Most dangerous tool?

[Hoyden]

I voted for the table saw as we all have one and our hands are so close. I think the RAS is probably the most dangerous but not as likley to be in the shop.

as most of you have stated the most dangerous is the operator.. we have the ability to be safe and use the guards, push sticks and other safety equiptment but make the Conscious decision not to.

[Wood_workur]

I picked radial arm saw as far as the greatest chance of injury. I've hear of too many accidents that happen because people don't remember that the blade will slide right through where there finger is. The same can be true for a sliding miter saw.

as far as most probably injury, I'll have to go with the lathe, sine catching a workpiece with a loose grip can throw the tool, using your hand to feel how the sanding is going can pinch you really bad, improper glue up can throw chunks of wood at you, and a piece of wood that is really splinter could possibly explode at high speed turning. And it is the tool you wear the most protective gear for. How many other tools do you use where you will wear a full face shield for? I thinks that speaks to how dangerous it can be.

[Russianwolf]

I had to go with the lathe. All the others are dangerous when you do something careless, but it takes the interaction with the tool for it to happen.

The lathe is the only one that I've seen that can run fine for hours, then throw a missle at you without any warning. And there are reasons people wear faceshields and body armor when working on them.

[footprintsinconc]

its hard to vote. i think that the table saw/radial saw could be very dangerous because one could get very comfortable and get their hands close the blade.

but then you have the router/shaper (for all purposes, the same thing) which also allows you to get your hands too close because you are usually cutting patterns into narrow pieces of wood.

so for me both the above are tied.

[Tom Slick]

I like this topic. It is interesting and seeing the comments are helpful.

What has the potential for the most damage in your opinion?
I think the potential for the most damage would be the bench grinder.

Grind some iron/steel, then grind some aluminum, grind more steel, and more aluminum and then some more sparky steel and see what happens!

to go along with the bench grinder is the wire wheel. they are seemingly harmless but if you have used one much you know how much they hurt when they stick through your shirt. The wires come out with enough force to stick themselves into wood, imagine that force sticking that wire into your eyeball!
A buffing wheel can also grab parts and through them, the bigger the wheel the bigger the danger. I know at least one worker that went to the hospital after getting tangled in a 14" 3hp buffing wheel.


a side note: there are griding wheels specific to aluminum and it is ok to use them for steel but they are not typical stone type grinding wheels. belt sanders work better anyway.

[SARGE..g-47]

Even though the TS probably produces the most injuries due to it's frequency of use, I believe the most dangerous is a shaper. I don't have one, but have run a 3 HP and 5 HP enough to be very familar with it. It has an air of the un-epected about it in my mind and with large cutter heads being propelled with large horse's as in Clydesdales. It is a spooky machine to me and if I did have one.. can we say power-feeded as industry utilizes.

But.. I have had more injuries with a hand chisel as I use one almost daily. It can be dangerous in your hand.. but most of my injuries from it was while it was lying on the bench waiting to be used. The most serious cut I have had was knocking one off the bench and instinctivily attempting to catch it.

Sharp tips and even though calloused.. soft skin are not a marriage made in heaven.

[MilDoc]

The most serious cut I have had was knocking one off the bench and instinctivily attempting to catch it.

Gee, I thought I was the only one to have that experience!

[jgrobler]

Also voted TS, since that's the one for which I accepted the invitation to the numb club, but truthfully, it's the inattentative operator, or poor safety procedures, that's at fault, almost, if not always. Even with the hungry RAS, with proper procedure it's safe to use.

I always get nervious when powering up the bandsaw too, as I've heard about someone that cut off his arm just after the elbow, to wonder what "that" arm is doing on the table. Also read (here, I think) about a person who chopped off 4 fingers with a miter saw. And a table mounted router with the large diameter bits can be a devil too.

[rnelson0]

All of them can be a devil, but my vote goes to the radial arm saw. A friend of mine just bought one, and we were kind of laughing at the all the diagrams in the manual showing potential death and dismemberment. He's buying it used for $40, so I joke that he's buying the world's cheapest Machine of Death. The manual *does* make it sound like the saw will eat you if it feels like it. I don't see any other tools listed where the cutting edge is free to come find you instead of fixed to the base.

That said, I have an irrational fear of disc sanders. I'm always afraid they'll suck me in, fingers first...even when I'm not operating them!

[betacrash]

I would have said the Radial Arm Saw but I think a properly tuned saw with a good saw blade will severely lessen the danger

http://youtube.com/watch?v=aUnZpUDvzgs

So my vote will go to the lathe. I heard one story of a girl getting her hair stuck in it and the popping sound of a patch of her scalp coming off.

[leehljp]

Gee, I thought I was the only one to have that experience!

WELL, Doc . . . If you are that clumsy, I don't want you cutting on me!

I am certainly glad that you are honest about your use (or misuse) of knives! Is it OK that I just go to you for some pills?

[ejs1097]

Eric: I picked the table saw because you are pushing your body parts past the cutter (close second is the jointer).

With a radial arm saw, it comes running past, over and through body parts on its own if one is not careful. It doesn't wait for meat to come to it - it actively seeks out flesh of the weak handed and absent minded. - Scary to see that happen, or nearly happen in my case. Only Once!

I've heard horror stories about trying to rip on a RAS. I've used a RAS several times at my uncle's shop (old craftsman) and enjoy the type of saw that it is and what it does. That said I've never had it attack me and have always stood to the left of the machine (right handed). thinking through the direction of the spinning blade I can visuallize what you are saying. Yep, doesn't sound like fun.

[BigguyZ]

Wow, some of these stories are just grusome. Thanks for the bit aboutthe lathe and the scalp... I'm going to get a hair cut now...

In all seriousness, does anyone else ever get scared thinking that your hobby could leave you without life or limb?

[rnelson0]

In all seriousness, does anyone else ever get scared thinking that your hobby could leave you without life or limb?

I wouldn't say I'm scared, but I am concious that it's mostly my decisions that ensure how many fingers I have left after I'm done working with my tools but that there's still some element of luck in there - especially with tools like a lathe or a RAS.

I am also a bit more paranoid of keeping my ponytail tucked under my shirt collar now. Bleah.

[ragswl4]

I voted for the RAS, although if it were on the list it would have been "Hammer". I have hurt myself more often with a hammer than any other tool. TS is right up there with the RAS.