Shopsmith Forums

That applies to everybody but especially so if you are doing a TV show, video or magazine article...
I recently watched yet another TV woodworking show (I forget which one) where I said "those fingers are too close to that saw blade. I also see them often reach for some tiny scrap while the blade is still coasting. Not only is that a horrible work habit it is compounded many times by the fact they are presenting themselves as some level of an expert and setting a terrible example...
Last night I was re-reading some old woodworking mags and spotted a picture of some guy making a cut with his finger tips within 2" of the spinning saw blade. His fingers are above the the front end of the blade insert. It was bad enough that he did it but to show a close-up picture in the article of him doing it was just irresponsible... THAT IS WHAT FEATHERBOARDS, HOLD-DOWNS ETC. ARE FOR!!!
BTW, that last example was in the August 2010 issue of Woodworkers Journal, (page 31) a very nice publication. But, doesn't anybody ever look at the pictures they publish and ask themselves "Is this what we really want to show???" Or does the publishing staff really just not understand what constitutes a hazard?
I have spent my whole life operating some of the most dangerous equipment around and I am big on "managed risk" rather than a blanket "Chicken Little" being afraid of everything approach but shoving your fingers into the blade zone of a table saw is just silly...

Thank you.

Good word Farmer

I was taught never to have any body parts in the area of the table blade insert when the blade was moving and not to have any body part moving toward the blade.

Like you I have seen guys pushing a piece of wood into the blade where their fingers were inside the table blade insert and I shudder to think what might happen should the wood catch, kick back or literally explode.

I have also seen guys pushing wood into the blade where their hand was in direct alignment with the blade. Yes there was a couple of inches of wood between their fingers and the blade. But I have seen enough wood explode, catch where my fingers slide over it or kick back to where it literally disappears from between the pushing fingers and the blade. Again I just hold my breath until they finish their cut and wonder how many people have done the same thing only they had to go to the hospital because the cut didn't go like they thought.

SS table inserts are painted red for a good reason "Danger Zone!" "Do not enter!" "Enter only at the risk of losing a body part!"

Thank you for the reminder.

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Is this the one you are talking about. Real good advertising. Good place to have a push stick. The object in the left corner is part of another picture.

I have developed a habit of walking through every cut I make on a power tool BEFORE I flip the switch. I check where my hands and body will be, I make sure there is no interference on the infeed or outfeed sides, I check the floor to make sure nothing can trip me, I make sure I have the appropriate feather boards, push sticks if required, I set up outfeed support if needed. This may sound time consuming but it only takes a few seconds and I have more time than spare body parts.

tdubnik wrote:I have developed a habit of walking through every cut I make on a power tool BEFORE I flip the switch. I check where my hands and body will be, I make sure there is no interference on the infeed or outfeed sides, I check the floor to make sure nothing can trip me, I make sure I have the appropriate feather boards, push sticks if required, I set up outfeed support if needed. This may sound time consuming but it only takes a few seconds and I have more time than spare body parts.

Well said. That be excellent example of risk management!

That pix!!!!!!!

Ed in Tampa wrote: SS table inserts are painted red for a good reason "Danger Zone!" "Do not enter!" "Enter only at the risk of losing a body part!"

Thanks for the reminder. I need to paint my old greenie inserts RED BEFORE I do the restoration and probably should do it before I use the saw again.

terrydowning wrote:Thanks for the reminder. I need to paint my old greenie inserts RED BEFORE I do the restoration and probably should do it before I use the saw again.

Or you could just do as tdubnik does!:) (Think)! b4 moving

JPG40504 wrote:Or you could just do as tdubnik does!:) (Think)! b4 moving

I definitely do, but a visual reminder certainly doesn't hurt. I'm also trying to teach my son's age 15 and 24 to use these tools and again a visual reminder is in order.