Push Blocks

[Jacob]

Jacob, check out the micro jig link I just posted. You cant get safer than that at any price.

Had a look. I can't see the point of it at all. What a clumsy, expensive and over-designed item!
Push sticks much safer at a fraction of the price!

Had I at least been using a push block it might well have been that to have been chewed up and not my finger. I can't recall ever seeing anyone use a pushstick on a planer, only ever seen the use of blocks.

I use two push sticks on planer, TS, spindle (when power feed not set up), virtually every time I use them. It becomes second nature and increases your dexterity. They also extend your capability to cutting/planing small pieces quite safely, though you may lose the end of your push stick - plywood copies save a few quid though they are very cheap to start with. They also extend your reach with less leaning over etc, less back ache.
They get you as close as you can to zero risk of getting a cut. Never quite zero of course - anybody can have a funny turn or get distracted.

 

[dynax]

i've never used a push stick or block when i have been planing, i have always used my hands, but i never take off more than 0.5mm at a time, and i always set the guard about a mm above the workpiece, i would rather take more time that try and take too much off in one go,
glad you're ok and not more serious than it could have been,

 

[Jacob]

i've never used a push stick or block when i have been planing, i have always used my hands, but i never take off more than 0.5mm at a time, and i always set the guard about a mm above the workpiece, i would rather take more time that try and take too much off in one go,
glad you're ok and not more serious than it could have been,

You should have a go with push sticks. It doesn't take long to get the knack and it's a revelation in terms of ease/safety and improved control. I admit it took me some time to work this out for myself - but I'm 100% certain of it now.

PS plywood copies can be adapted - shave a bit off to help hold down thin work-pieces, or cut a new notch if you lose a bit from the end, etc

PPS you should never have your hands on the workpiece on a machine unless it's so big that the cutters are covered, or long pieces before you get anywhere near the cutters. Biggest risk is at the end of a pass when you are leaning over/reaching past and the cutters are exposed. Made worse with push blocks - you are leaning/reaching even further.

 

[Jacob]

I can't see the point of it at all. What a clumsy, expensive and over-designed item!

Same as the Leopard 2A7 tank, but you'd want one in a struggle. :roll:

Safer to keep your hands away with push sticks; keeps you out of harms way - no struggling involved!

People tend to have faith in fancy gadgets, especially if they have knobs and are adjustable, but they aren't necessarily any good at all.

 

[Lonsdale73]

Hi Lonsdale

Sorry about your incident, hope it heels up quickly!

Just so I can learn from this, you were feeding the wood right to left and your left hand was past the cutters when the board kicked back and your left hand was pulled by the momentum into the exposed blades? That sound about right?

I don't use my own planer as a) it's rubbish, and b) I'm scared of it! I've seen the arguments on here about hands only v pushblocks v pushsticks and I'm still unsure as to the safest way to use it!

That's the second time today my replies to you haven't gone through! I'm with you all the way on b, I think the planer is the most intimidating piece of equipment I've ever owned and I have - or at least thought I had - treated it with the utmost respect. Yes, planing right to left. The piece is about 50mm thick but probably only about 5" long so could that be the problem, perhaps too short to be safely planed? It kicked back as soon as it touched the blade and it might have been the downward pressure that carried my hand into the blade. I've got it set to take off 0.5mm which might be why I got off so lightly. It was throbbing a bit last night but think that might have as much to do with bashing it off a wall three times in short succession. Today, but for the bandage, I wouldn't know there was anything wrong with it.

 

[novocaine]

sorry to hear about your mishap. yes 5" is a bit short but depends on the width, which is what she said. 5", better doing it by hand, which is what she said.

heal quick, next time, extend the piece, again what she said.


(hopefully this has raised a smile on at least 1 persons face)

 

[Lonsdale73]

sorry to hear about your mishap. yes 5" is a bit short but depends on the width, which is what she said. 5", better doing it by hand, which is what she said.

heal quick, next time, extend the piece, again what she said.


(hopefully this has raised a smile on at least 1 persons face)

You should change your username to Finnbar Saunders

 

[Jacob]

Hi Lonsdale

Sorry about your incident, hope it heels up quickly!

