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First Ouch For Me in Awhile

Jeff Bower

Jeff Bower

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5,762
Location
DSM, IA
I was in the shop a bit to long last night...should have shut it down and gone inside. Instead I went on the finished, well almost, cutting up some poplar for a simple box I'm making for a friend. One last rip to do. Was thinking about everything but what I was doing...only took a second but now I have a nasty 1" high, 2.5" wide bruise on my belly and a nice bruise/gash on my forearm close to my elbow. I was using a pushstick, but that was about all I was doing correctly. I was "in the line of fire", pushing to hard and my fence was pinching at the far end of the blade.(I always check to make sure the crappy fence is square before I rip something, well almost always.) I saw that was happening but decided, stupidly, to just push harder and get finished. I'm embarrased and lucky and won't be doing that again.:eek: :doh:


A new better fence has been high on the list for awhile, but common shop sense is even higher now. How many stories do I have to see on this and other forums and in mags to get it into my thick skull. :huh:

Work Safe!:wave:
 
Jeff Bower said:
How many stories do I have to see on this and other forums . . . .
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Glad that wasn't worse. I am glad we can all put our egos in check when it comes to posting safety reminders, The more the better as we are all subject to the occasional "just this once" scenario. Diligence and safety. Heal quick and thanks for the reminder.
 
Ouch! Glad you're OK and don't worry, the shorts should wash out. ;) Had a co-worker remind me of that a couple of years ago, the bruise he had you could almost see the end grain in the print on his stomach. He had never been told to stand to one side of the work and not behind it. Only time I ever got a kick back was on a saw like you described, had to set the fence front and back (typical older craftsman).
 
Thanks for the well wishes everyone! :thumb:

glenn bradley said:
Glad that wasn't worse. I am glad we can all put our egos in check when it comes to posting safety reminders, The more the better as we are all subject to the occasional "just this once" scenario. Diligence and safety. Heal quick and thanks for the reminder.
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Ego, is something that is not in my shop when I compare my work with most everyone else's here. :) I wasn't going to mention anything about my mishap, but remembered thinking about how I was doing something once and thought better after someone else posting about their own mishap.
 
Sorry to hear this Jeff but at least its only bruises. I do thank you like the other have said for posting this experience. I find these posts very valuable cause they have saved me on more than one occasion when i was going to be delinquent myself and do something i should not. Then i hear the words i have read here and decide i dont want to be a victim and i take that extra moment.

I think one of the best things i have learnt is to stop for the day and walk away. I never ever did this as i saw it as giving up. But i got it in my thick head to recognise it now and have no problem just calling it a day to fight again another day. Its not easy to do though.

Thanks again for the reminder.
 
The hardest lessons are often the most remembered. ;) Glad it was only a bruise, and thanks for pass along the reminder for everyone else.

That said, I HATE push sticks. They offer little control, especially on shorter pieces of stock, and things can go ka-bloowie in a heartbeat. (As you discovered.). I find I have much better control ripping with a Grr-ripper. My cuts come out much better too, because the feed is more controlled.
 
Having experienced getting the wind knocked out of me by a kickback, I can empathize. And I'm glad it wasn't more serious! And I didn't have the crappy fence excuse! And like Vaughm, I hate push sticks and love the Grr-ripper! If a push stick fails or slips (and who hasn't had one slip?), where does that leave your hand going? Yep, right into the blade (or at least toward it) and guard, or no, that isn't where I want mine.

That T2 that Roger posted is a good deal too!
 
Had it happen to me one to many times too. Glad it wasn't worse Jeff. Sure gets your attention :eek:

Since I made my own riving knife and use a MJ splitter on other inserts I don't worry as much.
 
Roger Newby said:
This is one heckuva deal. I really like mine.

http://www.tools-plus.com/delta-36-t30.html

Took about 45 minutes to attach to a Craftsman. You can slide it with one finger and it locks dead straight. Also easy to add auxiliary fences etc. I ordered mine on a Monday and had it the following Thursday.

Hope you heal quickly and don't have a recurrence.
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Thanks for the link Roger. You told me about it when I posted about picking up my craftsman and I'd forgotten about it. Will be getting one asap.
 
I found and printed the manual for my saw yesterday and last night I did some tinkering. I thought it was the fence and it was a bit off, but that didn't fix the problem. The blade wasn't square to the table either. :doh:A few loosened bolts and a couple light taps with a scrap of wood and hammer on the trunion and all is well. :D Can't believe how much better/safer ripping is now. I will get that delta fence sometime soon, but at least now I can finish up a project I started before my boo boo.
 
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