: Embarrassing
: I wasn’t going to mention this on the board because it is too embarrassing to
: admit to you guys and gals but this is a reminder to be cautious around
: your power tools. A week and a half ago I was cutting 3/16" walnut
: strips to a half inch width on my table saw and I was being careful by
: pushing the 18 inch long strips through with a safety stick. The walnut
: started to curl against itself after the cut started and wouldn’t spread
: onto the nail I had in the table insert to keep the strip spread so it
: wouldn’t close against the saw blade. I couldn’t spread the strip with my
: left hand so I used my stronger right hand to do it. My left hand drifted
: back into the saw blade taking off *" of my thumb. What should I have
: done! My feather board was set for the height of *" thick boards and
: I should have lowered it to 3/16" and it would have covered the saw
: blade but since I was only cutting a few boards it didn’t seem necessary
: and I couldn’t have guessed this walnut grain would close the cut part of
: the walnut so tightly on itself. All I can say is I have worked around
: power tools everyday for over 45 years and never had a serious mishap so
: it can happen to anybody. The good news is I think I will be back on the
: stripper in another week and have been cutting the deco pieces on the
: miter saw.

: John

Sorry to hear of your injury. Thanks for posting about it. Working safely is a habit that needs
a lot of reinforcement.

Somehow it's always those few small cuts you need to make in a hurry,
that lead to big trouble.

To all on this BB:

I had a quick little curve to cut, at the end of the day, only the end of the curve was right
where my thumb was. I was lucky, I didn't loose it.

If you start to loose control you need to hear warning bells of danger go off in your head telling
you to stop. Then you have to listen to them.

For the tablesaw, I hear warnings in my head whenever my fingers are 5" in front of the blade,
2" on either side of the blade, or anytime I even think about putting my hand behind the blade.

A friend of mind would push 1" stock between the blade and fence. It used to drive me nuts.
Later, he lost the tip of a finger to a jointer.

Fear is a good thing. Stay afraid of those power tools and you will work safer.

THere are a lot of push sticks, and hold down devices to keep your hands out of danger. It can be
fun to do a little research and make ones to help you work safe in your shop.

All the best,

Rob Macks
Laughing Loon CC&K
www.LaughingLoon.com