Yesterday I found a 3" x 6" maple oval 2 1/2" thick and decided it would make a nice bandsaw box. The first step is to cut of the top. I knew I would have to hold it firmly as the part of the oval that first contacts the blade is unsupported. As the blade contacted the oval, it spun it, ripping it from my grasp and catapulting it into my NOSE. Hit me hard enough to give me a bloody nose which is still sore.
After a few choice words aimed at my stupidity, I used a big clamp to hold the oval until the blade was halfway through the top cut, then put some business card shims in the saw kerf and reclamped at the saw kerf.
The box is OK buy my nose is still sore.
Pride is unchanged as it was reset to humble mode many years ago.