Intentional kick-back

[DaveO]

Nothing bad happen to anyone. But this is a good video if someone wants to experience a table-saw kick-back without any personal danger.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/910584/table_saw_kickback_demonstration/

The speed of the stock coming off the table is around 108 MPH :5eek:

Dave

 

[JimmyC]

Dave,

That's a great video for people that have never had it happen. After the plywood hits you it the stomach it leaves a perfect 5/8" wide, depending on ply size, 4+" long bruise that I swear shows the plys, and it hurts. DAMHIKT:lol:.


Jimmy

 

[DaveO]

It's probably pretty good for those that have had a first hand experience with it too. It happens so fast that most don't ever even see it happen...now they can watch it :lol:

Dave

 

[Splinter]

Kick-Back HURTS.:cry_smile I still have the piece tacked over my TS just as a reminder. It was only about 2" x 6" x 3/4" but it sure did hurt even with a tool belt on.

 

[Canuck]

Scary stuff!!!

I personally have never seen it happen, but now I have an appreciation and respect for the blade guard and kick pack pawls!

Thanks Dave for the link and eye opening!!!! (This is one video I won't be showing the LOML!! She will have my saw on CL in a heartbeat. WakeMed nursing staff never let up!!!!:BangHead::BangHead

Thanks Again!!!

Wayne

 

[Ncdawgs1882]

I'm glad I got to see that, I've never witnessed a kick back only heard of them. & thats a great example of what not to do! Witch leads me to my next question I'm a lefty & was wondering if there was any other left handed woodworkers & how they adjusted thier shop to better suit them for example did you make any special jigs or alter your tools for left handed operation? I read today that left handed people are more accident prone due to most things being made for right handed people! I can only imagine thats dbl for the workshop!

 

[CarvedTones]

My experience started slow; in retrospect, it was incredibly obvious there was a good chance of it happenning. I had an off cut dance away and then dance back into the blade. It was "only" about 2" x 1" x 1", which is a small piece of wood but a rather large bullet. It got me right about where you might say chest and might say shoulder. An edge cut through my shirt and I had a little blood to go with the bruise. Me and the tablesaw have a bit more respect for each other now...

 

[nelsone]

BTDT! And yes, it does hurt!

 

[cskipper]

Great video clip. After several bad experiences, LOML now keeps the guards, etc... on his TS. I believe that Monty had posted something to this effect in the download area. Not sure there was video, but it does seem like he did a good picture-story about what all happens during a kick back.

Jonanthan, I am also a lefty, but fortunately can do lots of things with either hand. There are some tools designed to work better left handed folks, but mostly you just have the be vigilant. You can also layout your shop differently that a right handed person would prefer but, after all, it is your workshop.

 

[Rob]

Wow, I'm ordering the delta splitter for my saw this weekend. I cut my thumb very bad years ago, not completely off, but almost, pure carelessness, swung in into the side of the blade. Swore I would keep the guard on from now on. First time I tried to rip tho and the guard made it difficult, it got removed. I will say though, I'm extra careful around the TS now, even 15 years later.

 

[CarvedTones]

I went through the same cycle of guard, no guard, kick back, guard, no guard. IMO, it's very ironic that a lot of the guards are a safety hazard. By that I mean that you often have to do something unplanned in the middle of the cut because it doesn't slide right through like it is supposed to. So you have to keep the stock in place with one hand while you mess with the guard - near the blade - with the other. By "hand", I mean hand or push stick or other device. Setting the blade low is another issue. If you set the blade to just barely clear the stock, you dramatically increase the chances of kickback, but you decrease the chance and potential severity of accidentally cutting yourself. I usually crank it pretty high.

-Andy

 

[TracyP]

Never had it happen to me but that is a scary video, Dave thanks for posting it. It gives me a new respect for the table saw.

Tracy

 

[Glennbear]

Thanks Dave, "a video is worth a thousand words" an upcoming project entails ripping some 1/4 inch alumminum stock. I am going to have to think about this carefully. :eusa_thin

 

[WoodWrangler]

I took a kickback in my manhood and upper leg when I first got my tablesaw ... not fun. I laid on the ground for hours and thought I might just die (you fellas can appreciate the pain).

In the end, the kickback was my mistake ... and it taught me a quick (and painful) lesson.

The video is good to show what it can do and at what speed. The other interesting thing was the direction in which the board went. I have heard and read countless debates on where to stand (to the right or left). From this video, the right looks a lot safer.

 

[Glennbear]

I took a kickback in my manhood and upper leg when I first got my tablesaw ... not fun. I laid on the ground for hours and thought I might just die (you fellas can appreciate the pain).

In the end, the kickback was my mistake ... and it taught me a quick (and painful) lesson.

The video is good to show what it can do and at what speed. The other interesting thing was the direction in which the board went. I have heard and read countless debates on where to stand (to the right or left). From this video, the right looks a lot safer.

Looking at the video , that would be the FAR right !!!

