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A lot of what I see in the video is where woodworkers and carpenters disagree. I would much prefer a weaker table saw, a larger piece of lumber, and the skill to know when your workpiece can be a missile. In construction, I would generally avoid this small of a piece if at all possible, by planning it out better. You can't do that in cabinetry and woodworking, I know. I have stood aside for a lot of table saw work, just like your operator did. I would almost always be doing this outdoors around essentially no one. No one is allowed in line with my table saws, either, except the one or two operators who are communicating the whole time. I will admit that I have let some small pieces fly, but never anything that size. My choice for things like this is to find a hill where the scrap piece floats down and away from the blade due to gravity.
That’s the very reason I NEVER stand behind the blade. When I was young I watched my dad ripping a board with a radial arm saw. He always warned me not to stand in the path of the blade. One day while ripping some lumber the blade walked up on top of the board. It was gone in a second and went through the kitchen wall from the garage side. I am now 70 years old, and I still remember the accident. The only thing that got hurt was the wall. Plus he showed me how to patch drywall. 🤗 My mom was not thrilled about the whole mess.
When I was younger, I remember seeing radial arm saws, sometimes several different models on display, at the likes of Sears and Montgomery-Ward. You never see them for sale in the big box stores now. I asked one of my friends who owns one and he related several incidents like the one above and then I understand why. It’s the fear of litigation.
I was trimming a small (~4x6") block of Renshape for a scale model. Because the cut had to be precise, I was standing to the left of the blade and pushing the piece firmly against the fence. Suddenly it whipped from under my hand and vanished. Bang! A co-worker at his desk told me it hit N's acrylic holder - a homemade piece of 8-inch dia. thick wall clear tube surrounded by smaller tubes for holding brushes or pencils, bonded in place. I was puzzled. Not only was the wall behind N's desk, where the holder sat, about 12 feet from the saw, there was *no sign* of the thing. I got down on the floor and started to search. I found the block and little pieces of shattered acrylic, but not half the amount that made up the holder. Just... smithereens. I then felt along the saw fence and discovered a small drop of clear, hardened glue. It was right where the block would catch it and get pushed a millimetre or so into the spinning blade; enough to carve an arcing gouge through it and fire it like a bullet into N's acrylic creation. I took that as a lesson, and compensated N for his holder.
@@RdTrpBrgr I've been that person and have the scars to show for it. After over 40 years as a cabinetmaker, I still have all 10 but some are misshapen...
Hope for the best but always plan for the worst. Plus no matter how ‘safe’ you make any tool, an idiot will always find a way to get hurt. So many safety regulations exist just because some idiot did something stupid and we had to make a new regulation.
Dude, when I was 15... I got a summer job working for the state. They put me in the carpenter shop. During lunch break, I was using the table saw by myself (a violation of shop policy because it was an extremely powerful Rockwell or Delta that was made in the 30s or something and there was a sign on the saw that said two people must be operating this saw at all times) In any event, I put a 4' 2x4 on the saw and it got grabbed and launched the lumber at lightning speed across the shop. It grazed the head of a fellow worker who was eating his lunch and then hit a brick wall behind him and punched a brick through the wall... and this was an old historic brick building made super solid. I was forbidden to use the saw ever again and I learned a very valuable lesson that has stuck with me through my life.
@@Bond-uh6yj Yep... I was totally freaked by the incident and almost got a beat down. (in those days, a beating would have been completely acceptable AND repeated when my father found out).
Another tactic to consider…. Be mindful with your order of operations…. possibly making the beveled cut first on a larger board before parting the final piece off with the 90 degree cut. Beveled cuts on small parts seem to be a bit more unstable.
and in the rare instance where a bevel cut on a small workpiece is unavoidable (or like me you mess up your order of operations lol) masking tape, CA glue, and a scrap to extend your workpiece is the way to go
The comment I was looking for! This is mentioned frequently for using patterned router bits to make trim, but rarely mentioned for simple bevel cuts. It's not always an option, but if you plan ahead, it can be an option more often.
This is honestly the best advice. I've learned cutting small pieces is never worth it. Even a miter saw station. You may have a 2 inch piece and you're like, "ah man I need to just take 1/16 off this little piece". It's not worth it! Just start over or whatever you need to do to not have to make a powered cut on a small piece of wood.
We need a slow-mo video to understand how exactly the piece of wood flew so fast when cutting the right way. It just does not seem possible that the piece would have been accelerated to such a high speed.
@@FLPhotoCatcher Hmm. As I saw it (and as it was described) the blade was low enough that the off cut was pushed into the blade and was tall enough that the teeth it contacted were moving mostly forward (toward the operator). An unfortunate set of circumstances. (PS I hate bevel cuts. They never seem quite safe!)
In Highschool wood working class I was terrified of the table saw, having known my grandpa to be missing some finger tips and having seen my dad get hit in the face by a kickback. The shop teacher pushed the oak through for me and then the offcut got bumped and popped up, snagged the blade, and was thrown at his ribs sideways. That just further confirmed that I should definitely stay away from table saws and wood working in general, besides my complete lack of skill with wood working apart from paint/finish. I can make anything from metal, but wood or drywall forget about it. I think there's just a family curse or something, someone must have pissed off the saw god a few generations back.
