# Beware of the left hand



## Billp (Nov 25, 2006)

In my reading travels I read that most woodworking accidents involve the left hand. I know mine have. Once when after completing the rip of a 3" wide piece. I went to clear the fall off with my left hand, i mean i was a good three inches behind the blade. Sweeping the cutoff to the left the front of the piece caught the saw draging the piece back up and over the blade leaving a nice gash on the tip of my thumb. Really makes for an ugly looking thumb. If I were not so anal an just left the cut off sit on the saw till after it was stopped I wouldn't be writing this now. The other time was just plane stupid on my part. I was squaring up the smallest detail on a desk leg. Holding the piece in my Left Hand, it broke through an severed four tendons in my left hand. I new better than to put a hand in front of a chisel, if the leg where clamped to my bench I would still have full use of my left hand, I don't. I kind of mentioned this briefly once before but if I can help spare one left hand injury it's worth repeting.


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## PurpLev (May 30, 2008)

I'm left handed… I am always aware of it 

but jokes aside - I agree with you, pay attention to where your hands/body is positioned at all times. better safe than sorry.

thanks for the reminder!


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

Thanks for the reminder. Seeing these stories on a regular basis here on LJ is causing me to loose my complacency we working with my table saw.


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## CharlieM1958 (Nov 7, 2006)

Yep, it's always good to get a reminder. I'm left-handed like Sharon, so it's really important for us. 

One thing I make it an absolute point to never do is clear away a cutoff with my left hand while the blade is still spinning.


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

Thanks Bill. I have been guilty of just that, reaching over to clear the outfeed of the TS. I have been lucky so far (being a rather noobie), but will be changing practices immediately. Too bad I have seen RoughCut's Tommy Mac do the same less than a week ago on his show.

Oh yeah, I'm a lefty as well *;-)*


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## SCOTSMAN (Aug 1, 2008)

Yep My accident was on my left thumb left me in hospital for ten days with a three hour operation to put back together.No saws in volved I had turned a large bowl on the lathe whyen sanding it it blew out on me nearly taking my thumb with it.My wife Bron was more horrified than me.I thought oh well of to the hospital theyll stictch it and I ll be straight home but they booked me in so it's true beware.have fun Alistair


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## Bertha (Jan 10, 2011)

I severed my left flexor retinaculum (the tendon they cut in carpal tunnel surgery) while cutting a nylon wire tie with a box cutter. Somehow I spared the nerves running under it. Same story…it was supposed to be a quick little trim.


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## rance (Sep 30, 2009)

I'm glad you clarified that Al. I was trying to figure out why your butt(rectumaculum) was up on the table saw.


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## racerglen (Oct 15, 2010)

Left cheek ?


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

The 5" rule is my guide. Hands no closer to a spinning blade than 5". 
I didn't always observe this rule and I paid dearly for it. 
In thinking about it, it seems that I don't use my left hand a lot at the saw. 
I'll have to pay more attention to it's use, now.
Thanks for the reminder.


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## Gregn (Mar 26, 2010)

Being a south paw I'm always aware of the left. Because most tools are right handed and few are left handed, I'm always watching where my hands are. Knock on wood I still have 10 fingers and toes, but you are so right about being aware of where are hands are located while using any tool. Glad to see your still typing to remind us to always be aware of where are hands are with any tool. Take care and think safe and be safe all.


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## longgone (May 5, 2009)

I never get within 8 ft of my table saw…I use a verrry long push stick.


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## Tootles (Jul 21, 2011)

Rance, I need to tell you about my father. He put his right thumb into the TS blade removing a chunk of skin from it. They replaced it with a graft from his backside! So now a part of his butt comes into contact with lots of things.


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

In the 6 months since I've mostly been woodcarving the only power tools that I have used are my chop saw, the drill press, and the band saw, and the scroll saw. I haven't used the table saw in 6 months because when I bring my basswood home from the plant it has been surfaced 4 sides on the moulder so all I have to do to my stock is usually cut it to length. Right now my table saw is covered up with a lot of my woodcarvings. If I keep going on this way I'll probably never get a table saw injury. ;-|


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## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

The worst case of clipping a hand or finger would probably be on the table saw. I always use pusher sticks so if I clear a cutoff piece, it is with the stick.


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## jgreiner (Oct 23, 2010)

Thanks for sharing I know when I started out I struggled with cleaning cut offs from the saw while it was running. I wanted too, I thought "it's far enough from the blade what could be the harm" and I read some stories like this and I know that is your perception that thinks it's far enough but it may not always be and by time you realise it, it's too late.

It is so tempting to clean off the cut offs from the table saw right away just because standing around doing nothing waiting for the saw turn off is a huge test in patience, it's like it draws you into it. To resist the urge to do something dangerous to shave 30 seconds I've gotten into the habbit of putting my hands in my pockets while the saw spins down. This way I know where they are, and it's easier to avoid the temptation.

-jeremy


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## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

Jeremy, That is great advice! I don't know why we are obsessed with getting those scraps off the saw before the blade stops, but we are. My bandsaw injury occured exactly this way. Didn't lose a finger but got blood all over my new bandsaw!


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