Thumb Meets Band Saw Blade

Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
vtgaryw

vtgaryw

Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2012
Messages
657
Location
Milton, VT
Band saw won.

Well, my run of 45 years of working with power tools and never touching a moving saw blade with skin is over. Was segmenting some blanks, cutting some curves in maple. Blade was a bit dull and the blank kind of stuck, so of course I pushed harder into the blade.

Cut a nice flap on the thumb. Could have been worse. Lesson learned: always replace your dull blades.

-gary
 
Signed-In Members Don't See This Ad
I took of half way across my nail on my thumb on the table saw it took 8 months but most of it grew back but I have no feeling in it. glad your ok
 
vtgaryw said:
Band saw won.

Well, my run of 45 years of working with power tools and never touching a moving saw blade with skin is over. Was segmenting some blanks, cutting some curves in maple. Blade was a bit dull and the blank kind of stuck, so of course I pushed harder into the blade.

Cut a nice flap on the thumb. Could have been worse. Lesson learned: always replace your dull blades.

-gary
Click to expand...

You know, some of us know well how it feels, and regardless how long ago it may have been, vivid memories run through ones mind, raising the hairs off one's back.

I also know that, the vast majority of these type on injuries, tend to happen to those like ourselves, with many years of experience, is the false self confidence and short cutting steps that get us into troubles...!

The first reaction one gets from being introduced to a new piece of machinery, is "fear" and is that fear that keeps them safe from doing silly mistakes, they know, 1 second of distraction and they are in troubles...!

That fear also transforms into respect for the possible dangers of what you are doing, with time, that fear turns into self confidence and disregard to the very dangers that are there since day one, at that moment, we put ourselves in a big risk of getting hurt, sometimes very badly hurt so, and despite the fact, a pic with the results of the mistake, is what makes people stop and think for a minute or two, these occurrences and the fact that, we know that is only a matter of time before someone falls into the trap, reading the events do give us the reinforcing thought that, any of us, may be next...!:eek:

And yes, my roof is made of glass...!

Recover quick and well...!:smile:

Cheers
George
 
Yup, lesson learned. At least for a week or two. :-)

My next table saw will be a SawStop for sure. If you haven't seen it, go and Google. it.

Gary
 
Glad to hear it wasn't any worse. I like many others have had my share of close calls. It's strange how easy a dull wore out blade can cut through human body parts. I think fear and respect go hand in hand when it come to all things that can be potentially dangerous. We all need to keep in mind that when we do such things we need to keep focused on what we're doing and not get in a hurry.
 
You know that funny little feeling that starts off as a tingle in your lower spine, then winds up as pretty much a whole body twitch? Yeah, just had one of those. Glad it wasn't worse.
 
It started making me think about some of the "unsafe" things I do:

1) Usually have the guard removed on the table saw. Sometimes it's necessary, but the default condition should be to have it on.
2) Don't always wear eye protection (I wear glasses with safety lenses, but no side shields), especially when I just want to do something "quick."
3) Likewise with dust mask on the sander or lathe, when I'm just doing something "quick."

It's those little "just let me trim this or sand this" quick jobs that can get you.

-gary
 
vtgaryw said:
It's those little "just let me trim this or sand this" quick jobs that can get you.

-gary
Click to expand...

My uncle decided one day to do a quickie weed trimming around his barn. He normally wears safety glasses, that day he didn't "cause he didn't need to do much." Well, that was the day his weed-eater found a small splinter of wood and took away his vision in one eye -- for life.......
 
I had a nightmare about my bandsaw last night. I tend to get my fingers too close on the bandsaw and it was probably just a matter of time. Sorry for your misfortune but thanks for the shop safety reminder.
 
Cwalker935 said:
I had a nightmare about my bandsaw last night. I tend to get my fingers too close on the bandsaw and it was probably just a matter of time. Sorry for your misfortune but thanks for the shop safety reminder.
Click to expand...

I do the same, but a few months back I was cutting a couple of pen blanks and got to thinking that it was foolish to have 105 inches of jagged tensile steel running through your fingers... so I started moving my hand back, just as the blade hit a soft spot and the wood surged forward... the blade just nicked the inside of my thumb at the furthermost joint.... fortunately, since I was already moving my hand away, I only got a nick, but my old heart jumped 'cause I thought I had done more harm than I did... I now use push sticks and keep my hands as far from the blade as I can.... same with the table saw... that tool has my total and utmost respect.


Gary, Glad you're okay and not badly hurt.
 
Last edited:
Problem with saw stop is it cant tell if wood is damp or its a finger. Sucks if you or someone else gets the blade damp in any way when you turn it on and it crashes. The break and the blade both need replaced each time that happens and thats not cheap.It will still cut your finger too, but the damage should be minimal. Your much better of just using good safety practices. Yes, i am the cat calling the kettle black...i have more than once took a chunk out of the end of a finger on a tablesaw. I think the bottom line is that power tools are dangerous and we are humans, so its nearly inevitable we injure ourselves at some point and then eventually we repeat history. Even einstein made stupid mistakes.
 
vtgaryw said:
Lesson learned: always replace your dull blades.

-gary
Click to expand...

That comment brings back a very old memory!! :biggrin:
I must have been about 5 years old and was mesmerized by my Grandmother peeling potatoes over her kitchen sink. She always had a cigarette in her mouth and the ash NEVER fell off, even when it was the full length of the damned thing!! :eek:
Anyway, I asked her why she didn't cut herself with the knife. She said to me throught the smoke haze...''Boy, .....you will only ever cut yourself with a blunt knife''
I didn't have a clue what she meant until she was long gone....:rolleyes:

Glad you're ok!!:wink:
 
workinforwood said:
Problem with saw stop is it cant tell if wood is damp or its a finger. Sucks if you or someone else gets the blade damp in any way when you turn it on and it crashes.
Click to expand...

Jeff I have a SawStop and this is where I get to paraphrase an expression a buddy always says when someone is talking about something they don't have first hand experience with. Your bottom is a strawberry. :eek: :wink:

The SawStop detector can tell the difference between your finger and damp wood. If there is any doubt about a material or you want to check the saw is working correctly, with the saw off you touch the blade. If it senses you or something that will set off the blade brake, the red warning light on the switch flashes. If it won't set the brake off it stays a steady red. The things that will set of the brake are; you :wink:, metal, or sometimes pressure treated wood (it has to be quite wet).

I just went to the shop and checked just to make sure I don't have any berries in my pants. :smile: The light flashed when I touched the blade. It didn't flash when I took scrap wood and ran it under the water tap for a few seconds and shook the excess water off. It didn't flash when I took the scrap wood back and ran it under the water for a couple minutes and left it dripping wet. Then I dried off the water from the saw otherwise it will still rust. :eek: Then I went outside and got an old board from the ground and shook off the sow bugs and touched the blade with a damp rotten area and the light didn't flash either. I don't have any pressure treated wood to try but who make pens from that stuff anyway?

Now I'm right at the front with you in saying that good safety practices are essential and using a SawStop doesn't change that one bit. It does however add one more layer of safety to the shop that I'm glad I have. Even if I have nicked my miter jig twice along with a tape measure too. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

A number of years ago the SawStop website did have a clip of video of a bandsaw they had equiped with a blade brake. Perhaps one day they will make SawStop bandsaws but I suppose that will just encourage people to use dull blades. :wink:
 
This past Wednesday I learned my lesson with my ole table saw.. I had a squirrel moment and looked away and split my thumb in half long ways like a snakes tongue. About 3/8" up I have now been back home with a thumb but a terrified hobbyist of the table saw. Be careful out there.
 
skiprat said:
vtgaryw said:
Lesson learned: always replace your dull blades.

-gary
Click to expand...

That comment brings back a very old memory!! :biggrin:
I must have been about 5 years old and was mesmerized by my Grandmother peeling potatoes over her kitchen sink. She always had a cigarette in her mouth and the ash NEVER fell off, even when it was the full length of the damned thing!! :eek:
Anyway, I asked her why she didn't cut herself with the knife. She said to me throught the smoke haze...''Boy, .....you will only ever cut yourself with a blunt knife''
I didn't have a clue what she meant until she was long gone....:rolleyes:

Glad you're ok!!:wink:
Click to expand...

My father was a carpenter and preferred using a hammer to any of the nail guns... he was driving nails on a job and one of the younger carpenters watched a bit then hit his thumb with the hammer... he turned to Dad and asked, "How come I never see you hit your thumb".... Dad's reply typical of my dad was " 'cause I know it hurts" :biggrin::rolleyes:
 
Wow, that's scarier than what I did! Hope you're healing up well.

-gary

Cablegod75 said:
This past Wednesday I learned my lesson with my ole table saw.. I had a squirrel moment and looked away and split my thumb in half long ways like a snakes tongue. About 3/8" up I have now been back home with a thumb but a terrified hobbyist of the table saw. Be careful out there.
Click to expand...
 
Got some new blades yesterday, and I got back on it last night. I think I figured out what really caused the problem.

I was cutting some curves in some pen blanks, and the far end of the blank caught a little lip where the center insert was a bit shy of being flush with the table. It would be very tempting (as I did last week) to just give it a shove, thinking it was a binding issue.

Now that I see that, I'll have to shim the insert.

-gary
 
I am glad you were not seriously hurt
I was cutting a worm eaten oak burl on a table saw using two push sticks (one to push the wood through the blade one to hold it against the fence). The burl exploded and the stick I was using to hold the wood against the fence hit the blade and went foreward and my thumb tip hit the side of the blade. About 1/8" of my thumb tip was messed up. Luckly I work with a plastic surgen and he took care of me. But it happened so fast I could not react in time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom