Public Service Announcement

[ChuckM]

Thank you for sharing that. A former co-worker of mine (with some 45 years of experience of using woodworking tools) also had a similar finger accident with his tablesaw last summer. His pain was pretty long lasting despite the cut spot looked perfectly fine. His wife gave him two choices: a SawStop or Festool plunge cut saw; he chose the latter after considering the amount of hobby woodworking he still does.

I know many people who still insist that when it comes to tablesaw safety, the only thing that matters is what is between the ears. Call me anything, but I protect myself with a SawStop. During the past three years of ownership, I have turned off the finger-saving feature only once -- to make one single cut.

At the risk of being labelled as a hold-down champion, I must encourage every owner of the Kapex to use the hold-down clamp whenever possible (almost 100% of time for me). I find a mitresaw more dangerous than a tablesaw (the regular kind). If you really don't need and don't want your hold-down clamp, I am interested in buying one. I like what I see in Cheese's photos:http://festoolownersgroup.com/festo...de-guard-stuck/msg520984/?topicseen#msg520984  Dual clamps!

 

[ChuckM]

I too had an accident after 20+ years on a tablesaw. Luckily I had purchased a SawStop a few years earlier and damage was only a little groove about the width of the blade on my thumb and it healed up quickly without even a scar. I have never been one to keep that blade guard on, but I always did (an continue to) use push sticks and weatherboards when possible. I am so glad for you that you were not using a dado set.

Please consider installing its over-the-table dust collection system (among the best, if not the best dust collection for cabinet saws). It gives you great incentive to leave the guard on (which is an essential part of the dust collection system). Except for cuts like dado cuts or narrow cuts, you would not want to remove the guard because it really sucks (dust)! With my filtration system on, I now don't even wear a mask at the tablesaw even when I cut MDF (unless they are strips).

 

[ear3]

Glad the incident wasn't worse [member=10147]jobsworth[/member] and it was just a finger tip this time, and a great reminder that it can happen to anyone no matter the amount of experience.

Gonna be extra careful tomorrow on my Table Saw.  Don't have the Sawstop, but I do have the Jessem TS stock guides, which add an extra level of safety:http://www.jessem.com/clear-cut-ts-stock-guides.html 

 

[Jimdude]

Just last week Matthias Wandel put up a movie of sticking his finger in his running table saw (no real harm done, btw). Watching the movie, it is easy to proclaim: "Yebbut, that has got to be the dumbest move I've ever seen, leaning over a running blade like that", but, well, you know, it ALWAYS starts with something dumb.

Table saws scare me. As such, I've gotten rid of mine, eventhough I never even removed the guard. Sure I'm not as "productive" - as if that matters for a hobbiest - now that I have to do everything with the plunge saw, but handling machinery while quite literally shaking in your boots is just not worth the hassle.

 

[geoffshep]

Sometimes, it is the most unexpected things that catch you out.

I had a batch of paving slabs standing upright in a crate - some leaning to one side, some to the other.  It turns out the crate wasn't exactly level, so the ones on the 'high' side were almost vertical. The stack on the right fell over against the ones on the left, trapping my fingers.

View attachment 1

The sharp edge, and the weight of the slabs, was enough to cut through all 4 fingers - and right through the tendon in my middle finger.  Don't enlarge the next picture if you are squeamish!  And wear gloves!

View attachment 2

 

[Tinker]

I have seen the samething happen when a friend tried to hlp me on a job. Luckily, Iwas there to pry the pile away so h only ended up with a few bruises.  This past weekend, I was moving some cement blocks and another friend wanted to help me. I was putting ties (6x6) and some mason materials into the bucket of my tractor.  I told the guy I would handle he concrete blocks, but he jusy grabbed one and very quickly slid the block into the loader bucket nearly trapping his hand between bucket and block. I hate when people try to help with heavy items when they are not used to handling same. 
Tinker

 

[RDMuller]

Festool has done 2 outstanding things for woodworker safety while conducting their business:
1.  The tracksaw and TS55 and TS75 greatly improve wood worker safety, particularly when doing things like breaking up sheet goods like plywood, MDF etc.  And the system cuts accurately -- limited only by operator proficiency!
2.  And now SawStop!

These 2 systems complement each other from a safety standpoint.  Thank you to the Stoll family and employees for all of the work they have done and continue to do .

 

[Tinker]

Festool has done 2 outstanding things for woodworker safety while conducting their business:
1.  The tracksaw and TS55 and TS75 greatly improve wood worker safety, particularly when doing things like breaking up sheet goods like plywood, MDF etc.  And the system cuts accurately -- limited only by operator proficiency!
2.  And now SawStop!

These 2 systems complement each other from a safety standpoint.  Thank you to the Stoll family and employees for all of the work they have done and continue to do .

 

[Tinker]

Oops!  I must have pushed the wrong button.  It just shows how mistakes can happen.
I agree about Festools contribution to safety.  The tracksaw is a very important safety device.

