I was thinking that it might be a good idea for the Taunton folks to add a shop safety section.
I’ve just posted this “poem” on my shop door.
In a rush? Slow down.
Tired? Turn around.
Every time I’ve hurt myself in the shop (not many and none too serious fortunately) I’ve been in a rush or tired (or both).
Years ago (I was twelve – so thats about 30 years) I watched my dad cut his hand on the radial arm saw. He was in a bit of a rush and was cutting a short board without a clamp. After the accident, he shouted, shook his hand in the air and ran upstairs (when he shook his hand it spatterd blood all over the shop – 30 years later I can still find blood spots on tablesaw outfeed table he built). Fortunately he recovered. I think of that event often and I’m sure it has helped keep me safe…
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There is another forum out there that has a safety or injury forum. Not a pleasant place with some of the pics there.
Is it a Taunton forum?What's the link?
Mark
http://www.woodworking.org/index.html
I can only read a few before I decide I've read enough and move onto lighter subjects.
I recall another one out there as well that had a lot of graphic photos...not for the squeamish. As you well know there's at least several dozen woodworking forums out there. You might try a google search and find a few more safety related ones. OSHA has a detailed site as well.
In a rush? Slow down.
Tired? Turn around.
Drinkin' Jack.. Go back..
I like the idea of a safety forum.
Woodworkers are among the few who will tell others what they did and how not to duplicate their mistake. This is a good reminder for people who have become a little too complacent in the shop and great for new woodworkers.
I've been on the site listing accidents. Read a great deal of them. Thought about what I've done in the past and how lucky I am. Always find myself a little more aware of what I'm doing when I go back to the shop.
Even pictures in magazines make my stomach rumble when I see people cutting, without a guard, with their fingers inches (or fractions there of) from a whirling blade.
I'll throw in a potential accident.
I purchased a contractor's style table saw about four years ago. Never owned one before. Set it up according the the manual. No rush. Had lots of time.
I think it was during the first week I owned it. I was ripping a small piece of stock (1 X 3 X 24 inches). My son was standing behind the saw and to my left of center. I got about half way through my cut when the blade pulled a knot out of the wood. It shot it out the back, against the back shop wall , back to the front wall and then somewhere. The entire time that knot was flying around, neither one of us saw it. It didn't touch either one of us.
This wasn't a disaster, by any means. But it sure was a learning experience.
What do I do differently now?
Come to think of it, an outfeed table is a great safety device. Before I had my outfeed table, I remember lumber falling off the back of my table saw - creating a hazard, sometimes making it difficult to finish a cut because the back end of the wood lifted up, meaning I'd have to press down harder on the wood as it went through the blade... overall, not a good idea to be adding pressure towards the blade... :-0Mark
Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.
I have a 5' x 5' assembly table I got from a High School woodshop program going down the tubes. I have raised it up a tad so that it is about 1/4" shorter that my table saw top and use it for an outfeed table. It is large enough to handle sheet goods and makes better use of the space I have in my shop.Michael BurtonThunderbird HardwoodsKiln Dried Mesquite Lumber
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