Close call with table saw kickback

[thebikingtechie]

So I know this has been brought up before, but safety can never be brought up too many times.

Today I had a close call while using a table saw. My dad and I were sawing some 2x8, taking off 6 inches from the end. The first one went fine, though we had to stop the saw and flip the wood over to get that last little bit. The second one was when we had the problem. We had just gotten through and I was reaching to turn the saw off, the saw caught the 6x8x2 piece of wood and shot it at the ceiling with it ricocheting down, nicking my back on the way to the floor. The speed in which it happened is astonishing and it was a very good reminder, always be careful around power tools!

I suppose there might have been a safer way to do the cutting, but the radial arm saw wasn't working and we were doing the best we could with the table saw.

Though this was just for our garden it could very well have been for theatre. I know how often we all have to cut corners in theatre, but please at all times be careful, if the block of wood had been shot a little lower I could very well be dead.

[soundlight]

I'd never use a table saw for that kind of thing. I'd prefer a good, sharp hand saw to a table saw in this situation. Though in a properly equipped shop, I'd pick things in this order: radial arm saw, miter saw, circular saw, hand saw, saw blade on my leatherman. Notice that table saw isn't on the list.

[thebikingtechie]

Yah, you're probably right, the thing is it's not really a properly equipped shop, it's a shared shop with a bunch of people who have donated stuff from their own collections (long story). Anyway, I think we're doing the other two boards by hand. The only reason we did with the table saw is we were being kind of lazy and had originally planned on the radial arm saw but since that wasn't working switched to the table. For the record we did double check with a skilled carpenter and he said go for it.

This is also a point that you should always a)think before you do something, b)never take someone's advice at face value c)learn from your mistakes, I won't be trying this again.

[soundlight]

Originally Posted by thebikingtechie

c)learn from your mistakes, I won't be trying this again.

There are far too many people who don't follow this. And this is why we have the Darwin Awards.

[porkchop]

although this probably is a questionable use of a table saw, I wouldn't say it is completely inappropriate. The huge thing that a table saw gives you that most other saws don't is the ability to make the exact same length board over and over again. That reason is one of the main reasons that I'll choose a table saw over a radial arm saw. If you really need something thats plum, square and has clean corners using a table saw properly can really make that easy.

As far as the topic goes I'd say the safety lesson here is use a push stick to make sure that both cuts are clear of the saw before you change your focus to anything else (even if it's to turn the saw off).

[Charc]

Originally Posted by porkchop

although this probably is a questionable use of a table saw, I wouldn't say it is completely inappropriate. The huge thing that a table saw gives you that most other saws don't is the ability to make the exact same length board over and over again. That reason is one of the main reasons that I'll choose a table saw over a radial arm saw. If you really need something thats plum, square and has clean corners using a table saw properly can really make that easy.
As far as the topic goes I'd say the safety lesson here is use a push stick to make sure that both cuts are clear of the saw before you change your focus to anything else (even if it's to turn the saw off).

Radial-arm saw and stop block? Shoot the wood past the stop block, then flip board on its edge, and gently pull back and slide into stop block, then lay board flat. It's accurate.

[Footer]

Table saws are for ripping, running pieces longways through is not the best idea in the world... because you have a much larger chance of binding the blade, as you found out. Use the right tool for the job or don't do the job.

[porkchop]

Originally Posted by charcoaldabs

Radial-arm saw and stop block? Shoot the wood past the stop block, then flip board on its edge, and gently pull back and slide into stop block, then lay board flat. It's accurate.

That works if you have a stop block, most that I've ever used don't have that. Of course you could get creative with clamps and pieces of scrap wood but unless I'm cutting a lot of wood that seems like excessive time and effort. Maybe it's my "Work smarter, not harder" mentality from home construction, but I like using a table saw for all kinds of cutting. In the case of the original poster depending on the length of the long end of the board I would probably still use the table saw even after the kickback (just pay a little more attention to the small pieces that I'm cutting off).

[Charc]

Originally Posted by porkchop

That works if you have a stop block, most that I've ever used don't have that. Of course you could get creative with clamps and pieces of scrap wood but unless I'm cutting a lot of wood that seems like excessive time and effort. Maybe it's my "Work smarter, not harder" mentality from home construction, but I like using a table saw for all kinds of cutting. In the case of the original poster depending on the length of the long end of the board I would probably still use the table saw even after the kickback (just pay a little more attention to the small pieces that I'm cutting off).

The scene shop I interned at had two "pre-fabed" stop blocks that live by the the radial arm saw. It was no more than some 1x2 at right angles with the words "DO NOT THROW OUT" written on them. Paired with the couple of clamps that live there it was a very effective technique for repetitive cuts. Of course there was also 16' of in/out feed table on either side. The show I cut the lumber for goes up in a few days, I should go and see if it's crooked.

[porkchop]

Originally Posted by charcoaldabs

...Of course there was also 16' of in/out feed table on either side....

If I had that maybe my opinions would be different, In most situations I've worked a saw horse or a dead man is about all I've had for a feed table. Currently at PTC the radial arm saw sits next to the wall dividing two bay openings so a feed table is out of the question, there is a saw in the VERY BACK of the shop that works similar to the radial arm just with no vertical movement but I really don't like it because it takes about 2 minutes from the time you shut it off till the blade finally stops moving. So yah in the end table saw it is for me for most situations. It doesn't hurt that the table saw has good pushers that manage to actually stay by the saw and it has an accurate measure tape on it so I don't have to mark or measure at all, just set the saw and let'er rip.