# So, Just one quick cut?



## MarkTheFiddler (May 29, 2012)

Yeah right! Who woulda' known that eye protection can save an eye! I never heard such a thing.

You know, for all those times we asked ourselves "Where are those stinking goggles? Oh well - I just need to make one cut. What can happen?"

Today, I just made one thin rip. Too thin for the anti kickback. I cleared a small knot on my cut and a small hunk of wood about 1/4 '' X 1 '' X 3" flew off the saw and right back at me. What you see is what happened immediately after the wood smacked my safety glasses.










After that, the hunk of wood took all my hair OFF!

While I'm rethinking safety on thin rips, I want to remind all of you about rolling the dice and making just on tiny cut without eye wear. You too can go bald!

Yeah, I'm taking this in stride because I still have 2 eyes. You all have reminded me so many times to wear protective gear. THANK YOU! I'm at home instead of the Hospital!


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

Damn! You need at hat to go with those safety glasses!


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## Dal300 (Aug 4, 2011)

Get out the Mercurochrome!


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## MarkTheFiddler (May 29, 2012)

I've always admired your hat Andy.  Perhaps I'll turn in the safety glasses for a welders helmet.


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

Mark, I have worn a cowboy hat for so long that I could leave the house without my pants before I could leave without my hat!

It is suprising how much protection they offer. Especially for someone whose is somewhat "hair challenged". Sorry, I couldn't help myself!


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## jordanp (Feb 1, 2013)

Ouch mark.. I'm glad the safety police can't see me using my table saw..

However I never let myself get too comfortable around it. 
But 60% of my cuts are now being done by hand saws, based on that I'm reducing my chances of a TS accident..


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

*Oh Mark!*

*You really lucked out!!*

*Without those safety glasses, you might be One-Eyed!* WOW! CLOSE CALL!

*Instead…*
... *you have to hunt all over the place for your hair!*  LOL


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## Randy_ATX (Sep 18, 2011)

Look at the positive - you did just save a bit on your haircut budget.

I always appreciate these reminders. I wear my glasses 90% of the time. I need to make it 100%.


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

I get really nervous around the TS without safety glasses. Even more so around the weed whacker and a little less so around the lawn mower. Usually a really good idea ;-) Glad you had them on and were not seriously hurt.


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## Maggiepic (Aug 26, 2010)

Wow…close one Mark. Sure happy it was not worse. 
The hair will grow back ….right….. ;^)


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## MarkTheFiddler (May 29, 2012)

I hear ya Jordan. Good on you for going the trad route.
Joe, if you see a gray haired critter roaming your yard. Catch it. It's probably mine.
Andy, there's definitely an advantage to being a hat man. My friggin head is too big for most hats.
Howdy Dallas. Mercuro who? Is that the red stuff?


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## lanwater (May 14, 2010)

That's the only thing I don't use.

That was close.

I too could use a hat.


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## PLK (Feb 11, 2014)

Glad you were wearing your glasses Mark! I have a nice inch long mark on my glasses from a similar incident. I refuse to get a new $10 pair as it's a nice reminder for me.

The first thing I do when I enter my shop is put them on. I eat lunch with them on and they don't come off until I leave. I catch myself everyday leaving the shop with them still on and have to take them off and make the extra trip downstairs to put them back on my table saw.

Paul


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Good lesson learned.

I wear safety glasses almost always when running my machinery…
ear muff too. I use the guard on my table saw as well. Check
my work if you want, it doesn't interfere.


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## Gilgaron (Jan 22, 2014)

PLK:

Damaged safety glasses should be replaced, as they no longer have the impact resistance they were rated for (Z87+ if you have ones appropriate for impact)


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## jmos (Nov 30, 2011)

Good job Mark! Glad to hear the injury was minimal; that's exactly why you wear them every time, you never know when you'll wish you did.

+1 on replacing the glasses; don't assume since they look 'ok' they are fine. They are cheap, get a new pair.