Just so I can learn from this, you were feeding the wood right to left and your left hand was past the cutters when the board kicked back and your left hand was pulled by the momentum into the exposed blades? That sound about right?

I don't use my own planer as a) it's rubbish, and b) I'm scared of it! I've seen the arguments on here about hands only v pushblocks v pushsticks and I'm still unsure as to the safest way to use it!

That's the second time today my replies to you haven't gone through! I'm with you all the way on b, I think the planer is the most intimidating piece of equipment I've ever owned and I have - or at least thought I had - treated it with the utmost respect. Yes, planing right to left. The piece is about 50mm thick but probably only about 5" long so could that be the problem, perhaps too short to be safely planed? It kicked back as soon as it touched the blade and it might have been the downward pressure that carried my hand into the blade. I've got it set to take off 0.5mm which might be why I got off so lightly. It was throbbing a bit last night but think that might have as much to do with bashing it off a wall three times in short succession. Today, but for the bandage, I wouldn't know there was anything wrong with it.

Bloody hell 5" is much to short to hand feed over a planer (or past a TS)!!!
Would be possible to do safely with push sticks but is semi skilled - takes a bit of practice to get it right shifting pressure from near end to far end as it passes over. No risk to fingers but some risk to the workpiece and/or the push sticks.

 

[hawkeyefxr]

Whoaaaa . you made my toes curl reading this, i had a slightly similar happening when installing a wood floor, i was using a jigsaw and it jump out and bit my thumb. Boy that f*****g hurt, passed out the lot. Wife called and ambulance as i had a heart condition. Nuff said, hope all is mending ok.

Keep those digits safe guys, all of our tools are waiting to bite us.

I've had the planer a little while now nut rarely use it, one because the blades needed changing but largely because it bloody terrifies me. I got round to changing the blades at the weekend and - not being particularly mechanically minded - was pretty impressed that I managed to swap them out and align the replacements as per Alan Parfitt's video without much fuss. Spent yesterday planing, ripping, thicknessing and planing again several lengths of sawn 75mm x 47mm without incident and did a few more pieces this morning/ I had a small piece of walnut with a slight cup and thought I'd take that out while it was all set up and bang.

Maybe the piece was too small and would have been better on the disc sander. I feel more stupid than pained and my nice new overall is all covered in blood!

Glad to hear your ok. I have various push 'sticks', for routing and planing i have flat ones that have a grippy sponge on them that way i hold them and push the on them which in turn pushes the wood on the planing side. I would always have the cup down on the table that way you get the leading and trailing edges taken off. If the work piece is thin and you can flatten it by pushing down i would not attempt to to plane it. Really everything in our workshops is dangerous and ready to bite if we are not careful.
Glad your ok'ish anyway.

 

[Woody2Shoes]

Brings back bad memories of when I cut the end off a finger using a router table. I will never again put myself in a position where a there is no mechanical guard between my body parts and a rotating piece of metal.

I agree with Jacob's comments above. 5" seems too short to safely put through anything other than maybe a bandsaw. Push sticks are intrinsically safer than pushblocks, although the blocks are probably better than nothing.

After my accident, the first thing I did was ensure/make proper guarding for everything and rethink safety (phone, fire extinguisher and first aid kit always within easy reach etc. etc.).

Hope you'll soon be back to rights, cheers, W2S

 

[Lonsdale73]

Thanks all for the sympathy (none forthcoming from so-called friends!) and the advice.

I mentioned earlier the price of digits and really I do have an insight into that. My interest in woodwork (and many more things besides) stems from childhood memories of my granda who could seemingly make anything from whatever oddments came to hand. He built me a fort from lolly sticks, complete with opening gates and watch towers, a farm for my younger cousin, a Lancaster Bomber from scraps of wood, a working light house from what I think may have been a salt container and bunk beds for my Action Man from a fruit case (when produce used to come in wooden crates rather than soggy cardboard boxes!)

He lost two fingers working in the steel industry. Not sure if it is true or not but he used to tell me that his workmates had to chase the severed ends as they tried to run away! Anyway, it was his compensation money that bought my pram. I sometimes look at the kit I have and wonder just what marvellous creations he could have produced with them?

