# Be Safe On The Scroll Saw



## greasemonkeyredneck (Aug 14, 2010)

I was cutting a straight line cut the other day in a small piece of wood that was an inch and three quarter thick. That is a hard cut for most scroll saws to make, but I've done it enough. Towards the end of the cut, I knew my blade was getting dull, as I was having to push harder into it, but I figured I'd just finish this small piece before changing blades. Well, the piece was narrow enough that, to push it through the blade, my finger was in line with the blade. When the piece cleared the blade, my finger went forward into the blade, making a fairly nasty cut right on the end of my thumb.
Now, I have touch the business side of many scroll saw blade. What made this cut bad was the fact that I was pushing harder tom complete a cut with a dull blade. Even though the blade was dull enough to have issue with a piece of wood that thick, it had no issue with skin. 
My point is, be careful. Think about what you're doing. No matter how small a piece is, if you know a blade is dull, change it. A sharp blade is less dangerous than a dull one. Be safe.
No, I did not take pictures of the cut. It's not as dramatic as some people have on a table saw. I joke that if you really wanted to cut your finger off with a scroll saw, you'd probably have to change blades hafl way through to complete the cut. Just because it won't rip your finger off like a table saw though, does not mean it won't cut you. It will.

Another time, long ago, I pinched my finger pretty bad on a Ryobi scroll saw. I could not tighten the bottom blade clamp on that saw because a cover was in the way of me getting my large hands in there to it. I had no choice but to remove the cover. I've seen a lot of people do this on the same saw. 
Well, one day,, a small piece I was cutting off of a larger piece fell down through the table. Without thinking, I reach under the table to retrieve it with the saw still running. You guessed it. My finger got pinched between the lower arm and the table. 
It done no long term damage. It just made me cuss a little bit.

What other cautionary tales do you guys have about what not to do on a scroll saw?


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## jap (Oct 10, 2012)

Don't put your face to close to the blade when looking at the cut, cause when the blade snaps and hits your face it really hurts.


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## StumpyNubs (Sep 25, 2010)

No matter how much you want to, no matter how good an idea it seems, no matter how many times your friends dare you, never-ever try and stop the blade with your eyelids. Nine times out of ten it will lead to blindness.


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## alba (Jul 31, 2010)

Wise Words William

Jamie


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## Pdub (Sep 10, 2009)

If the board gets lifted off the table by the blade, don't try to grab it before turning off the saw. No matter how many times I tell myself this, I try to grab the board and end up getting my finger smashed between the board and the table or the board rips the end of my fingernail off.


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

OUCH! If it hurts then don't do that! Hopefully it wasn't too serious.

And thanks for the reminder as we all need them on occasion, regardless how long it has been that any of us have been accident free. Hopefully pain by proxy will still wake us up enough to make sure we operate safely.


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## scrollingmom (Aug 27, 2011)

Thanks for reminding us that just because our blades on the scrollsaw are not giagantic they can still do damage. Been there done that and hopefully it will be my own reminder. Hope you heal fast, waiting to see what yoiur making.


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## MrsN (Sep 29, 2008)

I got knocked in the forhead by the upper arm a few times, when I was focusing on a small cut a bit too close.


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## greasemonkeyredneck (Aug 14, 2010)

Thank you all for commenting.
I wasn't even going to make a post about this.
I thought it was good to remind everyone though,
Just because a scroll saw doesn't easily do as much damage as larger tools, like a table saw or jointer, it can still bite you if you're not careful. 
It's like the difference between a bulldog and a chihuahua. 
They both can bite you. One can do more damage than the other. They both hurt though.


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

Another way to remind us all to be careful. Glad you weren't hurt any worse. Thnx for the safety reminder.


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

Good advice and thanks. I'm sorry about the accident and hope that your finger heals up quickly.

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


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