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## GrandpaLen (Mar 6, 2012)

MarkTheFiddler, ...2014's Poster Boy for Safety Glasses !!!!

Seeing (literally) is Believing. Glad it wasn't a 'tubafore'.* ;-)*

Best Regards. - Len
Work *Safely* and have Fun.


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## BinghamtonEd (Nov 30, 2011)

I always wear my hearing protection. Always. But let's not talk about how often I get complacent and don't wear eye protection. I think you've changed my ways, Mark, it's time I start being a little more careful. Thanks for posting this.


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## MarkTheFiddler (May 29, 2012)

Thank you all much for the well wishes, the safety reinforcements and the funnies.

My wife is a nurse. She goes a little over the top when it comes to injuries. She worries that I may have a concussion. I can see that happening. Not that I believe I have one. This is the second time I have taken a hard shot from the saw. It really makes quite a wallop.


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## GrandpaLen (Mar 6, 2012)

Mark,
You may want to look into Bubble Wrap Body Armor for a 1st line of defence when approaching the Table Saw.

...just a thought. 
Work Safely and hav e fun. - Len


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

I sure am thankful that you didn't loose your eye or even worse. Thanks for using the injury to remind us all how important it is to be safety conscious while we are in our shops.

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


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## mojapitt (Dec 31, 2011)

That "one quick cut" gets a lot of people. Glad you're OK.

Hair is overrated.


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## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

Hi Mark- good thing it was not your eye! I know what you mean about using safety glasses on the table saw. Just the dust can stop you from working if you for get the glasses. Looks like you need a full face shieldlike you use on the lathe with wood with bark on it!!

Thanks for sharing!! We need to be reminded of safety in the shop….........Jim


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## retfr8flyr (Oct 30, 2013)

Thanks for sharing. It's always easy to tell yourself, I don't need to worry it's not worth it to put on the glasses for just this. You are very lucky and it makes us all think about safety in the shop.


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## HillbillyShooter (Feb 15, 2012)

Glad you're okay-your experience certainly makes one re-examine shop safety. Thanks for sharing and thanks for posting.


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## stnich (May 24, 2010)

I had an instance a month or so ago where I was working with a friend in a very large studio.
I was at least 25-30 feet away from him. He was using a driver with a quick change chuck with
a hex shank combination drill and counter sink bit. He removed the the bit to put in a Philips bit.
The counter sink bit which he had put on top of the piece he was working on rolled off the table.
The drill bit hit the floor at just the right angle so that the drill bit broke off and went sailing across the room
and hit me in the eye just below my glasses. It didn't actually go in my eye but hit me on my lower eye lid. No damage done to my eye but it did kind of knock me back a little. I actually saw the bit heading my way but had no time to react. Actually that was probably a good thing because if I moved who knows where it might have hit.


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## Tomoose (Mar 1, 2009)

Whew! Keep those glasses on, everyone. 
Thanks for the reminder,and glad you are mostly OK.

Tom


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## BillWhite (Jul 23, 2007)

Hey! I'm a splitter, guard, face shield, ear muffs, bald guy too.
Note to self:
Hair ain't gonna grow back. (Yet.)
Bill


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## Grandpa (Jan 28, 2011)

S cousin was using a chisel to cut some rivets. The head had mushroomed. He had safety glasses on with side shields. A bur broke off the mushroom and hit him on the cheek bone. It turned and cut the optic nerve leaving him blind in that eye. It is a dangerous world out there. Wear all the safety gear available all the time.


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

Glad it wasn't any worse for sure. We all just need to think, safety first. We never know when stuff will happen.


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## MarkTheFiddler (May 29, 2012)

Howdy Roger.

You're right on the money. I believe the are two things I could have done better to possibly parent the kick back. Even though I couldn't use the anti kickback and blade guard, I could have used the riving knife. I'm not sure but I may have been able to use one of those feather attachment for a little extra grip. That one is debate able.


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