Power tools that scare you

[Zeze]

Woodchippers always scare me.

I always think about people accidentally being swallowed by it or losing limbs, etc.

 

[mrblotto]

I thought most stuff like that required the buttons to be pressed for the foot pedal to operate, the buttons serving as the safety step. Sounds like that one may have had some safety devices circumvented.

You would be correct. The thing was ancient, from like the 1920's, but even back then common safety practices were used.

 

[Zedtom]

My neighbor climbed up a ham radio antenna mast with a sawzall and sawed off the section above him. He was belted to the tower, but could have easily been slashed or knocked off when it fell to the ground.

I never have witnessed such a reckless endeavor in someones backyard.

 

[Triumph]

I thought most stuff like that required the buttons to be pressed for the foot pedal to operate, the buttons serving as the safety step. Sounds like that one may have had some safety devices circumvented.

It's the difference between a piece of equipment that is meant to do the unknown, versus something that is meant to do one thing and one thing only. A milling machine, lathe, press break, etc. has limited safety stops because to imagine everything that could go wrong is impossible and would severely limit the usefulness of the machine. A machine that is only meant to do one thing is fairly easy to make safe.

 

[WHAMPOM]

Me - The table saw and the chainsaw. It's not so much "scare" as it is "be way the hell careful". I remember helping a neighbor break up some fallen trees with sandals on thinking "this is a bad idea, remedy it". And after my eye injury a while back, my ass has goggles on with anything that could throw something.

To this day, I give a chainsaw super respect and care. A table saw stays put, a chainsaw doesn't.

See vid
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=31khLebxCyg

Where's the tractor roll overs, PTO's catching clothing and ripping off limbs, combine and chopper accidents in the field far from home? Losing a finger ten seconds from a phone doesn't compare to being injured or trapped in a piece of machinery at the back end of an eighty acre field.

 

[Blackjack200]

The table saw is the one thing that I own that I really don't like using. It's just a wickedly dangerous device that I will only operate with a 2nd person to help guide/support. And I'll never use it for ripping small stuff. I'd never be a good trim carpenter I just have no desire to get my fingers that close to a blade.

I've tried some that I've bought and some that I made from templates I found on the web and still don't like it. Something about the disconnect in feel and fear that it'll slip off whatever I'm trying to rip still bothers me.

If I need to rip stuff down I just prefer to set up a rip guide and use a table saw. Not as precise as a table saw, but it works for my casual needs.

I used to be terrified of table saws, now I'm more comfortable with them than probably any other saw.

Rips larger than 2-3 inches stand so your body is not behind the work (in case the saw binds and throws the work back at you) push with your thumb, and hold the work down with your index and middle fingers as you slide it.

Rips smaller, always use a block. you don't need a store bought or even a template - just take a piece of scrap and cut a notch in it.

Either way, the trick is to make sure that you're pushing in such a way that if anything slips, your hand and fingers are not heading toward the blade. For very long cuts, the outfeed needs to be supported.

Only time I've ever been hurt by a tablesaw I wasn't even using it. I was stupidly standing about 20 feet "downrange" (i.e. behind) of the blade working on something else. The saw grabbed a ripping and thew it at my chest hard enough for the blunt end to open up a 4 inch gash, through my sweatshirt, and send me to the ER for stiches.

 

[ShawnD1]

Circular saws scare me. Just a cheap one from the store will still cut through a 2x4 as fast as you can blink. I'll use one no problem but it's one of those things where I'll take caffeine pills before using it if I feel even the slightest bit tired.

 

[vi edit]

What exactly are you guys doing with a circular saw that scares you? Freehanding a cut on your knee or something else uterly retarded with them?

A couple years back I bought a Jawhorse and that thing has made my life a dream for projects around the house. It's literaly an extra set or two of ridonkulously strong hands.

http://www.amazon.com/Rockwell-RK900.../dp/B0018MRUN4

 

[BurnItDwn]

Ehh, I have a lot of respect for table saw, miter saw, and circular saw, as well as chain saw, but there is no fear, just carefulness.

 

[tynopik]

PTO's catching clothing and ripping off limbs

Supposedly stepping over a turning PTO is one of the leading causes of (fatal) farm accidents.

 

[D1gger]

What exactly are you guys doing with a circular saw that scares you? Freehanding a cut on your knee or something else uterly retarded with them?

A couple years back I bought a Jawhorse and that thing has made my life a dream for projects around the house. It's literaly an extra set or two of ridonkulously strong hands.

http://www.amazon.com/Rockwell-RK900.../dp/B0018MRUN4

I agree. I have used power tools most of my life, and I never cut/grind/bend unless the material in question and/or tool is stable and I have a stance of dominance.

 

[IronWing]

Should I be afraid?

 

[JTsyo]

Chainsaws for sure.

yea, I had some branches come down during Irene that I needed to cut up. Considered a chainsaw but settled for a hand saw since I didn't want to risk it. The branches probably didn't even justify a chainsaw once I realized how fast the hand saw went through them.