 

[McRabbet]

I am a stickler for safe sawing -- Here are some of my sacred rules:

1) Stand to the left of the left miter slot;
2) Use push stick to control stock cut against fence (stick is placed just left of stock centerline, but not in blade path) and keep pressure directed to the back of saw with some pressure against fence -- follow through the cut past the blade;
3) Where possible use Board Buddies;
4) NEVER combine miter gauge and fence for crosscuts to length (leaves cutoff no place to go and it will become a missle!) -- I crosscut with a sled;
5) Rip thin strips to the left of the blade (NEVER cut thin strips between blade and fence) and use a Zero Clearance Insert (see photo below);
6) Concentrate on what you are doing;
7) Never, never reach across spinning blade to push cutoffs away, even with push stick.
8) This should be the first rule -- Never get your hands closer than 4" from the blade!

My closest call was ripping narrow strips without a ZCI and using an improper push stick (fence has been moved in this picture) -- I broke at least 3 rules in this one!

I used a piece of oak cutoff as a push stick and it slipped as it got to the blade straight down and lodged against blade. It broke the cast aluminum blade insert. Stupid!

 

[Ray Martin]

Dave,

Thanks for posting this. I remember my father doing a 'demo' for me, kind of like this one, when I was about 5 or 6. I have had a healthy respect for the saw ever since.

One of the issues I have when I work with volunteers on Saturdays, is that almost every middle-aged guy who shows up, believes he knows all about how to use power tools. A couple of weeks ago, we (Habitat for Humanity) pulled several old portable saws out of use. The splitters and guards were long gone and the saws were not in good repair. We now have one new saw with guard, pawls, and splitter all in place. I put one more thing in place... a rule that limits who is allowed to use the saw. Why the fuss? One of the weekday volunteers managed to get cut.

Ray

 

[woodrat]

I'm glad I got to see that, I've never witnessed a kick back only heard of them. & thats a great example of what not to do! Witch leads me to my next question I'm a lefty & was wondering if there was any other left handed woodworkers & how they adjusted thier shop to better suit them for example did you make any special jigs or alter your tools for left handed operation? I read today that left handed people are more accident prone due to most things being made for right handed people! I can only imagine thats dbl for the workshop!

I'm left handed and, to my knowledge, I have not made
any special jigs to be 'left handed'. I mean, I have made
some jigs for shop use but have never thought about
whether they were 'left handed' or whatever. Just made
what I needed at the time and what worked. other times
I have bought tools (jigs) for a specific purpose without
putting a left/right handed label on them.

While it is true that most things are made "righty", lefty's
have overcome and adapted to a right handed world. As
you pointed out, studies may have shown left handed
people may be more accident prone due to the fact that
the world revolves around "being right handed". Studies
have also shown that left handed people are more creative
and imaginative than right handed folks. :icon_thum

Don't all you right handed folks respond to me in a negative
way now. I admit that there some EXTREMELY talented
folks that are using their right hand primarily, and I just wish
I had some of their talent. The thing to me is that they
take most everything they use for granted. That is, they
never think whether or not it will work correctly if it is put
in their right hand for use. Oftentimes, us lefties have to think
of those things. :wink_smil

And by the way, do you also get offended if you are referred
to as 'SOUTH PAW'? I do. To me it is a derogatory term implying
that I do not have hands, but paws like a bear or dog or something.
I can't recall a time when a right handed person was called
a 'NORTH PAW', can you? It's another one of those things
we people in our right minds have grown to accept as, 'the way it is'. :BangHead:

DaveO, thanks for that posting. Kinda wakes ya up, don't it?

Woodrat (who may have this reply pulled but, it was written in good faith)

 

[McRabbet]

Archie -- I'm in agreement with all you've said -- my Mom was left-handed and my Dad threw a ball left-handed, but was otherwise right-handed. I'm right-handed, but I'll say this -- safe operation of all of our power tools isn't "handed" at all. Diligence and awareness are the prime requirements. During my recent rehabilitation from a torn rotator cuff in my right shoulder, I've had to do more things with my left because I did not have any extension with the right. As such, I've deferred to my injury and did not use any power tools until this week.

A few other right/left comments -- I bought a left-tilt tablesaw because I believe it is safer since the tilt is never toward the fence (which keep to the right of the blade) and a "pinched" cut is nearly impossible. And I agree that the "S-P" term you used toward the end of your post is derogatory and, as Moderator of this thread, I'll leave it as is, but lets all please keep this thread on topic. You are left-handed, I'm right-handed and so are many other good woodworkers besides us!

 

[Bas]

I used a piece of oak cutoff as a push stick and it slipped as it got to the blade straight down and lodged against blade. It broke the cast aluminum blade insert. Stupid!

I didn't even see that the first time I looked at this thread, that you broke the insert. Man talk about force!

Whenever I'm at the table saw, I remind myself this is a hobby. There is no hurry. I need to turn the saw off, and THEN remove the cut-off piece. It is so tempting to just push it out of the way and rip the next board, but this is a hobby. I am not in a hurry. Turn the saw off. Wait for the blade to come to a complete stop. I am not in a hurry.

:saw:
Thanks Dave, Rob et al for posting. There should be a thread on table saw safety every week, just to keep reminding me....