My dad had the same curse. He took shop in high school and made some amazing projects, but he built a career in the metal fasteners business. He always said he could make anything out of metal, but wood defied him.
Great video! I once did something similar. I used a pushstick to knock a little offcut out of the way, but I actually knocked the tip into the blade and it came flying back at me. Didn’t do any damage but it scared the hell out of me. Lesson learned: Always follow through and wait for the blade to STOP before moving offcuts away. Thanks, James! 👍🏼
Good on you James. With your influence you have probably saved a few woodworkers from being injured. I have formal cabinetmaking training and also worked as a health and safety investigator. I agree with your analysis of the incident and really importantly, offering a practical solution to the challenge of machining the piece of timber. Thanks
I had a really bad kickback accident back in 2005. I was making a bevel cut out of some 8' red oak meant to fill the void behind some crown molding atop kitchen cabinets. The owner of the shop had taught the wrong way to do it; the blade was tilted toward the fence (with a sacrificial fence cover in place). Just from that description I know many of you are wincing. He taught me to reach past the blade and grab the offcut as it came off the end of the table. Another thing to wince at. I had made about 6 or 8 such cuts with no issue. To this day I have no idea what happened or how. It's obvious that one slipped out of my grip. My groin was just in the right spot to receive the full force of the 3hp motor shooting 8 ft. of red oak at me. It struck about 2 inches to the right of my bits. My only memory of the incident are a couple of photo-like flashes of memory. One with the piece against me, the next is me nearly on the floor, then finally one where I'm on my hands and knees. After that it was rush to the bathroom to check myself out. Luckily it "only" tore loose some muscle in that area, leaving a 2" divot under the skin, a neat triangular impression where it was bleeding from blunt force trauma. I made my way to the kitchen to gather myself, only to go into shock, and didn't tell anyone what happened. Ten minutes later the owner finds me hunched over the table, drenched in sweat, unable to focus. I refused to go to the hospital (no insurance, no money) and 20-30 minutes later finally recovered. The piece of red oak, after nearly causing a debilitating injury and changing my life forever, still had enough energy to shoot 12 feet past me and punch nearly half way though a piece of plywood. To this day, while I'm not terrified of my table saw, it garners the most respect out of any machine in my shop.
Good reminder!! As woodworkers we have all seen videos on kickbacks but it is a good idea to be reminded every now and then and not become complacent!!
The two main security measures : - stand in the room next to the table saw - grow a nice beard Seriously, all the tips you give lead to security, especially not standing directly behind the piece. Thanks for your videos.
yeah lol I went through the video frame by frame and the piece is there one frame then in the very next frame you can only see a trail all the way across
This is why one of my favorite push blocks is a 2x4 with a notch cut in it. I push the piece through and I push the off-cut through. When I chew it up too much I grab another piece of scrap to replace it for only the cost in time to cut a new notch.
maybe i haven't fully understood, but if the pushstick has to go through the blade as it would seem to have to to eject both cut piece and offcut, what is the risk of the pushstick itself being kicked back using this technique ?
@@lindsayruddock9141 If you set your saw blade properly (1/8th to 1/4th above the stock) the kickback risk is virtually nonexistent. You're just barely catching the points on either side of the notch. Imagine a 12" long 2x4 with a 1.5" square cut out at one end. Imagine sliding that behind the stock you are cutting such that the full length of the push stick overhangs the stock (stock is in the notch). Rotate up just shy of 45º so one tip is pushing down and the other tip is just barely overhanging and providing the push. That's how you use it.
I truly never get tired of watching kick back videos. I learn from every one of them. This was very informative as all videos coming from you James. Thanks
Some say it is complacency more than inexperience that is the devil behind so many dangerous incidents. At least with inexperience, fear of the unknown- "what if" can induce mindfulness. But complacency is like a lazy step cousin of arrogance & ignorance. Watching videos of workshop accidents can keep that mindfulness fresh, regardless of how difficult they may be to watch at times
The best tool in your shop is your head. If it seems too easy or something just seems like it could go bad, stop and think about it. Tablesaw, router, even the band saw, stop and think before any machine operation. The push block type pusher seems to be the best idea for most of us. Thank you James.
I had a similar accident. I was ripping a 2x4 and luckily standing just off the side like your guy. The offcut was about a foot long 1x2 and penetrated the door of my beer fridge and busted open a can of soda inside. I kept that fridge with the wood sticking out the door for years as a reminder.
Same thing happened to me in my early days of owning a table saw. It was like an arrow out of a compound bow that went through the wall into the next room. I now use all the techniques you discussed to prevent it from happening again. Take heed - especially new woodworkers using table saws.
I kept my push stick on the table saw fence. Nice fit next to stock guide. Got halfway through ripping a 2x6 when I heard a noise and barely caught a piece of wood flying by my head. Realized the push stick had fallen off the fence during the cut. No more push sticks on the fence.