 

[Howard]

Only time I've ever been hurt by a tablesaw I wasn't even using it. I was stupidly standing about 20 feet "downrange" (i.e. behind) of the blade working on something else. The saw grabbed a ripping and thew it at my chest hard enough for the blunt end to open up a 4 inch gash, through my sweatshirt, and send me to the ER for stiches.

You should know that you have the greatest stake in being safe.

hehe

 

[coldmeat]

Ya I don't get the skilsaw fear here. It's one of the tools that I'm not afraid of in the slightest.

The only time I'll be scared of a tool is when I'm using it in an awkward position, on the top of a ladder, or using it in a way that it was not meant for.

 

[RedRooster]

I think large lathe's were mentioned, but I'm very wary of getting ANYTHING caught in a lathe. Almost gotta use those things naked or something, I can't imagine a sleeve getting caught and just ripping your arm out of its socket. Sick.

When I worked at our plywood mill(Wayerhauser) during the summers when I was going to school, there was a full time guy under the dryer trying to cut out a wood jam with a power saw. He was lying on his back since there was very little room to maneuver under there, but instead of pushing the saw up into the wood, he hooked the saw around top and was pulling down on the saw. Presumably to get more leverage. You can imagine what happened when the wood gave way.

 

[slag]

Kind of ashamed to admit it, but I have a flux core welder and have never used it because I'm a little apprehensive. I have a goal to use it this weekend on a small tab of metal and need to learn to put a bead down, but I have no problem with circular saws, table saws, radial arm saws, chain saws, etc, but this welder kind of freaks me out.

Oh and I hate using my press also. I mean, I'm afraid as I'm pressing something down with 20 tons of pressure that it will get cocked and fly out and hit me in the crotch, but the apprehension of waiting for the POP sound of pressing something together is something that I hate as well.

 

[Squisher]

I think large lathe's were mentioned, but I'm very wary of getting ANYTHING caught in a lathe. Almost gotta use those things naked or something, I can't imagine a sleeve getting caught and just ripping your arm out of its socket. Sick.

It's always fun when a metal lathe will grab a hold of the chips in the chip bin and pick them up and wrap them around the work piece while you've got your nose right up to the work piece because you're doing something intricate. You hear the whoosh first then back off to see something the size of a grizzly bear going around where you just were.

 

[olds]

I am scared of any tools. I show extra respect to chainsaws and lathes.

 

[IronWing]

Tool implies work. <shudder>

 

[Squisher]

I think the closest I ever got to getting hurt was running a slotter. If you don't know what a slotter is this will give you some idea, here is a video of a shaper:
Metal Shaper
Well a slotter is like a shaper only is goes up and down and there is boring bar mounted to it with a tool you shaped on a pedestal grinder to chew out a slot for a key in a gear or roller. So, the slotter I was working on dated from before WWI and I had my roller clamped down and installed my cutting tool. I started up the machine and adjusted the travel on the boring bar to go past the roller. Now, you're cutting to a 3 place decimal using scribed lines on the work piece so your head is right down by the business end of that boring bar as it goes up and down through the hole in the roller so you can see what you're doing. I reached around to turn the wheel to advance the tool and nothing happened, so I turned the wheel some more, still nothing. I thought, I wonder if someone has the head locked, so I reached for the lock and sure enough someone had locked it. Now, all this time my head is right down by the roller. Like I said this was an old machine and all the time I was turning the travel I was winding this thing up like a spring. When I unlocked it the head traveled about 1 1/2" all at once and this cutting tool that was cutting the full width of the slot came down right on top of the piece about 5/8" into the piece. The boring bar stalled for a split second then the HSS cutting tool just shattered about two inches from my nose. I turned my head and watched that piece clear the steel rafters 50 feet up and two bays down. It took me a second or two to gather myself.

 

[Red Squirrel]

What exactly are you guys doing with a circular saw that scares you? Freehanding a cut on your knee or something else uterly retarded with them?

A couple years back I bought a Jawhorse and that thing has made my life a dream for projects around the house. It's literaly an extra set or two of ridonkulously strong hands.

http://www.amazon.com/Rockwell-RK900.../dp/B0018MRUN4

I've done a few stupid things like hold a piece of wood in one hand and saw in the other. I only did that once... nothing bad happened, but I just realized how retarded I was for doing it. :biggrin: I need to build some saw horses and get some clamps to make my work easier and safer. I don't really build a lot of stuff but I want to get more into it once I get better equipped.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Woodchippers always scare me.

I always think about people accidentally being swallowed by it or losing limbs, etc.

I've heard some brutal stories from police officers doing investigations. Have to gather enough pieces so you can identify the person. Not pretty.

 

[scott916]

Band saws are the only ones that REALLY give the the willies. Something about shop class in junior high and the teacher telling us that the blade could snap and flail wildy if you're not careful. Fuck that.

 

[Rubycon]

Should I be afraid?

That's just a sicklebar mower with a comb attachment. It's actually safer than without because you won't lose a toe or two if you run into it! :biggrin:

I'd be much more wary of this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zeGDh8UsWw