Table saw accidents

[tod evans]

Todd, what you say is true, but don't you really need a two saws, one slider, which needs a 8 feet in front, behind, and to the left of the blade. A slider like this is like $10-20K. Plus, wouldn't you need second saw with a feeder on it? Most of the folks on the forum are making due with a 1-2 car garage, or maybe a 3 car garage. I am lucky enough to use most of a 3 car garage, but I don't see how I could fit a slider in my shop along with the planer, shaper, RAS, Drill Press, Bandsaw, and Jointer. I'd love a big slider, someday when I get a dedicated shop.

joe, it`s nice to have two saws, one with a feeder but a feeder will bolt to a slider very easily. as for the money? i`m basing my posts on what little i know of john kain, he`s a neurosurgeon/woodworker who would like to be as safe as possible while pursuing his hobby. as charlie said small sliders fit in a garage. sure these saws are expensive but so is neurosurgery...the two saws i posted links to are what i think represent "best in class" they`re way out of my budget and honestly i don`t think they`d be any safer than my ol` minimax...but holy cow are they sweet! if i had the money for a once in a lifetime saw purchase i`d be seriously looking at those two. reality for me is i bought what i feel is the best on the market for my limited funds, and it wasn`t as cheap as a sawstop. but i do feel it`s safer and offers more flexability.....02 tod

[Paul B. Cresti]

Joe,
I, like Charlie, have a whole lot-o-equipment in my shop. My shop was my former two car garage - 24x24. In it I have a MM 10.5 ft slider, MM 16" j/p, MM shaper, MM24" bandsaw, drill press, big compressor, router table/outfeed table on myslider,belt/disc sander, DC, work benches, wood storage.... point is it all fits. I have planned out work heights so that nothing interferes with something adjacent. This way everything is stationary and I max-out my machining ability. The only thing that is mobile is my MM FS41 16" j/p. I can roll this out of the way if I am doing a big assembly.

Sliders while they take up a lot of space while in use to their full capacity with the outrigger table & main crosscut fence on, do not take up that and more stationart floor space than a CS with a 52" or so rip fence. Sliders also come in different sizes depending on your needs: 5.5ft, 8.5ft, 10.5ft, etc...

Check out some of my past posts here for some of my pictorals of my slider in use.

Some of these sliders are in the 8-9k new range so they are somewhat reasonable looking at from strictly a dollar point of view. Safety wise...they are priceless.

I personally can not think of any better way to be safer...and that is remove yourself from the vicinity of the spinning blade and use mechanical means to hold your stock down.

My dream saw is right here:

http://www.scmgroup-usa.com/machines...400series.html

[Troy Vieira]

Hi guys. My name is Troy. Just a hobbiest woodworker that usually only lurks around this site for helpful info.

I have this picture framed in my shop. It reminds me to pay attention and to be safe. It's a TS accident as you can probably tell by the kerf in my finger! I finished cutting a small board, turned off the saw, reached over to pick up the piece but the blade wasn't done spinning down. PRESTO! Lots of pain and aggravation for the next several months. Lucky for me the finger looks as good as new now.

Feel free to print it out as a reminder if you'd like.

-Troy

SAFETY FIRST2.JPG

[Gary Curtis]

I studied table saws for 1 year before buying one. When it proved impossible to pay for a EFS (Euro slider), I selected a General 350 with a 5hp motor and their sliding table. Total cost about $3900, a bit less than the SawStop. I also visited the the shops of friends and 4 or 5 machine tool importer dealerships.

Since I'm a beginner woodworker, there is no better time for me to develop safe habits. I'm in newly built house, so I used hundreds of board feet of scraps to practrice rip cuts and crosscuts. The latter are a 'no-brainer' with a sliding table, as I can clamp the wood to the table and run it thru the blade standing 4 feet to the left of the kerf.

Larger boards (width) can be rip-cut the same way. Smaller ones require that I develop safe habits. The European sliders suchn as Mini-Max, Knapp and Felder have a real advantage with ripping. So, I choreographed my hand/body movements over perhaps 100+ rip cuts. Now, my hands follow an orchestrated pattern. And, I use every safety gadget I can find - push sticks, face mask, polycarbonate safety glasses, Grip Tite magnetic featherboards. My splitter and blade guard are then typical crap. I await the day when General will sell bolt-on replacements that follow the European style -- with dust collection.

I watched a few videos of Kelly Mehler and other instructors operating saws. Just treat it as dance with a dangerous machine, and practice the right steps.

Gary Curtis
California

[Steveo O'Banion]

john, since you asked about saw injuries, all of mine have been from kickbacks. so arm yourself with that knowledge whichever saw you decide to get. the missiles that occasionally shoot out of a saw have the abiliy to do severe damage, especially to your hands as they`re in the line of fire. not trying to scare you but stuff happens and meat-n-bone are no match for flung boards..02 tod

I absolutely agree Todd, in 30 + years I've never had or witnessed an injury involving the body touching the blade, but have had more kickback than I care to admit. HOWEVER, if you can afford it, I'd get the safe saw. I've seen it at the store, it is a nice looking solid machine, I'm trying to get one for school.

I'd also recommend a Brett Guard and riving knife with kickback fingers, safety devices I use at school with a lot of success.

Steve