Literally 5 minutes ago I was cutting 45° cutouts on my table saw - everything went fine. 🤩 But to be honest: I would never had expected this brute force kick-back you show. But if you think about it, it makes perfect sense! Thanx for reminding again! 👍👍👍
Thanks for the tip James. I had be kicking the offcut off the blade in a similar manner. Never had a problem like this and I won't keep doing it. I seem to think that I've seen other youtube woodworking influencers kicking the offcut off the blade. Not for me anymore.
Thanks for posting stuff like this - as someone who's still something of a newbie to woodworking, the more I can learn about how hazards like kickbacks happen, the safer I am in the shop.
I remember many years ago in high school shop class (wish that was still a thing), our table saw protocol was to have a "buddy" on the outfeed side of the table to catch the wood after it has cleared the blade. I was the buddy, and the operator student didn't push his workpiece all the way through the blade. It kicked back and hit him right in the gut. In the emergency room, they said it had hit so hard it caused his kidney to move. Nasty bruise too. Kickbacks are no joke!
That's why it always makes me uncomfortable to have somebody catching I'm afraid they're going to pull on it so I try to have an off Feed roller or table. But even then there's always a risk
When I was a rookie, I tried to cut 2 sheets of plywood on a 220v Grizzly table saw. The kickback broke 2 of my ribs, and bruised my lung. Not only did I get injured, I was written up, and mocked for about a year. 😂
Sad as it sounds, fear of mockery may be enough to convince some of the people sitting on the fence (no pun intended) to think twice about taking off a blade guard or riving knife. If not for your own safety, just think of how you're going to have to explain how you hurt yourself. Bad enough to lose a finger or two, but imagine the entire rest of your life having to tell people you were trying to save 30 seconds.
@@qwerty112311 lol, definitely the ribs and lungs. I worked as much as I could (light duty) so that alone brought back some respect points. But today I am the FIRST one to tell a tradie they are making a mistake that will injure them.
Good on you. I wish more professionals would take that approach, even before they them selves get injured. I've worked in different trades over the years. Common among all, is that grissled old guy, with 50 years experience. Who disregard all safety or common sense, and berates younger guys for doing "it" to slowly. Because he has never had an accident in his career.
I purchased a Sawstop table saw about 3 years ago. I was using a wood Master/ shop Smith. I have had a few kick backs over 50 plus years. All but one I knew there was a good possibility of kickback. Expecting that I made sure to be to the side, nothing behind except some form projectile stop. It’s always a nice surprise when expecting a kickback and nothing happens.
A leather apron covering as much as possible could add a little more prevention . I’m curious if there is a long face shield that is certified to block a kickback?
Hello from Tijuana; 5 years ago I split my thumb on a kick back, it needed 5 stitches. Thank God I'd dint do any damage internaly it rip just the flesh. I LERNED THE LESSON. today I take extreme measures when I'm in my table saw. God bless and cheers from Tijuana!
Excellent - and - This is one reason, as someone who's short, my table saw cabinet under my Delta 5100 is low enough I can comfortably reach fully through with a push stick to the other side of the table without leaning forward excessively, and can keep my body to the left of the blade at the same time. I recently made a tablesaw cabinet for my son in law for the 40 yr old refitted Delta I gave him, and, first, had him stand in the right spot and reach forward so I could measure what would be the right height for him. He's taller, but still, his table's not 32" off the ground, it's 30" to help him stay safe.
Be REALLY careful leaning over a saw with the blade still spinning. There was a gruesome death in Australia some years ago (got written up TWICE in Police Journals here) where someone fell on a spinning saw blade, no guard, went straight through his sternum, through his heart and not quite into his spine.
@@brucelee3388 Yes, that is EXACTLY THE POINT of a saw table height set so it's NOT a stretch - so extending your arm WITHOUT leaning far over gets the work to the other side of the blade. #Ergonomics in action. Also why we measure our knee height for a saw bench, and set the workbench height for our personal measurements. "Standard" tool stand heights only work ergonomically and safely for a "standard" person. A second reason your admonition is good - so often in a video, even this one, we see someone leaning over, while the saw is still running, to push the cut piece away, or pick it up. No, never. In our Oregon Woodworkers Guild shop that's forbidden. Once the work is through the blade, we cannot reach for or touch it til the blade stops. Safety is no accident.
As with most of the comments I read,I have experienced a kickback. Thankfully, I was not injured badly (a bruise to the gut),but it could have been much worse. I now really take to heart the saying "If it feels sketchy, find another way. " Thanks for the video.
Good suggestion. I’m had a 3’ long piece of ash go straight through a wooden door last year. Thank for my kids weren’t around. Since then I never push small narrow stock to. It shapes that can bind on or under the blade. I will use sacrificial wood every time now to have more control over the work piece and off cut. And never stand indirectly in line with the blade. No joke with table saws.
Great warning thanks James. Re waiting until the blade stops spinning: If you are working under artificial lighting, there is a strobe effect created that can "freeze frame" the blade while it is still slowing down. It's easy to think it has stopped already.
Good video Stumpy, your clear explanations and demonstrations certainly have helped me to be safer in my small workshop. Many thanks for all that you post.
