Sawstop Again?

Get a shop helper and have them make all your cuts. No matter how many precautions you take, there’s always something else that can go wrong. Never assume you have found a foolproof method.

-- Jesse --

Adding a power feeder, a riving knife (a huge project), and a blade guard supported from above would be possible measures you could take. There would still be instances where these devices will get in the way and have to be removed. Also, these additions could cost as much as the SawStop itself.

Maybe, you can get a SawStop and hide it in the back room and keep your legacy iron on display?

-- Michael :-{| Diapers and politicians both need to be changed often; and for the same reason.

No matter what safety precautions you take nothing is 100%, however you greatly reduce your risk of injury this way. The main thing is to stay focused and don’t get distracted by anything when your using any equipment. Plenty of people get hurt on simple everyday tasks, usually because it’s so repetitive most people figure , I do this every day for 30 years I know what I’m doing, that’s when accidents happen, over confidence can be the most dangerous thing.

-- Martin ....always count the number of fingers you have before, and after using the saw.

Use common sense, if you think it may be dangerous….DON’T DO IT.
Keep your workarea in front and behind your table saw CLEAN, prevent stumbling,falling, keeping you focused on what you are cutting.
EXAMPLE: Mt wife used to come to the shop and call me for lunch or coffee or phone call, she used to FLICK the light switch to get my attention !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AS much as I love her, I quickly pointed out to NEVER DO THAT ANYMORE, if I were cutting on the table saw(or any power tool) that BRIEF SECOND could cause an accident that WE BOTH don’t want.
Take the time to SET your fence parrallel with your blade.
AND lastly: REAL IMPORTANT: DRUGS-ALCOHOL DO NOT BELONG in the workshop. As much as I used to enjoy my “Refreshments” I can honestly say, in 35 years I NEVER used a power tool after I had a wobbly pop !

-- "My mission in life - make everyone smile !"

How about adding a sliding table ?

Should help :-)

-- -- Neil

The best way to stop table saw accidents #1 buy a Saw Stop #2 Use push sticks and feather boards #3 When sawing thin pieces have the the thin piece cut on the fall off side of the blade not between the blade and the fence one side . #4 Buy after market splitter or better yet a riving knife. #5 stand to one side to prevent getting hit buy kick back. #6 Do not allow people who are not familiar with table saw safety in your shop while using a table saw. Remember the best safety tool you have is between your ears DON’T GET DISTRACTED EVEN FOR A SECOND.

-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/

I have worked on the shop floor of industrial woodworking plants and machine shops for 40 years in production and maintenance and my job has always been hands on. I have operated table saws for 40 years and I have never been injured other than from heavy lifting and ordinary wear and tear on my body from bending and stooping and working under and on machinery. I have always been overly cautious. However, about a year ago I had a table saw kickback accident and it happened in the blink of an eye. I was lucky and fortunately it missed my side and just numbed my fingers but the part knocked one helluva gash in a plywood side of a cabinet behind me. An accident can happen to anybody, anytime. Just a lack of concentration, a distraction, fatigue, or just not being in the right frame of mind can cause an accident. All we can do is follow all of the common sense safety rules and work carefully. You will never eliminate the possibility of a serious accident happening even with a Sawstop. Because I’m 61 years old now and my concentration may not be 100% of what it was when in my prime (just like everything else) I wish that I had a Sawstop but I can’t afford one. However, I may one day find out that I can’t afford not to have one. I only hope that day never comes. I hope that day never comes for any of you fellas either.

helluvawreck aka Charles
http://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com/

-- If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away. Henry David Thoreau

Here’s a simple piece of advice that my brother gave me when I took up woodworking for a living.

Never put your fingers where you wouldn’t put your [insert regional word for penis here].

-- Do or do not, there is no try

Now that’s funny. I laughed a good one there “renners”

-- Lizardhead---Yeah but it's a dry heat--Tempe, Az

I live by that peace of wisdom

1. Don’t hand feed when ripping solid wood. Use a power feeder. Safest
practice is to rip all solid wood stock on the band saw.

2. Don’t cross-cut panels using a rip fence. Use a cut-off box or sliding table.

3. Use an overarm guard at all times.

4. Cut tenon cheeks on the band saw.

5. Don’t use dado blades.

6. Use a vertical splitter if possible.

7. Use appropriate outfeed support for every cut.

8. Think through every cut before making it.

If I followed Loren’s #1-6, I wouldn’t need a table saw. :-)

Read every book on table saws you can find.
Don’t be afraid of the saw.
Find someone with a lot of experience that can tell you what not to do. Although there are probably too many people who think they are safe but are really not.

-- Gerry, http://home.comcast.net/~cncwoodworker/CNC_Woodworker.html

Let’s get the “standardized forum responses” out of the way first.

“Anytime you spend money in a way I don;t think is right, you are dumb.”

“Whatever type of machine you want, it’s wrong if I don;t like that one also.”

“If your way of doing something doesn’t come from me telling you to do it, it’s wrong.”

Other than that, there is no reason you can’t enjoy your table saw even though it’s not a “whatever brand has caught other peoples fancy”. You have to be safe on whatever saw you buy and the name tag on the front is less important than the person operating it anyway. If you like it, have fun and don;t worry about us! Some will be hanging out in cyberspace giving each other a hard time no matter just so jsut go have fun while we tick each other off!

-- Tom Hintz, www.newwoodworker.com

Good alignment, proper blade selection, sharp blades, cutting flat/straight boards, using featherboards, pushsticks, splitter/riving knife, blade guards, keep the table waxed and free of debris, etc., are all things you can do to increase safety on a TS.

-- Happiness is like wetting your pants...everyone can see it, but only you can feel the warmth....

I am probably too tired to be writing this tonight

Be able to recognize when you might be too tired, distracted or hurried to use your saw and stop.