# Got tagged by my tablesaw.



## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

It's pretty much nothing. Touched my fingernail and put a 3/16" long cut in it at the tip of my left middle finger. Went just deep enough through the fingernail to draw a little blood.

I've had splinters hurt more and razor knife slices bleed more.

Just a reminder that it can happen anytime and it's a split second.


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## A&E Exteriors (Aug 14, 2009)

Close call

Sent from my SM-G988U using Tapatalk


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

Table saws scare the bejezus out of me. Glad you survived that one, Leo. 👍


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

Been tagged 3 times on the tablesaw in my career. Seeing as it started in 1985 I think I've done pretty good. 2 of them were the same about 5 years apart. Winter, dry, Poplar species, making a cut with the wood vertical against the fence. Slipped because of dry hands, dry wood, no grip. Both times were minor hitting the edge of the blade. Skin got roughed up but no missing meat.

Worst one was in 1985, slipped and my finger went into a shaper cutter spinning at 10,000 RPM. Took about 1/16" off the tip of the same finger pictured. That one hurt for a long time. I have the sense of pressure in that fingertip but not the sense of feeling. If I were to try to read Braille I could tell there were bumps there but I couldn't tell the feel of the individual bumps.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

You can still count to 10.....


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

Yep. Well I can count to 9 15/16ths


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## Texas Wax (Jan 16, 2012)

Leo G said:


> Yep. Well I can count to 9 15/16ths


more like 9 125/128ths


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

Either way it ain't grow'n back.


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## Dirtywhiteboy (Oct 15, 2010)

Jezzzzzz ,, you got lucky on that one. Would a push stick helped??


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

Nope. I was using a jig to make tapered shims. Got down to a small pc of wood left and I put my finger in front of it in front of the blade where I couldn't see it. Just touched the blade. The jig is suppose to prevent this, but stupidity prevailed.


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

I once reached below the saw to clear saw dust while it was running. Thumb hit the blade and it tore my nail completely off. 


Mike.
*___*


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## cedarboarder (Mar 30, 2015)

Get a lotto ticket Leo. Glad just a scratch.


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

Made the mistake of washing it. Now it hurts a little. I've still had worse splinters. You know, the ones that go straight in and you can't get them out. Have to wait 2 weeks for it to get puss-y so you can squeeze it out, and when it's "ripe" it just pops out.

ewwww.....


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## Calidecks (Nov 19, 2011)

Leo G said:


> Made the mistake of washing it. Now it hurts a little. I've still had worse splinters. You know, the ones that go straight in and you can't get them out. Have to wait 2 weeks for it to get puss-y so you can squeeze it out, and when it's "ripe" it just pops out.
> 
> ewwww.....


I have a splinter in my pinky top knuckle still a lump there. Been there 18 years. 


Mike.
*___*


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## Seven-Delta-FortyOne (Mar 5, 2011)

Guess this is what happems when they shut down CT for a day, huh?

You go into the shop and start cutting pieces off.


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## Joasis (Mar 28, 2006)

I wonder is the SawStop would have worked on that situation?


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## Kingcarpenter1 (May 5, 2020)

Was it the end of the day with only a few more wedges to cut.

Mike


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## robert c1 (Mar 11, 2007)

I've yet to see a really "safe" shim cutting jig. I know a cabinet maker who left 4 fingers on the table saw making shims. I'm cheap as hell but it scared me enough that i just buy those things now.


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## pinwheel (Dec 7, 2009)

I'd like to think I'm as competent as anyone on this site with a tablesaw. But I've had a few close calls, thankfully nothing anymore serious than yours. Can still count to 21, well, maybe 20.5.  I've been operating tablesaws for 39 year. A tablesaw will punish you in a heartbeat for getting complacent, that's for sure. But to this day, I still remember my shop teacher smacking me in the back of the head for doing stupid **** in the shop. Hated him then for doing it, but am thankful today that he was so strict. Not a day goes by in the shop that I don't think, he'd have smacked me in the head for doing that.


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

Joasis said:


> I wonder is the SawStop would have worked on that situation?



It would have worked well I suppose. I would still have a small nick in my fingernail. I would need a new saw blade and a new cartridge. About $150.00 total. But you would have never known how bad it could have been if the saw activated the safety device.


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

Kingcarpenter1 said:


> Was it the end of the day with only a few more wedges to cut.
> 
> Mike


Nope, 1st thing in the morning.


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## tgeb (Feb 9, 2006)

Sorry to hear you got nicked, glad it was not worse.


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## Snobnd (Jul 1, 2008)

You were definitely lucky this time Leo, and I’m actually surprised You didn’t complain too much about it during the day!


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## Rio (Oct 13, 2009)

With all due respect I don't think 3 nicks in any length career working with a table saw is good, in any case it's good that you're not posting about losing part of your finger, hopefully that one will be the last one you ever get.


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

Smashed my fingertip with a hammer, Nailed myself with an 18ga, 23ga nail gun. Hundreds of splinters. Many touches on the edge sander, sliced myself uncounted times with a razor knife, chisel, got lacquer thinner, alcohol paint in my eyes, many small pcs of wood or grit in my eyes - sometimes even wearing safety glasses. Tweaking various muscles from over excursion, carrying/moving something too heavy/big.

All things that shouldn't happen but still do. This was a stupid mistake on the tablesaw on my part. The others were more of accidents caused by slipping. Doing something for 35 years and you are bound to have something happen to you. 99% are mostly minor, 0.9% are bad and the rest you might not recover from.


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## greg24k (May 19, 2007)

Got a few tables saw signatures on both hands but was very lucky was only a few nicks like in your case. Glad you OK and it's only a scratch!


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