As a newbie...I appreciate your info. Rule 1 in my Shop: Saftey First, Rule 2: Saftey First, Rule 3: Always follow rules 1 & 2. As a new person.. Maybe the ORDER of production was wrong...cut the bevel/angle on a larger piece of work first then cross cut them to length...Im new, but I will def be VERY cautious of my processes too. Thank you!
Im glad ya man didnt get hurt. Take him long to get his wits back? He was extremely fortunate. I ve had a glancing blow from kickback, yeah, it hurt pretty good. What you showed, that could have been bad. Glad it wasnt. Keep on with the safety tips, as you know, one ya showed saved my life. Ill forever support your teaching safety.
Always trust your gut! When I was less experienced, I was cutting a narrow strip of wood (with no zero clearance blade throatplate). I thought I might have a problem, but started the cut anyway. Of course, it kicked back. Fortunately, I was standing to the side so I wasn't hit by the wood, however, it flew out of the garage, hit the windshield of my car 15 feet away, and continued on for another 20 feet.
This is a common problem when cutting wedges out. Not only does the end kick over cause those, but because there is pinch in the wedge, it happens a LOT. I have had them shoot out and go through cardboard boxes. Best bet when wedging out, is to wear a leather apron and full face shield. We changed our method by making a jig that holds the square at 45 degrees, and uses a dado blade underneath the jig to cut out the corner. Result is no corner piece, just sawdust. It also made it so we didn't have to dispose of all those corners.
awesome, content James, thank you so much......one day I will tell you about my kickback experience while standing 18 inches to the left of blade while cutting 1/8" masonite..... no cut fingers, just a severe blow to the groin, which I still have constant pain 36 years later.... it was due to vibration of the saw [Delta Contractor Saw 'new'] and not using some sort of device like the "little Yellow Wheels' that I had installed on saw.......a pain full lesson to be had.... Thanks you so much for your attention to safety in your video, Paul in Florida
It’s twice as fun when it meets your upper arm muscle. It was weeks before I felt brave enough to turn any of my table saws on. The event had a huge impact on my woodworking prowess. Safety just is, period.
Retired RV Tech here.Years ago I was ripping a 3ft long 2x4 in half when it caught a knot and kicked back across the shop right into the side of a brand new 30K camper. Went right through the skin and interior paneling. I caught Hell for that one.
"The best technology ever invented for a table saw is still the blade guard" AMEN! It's a shame that so many youtubers don't use them to set a good example. :(
Couple thoughts: 1. Seems like in some situations a sliding table would result in a safer setup. 2. Here's a kickback I think no one would expect: while doing some kind of rip, a flaw in the offcut causes the offcut to break into 2 pieces such that one of them gets launched before the cut is finished. Probably more likely in a cut as was pictured, with the blade leaned over, but not sure you couldn't have it at any angle. Wood sometimes does funny stuff when sawing releases internal stresses. I hasten to point out I only imagined this scenario, but I'm pretty sure it's possible. OK, imagination running, I begin to think that ANY circular saw, hand, table, or track, can find a way to kick. Hard. Chainsaws too, but different, recips much less. Also, had experience with a lawn edger.
3:25 Thanks for this clip, I'll be doing this setup from now on. For as often as I would ever be making this type of cut I will not mind the extra steps. Also, I see paper wadding in the unused dust collection port, that's a great idea too. 👍
I just mentioned this exact scenario to my son when teaching him to use the table saw the other day and showed him your video. I've seen an entire piece of plywood kick back and knock a guy off his feet before. table saws are to be respected!
I don't have a table saw yet. However one thing I have is a leather apron. I plan to use it as often as I can. Wood work, metal, welding. It might not be the best thing for safety. I just feel a layer of protection is better than none. I wonder if someone will ever develop a table saw jig made to do cuts from the other side. Just flat out keep your body out of the line of fire.
Quaint. I was once fixing a computer. Went to eject the cd, drive was faulty, cd went through the first sheet of drywall behind me before shattering into millions of sharp, tiny projectiles. Many embedding into other walls (and carpet) in that room. Battlefield in the computer repair shop!
Definitely Worth Watching! If someone had asked me, about this scenario, before seeing this video, I likely would have dismissed it as a non-threat... Viewers of this channel have a heightened sense of awareness.
What I have been saying for so long is to have long handled pushshoe that keeps your body and hand away from the line of fire. A 2nd pushstick pushing gently after the riving knife would have caused the offcut to open up away from the front of the blade. Those push shoes like the one in the video are a crazy design.
My grandfather was a cabinet maker and he lived with us growing up. One day I'm looking around under the unfinished basement stairs for something and i find a 3/8" square x 18" piece of wood sticking out of the drywall horizontally right in line with the table saw. If I'm not mistaken, I think my dad broke or fractured his thumb on a kickback.
I had a student have a kickback that dented the block wall. I always used it as an example when demonstrating how to use the tablesaw. The dent did make an impression on how dangerous it was. That happened 30 years ago and it’s still there.
Best safety device I got for my table saw is a: track saw. This means I do not have to use a table saw nearly as often. But I am not a woodworker, just a renovator homeowner who only occasionally makes cabinets.
