Dangerous pushstick

[Nick Gibbs]

After 30-odd years working with machines I had my first really close shave with a tablesaw yesterday. I was feeding a piece of 2x1in softwood through the blade, cutting at a slight angle along its length and following a line. I was using two pushsticks, and one caught the back edge of the blade, and with a nicely sharpened point came hurtling up into my face. By a piece of extraordinary good fortune I was wearing ear defenders with a visor attached and no harm was done. It goes to show that however safely you may be working (there are more details on my blog and in the next issue), if you're doing something that feels a bit wrong - don't do it!

Thanks to everyone who came up to say hello at Glasgow.

Cheers

Nick

 

[lurker]

Thats why I make my push sticks out of MDF

 

[Argee]

In your blog, Nick, you say "In a bit of a rush I drew a straight line down at a slight angle down a 2ft piece of 2×1in softwood and decided to cut this freehand.. " Shouldn't the title of this thread be "Dangerous Practice"? Every bit of tablesaw advice I've ever seen includes not attempting freehand cuts.

That said, thanks for the post, as it brings safety to the fore again and I'm really glad you're OK.

Ray.

 

[Nick Gibbs]

You're absolutely right. It was poor practice. I'm sure I realised that was the case, and perhaps wore the visor because of that. I can't recall. Had we had a bandsaw in the workshop (too complicated to explain why it isn't there at the moment) I would have used that. But hopefully it's a lesson to others. In my experience machining small items is one of the most likely causes of any accident.

Cheers

Nick

 

[woodbloke]

In my experience machining small items is one of the most likely causes of any accident.

Cheers

Nick

Totally agree here Nick, the smaller something gets the more difficult it is to control and manipulate on a machine...gives me the willies sometimes! Glad you're still 'good to go' - Rob

 

[OPJ]

Although I agree with Argee's comment, I'm glad to hear it wasn't any worse, Nick. This is the kind of accident you wouldn't normally expect to hear about. I'm not quite sure why your push stick was near the rising teeth at the back of the blade :wink: but, I know that people do use push-sticks to clear away the waste, particularly when cross-cutting the ends of wide boards. Hopefully this will raise some awareness.

 

[CNC Paul]

Thats why I make my push sticks out of MDF

A piece of MDF will do the same damage as a bit of softwood.

 

[Nick Gibbs]

The pushstick was near the blade because the 2x1 was tending to lift at the back and so rather than just guide it from the side I had to use some downward pressure. As I mentioned, the 'mouth' of the pushstick is about 2in long, which means the pushing bit at the back of the notch is a long way from the point. I couldn't see exactly where the point was, and had allowed it to drift too far towards the back of the blade.

MDF would have hurt as much, but it might not have shattered and caught in the same way. There is a reinforcing ridge around this plastic pushstick which was ideal for catching the blade.

I count my blessings.

Nick

 

[OPJ]

By the way, the blog looks good, Nick. :wink:

Makes me feel like I should try and do something myself... :-k

 

[lurker]

Thats why I make my push sticks out of MDF

A piece of MDF will do the same damage as a bit of softwood.

Not quite - no sharp pointy bits of flying wood to impale themselves.

 

[CNC Paul]

Thats why I make my push sticks out of MDF

A piece of MDF will do the same damage as a bit of softwood.

Not quite - no sharp pointy bits of flying wood to impale themselves.

I had a guy working for me who snapped a strip of MDF over his knee, a piece flew up and hit him in the face...result 3 stitches, 1" higher no eye.
anything flying about the workshop is dangerous

 

[gatesmr2]

Glad i'm not the only one who thinks like this Woodbloke .....(gives me the willies sometimes!)

I enjoy owning and working with my table saw but have to say it does get a great deal of respect from me even more so after reading some of the posts on here. Even if they only help a beginner like myself from hurting themselves, always good to have a reminder of how they can bite back.
It amazes me when i watch people on TV how close they let there hand get even if its just picking the bit of wood up after its been cut, maybe i'm a total wimp but until that blade stops spinning i tend to leave it where it is :shock:

Cheers Nick good to be reminded of these things. Glad your ok as well.

Martin

 

[zeb]

u say that free hand cuts are dangerous right ???

well if so how come the person i did work exsperance (full trained at oxford school of woodowrok) cut a 1ft wide 2 in thick 12 ft long (cut to 2 x6ft)peace of beech rough sawn, sized it up into bits for a bucherblock on wheels

im assuming that a bad idea :roll:

 

[DangerousDave]

...It amazes me when i watch people on TV how close they let there hand get even if its just picking the bit of wood up after its been cut, maybe i'm a total wimp but until that blade stops spinning i tend to leave it where it is :shock: ...

Was watching that Holmes on Homes the other day. The bloke that owned the house they were working on was the manager of some Canadian country and western star (can't remember his name), so they got this bloke in to 'help them out'. Bearing in mind that this poor chap is a professional guitarist, Mike lets him rip a bit of timber on a table saw... no guard, no push stick, no PPE, fingers mere millimetres from the spinning blade :shock: :shock: :shock: Mike later quipped to Damon that they should get the bloke back to play a few tunes on his guitar when they'd finished the job. Not if you let him back near that table saw again, big lad!

 

[Woodmagnet]

I'm thinking of making one of these. :lol:

 

[joesoap]

After 30-odd years working with machines I had my first really close shave with a tablesaw yesterday. I was feeding a piece of 2x1in softwood through the blade, cutting at a slight angle along its length and following a line. I was using two pushsticks, and one caught the back edge of the blade, and with a nicely sharpened point came hurtling up into my face. By a piece of extraordinary good fortune I was wearing ear defenders with a visor attached and no harm was done. It goes to show that however safely you may be working (there are more details on my blog and in the next issue), if you're doing something that feels a bit wrong - don't do it!

Thanks to everyone who came up to say hello at Glasgow.

Cheers

Nick

Two push sticks to rip a length of 2 x 1 freehand ??? 'look Mum no hands ' Like trying to control eating peas using chopsticks don't you think so Nick , on hindsight . You owe it to the visor this time but they don't help the fingers . Cheers !

 

[Doctor]

anything flying about the workshop is dangerous

what about banter and ********, plenty of that flies around my gaff.