# Table Saw Safety reminder...



## PrecisionFloors (Jan 24, 2006)

I got bit yesterday morning. Got the tip of my right thumb, about 3/4" by 3/8" deep vertically on the fat part under the nail.

I was trimming off the round-over on a piece of 3/4" teak L-molding. Had the blade depth way down or it would have been really ugly.

Table saws have a way of making you (at least me) fall into a false comfort zone because the blade is stationary. Don't do it. Use your guards, feather boards, and pusher sticks.

I was setup on a dock-side job and was in a hurry to not piss-off the marina by making a few quick cuts on a Sunday morning.....

I should have taken the chance, instead I took a chance with my fingers. I hope my stupidity saves somebody else's appendages :thumbsup:


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## pinwheel (Dec 7, 2009)

Glad to hear it wasn't a lot worse, but sorry to hear it happened at all.

I've been nicked twice in the 25 years I've been running a saw. Neither time to the point a bandaid or super glue wouldn't fix it. I don't take it for granted. In my minds eye, that blade area is a red zone & I keep my fingers out of the red zone. If I don't have a push stick on the job, I make a temp push stick. Anything under 2" for me requires a push stick. I don't use guards on any of my tablesaws. They make me feel less safe, rather than more safe, especially with narrow stock.


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## JonM (Nov 1, 2007)

Could have been worst...you could of been Tiger Woods and your wife knocked out a few teeth with a 9 iron...:whistling

<jk>...hope you got all sewed back together okay and you'll be back to normal soon...table saw got my palm near my thumb once...not a wise thing to do...


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## PrecisionFloors (Jan 24, 2006)

pinwheel said:


> Glad to hear it wasn't a lot worse, but sorry to hear it happened at all.
> 
> I've been nicked twice in the 25 years I've been running a saw. Neither time to the point a bandaid or super glue wouldn't fix it. I don't take it for granted. In my minds eye, that blade area is a red zone & I keep my fingers out of the red zone. If I don't have a push stick on the job, I make a temp push stick. Anything under 2" for me requires a push stick. I don't use guards on any of my tablesaws. *They make me feel less safe, rather than more safe, especially with narrow stock.*


I'm the same way.

I taped it back together...should I have gotten stitches..yeah, probably, but I'm a hardheaded s.o.b. when it comes to going to the ER :laughing:

It's not the Doc's I have issue with. It's the waiting and the 700% markup on a coupla stitches. Hell, tape, superglue, stitches....what's it matter as long as it stays together for a couple of days. I'm way too damned ugly to worry about a few scars :laughing:


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## boman47k (Oct 13, 2006)

Been there, done that. Like you said, just a quick cut, reached over the saw and wham! I had forgotten to reset the blade for thinner mat. Hit so hard I was scared to look! LOL! Did go to the er for some stiches as I am usually concerned about infection, and it looked nasty.

Kind of changed the shape of two, yep two, fingers on a bandsaw many years ago too. I think it was something I drank. :shifty:

That was then, not now.


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## BACKWOODS (Sep 10, 2007)

JonM said:


> Could have been worst...you could of been Tiger Woods and your wife knocked out a few teeth with a 9 iron...:whistling
> 
> <jk>...hope you got all sewed back together okay and you'll be back to normal soon...table saw got my palm near my thumb once...not a wise thing to do...


I heard Tiger say there was no physical violence. And we all know he speaks the truth:whistling:whistling:whistling

I use a push stick for narrow cuts and no blade guard. I have more trouble with the guard in place on my Unisaw.


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## Rustbucket (May 22, 2009)

Glad is wasn't too serious! I stuck a finger in my trim router this week. Just nicked it a bit. It was a real odd sensation when I realized what I had done. 

The guy I started out with cut a finger off with my table saw. They got it re-attached, but it was never the same. Had to put in a new joint, and it wasn't aligned right. 

Be safe out there!


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

I know a guy who lost all 8 of his fingers in a laminating machine for glass. He feed the glass in and didnt pay attention and the rollers grabbed his 4 fingers on each hand and pulled them all off. He had them all stiched back on. His hands still look a mess though. But it still wouldnt want a little cut from a table saw blade. Not like it's a thin kerf on them.


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## AtlRemodeling (Jan 23, 2008)

Sorry to hear about your finger Precision. Hopefully it is healed as this thread seems a bit stale.



PrecisionFloors said:


> It's not the Doc's I have issue with. It's the waiting and the 700% markup on a coupla stitches. Hell, tape, superglue, stitches....what's it matter as long as it stays together for a couple of days. I'm way too damned ugly to worry about a few scars :laughing:


I could not agree more. The last time I had to go the ER, I waited about 45 minutes, got disgusted and begin to let my finger drip blood on the floor. After waiting another hour, got more disgusted and left. Weeks of betadine and bandages and I still have a screwed up finger. Funny thing, I was second on the list the entire time and not one single person came in during my wait. 



isebella534 said:


> waiting for the answer too~i also want to ask this question.


What question are you waiting to have answered??:blink:


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## tinner666 (Nov 3, 2004)

boman47k said:


> Been there, done that. Like you said, just a quick cut, reached over the saw and wham! I had forgotten to reset the blade for thinner mat. Hit so hard I was scared to look! LOL! Did go to the er for some stiches as I am usually concerned about infection, and it looked nasty.
> 
> Kind of changed the shape of two, yep two, fingers on a bandsaw many years ago too. I think it was something I drank. :shifty:
> 
> That was then, not now.


Funny note about infections. If you don't go to the ER, you can literally use creek water and not get an infection. If they wash it out, tap water, rain water, sweat, and anything else will cause an infection.

2 out of 4 ER visits, I got an infection later. 4 out of 4 non visits, just duct tape, my own stitches, or just ignored, no infection. Not even in the rain, nor swimming.

Best home remedy. Wash/flush with distilled water, fill with neosporin or equivalent and tape shut. My last run-in was with a chainsaw and I did have to get stitched. Duct taped failed on that one.


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## boman47k (Oct 13, 2006)

Cahinsaw? Yeah, blood loss can be a little discerning too. Not to mention maybe a jagged wound. My thumb was not a clean cut, looked almost busted. felt that way too! Like a solid lick with a big stick.
I may have been like the little boy that walked in a blacksmith shop. He pickes up a red hot horse shoe and quickly throws it down. Blacksmith says, " Hot! Aint it?"

Little boy replies, " Hell naw, it just don't take me long to look at a hot horse shoe!"


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