Ouch...!

[brianhabby]

I was setting up my router table today to cut a groove in the stiles for some cupboard doors I am making.

I was using a ¼" router bit and was running a short test. I had run it once and turned it round to run it again to ensure the groove was centred when suddenly the piece was snatched from my hand and thrown across the workshop.

Because I had a firm grip on the piece, my fingers were dragged towards the bit and my index finger hit it. Boy did it leak :!: :shock:

I have always tried to be careful with the power tools in the workshop, especially as I am usually on my own in there, so this gave me a bit of a shock. Although the finger is sore it will heal but it's a featherboard & pushstick for me in future.

How do other people push work through a bit on the router table?

regards

Brian

 

[Smudger]

Carefully.



I'll get my coat...

(I am sympathetic - I once put my finger in a car fan!)

 

[BradNaylor]

You have my sympathies Brian.

Push sticks and feather boards are the key to the safe use of a router table or spindle moulder. Never let your fingers get nearer than 6" from the cutter.

For putting a groove in door stiles I would always use one of these rather than a straight cutter. It gives a far better finish and is much safer.

http://www.wealdentool.com/acatalog/Groovers_62.html

Cheers
Dan

 

[gidon]

My sympathies too - nasty. I've done something very similar to this before too but luckily didn't catch my finger.
Hope I'm not telling you the obvious - but take it you know why the workpiece was dragged? It's because that second pass you were actually taking a climb cut. I did this once not thinking cutting some T-moulding for a flooring threshold and now thing very careful with similar cuts on the router table.
Cheers
Gidon

 

[Rich]

Hi Gidon, I suppose I would have done the same in my ignorance, what would the safest procedure have been?
regards,
Rich.

 

[mailee]

I wecond that too, always use a pushstick and feather boards. I never push a piece through without those in place. I have only had one piece pulled out of my grasp and that was because I didn't use either and was making a cliimb cut without realising. Sorry to hear about the finger BTW.

 

[brianhabby]

Thanks for the sympathy guys.

Dan,

I've always just used a straight cutter but I might give your idea a try now,

regards

Brian

 

[Harbo]

Sorry Brian hope it heals quickly.

Having had a scare on my table with the piece whipping through and embedding itself in a turbo wall block - I am very careful and do not cut with the rotation - always against. (Unless I am using my Woodrat where the timber is clamped). Of course the direction varies with the position of the cutter in relation to the fence. My Woodpecker router plate has the rotation clearly shown and I always have a good look at it before cutting just to remind me!!
I always try to use feather boards and a push stick too.

Rod

 

[bob_c]

Ive always been a bit less safety conscious with routers for some reason,but the only accident i've ever had with a powertool was with a router in a table and an ogee bit went through the knuckle of my thumb.It hurt like hell and ive know idea how i didnt suffer permanent nerve damage.

 

[bobscarle]

Brian

I had the same thing happen to me a while back (got a lump missing out of the corner of a push pad to prove it). Frightened the life out of me. After a sit down and cup of tea I went over what had happened and sure enough a climb cut was to blame. When I make a door now I use an ordinary straight cutting bit as before but get it centred as close as possible with one pass and leave it at that. (Might try a groover though).

Hope you finger heals quickly.

Bob

 

[exigetastic]

I am super nervous of my router in the table because it is new.

The closest I've had was with a SCMS. Basically had a smallish bit of timber (maybe 10") in the machine and it caught (still not sure how). Bang my hand was flung up, and smashed into the laser assembly directly behind the blade, completely smashing all the plastic housing with my knuckles. Hurt like hell, and I had to take a deep breath before I checked if all my digits were present and correct. In this case I was lucky and the saw came off worse.

In hindsight because, I'd used a SCMS countless times before, maybe I was a bit complacent ....

Si

 

[cambournepete]

... and my index finger hit it. Boy did it leak...

Done that, been to casualty...

 

[MatthewRedStars]

Hi Gidon, I suppose I would have done the same in my ignorance, what would the safest procedure have been?
regards,
Rich.

The safest way to do this IN THIS SPECIFIC CASE is to pass it the opposite way (L to R) to the normal operation (R to L) when you make the second cut... but this totally depends on whether you are cutting on the near or far side of the groove! Stop and Think!

 

[gidon]

Hi Gidon, I suppose I would have done the same in my ignorance, what would the safest procedure have been?

Rich

Hopefully these two pics will help - these pics are what NOT to do. You want to avoid the cut being between the bit and fence. If in your first cut x is greater than y then the second cut will be ok. If you fed the second cut in the pictures from left to right across the router table that would be correct in this case (the normal direction being right to left against the rotation of the bit.) The most important thing is knowing the direction of rotation of the cutter (anti-clockwise looking over the router table - worth drawing an arrow like the one in pic one on your table) and make sure that you are feeding the cut (not necessarily the piece of wood) against that rotation otherwise the wood and your fingers will be grabbed. It's a not particuarly well documented router table danger.

Hopefully the pics will make it clearer:

This cut is a typical router table cut and is fine:


Here the piece has been flipped end for end. But now the rotation of the cutter will grab the workpiece in ther direction of feed. This is the situation you do not want:


Hope that helps,

Cheers

Gidon

 

[gidon]

Well pipped at the post by Matthew with a far more concise post! Welcome to the forum.
Cheers
Gidon

 

[Digit]

My method is thus. Cut the groove using a smaller cutter than the finished slot, Stop the router and turn the piece of timber around and check which side the cutter will be cutting and push in the correct direction. Gidon's pics should be studied like a religious text for which is the correct direction as this is definitely a case of a picture is better than a thousand words.

Roy.

 

[Shultzy]

Surely the easiest way is to cut the right hand side of the groove using a smaller cutter than the finished size of the slot, then move the fence over and cut the left hand side of the groove. This way the wood is moved from right to left as normal.

 

[Rich]

Thanks for the replies and advice chaps, you've probably saved me from a nasty accident through ignorance, it's a good job this forum exists.
regards,
Rich.

 

[Digit]

It's generally a mistake you make but the once Rich, believe me!

Roy.

 

[MatthewRedStars]

Well pipped at the post by Matthew with a far more concise post! Welcome to the forum.
Cheers
Gidon

hi, been lurking a while and thought i may aswell stick my oar in.