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With power tools, or hand tools a Master Carpenter’s or Master Cabinetmaker’s real skill manifests first in their ability to properly select, adjust, and align the tools they use.

A saw that’s not square, has the wrong type of blade, or gullet, is rusty or gummed up, or excessive blade insert clearance will make the same bad cut for the novice or the pro.

Selection of the right stock, the proper way to present the grain to the blade is as much a part of tool setup as the adjustment of the tool.

First things first.

If you’re one of those people who like to point fingers at others, use the safety devices, blade guards, push sticks or jigs to ensure you still have all your fingers to point with.

I don’t know of a single safety device that costs more than an Emergency Room visit.

Make sure you educate yourself.

Getting schooled by the tool is the most expensive way to learn anything.

Be safe and make something you feel good about as you go.

Everett

That information is so useful. I want to start my DIY channel, This is my art, and i want to influence more people into this and more.

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Excellent advice. I spent 3 years at TTU in graduate school and not one prof offered such succinct and sound advice.

Very good advice that should be used by the novice and the pro .

Everett,

Good words to live by or a least to live better by.

Everett
About 4 years ago one of our woodworking club members lost a finger while using our new Grizly table saw. There was nothing wrong with the table saw but he should have used the band saw for what he was doing. After that incident we sold the Grizzly saw and bought a Sawstop saw. We raised the money for the new machine in less than 30 days from voluntary donations from the membership.
Recently we had another incident in which another member was using the Sawstop and made a cut and after the cut was complete he pressed the paddle switch to turn off the saw and immediately reached in to remove the cut off piece and his index finger came in contact with the blade while it was coasting to a stop. The brake triggered and the blade disappeared.
The damage to his finger was just a small cut at the tip and all that was required was some antibiotic creme and a band-aid.
He said that he was very happy that he was one of the members who contributed to the purchase price.
Word to the wary from Norm Abram "Read and understand and follow the instructions that come with your power tools" If you read them and understand them it does no good if you don't follow them!!

Bill V

PS The triggering event was caught on video in our community shop and given to Sawstop.
The member who lost a finger was a retired industrial arts teacher of 30 years who never had a serious accident in his shops. Just proves that it can happen to anyone.

All ways know where your fingers are !!!

Hobbyman2 wrote: ↑Fri Jul 02, 2021 10:06 pm All ways know where your fingers are !!!

AND where the teeth are.

All great advice.

everettdavis wrote: ↑Fri Jul 02, 2021 5:27 am If you’re one of those people who like to point fingers at others, use the safety devices, blade guards, push sticks or jigs to ensure you still have all your fingers to point with.

If I may humbly add to this, wear eye protection if you want to see who you are pointing your fingers at.

Although I have done some basic work with wood since I was young, using power hand tools, I know very well that I am a novice to woodworking and the associated shop powertools. I have worked in very dangerous environments and equipment for much of my working life, and I think this serves me very well with my this new endeavor. This makes me very cautious, which translates to moving more slowly as I think through everything, learning what all I need to be conscious of (like was said, where my hands are and where the dangers are). I appreciate being reminded of, or learning, best safety practices. So thank you for being my teachers.

That said, I have to tell in myself. Last week, I was doing some preventive maintenance work on the drive train of my 10ER - pulled the quill and drive shaft, disassembled the variable speed changer, oiled and waxed things, and adjusted belts. I went to plug the SS in, and I was shocked to find it was already connected to power. I NEVER do that. Whenever I finish with using my SS for the morning or afternoon, I always pull the power before I leave. Well, this one time I did not, and it could have resulted in serious harm.

This reminded me that when I was in the Navy, whenever we were getting ready to work on any piece of dangerous equipment, we had to go through a formal process of getting safety tags to place on the circuit breaker that we had to use to remove power from that equipment. It was a PITA, but it kept you safe from someone else energizing and activating the system, and ensured we knew the dangers.

Anyway, now I’m looking to get a magnetic emergency power switch to plug my 10ER into, and to use it as my main power switch. This way whenever I turn off the switch all power is always removed, and I won’t have to remember to unplug it.

Any dangerous place that requires a human to remember to act safely is a place that is destined to one day fail. Building in consistent safety routines help us humans to act safely, especially when we forget to think about it.