OUCH ! that made my bum twinge 
Table Saw kickback and trimmed finger (Graphic description & images)
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Mike Fletcher
Established Member
I don't and never will use a crosscut sled due to the need to remove the crown guard. If cutting narrow pieces I made a thin strip sled that keeps my fingers well away from the blade / crown guard. This can also be used for thin strips down to 2mm. The end of the sled has a retractable hook that keeps the sled stationary to start the cut, then raise the movable hook up to allow the sled to move past the blade. This can be used with the riving knife and crown guard in place. I also have two movable hold downs to keep the work piece from raising up when it gets to the far side of the blade.
Attachments
HamsterJam
Let’s take it apart to see what’s inside….
I don’t have a crosscut sled, but would it be possible to place the slot in the sled over the blade and riving knife then refit the crown guard?
I'm assuming the guard can't be fixed to the actual riving knife, so I think I'll be able to figure it out - thanks for the offer!
Sachakins
The most wasted of days is one without woodwork
Yep that's how I built mine. It removes the need for the back rail too.
Sgian Dubh
Established Member
I was living and working in Texas in the late 90s and early 2000s and what you describe is pretty much my recollection of the reason given for developing SawStop by its inventor, Steve Gass.
No idea though about SawStops in the background of American woodworker's 'how-not-to' (sic) videos. Slainte.
Mike Fletcher
Established Member
Maybe I'm having a bad day, but how do you get sled through the blade with the crown guard hitting the front upright?
Doug71
Established Member
A couple of weeks ago I managed to take a decent chunk out of a finger with my sliding panel saw and it wasn't even turned on 
It was the most ridiculous thing, I'd just nipped down the workshop to paint some cabinets, I had actually finished and was leaving the workshop when it happened. As I walked past the saw I gave the sliding table a push as it was quite extended and I like to leave the sliding table and fixed table in line and locked off. I wasn't really looking as I pushed the table and my finger ended up getting trapped
Luckily I have a well stocked first aid cupboard but it made me realise how hard and stressful it is trying to open and put on a dressing one handed because the other hand is dripping red stuff on the floor.
It was nothing too serious and hasn't actually hurt that much just been really annoying as it's right on a joint.
No gory photos but one of where it happed, my finger ended up trapped between the sticking up metal piece and under the white part with a handle which slides over the top of it. Bad design, not silly person proof enough
It was the most ridiculous thing, I'd just nipped down the workshop to paint some cabinets, I had actually finished and was leaving the workshop when it happened. As I walked past the saw I gave the sliding table a push as it was quite extended and I like to leave the sliding table and fixed table in line and locked off. I wasn't really looking as I pushed the table and my finger ended up getting trapped
Luckily I have a well stocked first aid cupboard but it made me realise how hard and stressful it is trying to open and put on a dressing one handed because the other hand is dripping red stuff on the floor.
It was nothing too serious and hasn't actually hurt that much just been really annoying as it's right on a joint.
No gory photos but one of where it happed, my finger ended up trapped between the sticking up metal piece and under the white part with a handle which slides over the top of it. Bad design, not silly person proof enough
Inspector
Nyuck, Nyuck, Nyuck!
Hope your finger heals quickly Doug. It does illustrate that something can happen even when you have done it countless times before. In this instance you weren't paying as much attention as you normally would. Same stuff happens to people when actually cutting with more dire consequences.
First aid kits should come with an emergency inflatable first aid attendant.
Pete
First aid kits should come with an emergency inflatable first aid attendant.
Pete
Sachakins
The most wasted of days is one without woodwork
No issue with an overhead guard. You can have a modified sled though, like this one
Or build guard on to sled, here's a few ideas,
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Mike Fletcher
Established Member
Ah yes, a fixed crown guard / dust collector. Good idea!
graduate_owner
Established Member
If you won't remove the crown guard then don't go making any videos for the US viewers. Nearly every one I have viewed seems to have the guard removed, and for no apparent reason (other than laziness perhaps). But I agree with you - mine stays on.
