Shopsmith Forums

After ripping a board this evening, I carelessly lifted it back across the still running blade. The board was across the garage in a heartbeat. Fortunately, I was standing to the side, a safety habit of many years, not in line with the blade. No, the splitter was not on. Only a glancing blow to my arm, and no damage to me. Lucky me. Splitter next cut, and more care. It could have been painful. Grateful I’m not in the ER at the moment. I know better than this. Sigh.

Glad you are OK. It happens to the best of us. I was less lucky the last time I was not being careful and not using the proper tools.

This happens to some of us as an infrequent recurrence. Some people never learn. I have been hit in the gut on two occasions. Another similar experience can occur when ripping thin stock "between the blade and fence".

I think that this called educational reinforcement. Painful but it does remind us of our frailties.
I was doing some Toys for Tots projects a few years ago and was breaking down to do another setup and found one piece that I missed. I decided to make the table saw cut without putting the splitter back on. I made the cut and when I moved the piece from the table and it caught the top of the blade and spun and hit me just under my rib cage on the right side. The pain put me on the floor. I have never had the splitter off for a cut on the table saw again. " EDUCATIONAL REINFORCEMENT" My piece had the exact same gouge in it that yours has!!
Bill V

Not sure how a splitter would prevent this.

it would not completely prevent it but it may prevent the piece from contacting the blade at the peak of rotation. I always keep the splitter on when using the table saw. This time I was making a quick rip cut cause I missed one piece. So splitter and upper guard were just removed and I was in too much of a rush to get done. My biggest problem was hiding the nasty bruise from my wife. i probably would have been required to sell the shop.
Bill V

Glad you're OK

the blade guard might have saved ya ? Had a small piece kick back once and hit me in the gut , good thing I was wearing my shop apron , it still took some hide and left me a reminder of how fast something can go wrong , glad you Ok !!

I sometimes think we should have a thread entitled "Stupid things I've done." Mine would be a very similar story to yours, except it involved a dado blade taking chunks out of the Shopsmith Push Block (the one with the rubber pad). I cringe every time I think of what would've happened if I hadn't been using the Push Block.

davebodner wrote: ↑Mon Mar 07, 2022 12:36 pm I sometimes think we should have a thread entitled "Stupid things I've done." Mine would be a very similar story to yours, except it involved a dado blade taking chunks out of the Shopsmith Push Block (the one with the rubber pad). I cringe every time I think of what would've happened if I hadn't been using the Push Block.

I could add a few. Most recent was freehanding log biscuits on the band saw, the one before was cutting something small on the mitre saw with a a factory fence.