Hi all,
Just wanted to make another pitch for safety glasses in the shop. I always wear safety glasses while working and in fact have a great pair with bifocal inserts that really help my aging eyesight.
Here’s what happened. Yesterday I was ripping an 8′ board. I had just got the board into the blade when something hit me really hard in the cheek. I knew it was something a bit more substantial than a wood chip but continued with the cut. Immediately there were blood drops dripping onto the saw and floor. I maintained my consentration as I finished the cut but was really concerned by the amount of blood dripping onto the floor drom somewhere on my face.
It turned out that a chip of carbide had broken off of the ripping blade and had hit me just below the corner of the mouth. It gave a cut about a good quarter of an inch long. I got the bleeding stopped and found that the carbide tooth fragment was still in there. I was able to work it out and will be fine. If this thing had hit me in the eye I’ld most likely have lost the eye.
It was a good lesson and I’ll never run that saw without my safety glasses again.
Replies
Glad it was just your cheek and not an eye.
I've been using a face shield over my regular glasses. I've been cutting a lot of laminated particle board and it throws a ton of chips. I find that the face shield blocks more stuff and is more comfortable than safety goggles over glasses.
Now if someone could tell me how to keep the screen dust free :-)
Mark
Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.
View Image
Mark,
Wipe it with a "Bounce" dryer sheet.
Joe Phillips
Plastics pay the bills, Woodworking keeps me sane!
Now if someone could tell me how to keep the screen dust free :-)
Not a 'cure-all'.. but a wipe with those little sheets for the clothes dryer helps some.. Sort of keeps the static down a bit..
Not sure if it damages the plastic but I do it if I think about it.. Seems to help a little.
"Now if someone could tell me how to keep the screen dust free :-)"
Mark,
The anti static/dust spray used for computer monitors will help, and is available at any office supply store.Dan Kornfeld, Owner/President - Odyssey Wood Design, Inc.
Sounds like you werent using a blade cover. Which also means you likely did not have kick back paws. If you are serious about safety you should look at getting an overhead blade gaurd.
Mike
Tell us about the saw blade -- brand, type, condition (new/old).
Unless you recently hit something with this blade (like a nail), this should not be happening.
Assuming you did not hit something that would damage the blade, I would suggest you raise a big stink with the manufacturer. Send them the blade, and a close-up pic of your face. At a minimum, you should get a new blade.
"I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong."
-- Bertrand Russell
Thanks to all for the concern. The cut has really healed up just fine.
As for the blade, it is an older but in very good shape Jesada 24 tooth rip blade. They aren't around anymore and even if they were I wouldn't expect anything from them. The blade has been very good over the years and I've had it sharpened several times always with good results. As far as I know the blade has never hit a nail or been damaged during use or storage.
I took it to my saw sharpener and he said it wasn't uncommon at all. The carbide tips are welded on and the weld didn't fail but the carbide tip split. He put a new tip on and I'll be back in business again.
As for the blade guard, no I don't use one. I'm considering one now that will integrate with my dust collector and will then be dual purpose.
I think I'll get a face shield that I'll keep at the saw.
As far as standing in line with the cut, I guess my face was in line but I always stand off to the side. The 8' board was a little cumbersome and holding it to the fence at the start of the cut I may have gotten a little complacent.
Thanks to all for the tips and input,
be safe, Hugh
Another good lesson here for not standing in line with the blade. If something is going to come flying out of the cut, you don't have to become a human target.
I always try to stand aside of the path of anything coming out of the blade.For any new woodworkers here, I am referring to the left side of the blade, not like the photo on FWW's home-page showing the kickback. Feeding in that manner is a good illustration of how to cause a kickback. I assume that they show how to avoid it in the video.
Glad you were not hurt too bad. Adding a face shield on top of the glasses helps with the facials. They don't provide enough impact protection by themselves. They sure help cut back on the snacks.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
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