K
Woodworker Ireland
Member
Sorry to hear your accident.A couple of weeks ago I managed to take a decent chunk out of a finger with my sliding panel saw and it wasn't even turned on
It was the most ridiculous thing, I'd just nipped down the workshop to paint some cabinets, I had actually finished and was leaving the workshop when it happened. As I walked past the saw I gave the sliding table a push as it was quite extended and I like to leave the sliding table and fixed table in line and locked off. I wasn't really looking as I pushed the table and my finger ended up getting trapped
Luckily I have a well stocked first aid cupboard but it made me realise how hard and stressful it is trying to open and put on a dressing one handed because the other hand is dripping red stuff on the floor.
It was nothing too serious and hasn't actually hurt that much just been really annoying as it's right on a joint.
No gory photos but one of where it happed, my finger ended up trapped between the sticking up metal piece and under the white part with a handle which slides over the top of it. Bad design, not silly person proof enough
View attachment 185667
I always keep my sliding table fence a couple inches away from blade i feel its safer that way so fingers dont get to close to blade when in use.
NeiljohnUK
New member
Accident investigation is part of my job, root cause analysis throws up some horrific things happening with table saw and bandsaws, often involving removed guards, riving knives and the like.
And I've hit a whole workshop EPO before now when I saw a 'mature' student attempting to bandsaw a 3" high stack of small plywood pieces hand held with the blade guard/guide full retracted, inexperience and lack of supervision/guidance/training lead to an ignored investigation report, with the 'supervising' technician losing part of their own hand on an unguarded table saw within a few months. As an EMT I saw enough stupidity caused incidents to fill a book, but artists take idiocy to a whole new level.
And I've hit a whole workshop EPO before now when I saw a 'mature' student attempting to bandsaw a 3" high stack of small plywood pieces hand held with the blade guard/guide full retracted, inexperience and lack of supervision/guidance/training lead to an ignored investigation report, with the 'supervising' technician losing part of their own hand on an unguarded table saw within a few months. As an EMT I saw enough stupidity caused incidents to fill a book, but artists take idiocy to a whole new level.
Doug71
Established Member
When I was doing my City & Guilds there was a smaller workshop joined on to the one we used which did some furniture restoration courses, most of the students seemed to be well to do middle aged women. The ladies often wandered into our workshop to use the bandsaw and none of them had a clue what they were doing or gave it the respect it deserves, it scared the hell out of me. Whenever I saw one of them using it I always wandered over to suggest they dropped the guard down a bit lower or that they shouldn't even be making a cut like that etc, often I took over and made the cuts for them which I think they appreciated.
Cabinetman
Established Member
I’m sure it will be blindingly obvious, but what are EPO and EMT please?
Ah artist! Yes know exactly what you mean!
When i was a teenager I used to go to the local swimming pool and spend the whole night jumping off the diving board, I was lousy at diving, no matter how hard I tried. A kid half my age was a brilliant, natural diver, he moved like seal, he just had the gift. no matter how hard i tried, I could never be as good as him. Some people are just not meant to be springboard divers, and some people are not meant to work around machinery, the just don't have that connection, and you can't teach it to them. They either have it or they don't. if they don't, they will get hurt.
NeiljohnUK
New member
EPO Emergency Power Off, EMT Emergency Medical Technician.
woodieallen
Established Member
I haven't read all the way through this thread but very early on, the suggestion was made to use a power feed on the table saw. This may have been picked up elsewhere in the thread but it is NOT a good idea IMO.
Think about it..when you're ripping some gnarly wood, you're constantly adjusting the feed rate depending on the sound from the table saw. Sometimes the wood is extra gnarly and you hear the speed drop slightly and so you back off the pressure. A power feed doesn't care and just keeps ploughing on.
Think about it..when you're ripping some gnarly wood, you're constantly adjusting the feed rate depending on the sound from the table saw. Sometimes the wood is extra gnarly and you hear the speed drop slightly and so you back off the pressure. A power feed doesn't care and just keeps ploughing on.
When it comes to cars and table saws there is no substitute for horsepower.
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