Kickback Hurts! (WARNING! GORY PICTURES!!)

[Phil Thien]

A few questions:

(1) How high above the stock were the blade's teeth?

(2) Is there any damage to the blade? Does it still run true?

Normally, I just wouldn't expect kickback like this with the blade tilted into the fence. For that to happen, the blade would have to deflect enough for the wood to squeeze between the blade and the fence so it can ride the top of the teeth and shoot towards you.

[glenn bradley]

I could be wrong and if I am correct me.

The guard I use has spring loaded pawls on it that most likely would have prevented this.

Does the guard on the SS have those too......and a splitter?

Pardon my ignorance.

From the description of the procedure and the size of the material, I doubt pawls would have been able to stop the launch. The projectile may have mutilated the left hand pawl on its way out of the chute and the pawl may have changed the trajectory (which would have been nice). The "safe" side differs with the tilt of your saw but, I think of it basically as:

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Glenn,

I understand that problem. That's why I use a left tilt saw.

I just wasn't familiar with the SS blade guard system.

On my Ridgid, the blade guard and splitter tilts with the saw blade. Whether or not it would have an effect type of incident I am not sure.

[Bud Millis]

WOW! Thats crazy, glad your ok. Hopefully the L will heal and you won't see that.

[Brian Deakin]

Firstly I hope you are recovered from your accident, my heart goes out to you

Thank you for posting the pictures it gives us all a salutary reminder of the importance of working safely

The following leaflet may provide some additional guidance for other users

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/wis16.pdf

Again best wishes for a full recovery

regards Brian

[Carl Civitella]

Glad you are ok, but keep a close watch on your self. My BIL took a fall down a short set of stairs and hurt his head. He said he was fine, a month later he was walking around dazed and passed out in his driveway. Rushed to the hospital. here there was blood build up on is brain, they had to drill into his head to releive the build up preasure. He is fine now after a week in the hospital. Luck of the lucky.. Carl

[Steve Rowe]

Glad you are OK and that is going to leave a scar. This is clear evidence that one should never cut a piece that small on the tablesaw without it being adequately secured to a jig or fixture. Looking back on over 30 years of woodworking, nearly every accident that I have experienced began with a "small piece of wood".

[Chris Fournier]

Thanks for posting this reminder to all of us that accidents happen when we think that a set up is dangerous and carry on regardless. I have been bitten going ahead with an uncomfortable set up once or twice. "L" is for lucky! I hope that you heal well and get back on the horse that threw you.

[Doug Morgan]

We are not going to throw stones because we all have done something stupid. I got kickback one time. 1/4" plywood, no knife behind the blade and it became a flying saucer to the point where it hit me in the stomach. Knocked the wind out of me and left me with a huge bruise. It took several minutes for me to catch my breath and figure out just what had happened.

I am so glad that you're ok. L is not for looser its for LUCKY. Lucky that thing wasn't lower to take out an eye or worse.

[Kevin Gregoire]

im glad your okay also and that it wasnt worse!
i have respect for all my machines but the TS is the one that makes me nervous every time i use it.
probably cause back in shop class our teacher had a glass jar hanging above the TS with a students
fingers from an accident years before. that was from a kickback that went very wrong so i never
forget that jar every time i use my saw.

just glad your alright and it wasnt worse and hopefully it heals up good but just remember the saying
'Pain heals. Chicks dig scars. Glory... lasts forever'.

[Peter Aeschliman]

im glad your okay also and that it wasnt worse!i have respect for all my machines but the TS is the one that makes me nervous every time i use it.probably cause back in shop class our teacher had a glass jar hanging above the TS with a studentsfingers from an accident years before. that was from a kickback that went very wrong so i neverforget that jar every time i use my saw.just glad your alright and it wasnt worse and hopefully it heals up good but just remember the saying'Pain heals. Chicks dig scars. Glory... lasts forever'.

Holy smokes!!! Yeah I think that would be hard to forget!!

[Peter Aeschliman]

A few questions1) How high above the stock were the blade's teeth?(2) Is there any damage to the blade? Does it still run true?Normally, I just wouldn't expect kickback like this with the blade tilted into the fence. For that to happen, the blade would have to deflect enough for the wood to squeeze between the blade and the fence so it can ride the top of the teeth and shoot towards you.

Phil, the blade was probably 1/4 of an inch above the workpiece (just enough for the gullets to clear).I got back on the saddle yesterday and used the ts. The blade seems to cut cleanly without excessive vibration but because of your post I,ll be breaking out the dial indicator today. One thing I did notice is that the riving knife is way out of alignment. It's in line with the kerf but it's sitting almost a full inch above the blade. So I think I'll be spending a few hours with the ts today.

[Peter Aeschliman]

Oh and thanks for the bandsaw suggestion guy. In hindsight that was clearly the right choice.

[Jim Matthews]

This thread should be sticky in the FAQ section.

After my "basic training" in machine tool techniques, I scratched the tablesaw off my requirements list.

We were taught:

Wear ear and eye protection at the table saw.
Never cut anything shorter than 12".

Never rip anything so narrow as it requires push-stick thinner than the blade.

Stand to the side of the side of the clearance plate (the launch zone of the aircraft hanger).
Never place hands on the clearance plate.

The physics of a table saw are immutable.

I'm genuinely horrified at this accident.
I hope for your speedy recovery.

[James Baker SD]

I guess sometimes we have to get hurt before we wake up. I had a kickback where the TS grabbed the board I was cutting and threw it over my shoulder at about head height. It penetrated a 1/2" thick plywood cabinet door on the other side of the shop, but I was not hurt so I did not wake up. After that same saw mangled a finger on my left hand, a brilliant surgeon put the finger back together, and 6 months of physical therapy taught me to use the hand again, then I woke up and never, but never use my TS without all its safety equipment installed. If I cannot do it safely, I do it slowly with a hand saw. Glad you are recovering and will have another day in the shop.