What do you use as a 'gripper', with your planer or jointer

[Sgian Dubh]

... I was trying to push down with my left hand whilst pushing down and forwards with my right.
Basically as I started to push forward my left hand slid right off the end of the board and into the blades ...

Yours was a nasty accident, and could have been a lot worse. But I'm curious how your leading (left) hand was able to make contact with the cutters. I wonder if the bridge guard wasn't set correctly, or if it was missing for some reason? A correctly set bridge guard would have had a very good chance of preventing that type of accident. A trick I teach beginners is to clench their left hand into a loose fist as they begin the cut. A clenched fist, or at least the finger height doubled through clenching the knuckles makes it very hard for the fingers to slip under a correctly set bridge guard, i.e., a maximum of 10 mm higher than the wood's thickness Slainte.

 

[n0legs]

Yours was a nasty accident, and could have been a lot worse. But I'm curious how your leading (left) hand was able to make contact with the cutters. I wonder if the bridge guard wasn't set correctly, or if it was missing for some reason? A correctly set bridge guard would have had a very good chance of preventing that type of accident. A trick I teach beginners is to clench their left hand into a loose fist as they begin the cut. A clenched fist, or at least the finger height doubled through clenching the knuckles makes it very hard for the fingers to slip under a correctly set bridge guard, i.e., a maximum of 10mm higher than the wood's thickness Slainte.

Hi Richard, The guard was in place but I'm going to be completely honest and say it was set far higher than the 10 mm you mention.
I really didn't know it was to be set that low. It's something I will be doing from this point on.
I will be again honest and say that until now I have been feeding the timber under the guard, in essence passing (previously my hands) but now the push pads over the cutters. I can see the error I have made.
There really isn't any use in trying to just "have a go" with some of the machines, we all need proper and clear education on their use.
Yes it was a nasty accident and it could have been far worse but one thing is for certain it taught me a very valuable lesson. A hard way to learn yes, but I have made a full recovery and one thing is certain I will never make this mistake again.

 

[Sgian Dubh]

n0legs, it can be difficult to set the bridge guard just at the right recommended height, i.e., 10 mm or less because the wood you are surfacing frequently is not uniform in thickness or it's perhaps bowed, cupped, significantly in winding, or perhaps a combination of all four characteristics.

However, it's best to set it that way if you can. One trick that can help when surfacing if the piece is significantly non-uniform in thickness, bowed, etc, is to set the guard prior to starting the machine, then pass the wood under it whilst the machine is still switched off checking the wood doesn't become trapped. Trapped wood can be a cause of injuries too.

The set up for edging requires exposing the cutters, and the bridge guard should be lowered to the table for this task, but shifted outboard just enough to allow the wood to pass over the cutters, again with the minimum of exposure, less than 10 mm.

There are exceptions to this guidance, for instance, when surfacing and edging a single piece of wood rather than a batch. Batches should be surfaced first, then the guard reset to do all the edges making fine adjustments to guard placement as needed depending on variations in the stock being worked. Slainte.

 

[n0legs]

Richard, Thank you for the clear explanation.
I intend on getting some practice in with the planer using the advice given.
This is the sort of advice I needed, and probably other members also, rather than just jumping straight in.

To all contributors of this topic, if any of you wish to use the pictures or text I posted for use in schools or training then please feel free to do so.
Hopefully my mistake could better educate others.

 

[andersonec]

n0legs, it can be difficult to set the bridge guard just at the right recommended height, i.e., 10 mm or less because the wood you are surfacing frequently is not uniform in thickness or it's perhaps bowed, cupped, significantly in winding, or perhaps a combination of all four characteristics.

However, it's best to set it that way if you can. One trick that can help when surfacing if the piece is significantly non-uniform in thickness, bowed, etc, is to set the guard prior to starting the machine, then pass the wood under it whilst the machine is still switched off checking the wood doesn't become trapped. Trapped wood can be a cause of injuries too.

The set up for edging requires exposing the cutters, and the bridge guard should be lowered to the table for this task, but shifted outboard just enough to allow the wood to pass over the cutters, again with the minimum of exposure, less than 10 mm.

There are exceptions to this guidance, for instance, when surfacing and edging a single piece of wood rather than a batch. Batches should be surfaced first, then the guard reset to do all the edges making fine adjustments to guard placement as needed depending on variations in the stock being worked. Slainte.

Like I said on page one, second answer to the post.

Andy

 

[blackrodd]

Thanks for the reply regarding you're contact with the dreaded planer blades.
I have been using these machines for many years, and it's quite possible that the high standard of training and safety awareness has been the reason I have not succumbed, as you did to a nasty encounter, not me being a smarty pants.
I never plane anything under 2' (600) long.
Set the guard correctly before machine start.
NEVER pass you're hand/ fingers over the cutter block.
DO NOT push feed any where close and INTO the cutter block.
You can always wind up the beds level and with the mains off, practice setting the guards and you're feeding and applying the correct pressure technique
If you had a board to face and edge, 4"x 1" and 3'long (100x25x900) When it is "arched" along its length and you have to straighten it and finish it, say 19mm.
For me, using the right pressure at each end so as not to force the timber down into the cut, and therefore not straightening it at all, is best by hand and I personally fail to see 2 push sticks or a pair of pads very much use at all.
Before writing this I went on u tube, and as i suspected this create an item and then tell every one they need it is very America.
I have yet to see a decent planer guard or saw bench guarded safely, or even a riving knife in use over there.
I would suggest that as you may be more than a little wary of the O H Planer these days, I did see a pad in use on the warwickshire college site on u tube, It has a strip on the very end and will definitely, I think, help you to work with confidence and it would enable you to feed the timber, have good grip, and keep you're "pinkies" safe, then use you're right hand, and with you're left to feed on from the safety of the outfeed table for the last 8" or 10".on the outfeed table.
With practice you should be able to face and edge safely with the best. Regards Rodders

 

[Sgian Dubh]

Like I said on page one, second answer to the post. Andy

Indeed, very similar. I'd forgotten you'd posted it. Maybe the repetition helped make the recommended methodology or procedure stick? Slainte.