Table saw kicked me hard!

[nickao]

The last two days I have been off the site because of deadlines.

I was tired and working at the table saw. Have you ever done something stupid, you knew was stupid and did it anyway. I did and paid for it.

I left a bunch of cut offs on my table saw and I was cutting a small piece, to small for a table saw. It slide side ways and hit the blade.
As it flew toward me the piece hit and grabbed one of the cutoffs on the table and of course both pieces came flying at me.
One I blocked with my hand and it bounced into a rib and fractured it. Another hit about 2 1/2"  above my right nipple. Dam that hurts!

Needless to say I walked over to the MFT 1080 and used my TS75 the rest of the night. Had to make that dam deadline. X rays the next day.

Post some near misses or maybe not misses all! It may be nice to rehash the Festool TS and Guides safety, in comparison to a table saw.

Nickao

 

[dirtydeeds]

sorry to hear of your injurys

your situation is much the same as mine, doing a repetative job and the mind wanders to other things

 

[nickao]

I was actually thinking at the time, like I was in a dream, "I should not be doing this" then wham!

Thanks for the thoughts. You are right, the repetitive stuff can get away from you, literally..

Nickao

 

[Michael Kellough]

I had a chunk of oak returned by the saw nearly four years ago but I was lucky and it hit below the ribs.
However, with it's mass, speed, and fresh square edge it managed to slide the whole dermis over by a couple millimeters so the the scar is still very distinct.  :-\

 

[vteknical]

Took a chunk out of my left index finger using it to guide my Hitachi planer over a door.(Pre-Ts55 days) I've never had and injury that thread, butterfly bandage or ca glue couldn't fix until then.  Lucky it wasn't too deep, just some exposed fatty tissue.

Bought a guide the next day!

 

[Michael Kellough]

Took a chunk out of my left index finger...

That reminds me...I mortised my right index fingertip on the TS nearly thirty years ago. The doc called it a fracture because the bone was involved but we would just call it a small slot, or mortice. The finger healed in a bit more pointed form which worked great with the rotary dial phones that where common in the Ma Bell days. That small advantage soon became obsolete.

 

[nickao]

I bet that helps on those tiny cell phone buttons though! Ouch!

PS I still can not find the pieces you need Michael, I will send the top without them and if I find  them I will send them out separately. They are here, it is a matter of finding them.

Victor that sounds like a ground beef(finger) injury, nothing to stitch!

Nickao

 

[nickao]

Of course not using the safety devices will hurt you in the long run. Sooner or later you will get caught. Or just standing to the right of the fence would probably have prevented it.

Sometimes I think I want to wear a bullet proof vest when using the table saw for when I do stupid crap like I did the other day. 100% my fault.

Not even the Saw Stop saw will save you from that kind of mistake as good as it is! I  know, a 100% kickback free table Saw, now that would be something! Even the pawls do not prevent kickback every time.

Nickao

 

[Michael Kellough]

Of course not using the safety devices will hurt you in the long run. Sooner or later you will get caught. Or just standing to the right of the fence would probably have prevented it.

Sometimes I think I want to wear a bullet proof vest when using the table saw for when I do stupid crap like I did the other day. 100% my fault.

Not even the Saw Stop saw will save you from that kind of mistake as good as it is! I  know, a 100% kickback free table Saw, now that would be something! Even the pawls do not prevent kickback every time.

Nickao

It is shocking how much force can be developed so quickly. In my case some of my bruising came from the freakish contracting of muscle I did reflexively.

Nick I hate to think what might have happened if one of those pointy medallion parts came at you.

 

[nickao]

They would have stuck in me like an arrow for sure! Luckily, I use clamping on a sled to cut those parts on the table saw. Well maybe not luckily, but smartly!

 

[neoshed]

Sorry to hear about that mate.....wishing you a speedy recovery.

 

[semenza]

Hi,

      KNock on wood. Or is "knocking on wood bad luck in woodworking?  No injuries for me yet (not counting wackin my finger with a hammer type stuff).  I work at home, alone, and I purposely take lots of breaks. It helps me stay freshly focused on the task. The Frequent breaks are one reason that I am on the forum at several intervals throughout the day

      Sorry to hear about you incedent Nick 

Seth

 

[nickao]

Thanks Seth and neoshed. I hope this is not a bad omen for you now Seth

 

[Sparky977]

I've had a couple fights with the table saw.  The table saw won on both accounts.  The first was about 4 years ago.  I was ripping treated lumber for something, I don't even remember exactly what for.  A rip came straight back at my hip.  It hit so hard that my pelvis got shifted and pinched my sciatic nerve.  I was laid up for a bit on that one.  I would stand up and my leg would just go out from under me.  Good times.
The second experience was about a year later, and I got bit.  Like others have mentioned, the repetitive jobs are where you tend to loose focus.  I was ripping some MDF for backing behind some crown molding.  I put my left pointer finger right into the blade.  Not sure if something distracted my attention, or if I just blanked due to the allergies I was suffering through at the time.  I got very lucky, my finger rolled over the top of the blade, and only cut the tip, the finger nail, and a couple small cuts on top of the knuckle.  Somehow, I didn't get the bone.  Very, very lucky.  Got it stitched up and was pretty much fully healed after a couple months.  Also, since it was my left hand, I was still able to work pretty much normally, albeit, a little more gently.  I have a MUCH more healthy respect for the table saw now.

