Saw safety

[Ed in Tampa]

I mentioned up in the Woodworking section under the sawstop discussion that my neighbor cut his thumb. Most of what I posted there was from his son. Today I got to talk to him and find out what happened.

He was ripping wood about 1 inch wide, 1/2" thick and 3 feet long. He was ripping off 1/2" wide stips so they would be 1/2 x 1/2 pieces for his bee hive. His pan was to push the wood into the blade until he had enough sticking out the back side to pull it the rest of the way through.

Things were going well when the wood stuck. He pushed harder and then heard a big bang which was his thumb hitting the blade. He says he does not know what happened. One minute everything was fine and the next he was bleeding. He was using his left hand reaching across his body to push the wood in. More of less standing facing the side of the saw and using his near or left hand to push the wood. He is right handed but had it safely out of the way.

He is great friends with a plastic surgeon so he quickly called him and had him sew it up. They lost count on the number of stitches.

My neighbor said the blade ripped instead of cut him. He said it was like the blade was pulling the flesh off his thumb. It came off in a sheet, which was then sewn back on.

His mistake ------ Didn't use a push stick even though he had a number sitting around plus all kinds of scrap wood.

The neighbor swears he was sober and the last time he can remember his hand was about 1 - 2 feet from the blade. That is how quick something can happen.

Keep it safe people it is dangerous out there.

[robinson46176]

He was using his left hand reaching across his body to push the wood in. More of less standing facing the side of the saw and using his near or left hand to push the wood. He is right handed but had it safely out of the way.

HUH??? Sounds like an accident "begging" to happen...
Was he hovering over the saw from the right side or was he working from the left side and working cross arm??

Push stick job for sure. Push sticks do not usually bleed when cut

.

[horologist]

At our most recent annual safety training session they said the two times that one is most likely to die at the workplace are the first week on the job and then after twenty years.

In the first case, you don't know any better, the second you do but become complacent.

Troy

[ddvann79]

My condolences to your friend. I cringed as I read the account of what happened. Let this be a reminder to us all not to force stock when you feel a bind. That is indeed fast - 1 or 2 feet away then to the blade in an instant. Not sure I understand the cross-feeding technique either.

[burkhome]

I mentioned up in the Woodworking section under the sawstop discussion that my neighbor cut his thumb. Most of what I posted there was from his son. Today I got to talk to him and find out what happened.

He was ripping wood about 1 inch wide, 1/2" thick and 3 feet long. He was ripping off 1/2" wide stips so they would be 1/2 x 1/2 pieces for his bee hive. His pan was to push the wood into the blade until he had enough sticking out the back side to pull it the rest of the way through.

Things were going well when the wood stuck. He pushed harder and then heard a big bang which was his thumb hitting the blade. He says he does not know what happened. One minute everything was fine and the next he was bleeding. He was using his left hand reaching across his body to push the wood in. More of less standing facing the side of the saw and using his near or left hand to push the wood. He is right handed but had it safely out of the way.

He is great friends with a plastic surgeon so he quickly called him and had him sew it up. They lost count on the number of stitches.

My neighbor said the blade ripped instead of cut him. He said it was like the blade was pulling the flesh off his thumb. It came off in a sheet, which was then sewn back on.

His mistake ------ Didn't use a push stick even though he had a number sitting around plus all kinds of scrap wood.

The neighbor swears he was sober and the last time he can remember his hand was about 1 - 2 feet from the blade. That is how quick something can happen.

Keep it safe people it is dangerous out there.

Exact same scenario took my Dad's little finger. I was 8 years old doing homework at the kitchen table when my Mom ushered him out of the basement, hand wrapped in a bloody towel. She headed to the car yelling for me to go to the neighbors. Scared me to death. I now have his unisaw with the culprit, rusty blade hanging on the wal beside it as a reminder. I wouldn't go near the saw till I was in college.

[foxtrapper]

I do feel for your neighbor.

But, I do not believe that the big bang he heard was his thumb hitting the blade. The thumb is soft, it won't make a big bang. I've run a lot meat and bone through circular saws, they don't make a bang sound. More of a soft gurgle.

Far more likely, in my opinion, is the wood got caught in the saw, kicked, and ripped the flesh off his thumb as it flew.

[kalynzoo]

A family friend and woodworking mentor lost his thumb years ago, when I was still in my teens (gee we had power saws back then)...anyway, an expert and accomplished woodworker and machinist, just needed to make a few cuts and didn't take the time to set up all the safeties.
The memory thankfully stays with me to remind be to be careful.
Thanks for your reminder.

[pugetsoundwa]

Doesn't take but a second.

Father had a kick back of sorts that cause his hand to be cut. Admitted he was going into shock as he walked out of his shop. scared as he though he was alone.
He lived 10 miles from nearest town on a farm. Of all the days and times for a neighbor to come to ask him a question..that was the time and day.
Neighbor claimed he was almost in shock himself, as he just stepped out of his pick up and saw dad walk out of the shop bleeding while trying to stop the bleeding with his good hand.
Had neighbor been a few minutes later or not at all its possible Dad could have bled to death as he would have been in no shape to call 9-11 or drive.

[pennview]

My father=in-law lost a couple of fingers some 20 years back cross cutting a board free hand (no miter gauge). It was over in a flash. He always said he could feel those fingers, especially when it was cold.

Along those same lines, I once belonged to a woodworking club that met in a senior citizen's facility with a woodworking shop that the club could reserve. One day after a meeting, I saw the club's VP crosscutting freehand. I made a comment and then left, not wanting to see any blood.

[Ed in Tampa]

I do feel for your neighbor.

But, I do not believe that the big bang he heard was his thumb hitting the blade. The thumb is soft, it won't make a big bang. I've run a lot meat and bone through circular saws, they don't make a bang sound. More of a soft gurgle.

Far more likely, in my opinion, is the wood got caught in the saw, kicked, and ripped the flesh off his thumb as it flew.

You know I was wondering about that. I was very suspicious when he told be about the big bang. He was sure his hand was no where near the saw, but the next thing he knew was he heard a big bang and his hand was a mess with blood.

I haven't seen the wound but from the sounds it was more torn than cut. I would think a saw blade would make a fairly smooth cut.

What my neighbor describes is a nearly all the flesh torn from his thumb from the first joint up. I know it took plenty of stitches to fix. Both my neighbor and the doctor lost count long before the job was finished. I know Doctors and they love to count their stitches. My neighbor said he was sitting there watching and it took so long he actually got bored. Bored watching someone stitch your thumb????
That is a mess of stitches.

If it was kickback and very well could have been a Sawstop would not have helped at all.