I have been using table saws for about 70 years off and on.  I have never had an accident to either hand.  That is somewhat related to the fear. I don't mean I was feared using a table saw, but I recognized the danger.  When I piched up my very first ATF 55 with its track, There was no more worry about feeding my fingers to the monster.  I threw away my Crapsman TS and decided never o use another table saw.

A douple of years ago, I decided to get a small portable table saw.  I found it to be handy in many ways >>> but

 

[Stone Message]

Ron's mishap has prompted me to share a simple workshop safety gadget that I have made for cutting small pieces on the Kapex.

I have created a new thread which can be found here:
http://festoolownersgroup.com/various-woodworking-crafts-topics/nifty-neatos-1-video/

Peter

 

[Sparktrician]

I have to give full credit to my gunsmith on one thing (others, too, but this was most applicable here).  He said that there are days when it seems that little, if anything, is going right.  When he's having one of those "out of balance days", he just shuts down and goes home rather than mess up a customer's weapon.  I've adopted that thinking. 

 

[Tinker]

I have to give full credit to my gunsmith on one thing (others, too, but this was most applicable here).  He said that there are days when it seems that little, if anything, is going right.  When he's having one of those "out of balance days", he just shuts down and goes home rather than mess up a customer's weapon.  I've adopted that thinking.

I was a mason contractor for many moons.  I loved doing stonework and was fortunate to land many bragging right jobs. Some days, every stone found a place almost immediately.  I would be on a roll and did not want to quit.  There were times, tho, when I just could not see how anything was going to fit. Those days, I would just take a walk in the woods to clear my head. If the walk in the woods did not work, i just quit for the day and either went to another job or home.  I did not fight the feeling.  When I returned, the same stones were in the pile, but they all seemed to jump into place.
Tinker

 

[peter halle]

Ron,

From personal experience please don't push yourself to "get back in the saddle".  If you are uneasy, just walk away.

In 2003 I fell off of a two story roof onto a set of steps leading to deck.  I walked away sore after picking up my tools and ladders.  It took me far longer than a year before I could get onto a roof again. 

What is right for you is right for you in time.

Peter

 

[Cheese]

I like what I see in Cheese's photos:http://festoolownersgroup.com/festo...de-guard-stuck/msg520984/?topicseen#msg520984  Dual clamps!

Dual clamps, but NOT used at the same time...that's the most important element. Dual clamps used at the same time capture an off-cut, provide no escape route and will ensure a catastrophic problem.

 

[Cheese]

I have to give full credit to my gunsmith on one thing (others, too, but this was most applicable here).  He said that there are days when it seems that little, if anything, is going right.  When he's having one of those "out of balance days", he just shuts down and goes home rather than mess up a customer's weapon.  I've adopted that thinking.

Ya, a friend of mine loves to say in French, there's a time to make things happen and there's a time to let things happen.

It's so true...forcing an issue just doesn't work, but when the synergy is right, the success is inevitable.

 

[ChuckM]

I like what I see in Cheese's photos:http://festoolownersgroup.com/festo...de-guard-stuck/msg520984/?topicseen#msg520984  Dual clamps!

Dual clamps, but NOT used at the same time...that's the most important element. Dual clamps used at the same time capture an off-cut, provide no escape route and will ensure a catastrophic problem.

By dual clamps, I meant the convenience you have of a hold-down clamp on either side of the blade. Sometimes, when I make angle cuts, I have to switch back and forth the stock on the opposite side of the blade and repositioning the clamp after each cut is not fun.

Are there any more affordable third-party hold-down clamps for the Kapex?

 

[Cheese]

By dual clamps, I meant the convenience you have of a hold-down clamp on either side of the blade.

Ya, I understand your statement completely, I spent the extra $$ for the second hold down strictly because of convenience. I don't like to spend money more than anyone else does, however convenience plays a huge part in my expenditures. 40 years ago, I had more time than money, 40 years hence I now have more money (that's relative) than time.

 

[Bob Marino]

Ron,

From personal experience please don't push yourself to "get back in the saddle".  If you are uneasy, just walk away.

In 2003 I fell off of a two story roof onto a set of steps leading to deck.  I walked away sore after picking up my tools and ladders.  It took me far longer than a year before I could get onto a roof again. 

What is right for you is right for you in time.

Peter

Good advice, Pete.

 

[sancho57]

I feel good about getting on the bike again. After talking to a lot of people here, other sites, that finishing class I took, the majority of them have had injuries.

What I am kicking myself over is I just remembered a different technique/set up that I could of used the TS 55 and guide rail to do the same cut and I wouldnt of had the accident.

Live and learn...

 

[Tinker]

I feel good about getting on the bike again. After talking to a lot of people here, other sites, that finishing class I took, the majority of them have had injuries.

What I am kicking myself over is I just remembered a different technique/set up that I could of used the TS 55 and guide rail to do the same cut and I wouldnt of had the accident.

Live and learn...

Oh, and if we had some ham, we could make ham sandwiches.