Scott

 

[Qwas]

Sorry to hear about the accident Nick. I was wondering last night what happened to you but I was thinking along the line that you got away for a few days with the family.

Glad to hear it was not too serious though, might take a few days to get that ego back and your breathing back to normal.   ;D

I'm one of those with no tablesaw.  I just think they are too dangerous. If I had to buy one it would have to be the Saw Stop. But no tablesaw is what got me started with Festool and the TS-55.

I've not a major injury yet but I always try to think safety first. It also helps not having too many deadlines!

 

[peter halle]

Nikao,

Here's to a speedy recovery.  I've done stupid things with a table saw but my only serious tool oops was cutting off the tip of my finger with a drill.  Tried to drill a 5/8 hole in the frame of the truck with a new Bosch half inch drill in one step.  Thought that I could hold the drill back when it bit thru, but I was wrong.  Left hand on the side handle was crushed / trapped ajainst the frame of the truck after corkscrewing in.  Thought I broke a finger for sure.  Nothing to do but to flip it into reverse and get loose.  I just knew that was going to hurt.  Let her rip and success at last.  Got out from underneath the truck, felt the suspected finger and all was well.

Thanked the gods above for my good fortune and then felt the other throbbing fingers of my left hand.  Got to the ring finger and the tip flopped down only to be supported by the skin on the bottom.  It had been cut by the metal edge of the body part underneath the bumper whn I reversed the drill.  Doc sewed it back on good as new, and that was the day that I decided to start my construction firm - Change of Attitude Construction.

P.S.  My really big oops didn't involve a saw but rather falling off of a second floor roof and landing on my head - but that'ss a story for another time.  Again an error in judgement on my part was involved.

Peter 

 

[ewils91]

Took the tip of my right thumb off with a compound miter saw. I normally work nights 6:00 p.m til 6:00 am and do carpentry on my days off. I was trying to meet a deadline installing rafters and broke one of my own rules. I don't run power tools with no sleep. Well I was making an odd cut crossing my hands on a new miter saw with no sleep. I thought to myself as well I shouldn't be doing this then I felt a hot blade burning my thumb. Too late.

 

[johne]

They would have stuck in me like an arrow for sure! Luckily, I use clamping on a sled to cut those parts on the table saw. Well maybe not luckily, but smartly!

Nick hope you feel better soon,

I was cutting a small strip off some oak a while back (too small to push past the blade with the push stick, stupid i know :) I knew there was a possibility of an accident so i stood way to the left of the cut. The blade threw the small piece back with enough force for it to get stuck in the door behind me. (Hardboard covered cheap door but anyway) That qualifies as an arrow to me.

The only injury i ever had was using a stationary belt sander. This was way back when i was in school. I needed to sand some parts for picture frames. Anyone in the school could use that machine and someone had, dont ask me how, managed to put a hole in the belt. I didnt notice this since the hole in the belt was at the back of the machine. I checked if the stop was locked and turned the machine on.

I pressed my thin picture frame part against the belt, the hole caught on it, knocked the stop out of position and my right hand followed it taking the nail off the middle finger.

Ever since i respect any tool stronger than me ;D

 

[Jesse Cloud]

Ouch Nick, thats gotta hurt.  Hope you heal soon.

That's when the bad stuff happens - when you're tired and doing something repetitive.  A bud was using the horizontal mortiser last summer to chop a few dozen identical mortises.  Our protocol is that you chop, then clear the table with the air hose, then position the next piece.  Well, my bud blasted the air, but it left some smutz on the fence.  For such a little pile of stuff, he reflexively flicked it away with his hand.  He was wearing gloves (a big mistake imho) and the spinning end mill caught his glove and pulled his hand into the bit. 

Luckily it was just a superficial wound, but there was blood all over the floor. 

I almost mutinied when the boss said "Jess, clean up that mess and finish those mortises." 

Be safe my friend!

 

[Warrior]

Feeling better Nickao?

I was once pattern cutting tapered column staves on the table saw and the off cuts from the 45 deg bevels were between the blade and the pattern guide. One of the cut off strips was grabbed by the blade thrown at an incredible speed and punched a hole in the housing of my makita planer that was 15' away. Yikes! I was standing to the side and it came nowhere near to hitting me and my makita is fine except for the torn housing. I must say that the table saw then the router then jointer commands great respect from me and I have to say I have not and will not ever let my mind wander during their usages. That is not to say that all of my operations with those tools are the safest. It is just that if something does happen I will still have all my fingers.

Eiji