I have a colleague who had this happen. It ended up piercing his lambing tackle! Fortunately no lasting damage was done. He keeps the bloodied piece of timber in a plastic bag in his toolbox as a salutary lesson for people. It made my eyes water!
I worked in the carpenter shop while I was in college. The door behind the tablesaw was riddled with holes from kickbacks. I never stood directly behind the blade whenever it was on, whether I or someone else was using it.
If you think about every step, and take things calmly, you will be fine. When we get confident is when we must concentrate HARDER on every step. Remember not to reach towards the blade while it is running, very easy to misjudge, or get dragged in by something going wrong. Two things I always stress is One is keep an utterly clean workspace. Nothing anywhere on the bench, no tape measure, ruler, pencil, only the one work piece you are using the tool on, nothing leaning against the bench or a wall nearby where it may slip. Takes longer, but 100% safer. The other is have a completely uncluttered floor around the bench. It is really easy to be concentrating so hard on the blade, that you trip on even a tiny piece of off-cut, or roll your ankle, and then people end up maybe not falling on the blade, but pushing the work and jamming it. My dad was always dropping off cuts onto the floor as he worked and just let them build up.
Not a woodworker but just a couple spitball thoughts. 1: Could benches be fitted with a spring-loaded gate (like parking lot 'teeth' to prevent reversing) that is placed slightly in front of the saw? 2: How useful or dangerous would a few mil metal sheet be in terms of stopping/minimizing the projectiled piece?
I have an old 8” table saw from the 50’s that barely has enough power to rip a 2x4. I use it for cutting small intricate work like that shown. I can’t ever remember having a kick back using this saw. I know I’ve stalled it many times but never a kick back. I have another saw for doing larger cuts when I really need power.
I work in a wood shop as a pattern maker and we cut all sorts of crazy angles on a table saw. This video is great but I would add that the saw should be positioned in a way that the kickback will go harmlessly into a brick wall or something and for everyone else to stay away until the operator is done.
Why would the blade guard have been helpful here? While it prevents you from touching the blade, it doesn't prevent the offcut from touching it. So if you moved the offcut to the side (past the blade guard), the front could still have swung into the path of the blade causing a kickback. It seems the basic message is don't touch the offcut until after the blade stops (or use a push block that pushes both the offcut and the piece at the same time). But I will note that occasionally I touch the offcut because the vibrations seem to move the offcut closer to the blade and I'm worried about a kickback.
I’ve made a comment on the power of a kickback on another site, in this case I witnessed a hardwood block penetrate a cinder block wall. The amount of comments calling me a liar was insane! Do not ever stand behind the workpiece when cutting! I have seen the power of the saw and it is something to respect!
My experience with kickback was an older guy I worked with getting a bit casual with the drop. It took off and hit a plaster wall from the 1800’s, and only the drop took damage. Sure was loud in that little room though. Had 2 guys reach for drops before the blade stopped, one got stitches, and the other miraculously only had a fingernail removed. This is good advice here
One of the reasons I bought a Sawstop CTS was that the safety was built into the entire design and isn’t just a ‘gimmick’ stopping the blade. The fence that comes out of the box has a low support and is easy to adjust. The knife and the blade guard take 10 seconds to install and the adjustments for the most part are really easy to make. The most dangerous thing that comes with the saw is the absolutely horrendous mitre gauge that I would argue is unsafe as it’s a mile away from the blade, and doesn’t hold its position - it’s the only time I’ve had a kick back on the saw was using that POS
Thanks for that reminder! I own an after market table saw. I don’t have a riving knife or a blade guard unfortunately. I tried DYI versions but none of them felt safer. Can you suggest a way to make a home made version of a riving knife and blade guard? Thanks!
This kind of thing gives me a knot in my stomach🙈 I watched so many safety videos before I first used a table saw, but was still so anxious before using it. Thankfully no incidents. Now I haven't used it for a few months, and am again feeling that anxiety when I watch these videos!
I really like your video and the seriousness with which you treat the subject - I try to be alert concerning "normalization of deviance". I can relate to not standing in the way of the potential trajectory of the workpiece: E.g., when working with chainsaws, axes or sledgehammers. I have had quite a number of axes or sledgehammers flying by, when something went wrong when trying to hit the workpiece
Fun with kick back. I use a sacrificial push stick for just that reason. Otherwise same setup. I also stand aside so if things do go bad, I'm not behind it.. That position also has my right thigh directly at the saw kill toggle so if things bind or jam, a slight flex forward and the power goes off. Still does not stop blade immediately but on a jam, gets a rapid stop and doesn't wreck the saw. My table saw used to be the most terrifying tool I had, until I got a 5hp gas leaf/branch chipper the other day. Fun times.
okay have never done woodworking heh go algorithm, but I remembered from shows on PBS like New Yankee Workshop that you stood to the side of the work piece because of kickback , I just had never seen the results of a kick before. that is some serious energy.
great vis. years ago I had a piece leave my hands and go into the garage door in a blink - just sloppy pracyice on my part. The WTF and shock of the impact mark are seared into my memory. All the guards and PPE all went on and have been worn ever since!!
