Especially a 36-grit disc spinning at 3000 rpm.

[W.Pastuch]

Staying safe in the shop is essential, losing a finger or three would probably end any pipemaker's career, so yeah, stay safe.
For some reason woodworking machines seem to be a lot more dangerous than metalworking machines, or maybe it's just a matter of how different (size, hardness) the materials are, as well as the fact that machinists probably work more "by the rules" because metal is much less forgiving when it comes to mistakes/tolerances.

P.S.
I got interested and browsed that nice guy's youtube channel... wow, I'm surprized at how useless/impractical most of this woodturning work is... Like, a finial in a tube...? Who would ever pay money for that? Most of those ornamental pieces are in my opinion just "craft for craft's sake". But I bet there's people who collect such work, right? Just to be clear, I don't mean to offend anyone, the man clearly has impressive skills, it's just my ignorance in the field of woodturning that makes me see it that way.

[andrew]

Metal working machines have their own hazards. You don't have to beat razor sharp ribbons off a stummel with a metal pipe. Making long passes on large metal lathes can produce some killer (literally) shavings. I don't know how common that is, but just remembered a buddy explaining one particular job they were doing. They had to keep beating off the long ribbons. Eek.

[Vermont Freehand]

I've used a table saw thousands of times a month for 13 years straight without a problem, but I sure have ground off 1/4" of a finger on a sanding disc, ha. This guy is lucky his "disability" is a couple missing finger tips, lets see him operate that lathe with one eye, haha, or approach a shaping wheel with a 3/4" difference in depth perception

[Sasquatch]

That whole "10,000 hours for mastery" thing? Yeah, I'm probably close on a table saw. 10 fingers. I've buzzed myself once, a tiny little bit, and what saved me then was, as usual, a combination of good technique, posture, care, and just a little luck.

The idea that there are freak accidents, actually unpredictable, is only partly true in my estimation. A guy with 1,000 hours of cutting under his belt SEES the knot, feels the twist, understands as soon as he's cutting that the board is case-hardened and will need a riving knife or a wedge.... and even then, when there's a dirty old nail tucked in that shitty sheet of Chinese plywood, or when that hunk of fir comes hammering back out of the planer..... the operator isn't there. He's somewhere else.

And this goes for fingers near the bandsaw, it goes for when you hoist something with a crane (don't get under that thing). You should be holding the workpiece stiff enough that it doesn't go, but IF IT DOES... you don't go too. Bang, it's gone, broken, fucked and burnt, and you are right where you were a second ago, only the machine is running and there's no workpiece.

I've had kickbacks of every kind, with every kind of tool. Band saw ate an Oom Paul cuz I fucked up. Table saw spat a sheet of plywood cuz I fucked up. Chain saw came out fast from that big sticky pine cuz I fucked up. And each and every time, I'm okay because I planned for it with my positioning, my safety gear, my focus, and my understanding of the tool.

This is not to say I'm "safe" - this stuff can only be so safe. But the guys in every industry who go home day after day have a routine of safety that they follow invariably - it's second nature and can't be turned off.

[mightysmurf8201]

But the guys in every industry who go home day after day have a routine of safety that they follow invariably - it's second nature and can't be turned off.

Hit the nail on the head there. I've been a tactical operator most of my adult life, and have done some CRAZY shit. When people hear of the things I've done and been through, they are surprised I'm still around to tell the tail. The one thing though, that is always #1 on my mind and of those I work with, is safety. If we don't feel comfortable and safe doing it, we don't do it. End of story. It all goes back to what Sas said about it being second nature, but in such a way that it does not just become a check in the box because that breeds complacency. We all understand that if safety precautions are not followed, checks are not done, gear is not inspected, information is not made clear, that it could be game over. The same mind set should be followed when approaching power tools. Taking the few seconds to ensure everything is good to go on the band saw or lathe or whatever cannot be overstated. I for one didn't survive the shit I've done just to be done in by wood lathe, so safety is #1 in my shop at all times. Thanks for bringing this up Scottie.

[Albert.A]

Funny I should see this post today since I about two hours ago was about half an inch from jaming my finger into the running bandsaw. And I gotta say, that shit is scary as hell, and it sure made me stop for a second to think about what I was doing!

Good thing Scottie remind us about these things, so not everybody have to have a close call like I had today to stop and think about how important safety is.

Thanks.

[PremalChheda]

Maybe it is time to make a sticky about Safety in the tools section?

We can gather some of the previous posts. I think there is enough already on the forum to get us started.

I am always very focused and patient when I use the "Maiming" or "Death" tools in the workshop. I am more concerned about some Drunk or Texting driver ramming into me while driving.

[socrates]

I have had some close/dangerous calls using wood working equipment. Usually as a result of inattention to what I was doing. Came close to losing a finger to a blade on a field radial arm saw. Pay attention to what you are doing.

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