 

[sunnybob]

Jacob, I know its more complicated than a pencil, but dont knock it till youve tried it.
The micro jig gripper can be adjusted to hold the smallest pieces of wood firmly in all three dimensions, and still keep lots of strong plastic between you and the machine.
I know you wont agree, but I also know I am very pleased with mine so wont ry to convert you any more.

 

[Peter Sefton]

Last time this subject came up and Jacob got involved it got closed down :roll:

I use my hands but push blocks are very good and recommended by HSE, I never use push sticks and Jacob knows why.

I am just busy writing the scripts for filming wood machining DVD's over the next few weeks and talking to the HSE and IOSH about the H&S content, should be fun and hopefully helpful.

I hope you are on the road to recovery Lonsdale73

Cheers Peter

 

[Jacob]

.....

I use my hands but push blocks are very good and recommended by HSE, I never use push sticks and Jacob knows why.......

Yes I know why. It's because you have misread the HSE docs.
They make several useful suggestions about safety, which are not 'rules' but just helpful suggestions.
They don't recommend using push sticks in the way I describe. This has been mistakenly interpreted by Peter and many others, that they actually deprecate the use of push sticks. But this is not correct.
I blame the regulations for being vague and inadequate.
They don't recommend lots of things but this does not mean you should not do them, nor that you should only do what they do specifically recommend.
I'm quite happy to keep on recommending push sticks over planers as it's more than likely that a few fingers have been saved (if anybody takes any notice of anything I say!). I expect the regulations will catch up eventually - not least because I'm recommending a higher level of safety than the regs (or Peter) which is also cheap and very effective.

 

[Jacob]

Jacob, I know its more complicated than a pencil, but dont knock it till youve tried it.
The micro jig gripper can be adjusted to hold the smallest pieces of wood firmly in all three dimensions, and still keep lots of strong plastic between you and the machine.
I know you wont agree, but I also know I am very pleased with mine so wont ry to convert you any more.

You don't need to fiddle about adjusting push sticks - you just pick them up and use them, one size fits all, with your hands well out of the way all the time!

 

[novocaine]

and Bob, you can scratch your bum with a push stick, can't do that with a micro jig gripper.

 

[PAC1]

Jacob, here we go again. HSE do NOT recommend push sticks for the planer. That is not an oversight or them being a bit vague. They very clearly recommend a push stick for a table saw and a push block for a planer. The only exception is when you were allowed to rebate on a planer with a Shaw guard where you needed a push stick because of the Shaw guard.
I agree that 5" is too short

 

[transatlantic]

Jacob - any chance we could see the technique of using push sticks on your planer? I can't see how it would work? when you see people doing it, they're applying uniform pressure on the piece with their hands to keep it flat. How can you do that with pointy push sticks with very little surface area?

 

[Jacob]

Jacob, here we go again. HSE do NOT recommend push sticks for the planer.

Correct, but neither do they do not deprecate them.

That is not an oversight or them being a bit vague.They very clearly recommend a push stick for a table saw and a push block for a planer.

Correct

The only exception is when you were allowed to rebate on a planer with a Shaw guard where you needed a push stick because of the Shaw guard.
....

Wrong. Their recommendations are just just that; 'recommendations', and not prescriptive. There is absolutely nothing about 'only exceptions' and being 'allowed' or 'not allowed' to use push sticks.
I quite see that it is potentially misleading.

Can anybody think of a reason why push sticks should not be used as I describe?

 

[Jacob]

Jacob - any chance we could see the technique of using push sticks on your planer? I can't see how it would work? when you see people doing it, they're applying uniform pressure on the piece with their hands to keep it flat. How can you do that with pointy push sticks with very little surface area?

They aren't pointy and they do have surface area. Shaped roughly like a clenched fist. There's a bit of a knack but you soon get it. The pressure and direction is vary variable, downwards, inwards, etc.

Here's a snap from the earlier thread. Breadboard sized piece of maple very safely and controllable being planed. NB should have closed the guard up a bit more - an over-sight , took the photo in a hurry. But in spite of that at no point will my hands get anywhere near the cutters.

planing-do-you-use-pushbocks-t104680.html?hilit=push%20sticks&start=75

Can anybody think of a reason why push sticks should not be used as I describe?
NB I've been doing it for years now and it's very safe and gives very good control.