My dad grew up using table saws with pretty much zero safeties. He taught me to use a sacrificial piece of material behind what was being cut to considerably lower the risk of kickbacks.
One time I had a small triangular piece of oak end-cut left on the tablesaw after making a cut. It was VERY close to the blade and as I reached forward to shut the saw off it vibrated and made contact with the blade. That piece shot back at lightning speed and hit me in the right cheekbone. I got a small cut from it and a rather noticeable bruise but better than losing an eye.
3:00 this is the clear solution... just raise the blade an extra 0.5" and your risk of this kickback is significantly reduced. When I do this, generally the piece just slowly coasts towards me (as I stand out of the path, obviously)
Good video. I always rethink safety in everything I do. (It's why I'm still around with all ten fingers.) My practice on the table saw is to always be extremely wary. I learned a lot about kickbacks after a small piece hit me in the stomach. I always try to stay out of the path of a kick back. I try to set up the saw so hold downs are holding the material. Any binding at all I stop and set it up differently. One way I think about all of this are Vectors, as in physics. What is pushing where? So my hold down feathers are pushing down, and if they have an angle to the feathers, they are away from the blade. Usually if I have a bind, or a spot a problem, the piece is so contained I can just leave in place right next to the blade. One thing bothers me about my General Contractor saw. The on/off switch is to the right side of the blade. I should've changed this years ago because there have been too many times when I didn't feel safe crossing that kick back zone to turn it off. Ideal there should be on/off switches on both sides of the saw. So I can step out of the danger zone the safest direction to turn it off. And I don't make my living from my table saw so I can take as much time as I want setting it up. I don't drink and I get plenty of sleep. A friend who was often tired and hung over had a horrible accident. I really appreciate those 'feelings' that something might not be safe enough and I turn off the saw and rethink my set up. These are not failures these are victories. I know a lot but I don't know everything, and now here is a moment where decades of experience are no excuse to keep going. I made a jig to (flat) scarf 1/4" x 3/4" 12' long western red cedar strips to make a kayak. The wedged cutoffs were jumping around. I rethought the entire set up, re made it, raised the bottom of the jig so the small wedge cut off fell down and away from the blade.
I remember this lesson from a grade 10 shop class. It would be unfortunate anyone operating a table saw would not know the possibility of saw kick back happening. I’m guessing your operator knew. That’s why he was standing to the side. You also need to ensure no one is behind you.
I saw or heard this happen back in the late nineties on a job I was on. I was in the next room finishing drywall and suddenly I heard this super loud bam. I came out of the room and saw strip of wood that had went through the wall right where it meets the ceiling like a spear. The guy who had it happen was at least in his mid-thirties and he had been doing this work since he was 15 years old, so he was very experienced. He had jerk to the side just in time for it to miss his face, he said it was right past his head and barely missed. This was with just a small little job site saw. This is something you really have to be careful of, even though it doesn't happen all the time it definitely happens even to experienced workers. One thing I do remember is he was not cutting a bevel. I know this saw did not have a guard because we never used guards on table saws.
This same scenario happened in my high school shop class. Only difference was the off cut hit a fire extinguisher and knocked the top nozzle off of it. So not only did we have a chunk of wood fly across the class room we also had a extinguisher discharging against the wall. Thankfully the bracket restrained it from rocketing across the room. The teacher was less than pleased that day.
The one and only time I got cut on the table saw was because I upgraded to wearing hearing protection. See prior to getting them I got used to hearing the saw and blade stop spinning. Then I got hearing protection and the first time I used them I didn't hear the blade moving so I reached for the off cut and sure enough it hadn't stopped yet but I thought it did because I couldn't hear it. Now I actually look at the blade before I consider it stopped.
Great points. I've feared the same thing. Balancing hearing protection with safety is hard, I use noise canceling earbuds so when the volume is less I can still hear. Before I grab my pieces I always stand there and stare until the blade stops.
@@carpo719 that was the very first time I used hearing protection so now I do as you and watch it stop. Great channel, great content. How do you like being furry? I've had a beard since 2000 and a mustache since high school back in 1977.
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A lot of what I see in the video is where woodworkers and carpenters disagree. I would much prefer a weaker table saw, a larger piece of lumber, and the skill to know when your workpiece can be a missile. In construction, I would generally avoid this small of a piece if at all possible, by planning it out better. You can't do that in cabinetry and woodworking, I know.
I have stood aside for a lot of table saw work, just like your operator did. I would almost always be doing this outdoors around essentially no one. No one is allowed in line with my table saws, either, except the one or two operators who are communicating the whole time. I will admit that I have let some small pieces fly, but never anything that size.
My choice for things like this is to find a hill where the scrap piece floats down and away from the blade due to gravity.
That’s the very reason I NEVER stand behind the blade.
When I was young I watched my dad ripping a board with a radial arm saw. He always warned me not to stand in the path of the blade. One day while ripping some lumber the blade walked up on top of the board. It was gone in a second and went through the kitchen wall from the garage side.
I am now 70 years old, and I still remember the accident. The only thing that got hurt was the wall. Plus he showed me how to patch drywall. 🤗
My mom was not thrilled about the whole mess.
I just imagine your mom was in the house, minding her own business, and this piece of wood just goes flying through the room behind her. X)
@@dmittleman9757 I imagine she was out, and she got home to find MacDa and his dad desperately trying to get the repair flat "before she gets home" 😅
When I was younger, I remember seeing radial arm saws, sometimes several different models on display, at the likes of Sears and Montgomery-Ward. You never see them for sale in the big box stores now. I asked one of my friends who owns one and he related several incidents like the one above and then I understand why. It’s the fear of litigation.
I was trimming a small (~4x6") block of Renshape for a scale model. Because the cut had to be precise, I was standing to the left of the blade and pushing the piece firmly against the fence. Suddenly it whipped from under my hand and vanished. Bang! A co-worker at his desk told me it hit N's acrylic holder - a homemade piece of 8-inch dia. thick wall clear tube surrounded by smaller tubes for holding brushes or pencils, bonded in place. I was puzzled. Not only was the wall behind N's desk, where the holder sat, about 12 feet from the saw, there was *no sign* of the thing.
I got down on the floor and started to search. I found the block and little pieces of shattered acrylic, but not half the amount that made up the holder. Just... smithereens. I then felt along the saw fence and discovered a small drop of clear, hardened glue. It was right where the block would catch it and get pushed a millimetre or so into the spinning blade; enough to carve an arcing gouge through it and fire it like a bullet into N's acrylic creation. I took that as a lesson, and compensated N for his holder.
Accident prevention and root cause analysis make great companions for shop safety.
There are no accidents, only stupid carelessness.
@@AffordBindEquipment
@@RdTrpBrgr I've been that person and have the scars to show for it. After over 40 years as a cabinetmaker, I still have all 10 but some are misshapen...
@@AffordBindEquipmentcall it "incident analysis" if you want, it's still extremely valuable
Hope for the best but always plan for the worst.
Plus no matter how ‘safe’ you make any tool, an idiot will always find a way to get hurt.
So many safety regulations exist just because some idiot did something stupid and we had to make a new regulation.
Dude, when I was 15... I got a summer job working for the state. They put me in the carpenter shop. During lunch break, I was using the table saw by myself (a violation of shop policy because it was an extremely powerful Rockwell or Delta that was made in the 30s or something and there was a sign on the saw that said two people must be operating this saw at all times) In any event, I put a 4' 2x4 on the saw and it got grabbed and launched the lumber at lightning speed across the shop. It grazed the head of a fellow worker who was eating his lunch and then hit a brick wall behind him and punched a brick through the wall... and this was an old historic brick building made super solid. I was forbidden to use the saw ever again and I learned a very valuable lesson that has stuck with me through my life.
Wow that's crazy your heart must've been in your mouth 😳
@@Bond-uh6yj Yep... I was totally freaked by the incident and almost got a beat down. (in those days, a beating would have been completely acceptable AND repeated when my father found out).
Don't eat lunch near the summer intern?😁
@BourneAccident username relevant
Yup, a lot of rules and regulations are written in blood.
Another tactic to consider…. Be mindful with your order of operations…. possibly making the beveled cut first on a larger board before parting the final piece off with the 90 degree cut. Beveled cuts on small parts seem to be a bit more unstable.
and in the rare instance where a bevel cut on a small workpiece is unavoidable (or like me you mess up your order of operations lol) masking tape, CA glue, and a scrap to extend your workpiece is the way to go
The comment I was looking for! This is mentioned frequently for using patterned router bits to make trim, but rarely mentioned for simple bevel cuts. It's not always an option, but if you plan ahead, it can be an option more often.
This is honestly the best advice. I've learned cutting small pieces is never worth it. Even a miter saw station. You may have a 2 inch piece and you're like, "ah man I need to just take 1/16 off this little piece". It's not worth it! Just start over or whatever you need to do to not have to make a powered cut on a small piece of wood.
A good handplane can quickly shave off a nice chamfer, and more accurate if you get practice
Small cuts like this on a table saw are for people who hate their hands.
Very good suggestions for push block and fence to make bevel cuts safer. Explanation of kick back from the “front” of the blade very enlightening.
We need a slow-mo video to understand how exactly the piece of wood flew so fast when cutting the right way. It just does not seem possible that the piece would have been accelerated to such a high speed.
@@FLPhotoCatcher Hmm. As I saw it (and as it was described) the blade was low enough that the off cut was pushed into the blade and was tall enough that the teeth it contacted were moving mostly forward (toward the operator). An unfortunate set of circumstances. (PS I hate bevel cuts. They never seem quite safe!)
In Highschool wood working class I was terrified of the table saw, having known my grandpa to be missing some finger tips and having seen my dad get hit in the face by a kickback. The shop teacher pushed the oak through for me and then the offcut got bumped and popped up, snagged the blade, and was thrown at his ribs sideways. That just further confirmed that I should definitely stay away from table saws and wood working in general, besides my complete lack of skill with wood working apart from paint/finish. I can make anything from metal, but wood or drywall forget about it. I think there's just a family curse or something, someone must have pissed off the saw god a few generations back.
My dad had the same curse. He took shop in high school and made some amazing projects, but he built a career in the metal fasteners business. He always said he could make anything out of metal, but wood defied him.
