C Craft
Well-Known Member
I have been desperately trying to get my shop organized for knife making. After building a new work bench I decided to take an old cabinet I had and totally rework it for storage to set on top of the bench at the back.
While making drawer bottoms I ran a piece of 1/4" plywood thru the table saw and that is when it happened. The piece I was ripping down produced a small sliver as a cut off, approx. 3/8" wide and 12" long. As the piece went thru the saw I had large rip under my right hand and against the fence. The small piece started to vibrate back into the blade. The small pieces get caught up and shatter and can be kind of rough and dangerous on the operator. I reached with my left hand to catch the small piece before it got tangled in the blade and missed it. (I am getting slow in my old age):biggrin: When I reached the second time the piece still between the blade and the fence, which I thought I had under control of........ Well let’s say it either backed up or I twisted it slightly and I felt it snag the blade. Immediately I knew what was going to happen and was powerless to stop it. I couldn't get to the switch in time to shut it down, the piece now begins to bind and turn back into the blade, (a classic kickback)!:what!:
The blade shot it out and it hit my left hand that had been reaching for the small piece with such force it cut three fingers and crushed the nail of the thumb. However that was probably a good thing as it turned the piece fully so that when the saw tossed it hit me in the belly completely on the end. Had it not have turned as it did the corner may have stuck it in my belly. As it is the piece hit with all that force and just knocked the wind out of me and left a nice little 1/4" mark about 10" long on my belly. (And no I am not showing pics of my fat belly.:1:
To sum it all up it could have been worse than a red mark and bruise and a very sore thumb and the elapsed time for this accident. Well it seemed like an eternity but about 2 seconds is a close estimate.
I have been doing this kind of work since I was about 14 years of age. My point "you can never be to safe in the shop area" !!!!!!!:13:
While making drawer bottoms I ran a piece of 1/4" plywood thru the table saw and that is when it happened. The piece I was ripping down produced a small sliver as a cut off, approx. 3/8" wide and 12" long. As the piece went thru the saw I had large rip under my right hand and against the fence. The small piece started to vibrate back into the blade. The small pieces get caught up and shatter and can be kind of rough and dangerous on the operator. I reached with my left hand to catch the small piece before it got tangled in the blade and missed it. (I am getting slow in my old age):biggrin: When I reached the second time the piece still between the blade and the fence, which I thought I had under control of........ Well let’s say it either backed up or I twisted it slightly and I felt it snag the blade. Immediately I knew what was going to happen and was powerless to stop it. I couldn't get to the switch in time to shut it down, the piece now begins to bind and turn back into the blade, (a classic kickback)!:what!:
The blade shot it out and it hit my left hand that had been reaching for the small piece with such force it cut three fingers and crushed the nail of the thumb. However that was probably a good thing as it turned the piece fully so that when the saw tossed it hit me in the belly completely on the end. Had it not have turned as it did the corner may have stuck it in my belly. As it is the piece hit with all that force and just knocked the wind out of me and left a nice little 1/4" mark about 10" long on my belly. (And no I am not showing pics of my fat belly.:1:
To sum it all up it could have been worse than a red mark and bruise and a very sore thumb and the elapsed time for this accident. Well it seemed like an eternity but about 2 seconds is a close estimate.
I have been doing this kind of work since I was about 14 years of age. My point "you can never be to safe in the shop area" !!!!!!!:13: