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Pat

Well that was scary. He almost lost a finger!

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ELEVATE || Next Level Lutherie
http://elevatelutherie.com
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http://ensorguitars.com

Ouch!

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The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

Exactly why I have a huge respect for my table saw. I have had a couple of kickbacks in the 40 or so years I have had one and I have never forgotten either.

Check this one out... The guy sticks his finger directly into a spinning saw and comes out without a scratch!




Also @Pat (or anyone else),

If you want to post a video directly in your post just paste the link and hit the youtube button and then you have to remove the "s" in the https part of the link. It will show up like this one.

Cheers,
Bob

I did one of those last year. I set the blade 1/4" high for a rabbet cut, and tested it with a piece of 3/4" ply. Same series of events, except that the ply hit me just below the belt buckle. I was never so happy to be 5'9" instead of 6'.
I've been in a couple of car accidents, but I've never been hit that hard before.
The impact turned me around so fast that I had stained muscles in my back, shoulder and ribs, and my knees when I hit the floor.
I pride myself on being very safety conscious, but it doesn't take much for something to go wrong in a hurry.

Alex

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"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

POWERFUL lesson......................Thanks to the person who made the video and Pat. I have not used the splitter in the past....think I will change the process...!!!!!

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A person who has never made a mistake has never made anything!!!

Took my splitter off years ago. I had one scary kickback a few years ago and keep the wood as a reminder, but my splitter is going back on as of this weekend. Thankyou for posting this!!!

I will never use a table saw again!

now I understand what the riving knife is for. I will keep mine on.

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http://www.Harvestmoonguitars.com

I had a table saw related accident about a month ago. After completing a cut I kept a hold of the piece and was bringing it back toward me rather than letting it fall off the end of the table. As I was pulling it back an edge caught the blade which then threw it into my chin. I think that is the hardest I have ever been hit. My face was numb with pain. It was several minutes before I could assess whether I had a broken jaw or missing teeth. Thankfully neither. I got away with a small cut and few minor bruises. Lucky!

I'm too scared to watch the video, but I have seen kickbacks demonstrated in stop action photography. I know how and why they happen and I know the potential consequences. I am an utter freak about shop safety--even with hand tools. In fact, I'll go so far as to say there is not a totally benign tool in the shop. I've hurt myself with with the most innocent looking tools. Always, because I was tired and lost my concentration for a split second. A word to new tool users: If you are impressed by the potential danger of the table saw (and I hope you are) then remind yourself of this each time you approach your seemingly benign band saw: Think of it as the meat saw that you see in the butcher shop. Remind yourself that any time you get any part of your body aligned with the sharp (or the dull) edge on any tool, you are in danger of being seriously hurt. And, ABOVE ALL, protect your eyes each and every time you approach a tool. You only have two of them.

I think I mentioned this in another post but I gained a huge respect for table saws back around 1969/70. I was 17 and was working in a local furniture factory. I was hired as a final inspector but the position wasn't open yet so they asked if I wanted to work in the rough mill on a glue rack gluing up drawer sides. I worked there for about a month before I went into the finish department. The glue rig was directly across from 4 very large table saws. The first day at break I noticed that all 4 of the table saw operators were missing multiple fingers. One of them was missing part of his middle finger all of his first finger and all of his thumb... After I was there a while I started asking them how they lost them and they acted like it was no big deal... Ever since then I always think about those guys when I run my table saw. I have had a couple of scary moments but I have always kept my hands as far away from the blade as possible.

I also remember my shop teacher in school saying only set the hight of the blade as deep as you want to be cut...

So I have a very healthy respect for them and know it can happen before you even know it.

Bob


@cphanna,

You should have a look at that vid I posted. This guy invented a device that can tell between wood and skin... The blade comes to a dead halt when he pushes his finger into the spinning blade. Not even a scrape on his finger. It looks like an amazing device and one that would be well worth the money it cost.

What that guy did in the video is nuts. He almost lost a finger and you could see it coming.

A friend was a lumber yard owner. They were ripping boards in an open shed and one kicked back and shot out the open door and embedded itself in the side of a building 30 feet away.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

"What that guy did in the video is nuts. He almost lost a finger and you could see it coming."

To his credit, he agrees with you. If he didn't have his camera in slo-mo he may have never realized how close his fingers came to the blade. So often we do stupid things, and don't realize it until something goes wrong.

Table saws terrify me. I was hit by a kickback in high school woodshop years ago, right on the right hip flexor. Happened so fast and hit so hard, I'm very lucky is was a small chunk of wood. Could barely walk for two days. I'm sure it scared the crap out of the teacher too.

That's an excellent video. The Saw Stop device is great but that is incredibly stupid and irresponsible to test it for real if you ask me O.o . At least the good natured fellow in the kick back video knows how stupid he was. If I ever do get a table say it will have Saw Stop on it for sure.

About 20 years ago I fell victim to a kick back on a radial arm saw. I was cutting off a length one inch wide on a board that was one inch thick and 2 feet long. As soon as the blade exited and made the cut the piece I was cutting rotated into the blade and shot right close to my manhood. I pee'd blood after that for a few days.

I spent the extra money for a sawstop as I love playing piano and guitar. It has a good riving knife, and anti-kickback device as well. I still employ all safety practices as if I did not have the saw protection, just like I try to drive safely in my car with air bags,
Mike

I still wouldn't rely on it, though I think it's a great idea. If I started a shop with other people working I'd consider it for sure. I wonder how it is as an actual saw? Those tin side beds look pretty cheap...

It's the only table saw I've owned, so although I think it is very high quality I am probably not qualified to judge. It does make extremely smooth cuts. I glue my neck scarf straight from the saw.

Since my shop space is very limited, I didn't install the side beds and don't miss them as I break down sheets with a circular saw anyway.
Mike

Thanks for posting this. Great reminder..

I took a woodworking class as an elective my last year of college. The wood shop had a really nice wood shop set up with a powerful cabinet saw. I will never forget the several holes in the wall which was located about 25 feet behind the table saw. I have experienced kick back a few times and it is very scary. I always wear my leather apron and face shield when Im at the table saw, and keep my mind 100% on the task at hand.

Everything that guy is doing is wrong, including how he stands. A splitter will not prevent all kickbacks. It primary purpose is to prevent the saw kerf of a board under tension from closing up around the blade and kicking back because of that specifically.