To Close for Comfort

Vaughn McMillan

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A bit of a preface: When I use a tablesaw, I nearly always have the blade retracted before it stops spinning. It's just a habit that as soon as I turn off the saw after the last cut, I crank the blade back down. I had that instilled into me by a shop teacher who never wanted the blade left exposed unless it was in use.

Last night, I was trimming the ends off a few pen blanks. In the process, one of the offcuts fell off the table of the saw and onto the floor. When I finished the last cut, I shut off the saw and bent down to pick up the dropped piece. As I was getting up, I placed my left hand on the table to steady myself. As I stood upright, I saw the blade was just then stopping its rotation. My thumb was about 1/8" from the blade and my index finger nearly as close on the other side of the blade. :eek: Even with the saw turned off, there was plenty of momentum to have done some serious damage. I was very lucky. That was the closest I've come to cutting myself with the tablesaw, and I've been using one since I was about 15 years old.

I'm posting this as a heads-up to newbies and old-timers alike. Never stop paying attention to the spinning blade. :eek:
 
Don't be the poster child...

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Glad you're ok!:thumb::D
 

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Yes, that was a very close call. *Only* out of curiosity, would that have triggered a SawStop? I.e., is the detection circuitry still active after you hit the off button?
 
Yes, that was a very close call. *Only* out of curiosity, would that have triggered a SawStop? I.e., is the detection circuitry still active after you hit the off button?

It's my understanding that the circuitry is active until the blade stops spinning. Maybe one of the Sawstop owners here can confirm that.
 
A bit of a preface: When I use a tablesaw, I nearly always have the blade retracted before it stops spinning. It's just a habit that as soon as I turn off the saw after the last cut, I crank the blade back down. I had that instilled into me by a shop teacher who never wanted the blade left exposed unless it was in use.

Last night, I was trimming the ends off a few pen blanks. In the process, one of the offcuts fell off the table of the saw and onto the floor. When I finished the last cut, I shut off the saw and bent down to pick up the dropped piece. As I was getting up, I placed my left hand on the table to steady myself. As I stood upright, I saw the blade was just then stopping its rotation. My thumb was about 1/8" from the blade and my index finger nearly as close on the other side of the blade. :eek: Even with the saw turned off, there was plenty of momentum to have done some serious damage. I was very lucky. That was the closest I've come to cutting myself with the tablesaw, and I've been using one since I was about 15 years old.

I'm posting this as a heads-up to newbies and old-timers alike. Never stop paying attention to the spinning blade. :eek:


hey vaughn,, you need to go back and look at your past expeiernces latly,, i think your left brain has disconnected from your right one,, your gettun to many close calls lately.. maybe yu should get checked out...
 
They looked in my brain once Larry. It was empty. :bonkers:

Both recent things were caused by not paying attention. I definitely need to stop that. I post these stories as a warning to others and a reminder to myself. :doh:
 
Both recent things were caused by not paying attention. I definitely need to stop that. I post these stories as a warning to others and a reminder to myself. :doh:

The real tragedy is that you probably won't pay better attention until you get bitten. Thats how my brain, and most of humanities brain works. It may be a scratch, it may be you will have to get a stick to finish counting to ten. Here's hoping its more on the gentle end of the scale when the true reminder surfaces.
 
It's my understanding that the circuitry is active until the blade stops spinning. Maybe one of the Sawstop owners here can confirm that.

Yes, I think that is correct, because when you do switch it off, the red light on the control panel blinks until the blade is stopped, then it glows green, which means you can turn it on again. That is not 100% for sure a correct answer, but I think it is :eek: :dunno:

Glad you are OK Vaughn :thumb:

Now smarten up will you :D
 
Close one Vaughn, you may want to think of what the driver is to the distraction causing these close calls given your years of experience.

I know since someone mentioned it here, i have changed a few "policies" in my shop. I now often close up when i find something else is distracting me.

It does not always have to affect safety often for me it messes up what i am doing.

Thanks for posting your experience, i actually think more of you for doing it rather than the other way around. Takes guts to be honest and open in the interests of alerting others to the same possible mishap.
 
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