Safety Topic

[Birdhunter]

I think a separate topic should be "Safety Tips".

I've been doing woodworking for many years and have learned a lot of safety lessons, but would love to learn from others.

 

[Jiggy Joiner]

I think a separate topic should be "Safety Tips".

I've been doing woodworking for many years and have learned a lot of safety lessons, but would love to learn from others.

Yes I also agree, it would make good sense to have such topics on a forum such as this, and if it helps people to be more aware and disciplined to stay safe, it can only be a good thing.

 

[Birdhunter]

How do I get Festool to look at this?

 

[semenza]

How do I get Festool to look at this?

I'm looking. I can make sure Festool will see it.

Seth

 

[FestitaMakool]

This is a great idea!
I would love to see users experience as well as recommendations from Festool and alike.
May I suggest a grouping by machine type? And a pinned topic?

 

[Birdhunter]

I think I should have specified a new “Board” within the FOG site.

 

[Vondawg]

I could see this going down a rabbit hole if not planned right. Like a worry wart mother or being afraid of bungee cords .....as if  grown people can’t figure obvious things out

 

[Mike Goetzke]

Yeah might be just a big pile of unread posts. I know it would take maintenance but our work puts out a weekly safety tip usually related to a real life incident. Maybe a weekly of monthly "sticky"?

 

[semenza]

Keep the ideas and thoughts on it coming. No promises, but the idea is good.

Seth

 

[Birdhunter]

.....as if  grown people can’t figure obvious things out

I’m certainly grown at 76 and I’ve been doing woodworking for over 40 years. I’m still learning tricks to reduce the possibility of an injury. I’ve started young friends in this craft and see them doing dangerous things out of inexperience. I’ve been “dinged” by accidents in retrospect seem incredibly obvious.

There is an immense volume of wisdom on this forum. Somehow, there must be a way to share this wisdom.

If one hand, one eye is saved, this would be a worthwhile exercise.

 

[DeformedTree]

Creating a separate discussion board just makes it easy for people to completely ignore it, just like other safety instructions in life.

The good thing of bits on safety popping up in the main boards is people are more likely to see them.

 

[ChuckM]

.....as if  grown people can’t figure obvious things out

If one hand, one eye is saved, this would be a worthwhile exercise.

If people who suffered, say, a tablesaw injury, could really figure obvious things out, the injury wouldn't have happened in the first place.

In case anyone wonders if woodworking accidents really happen...the OSHA website has them documented with details...when, what how/why. They happen to hobbyists, trade people, young and old, male (more) and female, day and night.

 

[FestitaMakool]

Soo.. what did I do today, yes - shredded a millimetre thick piece of skin of the tip of my pinky about a half a centimetre wide.

I finally found time to start dismantling my newly bought Metabo Secanta saw for some light restoration. In the process I forgot to remove the blade. Well, that’s a quick job, no gloves and a 1/4” ratchet should do.. but holding the blade with the other naked hand.
One tooth on the sharp blade was enough.
Not a mess of blood, but a very sour pinky..

The right way: leather gloves on, block the blade with a piece of wood and it went off smoothly. I knew the right way, but didn’t bother to find the gloves or piece of wood.
No big thing, but I could have cut myself badly even with the only force of my other hand. Thankfully I did hold the blade in a manner that my palm was out of harms way.

Stupid.. [mad]

 

[Vondawg]

[member=15289]Birdhunter[/member] yes you’re right, there must be someway...that last line of mine didn’t come off right..guess being in your boat, same age, years woodworking/professionally licensed, etc. I roll my eyes when hearing certain things but must remember to move on and that somebody can learn from it ....the learning never stops.
Btw...I’ve been thinking the same things about all the tools.

 

[DeformedTree]

.....as if  grown people can’t figure obvious things out

I’m certainly grown at 76 and I’ve been doing woodworking for over 40 years. I’m still learning tricks to reduce the possibility of an injury. I’ve started young friends in this craft and see them doing dangerous things out of inexperience. I’ve been “dinged” by accidents in retrospect seem incredibly obvious.

There is an immense volume of wisdom on this forum. Somehow, there must be a way to share this wisdom.

If one hand, one eye is saved, this would be a worthwhile exercise.

A lot of this is people don't see things that are "the way I/we have always done it" as dangerous. It's built into us to not see the tool or practice as dangerous as it is, if you were looking at at as a new creation.  This is why it's so hard to get people to change.  Lots of tools are very dangerous, but they haven't changed in 100 years, so no one sees a reason to change or uses some statement like "somehow we all survived" as a cover for what they are doing, ignoring not everyone survived.

PPE stuff is just this. Getting folks to wear safety gear is hard when for generations no one did it. Look at getting people to want dust collection, lots of folks just don't get it. Many people take pride in getting covered in dust. A lot of the changes will take a generation or 2. Always does. Look at things like litter and disposal of stuff. People under 40 would never think of tossing it along the road, pouring something down the drain.  It took a couple generations to get the mindsets to change.

 

[Oldwood]

I think it is  important to know how and why accidents happen. I read an article that mentioned almost 80% of accidents on the table saw happen when people reach around the blade to grab a part before it has completely cleared the blade resulting in a kickback drawing that hand back into the blade.

Because of that article I never use a table saw without a good push stick and some sort of out feed table.

I think the more we know about how accidents happen the more likely it is we will avoid them.

 

[Birdhunter]

A very intelligent young friend whom I got started in woodworking asked my wife and me to his house for a glass of wine and to see his new project. The four of us went into the garage where his Craftsman saw was set up.

My first question was where is the blade guard? He pointed to a shelf. His wife asked what is a blade guard?

I said it keeps your fingers out of the saw blade. She looked (glared) at her. Husband and said put it back on!

His explanation was that the blade guard was inconvenient.

 

[FestitaMakool]

The blade guard on a table saw is to common to not to see AT ALL in videos, photos etc.
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but it’s rare species  [blink]
I have left my guard off on my old table saw too often, but my CS 50 is supposed to have it fixed whenever in use. There might be cuts that need it off, but then the body and hands are far far off the blade (ie: splitting long narrow awkward crown mouldings that catches the guard. But then I can feed with two persons, one at front and the second pulling from behind at the end of cut.

More scary are a sight I’ve seen on building sites; miter saws with the entire guard removed  [scared]. They usually say it hangs up.. yes, and from my experience they do so if the saw is not cleaned and serviced regularly. The return spring and sawdust build up will limit the blade guard retraction after a while. A simple good clean and dust removal usually fix this. Solution on a work site: Remove it! [eek]
I believe that you guys in here do service and not removal.. [big grin]

 

[Birdhunter]

I have a long scab on my left forearm. I was cutting a 22.5 degree bevel when the blade guard exploded. The SawStop blade guard is a two piece affair on each side. I apparently pushed the drop down portion against the saw blade and pieces flew everywhere. I make a practice of always standing well off to the side of the saw blade so only a piece of the flying plastic hit me. I had a Magswitch featherboard against the wood so that didn’t go but a few inches.

I replaced the damaged blade guard. I now carefully check the blade guard so it is completely clear of the saw blade.

Over 40 years of woodworking and still shedding blood. Obvious mistake? Yes, in retrospect.

 

[ChuckM]

If SawStop knew about your incident, it might look into ways to improve their guards, either in material or in design (e.g., such that the moveable piece (I call it a fin) could ride in some kind of slot so it couldn't be pushed to touch a blade so easily). My fin on the fence side had touched the spinning blade but it didn't explode when my push shoe passed through between the fence and the blade guard. Your story is educational.