revised-trip to ER, still have fingers

[agent511]

Because of the database crash, my story and the replies have been permanently lost. I wanted to reshare my story, since the safety lesson is so important.

I am a fairly new user to my TS3650 table saw. I was cutting a too-small piece - about 2'' x 5", situated horizontally, basically cutting it in half.

I ran the right side of the piece against the fence, and used a push stick in my right hand to push it through. I held another stick, about 1" x 6" vertically, in my left hand to keep the workpiece against the fence.

In retrospect, as I have been told, a mitersaw would have been a good idea, as would a sled. It is a bad idea to cut small pieces like this directly on the TS.

Anyway, had i used the left hand stick like a featherboard, and just kept it in place on the near side of the blade, all would still have worked.

But I followed the piece, advancing the left hand with the piece, and effectively pushing it against the side of the blade.

When the piece was completely cut through, the left hand segment, usually the free, untrapped piece, was trapped, and kicked back.

Instantly I was staring at two bleeding fingers. The nail from my second finger was missing, and so was much of the nail bed. (I never did find my nail. Someday, it may fall off the ceiling onto my head!) The third finger was also lacerated on top.

LOML took me to the ER in a snowstorm.

SInce then I have recreated the accident (with the power off). I initially reported that the kicked-back piece did the damage to my fingers.

I now know that my fingers hit the blade. Remember, my left hand, holding that thin little pushstick, was pushing in the direction of the blade. After the piece kicked out, there was nothing between my left hand with the little stick pushing and the blade. The pushstick shows a partial arc from hitting the blade, and the still present fingernail on my third finger shows multiple arced scratches consistant with blade marks.

Lesson - be very cautious using the saw for small pieces. And be careful, if holding push sticks with fingers, that the direction of your push does not endanger your fingers if the wood suddenly disappears.

[lcm1947]

Man, that's pretty scarey. Could happen to anybody but yeah that piece was pretty small to be cutting on the TS unless you had a Gripper that is. The Gripper would be the perfect tool for something that small and as safe as it gets. If you continue cutting small pieces I really advise you to check one out. They cost a little bit but they are so worth it. I bet the cost of the ER visit was way more then that not to mention the time and pain. Sorry to hear it happened but sounds like it could have been much - much worst.

[agent511]

Yes, I should have mentioned that too. In the previous thread (that got conked out) many did suggest that. It is a great idea that would have been perfect for this situation. I am planning to get one.

It is called the Grr-ripper.

There is a side attachment for this Grr-ripper that has been misapplied in situations like I was in. In a thread on another slte that I had found and quoted before, someone had used the extra attachment that effectively trapped and pushed the left hand piece against the blade, and it kicked out, and the Grr-ripper got cut up.

Lesson - must use the Grr-ripper properly, but even improperly, it is better to scuff up the Grr-ripper than your fingertips!

[jdschulteis]

Because of the database crash, my story and the replies have been permanently lost. I wanted to reshare my story, since the safety lesson is so important.

I am a fairly new user to my TS3650 table saw. I was cutting a too-small piece - about 2'' x 5", situated horizontally, basically cutting it in half.

[. . .]

In retrospect, as I have been told, a mitersaw would have been a good idea, as would a sled. It is a bad idea to cut small pieces like this directly on the TS.

[. . .]

Again, thanks for sharing and I'm glad your injury wasn't worse.

On my CMS, there's no good way to clamp a piece that small.

I think the GRR-Ripper would be safe, but I'd worry about keeping the cut square with the short side running against the rip fence. With the long side against the fence, the GRR-Ripper would be perfect.

Short of a full crosscut sled, I think this could be done safely on a saw without an SMT by clamping the workpiece to a sacrificial fence attached to the miter gauge. This would also minimize tearout.

Stay safe everybody!