Jay Bates Bandsaw Accident

[tim walker]

Hope its ok to post this link but it is a great learning curve . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86Z1Q3cf5iw&t=723s

[Erik Loza]

I actually had a similar accident when someone asked me to make a couple of drink coasters out of a single piece of round stock at a trade show, once. Foolishly, thought I could hold the workpiece by hand. No mitre fence or jig. Exact same result he experienced. In any case, it’s very dangerous to cut round workpieces unless they are locked against a fence, screwed into a jig, etc.

Erik

[Richard Coers]

That was not an accident of not paying attention. It is an accident of lack of experience and education. There have been rules on how to cut round parts since I started woodworking in 1972 and for decades before that.

[Jim Becker]

I believe there is an existing discussion on this video

[Edward Weber]

That was not an accident of not paying attention. It is an accident of lack of experience and education. There have been rules on how to cut round parts since I started woodworking in 1972 and for decades before that.

I agree Richard
We have discussed this at length not that long ago,
If you pay attention, he mentions that this is not the first time this has happened to him.
If you don't learn from your own mistakes, I don't know what to tell you.

[Lee Schierer]

I actually had a similar accident when someone asked me to make a couple of drink coasters out of a single piece of round stock at a trade show, once. Foolishly, thought I could hold the workpiece by hand. No mitre fence or jig. Exact same result he experienced. In any case, it’s very dangerous to cut round workpieces unless they are locked against a fence, screwed into a jig, etc.

Erik

The same thing can happen when cutting round objects on a table saw.

[Bill Dufour]

I notice his blade guard is raised several inches higher then it should be exposing more blade near his fingers then required. I could see it having to be no lower then then top of the fence. it is a good bit higher then that. I was taught it should be about 1/2 a finger width above the top of the work so a finger can not slip under it and touch the blade.
BilLD

[Wes Grass]

Round pieces, cut about 2/3rds, and rotate 90°.

[Mark Balmer]

I think of myself as pretty safety conscience and have done a fair amount of remodeling/construction/woodworking at a non-pro level since I was a kid with very few close calls. Lots of ladders, chain saws, nail guns, utility knives, and unguarded table saws. Yet the worst incident involved a bandsaw while trying to do a quick, unplanned project to help someone out.

Years ago while a friend was visiting he asked if I could cut a single piece of 2" black ABS plastic sewer pipe for him. The 14" bandsaw, which I hadn't had very long, was right there and for some reason, instead of using a hand hacksaw like I usual did because a round piece in a chop saw seemed a little dicey, I flipped on the bandsaw and started to hand feed it. I knew enough to keep the kerf open, but I hadn't considered the downward/rotational force or must have thought I could manage it. Made it to the last 3/8" and I must have let it rotate just enough for it to self-feed which closed the kerf right up. We know one of the pieces hit the ceiling, something else, and the floor, but only by the impact sounds - you couldn't track it with your eye. Then the piece spun madly on the floor at an amazing speed for more than a few seconds. My friend was standing about 3' from the saw holding one of his kids. By just random chance no one got hurt.

mark

[Kevin Jenness]

Round pieces, cut about 2/3rds, and rotate 90°.

No. Anytime the cut is unsupported, as it is when entering the edge of a cylinder, there is danger of rotation and kickback. Pieces like that should be blocked or held in a cradle of some type securely enough to prevent rolling. Some overhung cuts may be successfully made by an experienced operator like Sam Maloof but the risk needs to be well understood before making a sketchy cut like that.

[Derek Kessler]

Wow, I don't see many videos like this. It shows just how fast things can go south in the workshop. Glad he chose to upload so other woodworkers can learn and not make the same mistake.

[Tom Levy]

No. Anytime the cut is unsupported, as it is when entering the edge of a cylinder, there is danger of rotation and kickback. Pieces like that should be blocked or held in a cradle of some type securely enough to prevent rolling. Some overhung cuts may be successfully made by an experienced operator like Sam Maloof but the risk needs to be well understood before making a sketchy cut like that.

There was already a discussion about this, there is no safe way to do the operation from the video. Round things need a jig/cradle to support the piece along the entire front to back.

Interestingly if you read Maloof interviews he is upfront in declaring that he did injure himself numerous times with unsupported bandsaw cuts by having the piece catch and slam down with his fingers between the table and piece. Better than losing a digit or three, but still even he is clear that it's a great way to get injured.

[Brian Tymchak]

Here's the link to that earlier thread.

[Edward Weber]

Thanks Brian

[Steve Demuth]

It continues to amaze me that even knowledgeable machine users make mistakes such as you describe. I did it just before Christmas - I wanted to cut a slice out of an oddly shaped burl. I absolutely know better than to make cuts on a bandsaw that leave the wood unsupported under the blade, but the burl had two sides cut square, so I had a clear path to a fully supported cut. Then, halfway through the cut, realizing that the burl would not fully fit under the saw guides in the orientation I had it, I rotated the piece myself to get clearance, and, nearly through the cut, BANG - the saw grabs the burl and smashes my fingers into the saw bridge and blade guide. No blood on the outside, but vicious bruises on two fingers.

This was not due to inexperience. I was making an unusual cut in an ad hoc way, and didn't think through the consequences of adjusting on the fly. A recipe for mistakes any day.