Table Saw kickback and trimmed finger (Graphic description & images)

[Against_The_Grain]

Push sticks for planers too. Though you have to think about where you put the pressure exactly. Most essential at the end of a pass where you are suddenly exposed to the cutters. At this point you probably push horizontally rather than hold down.
With a big enough bird's mouth and 2 sticks you have 4 points to apply pressure - from above and/or the side as necessary.
I've never quite seen the point of push blocks - they mean leaning over the work and shortening your reach,
As for "correct" - it's a bit of an unknown it all depends on what you do and how you do it.
Even HSE don't claim to be "correct", but just advisory.

Push sticks are largely unuseful at the surface planer, generally, you want your pressure at the centre of a board and not at the end and an edge, the only time push sticks are useful at the surface planer, in my opinion, is in conjunction with shaw guards during rebating operations if the machine facilitates this.

As per the training manual, we were instructed to produce these ourselves and use them on the surface planer, generally used only on shorter pieces without bridge guard coverage of the cutter block so that you could pass the block through the entirety of the cut, longer pieces you can plane without any requirement for additional safety measures other than the bridge guard.

 

[Bruce Mack]

What is that weird device resembling a boat tiller?
I'll do a photo of push sticks in action tomorrow. Very easy to use in a quite relaxed manner I promise you!

These? I can't remember the aesthetic motivation, but I needed something for thin stock.

 

[Jacob]

Push sticks are largely unuseful at the surface planer, generally,

Not so. They are extremely useful and much safer than any of the quaint and ill conceived objects seen in antique training manuals from the bad old days when accident rates were very high.
How old is that manual, I guess 1930 at the latest? Any push sticks in there?

you want your pressure at the centre of a board and not at the end and an edge,

You can press in the centre of a board with a push stick as well as ends and edges.

 

[glenfield2]

This whole thread has been very salutary. I shall be much more careful with my Dewalt table saw.
I’d appreciate safer working guidance on two operations I do which I probably shouldn’t: ripping longer pieces which can overbalance off the end of the table before the cut is finished and, secondly, cutting pieces of sheet which can be tricky to manipulate. (I know I shouldn’t do this stuff but it’s essentially a site saw and I’m sure many people use it for these tasks).
Also the one issue I have with this saw which is otherwise excellent is that the on/off switch is part hidden under the table. If there’s a problem like a piece of wood starting to jam you have to fumble for it.

 

[AndyMc]

This whole thread has been very salutary. I shall be much more careful with my Dewalt table saw.
I’d appreciate safer working guidance on two operations I do which I probably shouldn’t: ripping longer pieces which can overbalance off the end of the table before the cut is finished and, secondly, cutting pieces of sheet which can be tricky to manipulate. (I know I shouldn’t do this stuff but it’s essentially a site saw and I’m sure many people use it for these tasks).
Also the one issue I have with this saw which is otherwise excellent is that the on/off switch is part hidden under the table. If there’s a problem like a piece of wood starting to jam you have to fumble for it.

For the first situation could you.mount the table high enough (and with sufficient stability) to use an outfeed roller?

For the second, I hate to say it, but perhaps a track saw would be a better option? £600 for a Festool and track is a small price to pay for a finger or two.

 

[worn thumbs]

Those ancient gadgets have reinforced my dislike of push blocks quite a bit.A simple one piece push stick,devoid of additional bits and pieces is also devoid of failure points.In addition,should you slip in any way,it won't be spitting tacks or screws in your direction.

 

[Doug71]

I always feel the planer/surfacer is the machine that will most likely catch me out.

With a table saw you just push the piece through with push sticks and it's job done but if you are straightening some wood on the planer you have to handle it a lot more. You can be constantly flipping the wood or turning it end to end, also there could be a large knot or some difficult grain which can catch you out. The push block thing doesn't work for me on the planer as I feel to lose all control and push sticks are even worse.

I try and be as safe as I can when operating it but it is a machine that you tend to get quite intimate with if you use it a lot.

I think we see so many table saw accidents simply because so many people have them, the table saw is one of the easier machines to use safely. I think if as many people had planers we would be seeing even more damaged digits.

 

[Jacob]

This whole thread has been very salutary. I shall be much more careful with my Dewalt table saw.
I’d appreciate safer working guidance on two operations I do which I probably shouldn’t: ripping longer pieces which can overbalance off the end of the table before the cut is finished

https://tools4trade.co.uk/products/...duty-with-adjustable-height-support-twin-pack

and, secondly, cutting pieces of sheet which can be tricky to manipulate. (I know I shouldn’t do this stuff but it’s essentially a site saw and I’m sure many people use it for these tasks).

Perhaps reduce roughly to handleable size with panel saw over saw stools, and then use the table saw

Also the one issue I have with this saw which is otherwise excellent is that the on/off switch is part hidden under the table. If there’s a problem like a piece of wood starting to jam you have to fumble for it.

Good machines have several emergency switches on the sides about knee level which you can nudge off with your knee. What about a foot operated switch on the flex?

 

[Jacob]

.....The push block thing doesn't work for me on the planer as I feel to loose all control and push sticks are even worse.

I use push sticks on the planer no prob. Maybe just stick with it until it feels right?

 

[paulrbarnard]

Check out the table saw work in the first few minutes of this video !

 

[TRITON]

Not so. They are extremely useful and much safer

And the prize for talking boolocks is awarded to Jacob.

Push sticks on a surfacer ? are you mental or something. A flat pad, and a flat pad with a lip at the back end of it. But push sticks ???. Nooo, nooo nope

" Check out the table saw work in the first few minutes of this video. "

I liked the fact there was a push stick right beside him. That last cut though. And the sleeves down.

 

[Jacob]

And the prize for talking boolocks is awarded to Jacob.

Push sticks on a surfacer ? are you mental or something. A flat pad, and a flat pad with a lip at the back end of it. But push sticks ???. Nooo, nooo nope

Yebbut you don't always want to hold it down at the near end e.g. you can apply your left hand pushstick exactly where you want it, edge/middle/both and push it through with the right hand stick.
There's more to push sticks than meets the eye.

 

[TRITON]

Yebbut you don't always want to hold it down at the near end e.g. you can apply your left hand pushstick exactly where you want it, edge/middle/both and push it through with the right hand stick.
There's more to push sticks than meets the eye.

Really ? Because on flat boards your weight is on the outfeed table, and upright for edging against the fence, you're pushing hard on the fence.

 

[Jacob]

Really ? Because on flat boards your weight is on the outfeed table,

Boards tend not to be flat to start with so best downward pressure point depends on details. Somewhere near the middle most likely.

and upright for edging against the fence, you're pushing hard on the fence.

On edge perhaps left hand on and pushing towards fence, right hand with pushing horizontally with stick, as long as the cutters are guarded and your left hand can't reach them as it passes over.

 

[Against_The_Grain]

Soon we'll have people using push sticks to steer cars, far safer!

 

[Inspector]

Push sticks to push push sticks.

Pete

 

[Bruce Mack]

Check out the table saw work in the first few minutes of this video.

That is cringeworthy. He cuts, surfaces, slices, and dices.

 

[sploo]

That is cringeworthy. He cuts, surfaces, slices, and dices.

Gotta love the gloved hand on the lathe later too. He even presents his thumb to the stock for maximum "grab it and rip my arm off" potential.

 

[Spectric]

Gotta love the gloved hand on the lathe later too.

wearing gloves on a lathe or pillar drill used to be one warning and then out .

 

[Sachakins]

Wow, sanding inside the neck of the urn with glove on.
Worst part though was that camouflage shirt........