300mm from the blade

[Barry Burgess]

After Scrit's comments about your fingers must be 300mm from the saw blade. I was breaking the rule like most of us do so I decided to try to follow them for the last few days. Hard work - I have a Gripper and a number of push sticks and fences but its hard to achieve with somebody with only training in woodwork when I was 11 to 13 at school.
Whats the rule for router tables - don't tell me the same???
What a wake up call
Thanks Scrit
Barry

 

[Anonymous]

Speaking from past (all too recent) experience, keep your fingers as far away from the cutter as possible is the best rule I can offer!


I now use the Rat on many operations and use big push blocks when using the table.

Cheers

Tony (still not fully healed )

 

[Scrit]

Hi Barry

When I did my training it was a ban from using static machinery at all for several days if you were caught, then every cut supervised for a week or more when you gor back on the machines, so you had no choice if you wanted to get your assignment pieces done in the all too limited workshop time. I agree that ripping with the short fence and push sticks seems awkward at first, but it really does get easier with practice. The nice thing is that with a band saw you can koock-out new/special shaped push sticks from scrap in minutes.

Scrit

 

[woodbloke]

Barry wrote:

must be 300mm from the saw blade

Hi Barry, as Scrit quite rightly says, using push sticks/blocks gets easier with practice and they are easy to knock out on a band saw. I've been messing about with this wood stuff for well over 30 years now and have never harmed myself badly on an edge tool of any sort, I suppose because I take, like most other people, reasonable safety precautions, which includes using push sticks and keeping out of the line of fire (saws).
However, there is always a first time, like yesterday when I cut the grass....didn't use a RCD, got the mains cable wrapped round the lawnipush machine blade, attempted to untangle it...got a little belt
I digress - having read at length the very interesting post recently on dust, IMHO this is by far the biggest danger so yesterday I ordered a Trend Aishield, lot of dosh, I know. 'Er indoors was only to happy to comply when I explained why it was necessary - Rob

 

[Barry Burgess]

Barry wrote:
[yesterday I ordered a Trend Aishield, lot of dosh, I know. 'Er indoors was only to happy to comply when I explained why it was necessary - Rob

Rob I have owned an airshield for 18months now. Get a second battery as it gives you 8 hours of use. The main problem is not putting it on.

 

[woodbloke]

Barry wrote:

Get a second battery as it gives you 8 hours of use. The main problem is not putting it on.

Hi Barry - I ordered the complete works, including a second battery and the woodturners pack (spare filters, face shields etc) from Power Tools Direct, at a good price, a lot cheaper than my normal APTC. Looking forward to getting it about Sat and am pretty fed up with wearing a P2 mask which I do almost constantly now - Rob