Workshop Safety

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Sat Mar 01, 2008 7:14 pm

I found this site to be not only interesting but helpful. I hope many of you will browse and view what is available here.

http://www.powertoolinstitute.com and then click on "enter" and then "Safety Videos"

a1gutterman · Post by **a1gutterman** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 1:53 am

Ahh, who needs them anyway?

(Just kidding Dusty; thanks for the links:D )

Len · Post by **Len** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 8:34 am

I was smiling all the way through the Table Saw video when they said NEVER use the miter gauge in conjunction with the my fence.
Huh? Didn't know that! Glad I found out now, while I got all ten, still.

Thanks, Dusty

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 4:59 pm

Wow Len! I'm going to assume you were serious in your above post.

This unsafe act has been performed before by quite a few folks, so the following is a way you can use both in conjunction safely.

Place the face of a block of wood (3/4"X 3" X 4" - approximate size) against the fence. Butt your work piece up against the wood block and tight against the fence. Set your fence so the desired length of your workpiece is between the block and the saw blade. After your fence is secured, slide the block toward the front of the machine, so as the workpiece enters the saw blade, the back side of it moves off of the block. Clamp the block to the fence. You can then set workpieces on your miter gauge - butt them to the block, use the clamping handle, and saw multiple exact lengths, with no fence rubbing!

Another tip - buy a copy of PTWFE (555069) and the Shopsmith self study course (505717). Of the two - I feel the self study course to be the best teacher.

a1gutterman · Post by **a1gutterman** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 6:24 pm

charlese's method is very safe and I have been using it for years. The trick is to not let your work piece bind between the fence and the blade. The clamped block of wood does the trick, but make sure the block is clamped to the fence 100% behind the leading edge of the blade.

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Sun Mar 02, 2008 8:36 pm

Yup, and if you watch the Safety Video Clip that is exactly what they demonstrated.

Len · Post by **Len** » Mon Mar 03, 2008 10:58 pm

You guys are the reason I come here. Thanks, for sure!

romartin · Post by **romartin** » Sun Mar 09, 2008 11:16 am

Excellent find dusty and thanks for sharing it. Safety is the single most important factor to a succesful project. One second can change ones "future quality of life". Thanks again

8iowa · Post by **8iowa** » Sun Mar 09, 2008 12:02 pm

I recently ran across this link on the Lumberjocks forum. It deals with table saw safety for the guys who don't use their blade guards. My personal opinion is that it is oxymoric in nature, a "feel good about myself" sort of article for those who operate their table saws in this type of risky manner. Most of the comments were highly favorable, leaving me to wonder if a lot of the woodworkers "over there" never use their guards.

Are we Shopsmith guys any different? How do we feel about never using the guard on our Shopsmiths?

http://www.taunton.com/finehomebuilding ... lesaw.aspx

a1gutterman · Post by **a1gutterman** » Sun Mar 09, 2008 4:03 pm

8iowa wrote:I recently ran across this link on the Lumberjocks forum. It deals with table saw safety for the guys who don't use their blade guards. My personal opinion is that it is oxymoric in nature, a "feel good about myself" sort of article for those who operate their table saws in this type of risky manner. Most of the comments were highly favorable, leaving me to wonder if a lot of the woodworkers "over there" never use their guards.

Are we Shopsmith guys any different? How do we feel about never using the guard on our Shopsmiths?

http://www.taunton.com/finehomebuilding/how-to/articles/avoiding-accidents-using-tablesaw.aspx

Hi 8iowa,
You asked, so here is what I think:

There is nothing wrong with your sentiments, but there are many saw operators that do not follow all safety recommendations all of the time. I am one of them. I looked at the site via your link, and I believe that all of the information there is good information. In the first paragragh, the author states quite clearly that using a saw guard is best (and I agree), but he admits to knowledge that in many cases saw operators do not use their saw guards (and who hasn't done that?). He is offering advice for saw operators that is good for everyone, but does not include using the saw guard, as he is trying to get the saw operators that do not use a saw guard, to be as safe as possible excluding the use of the saw guard, since they are not going to use it no matter what they are told or know.

Are you suggesting that because a saw operator knowingly chooses to not use a saw guard, he is not interested in other safety precautions? When I do not use my saw guard, I am taking a risk. Unquestionably. But that does not mean that I am reckless. I take the precautions that are necessary for my safety that do not include the use of the saw guard. I use the saw guard sometimes. I teach my children to do so. I also realize that there are times when using the saw guard, while not impossible, is very inconvenient. There are also times when using the saw guard IS impossible. It is a choice that I, and many other woodworkers, purposely make. To some, it is a bad decision. To others, it is a necessary decision. To even more, it is a convenient decision.

For those saw operators that never use a saw guard, that use their "contractors saw" sitting on the ground, that do not use featherboards or hold-downs, that wear shirts with loose long sleeves, that don't use eye and ear protection, that don't use a riving knife, etc., etc., I will agree with you; they are risking great bodily harm. Even so, it is their own choice, and they are/will be responsible for their own actions. The only concern that I have for those operators, is when they put others at risk. I can not condone using a saw when people, other then the operator, are in a position to be hurt.