Stupid Mistake - Don't Do This

[Vaughn McMillan]

I'm posting this just to offer a lesson to any of my fellow newbie woodworkers...a lesson I learned tonight the hard way. Here's the Cliff Notes version of the lesson:

Don't cut something on a bandsaw if the thing you're cutting isn't firmly supported on the table or a sled. If you're lucky, you'll only bend a brand-new blade. If you're not lucky, you could be in a heap of hurt. I was lucky. My luck is color-coordinated with my stupidity.

Here's the background for the lesson:

I was cutting up some green wood for bowl blanks on my 14" (with riser) bandsaw. I was using my bandsaw sled for the cut. The wood was held firmly and my hands were well out of the way. One particular log I was trimming had the stub end of a 3" branch sticking out, partially cut through with the chainsaw, but still attached enough to be firm. This branch was about 6" off the table, with the path of the blade going through this "suspended" piece before starting the main cut. In other words, this 2" chunk was off the table when the blade hit it. Not good. It broke off before being cut cleanly, something caught, the piece of branch went flying across the shop after bouncing off the table, and the bandsaw started going "whump-whump-whump". Second cut with a brand new blade from Suffolk, and I bent it. Bad words were spoken. (Now I know how Chris Livingston felt after recently bending a carbide tooth Trimaster. Except I didn't lose as much money, I guess.) And I was really liking the way the blade cut through green wood.

No pics, but a couple oversimplified drawings showing my mistake. Don't do this:

Don't Do This.jpg

This would have been better (but better yet would have been to trim the stub off with a pruning saw or other suitable tool.)

Do This Instead.jpg

Let that be a lesson to you kids. Now get off my lawn!

[Tyler Howell]

"Bad Words were spoke"
Yes I know the feeling.
Lessons learned

[Bud Zysk]

Yeah, a lot of us have learned that lesson. Fortunately, I learned with a 9" Delta BS & a relatively cheap blade. Also fortunate I didn't ventilate any fingers in the process either. Hope your blade wasn't carbide tipped.

[Mark Singer]

Another risky thing is to hold a small piece to tut or just score it . A course blade like the Trimaster could pull it quickly from your hand and pull your hand towards the blade. It is better performed with a finer blade

[scott spencer]

Glad you weren't hurt Vaughn! I've taken your good advice in the past, and I'll take this as well, but I'm wondering which bad words of choice do you recommend in case I stumble into some other stupid human trick?

[john whittaker]

Good morning Scott...."Dirty rotten rassyfrat" usually works for me.

Hmmm... unless there's blood involved Then I've got a few others but can't share them with you right now.

Vaughn...glad you still have all your digits. I've also learned this lesson and now feed very slowly at the start of a cut that is free handed.

[scott spencer]

One of the stupider things I've done in the shop occurred earlier on while I was making my first ZCI for the TS. It wouldn't fit on the saw b/c the blade was sticking up too far....instead of having the foresight to use a smaller blade, I tried the "drop technique" onto the spinning 10" blade.....WHAP! That thing smacked the wall behind me so fast I never saw it. Luckily it missed me ... (I think I said "darn" or something to that effect! ) Of course the wall was attached to the house and I had to put my tail between my legs and explain to my wife what the racket was and why I had that dumb struck look on my face! What a marooon!

[Mark Rios]

So THAT'S what that sound was last night. My dogs woke me up because of some sort of sound and I couldn't figure out where it came from. Up here in central CA, some 300+ miles away, I thought it might have just been another small earthquake or something.


Glad you're okay Vaughn. Sorry about the blade. Did the blank finally come out okay?