Bandsaw accident

[Mark Eisen]

Sorry to hear bout your accident, I hope it heals up real quick.
I agree that the Bandsaw is the most dangerous it is the only tool that I have that make me nervous.

[Paul McGaha]

Jacques,

I'm sorry to hear of your accident on your band saw. I hope you heal well.

I remember reading a post from a school shop teacher. He said his classes had more accidents on band saws than any other tool.

PHM

[greg a bender]

Sorry to hear about your incident.

I was trying to work in the shop today, feeling a bit pressured to 'produce' something. Was below freezing in there, extension cords stiff, breath fog. Lights taking forever to get up to temp. Fingers numb. Made one cut on the Uni and decided it was safest to retreat to the house where it was a bit warmer.
Glad your injury was not worse and I'm glad I listened to that inner voice.
Resolved my issues later with a small glass of wine and a warm fire.

Greg A.

[Mark Bolton]

I've got some gory pictures that I'm keeping for myself.
I've already mopped the blood of the floor.

Put the pictures on, I use them to scare the heck (I dont even think I can say H-E double hockey sticks on here any more) out of the guys. One of the best pic's I show is the one from the guy who was clearing the bottoms of mortises with a brad point bit in the DP and glancing away caught the area between thumb and index in the tip of the bit. I often use it as a way to show how a "weeeeee little drill bit" can foul you up big time.

Mark

[Josiah Bartlett]

Heal quickly.

I couldn't agree more: I've heard people say that they spend time in their shops to "take their mind off of things."

I can't work that way.

If I'm not "all in," I won't run anything but the ShopVac !

Last time I wasn't paying attention while using a shopvac I sucked up a rather expensive light bulb, which shattered once it hit the cannister.
Sorry to hear about your accident. Every time I've needed stitches I've been doing something that seemed rather safe. I was also covered with grime and grease, which makes it doubly unpleasant. Heal quickly!

[raul segura]

I recently slit my finger, deep but clean, glass and resin for the nail and a bandage. A band saw is your friend, (don't be a butcher).
Its bad when you try and get away only to find your trouble awaits you in your sanctuary ! "this to will pass", and sure enough it dose.
I had a hard time getting back on that blade with out the after taste of memory. Versatile THINGS have the worst bite at times but often more sweet than the rest.
Good luck

[Rod Sheridan]

Jacques, glad to hear that it wasn't worse.

I think there are a lot of bandsaw accidents for 3 reasons;

1) people think they're safe machines

2) we push a lot of the material with our fingers (curved cuts etc)

3) I've never seen a guard on a bandsaw blade except for a stock feeder

Hope you have a speedy recovery..................Regards, Rod.

[glenn bradley]

Sorry to hear about the injury and am glad it wasn't worse. It is good to hear so many folks speak to the misconception of the bandsaw being a "safer" machine. I cringe everytime I read this statement in a thread. Haven't any of these people every watched the butcher prepping meats? Heal quick.

[Mike Cruz]

As someone else said, this thread probably ought not become a "band saw, is it safe or dangerous" thread.

I just wrote a huge expanation of my thoughts on this subject, and decided to erase it. Just be careful with ALL your tools everyone.

Jacques, heal well. At least you can still type...right?

[Brent Ring]

Heal well, be patient, and make sure that you are focused and enjoying your work!

[Richard Spain]

Jacques,
Give the healing the time it needs with both the hand and the head.
You might want to consider contacting Sawstop and suggest they apply their apparatus to a band saw. I am sure you would make a good advocate.

[Chris Ricker]

Jacques, I hear ya.
I have never been ashamed to admit my mistakes (because I believe that there is plenty to learn from other peoples mistakes) but, I usually wait until the physical pain goes away. In this case I'll make and exception.

Last Monday night around 8:00 pm I was rough cutting a bowl blank out on the band saw. The wife and I had just returned from a meeting with an attorney and heard some distressing news. As usual, I went to the shop to relieve some stress and tried to occupy my mind with more pleasant thoughts of woodworking. I started with a nice log of split white oak and cut off the ragged face, then drew a circle, cut off most of the wasted corners and then tried to cut out the circle. as I neared one of the corner cut-offs the blade "sprang" from the cut and my right index finger was pushed into the blade.

I returned from the ER at about 12:30am with 9 stitches and a lot of regret.

The cut is from the base of my finger nail to past the second knuckle. Did I mention that I used my "old" (read; rusty) blade because of the bark on the wood? so lets throw in a tetanus shot to boot.

As an OSHA instructor for my trade, I've learned that all accidents are rarely one single incident but, usually a series of "small" mistakes that compound into one major "accident". This is my case, I should have never entered the shop in a aggravated state, never use a "old" blade and never let yourself become distracted.

I hope you heal quickly. On a bright note, I'll get my stitches out before you will

Be safe
CR

[Neil Brooks]

Oh, G-D, Chris !!!

You heal quickly too, huh ???

Yikes.

[Dan Karachio]

Wow Jacques, I hope you feel better soon. For what it is worth, I thank you for taking the time to post this. I think many people fall into thinking the bandsaw is ultra safe because it will never kick back anything (or will it?), and we get our hands pretty darn close to that blade like it's a sewing machine or something.

[george wilson]

The bandsaw is faster cutting than the table saw.