Shopsmith Forums

I read the Lumberjocks forum pretty much daily and have learned quite a bit there about woodworking in general. It seems that recently I have also learned some important safety reminders. Within the last few weeks there have been a rash of "accidents" reported there reminding what our equipment can do to flesh instead of wood.

Today
Kickback
Router
Table Saw

These incidents should be a reminder to all of us that we should walk through every operation with the equipment off. Are the appropriate guards in place, do you need featherboards or hold downs, are you in the line of fire, where will your hands be as you perform your operation?

I ran into a situation today that illustrates these principals. I needed to cut a 45 degree bevel on some 7' long construction 2X4s. I set things up, added hold downs, featherboards, outfeed table, etc.. As I prepared to make the cut, I tried to feed the boards through as a test but found that the boards were not quite straight and I couldn't feed them through the sawblade without some wobble. I decided that this operation was unsafe for me. I switched to the bandsaw instead and everything went well. A couple of swipes with a hand plane and the beveled cuts were perfect.

I don't think any of my projects are worth losing a finger over. I'll find a safe way or I won't do it at all.

And for those that are interested in reading through the PTWFE take note that the first chapter in the book contains some safety rules that should be taken seriously.... When the say safety first they also mean read and understand the safety rules first before you go anywhere near the tools.

For those who are not interested in reading the rest of the book at least look at the introduction and safety information:
http://www.shopsmith.com/academy/welcome.htm

I'm also really glad no one here has had to post of those regrets yet... If you don't ever have too then you can call yourself at least a safe woodworker and most likely a happy one too.

Ed

like tdubink, if I'm not comfortable with a set-up, I don't do it. There are always alternatives. I too follow the Lumberjocks forum and one impression I have is that the vast majority of the "stand alone guys" never use saw guards, and doubtless few of them even have push blocks and featherboards. Practically none of all of those stand alone tools that they admire and gush about, come with any additional safety accessories that Shopsmith includes in the MKV package.

One guy "over there" was pushing a board over a dado blade with his hand, and it chewed up several fingers badly. Another individual, with several stiches in his forehead, described how the blade flung a board at him at high velocity. Push blocks, saw guards, and feather boards would have prevented these injuries.

8iowa wrote:like tdubink, if I'm not comfortable with a set-up, I don't do it. There are always alternatives. I too follow the Lumberjocks forum and one impression I have is that the vast majority of the "stand alone guys" never use saw guards, and doubtless few of them even have push blocks and featherboards. Practically none of all of those stand alone tools that they admire and gush about, come with any additional safety accessories that Shopsmith includes in the MKV package.

One guy "over there" was pushing a board over a dado blade with his hand, and it chewed up several fingers badly. Another individual, with several stiches in his forehead, described how the blade flung a board at him at high velocity. Push blocks, saw guards, and feather boards would have prevented these injuries.

To say nothing about standing out of the line of fire!(like the guy in the rockler ad)

One of my last projects of the season before shut down was to make some push sticks out of scrap. Before I start this season, I'm going to buy a tile float to add to the arsenal. Being a beginner with bigger dreams than common sense here's my confessions:

1) having a block of wood escape my control while using a round over bit's bearing for a fence - the block imbedded itself in the garage wall.

2) ripping a taper in a 5' long 2x4 freehand on my tablesaw. No fence or miter gauge or taper jig = being stupid.

3) repeatedly getting my fingers in the "red" zone, ie, the saw was running and my fingers were inside the area of the plate insert.

4) had a 1x1 1/2 x9 block of wood kickback on the saw, richochet off the back garage wall, hit a truss and end up on top of the open garage door. Thankfully, I was standing off to the side when it launched. SWMBO opened the door and wanted to know what the noise was and why I was laying face down on the garage floor ( yep, the saw was still running, I dove for the floor ).

5) Fumbling for the off switch while the saw motor hummed in stall mode because I didn't make a zero clearance insert and the cutoff jammed the blade (better add that to list, along with some hardwood splitters).

As I type this I know how lucky I was this season. I also know that if I continue with the same techniques, I may not be as lucky next season, as the above pictures from tdubnik illustrate.

Safety first, please.

etc92guy wrote:One of my last projects of the season before shut down was to make some push sticks out of scrap. Before I start this season, I'm going to buy a tile float to add to the arsenal. Being a beginner with bigger dreams than common sense here's my confessions:

in this context, is "tile float" another name for the SS push block or is there a woodworking safety application for a tile float?

iclark wrote:in this context, is "tile float" another name for the SS push block or is there a woodworking safety application for a tile float?

Think trowel with a foam rubber face. I Think that is what he meant????