Great video! I once did something similar. I used a pushstick to knock a little offcut out of the way, but I actually knocked the tip into the blade and it came flying back at me. Didn’t do any damage but it scared the hell out of me. Lesson learned: Always follow through and wait for the blade to STOP before moving offcuts away. Thanks, James! 👍🏼
Good on you James. With your influence you have probably saved a few woodworkers from being injured. I have formal cabinetmaking training and also worked as a health and safety investigator. I agree with your analysis of the incident and really importantly, offering a practical solution to the challenge of machining the piece of timber. Thanks
I had a really bad kickback accident back in 2005.
I was making a bevel cut out of some 8' red oak meant to fill the void behind some crown molding atop kitchen cabinets. The owner of the shop had taught the wrong way to do it; the blade was tilted toward the fence (with a sacrificial fence cover in place). Just from that description I know many of you are wincing. He taught me to reach past the blade and grab the offcut as it came off the end of the table. Another thing to wince at.
I had made about 6 or 8 such cuts with no issue. To this day I have no idea what happened or how. It's obvious that one slipped out of my grip. My groin was just in the right spot to receive the full force of the 3hp motor shooting 8 ft. of red oak at me. It struck about 2 inches to the right of my bits.
My only memory of the incident are a couple of photo-like flashes of memory. One with the piece against me, the next is me nearly on the floor, then finally one where I'm on my hands and knees. After that it was rush to the bathroom to check myself out. Luckily it "only" tore loose some muscle in that area, leaving a 2" divot under the skin, a neat triangular impression where it was bleeding from blunt force trauma. I made my way to the kitchen to gather myself, only to go into shock, and didn't tell anyone what happened. Ten minutes later the owner finds me hunched over the table, drenched in sweat, unable to focus. I refused to go to the hospital (no insurance, no money) and 20-30 minutes later finally recovered.
The piece of red oak, after nearly causing a debilitating injury and changing my life forever, still had enough energy to shoot 12 feet past me and punch nearly half way though a piece of plywood.
To this day, while I'm not terrified of my table saw, it garners the most respect out of any machine in my shop.
Best you wear a full suit of [medieval] armour when using a table saw these days! Good story, bro - stay safe!.
For accidents in the workplace your employer is liable for the medical bills, not you.
Good thing it missed your artery there 👍🏼
Well I'm afraid of table saws now
This is why you should stand a bit to the side. So that if the saw launches something in a kickback, it will miss you.
I very much appreciate videos like this. Thank you very much.
Good reminder!! As woodworkers we have all seen videos on kickbacks but it is a good idea to be reminded every now and then and not become complacent!!
My son-in-law was in the shop with me today and I advised him of the same dangers. We were safe. Thank you for all your safety lessons.🙂🙂
The two main security measures :
- stand in the room next to the table saw
- grow a nice beard
Seriously, all the tips you give lead to security, especially not standing directly behind the piece. Thanks for your videos.
Like not standing behind a bazooka.
Also the saw blade should be pointing in area where nobody else will be hurt even if you do make a mistake.
*safety, not security.
The kickback happened so fast that I didn't see it until I watched it about five times. Wow.
The height of the blade was ideal to catch the scrap just right.
yeah lol I went through the video frame by frame and the piece is there one frame then in the very next frame you can only see a trail all the way across
This is why one of my favorite push blocks is a 2x4 with a notch cut in it. I push the piece through and I push the off-cut through. When I chew it up too much I grab another piece of scrap to replace it for only the cost in time to cut a new notch.
I do the same, I have a few of the fancy push blocks but seem to grab the trusty 2x4 all the time. :-)
maybe i haven't fully understood, but if the pushstick has to go through the blade as it would seem to have to to eject both cut piece and offcut, what is the risk of the pushstick itself being kicked back using this technique ?
@@lindsayruddock9141 If you set your saw blade properly (1/8th to 1/4th above the stock) the kickback risk is virtually nonexistent. You're just barely catching the points on either side of the notch.
Imagine a 12" long 2x4 with a 1.5" square cut out at one end. Imagine sliding that behind the stock you are cutting such that the full length of the push stick overhangs the stock (stock is in the notch). Rotate up just shy of 45º so one tip is pushing down and the other tip is just barely overhanging and providing the push. That's how you use it.
I truly never get tired of watching kick back videos. I learn from every one of them. This was very informative as all videos coming from you James.
Thanks
Maybe shop drywall's should have embedded wire mesh.
Some say it is complacency more than inexperience that is the devil behind so many dangerous incidents. At least with inexperience, fear of the unknown- "what if" can induce mindfulness.
But complacency is like a lazy step cousin of arrogance & ignorance.
Watching videos of workshop accidents can keep that mindfulness fresh, regardless of how difficult they may be to watch at times
The best tool in your shop is your head. If it seems too easy or something just seems like it could go bad, stop and think about it. Tablesaw, router, even the band saw, stop and think before any machine operation. The push block type pusher seems to be the best idea for most of us. Thank you James.
No the pushblock is super dangerous imho.
I had a similar accident. I was ripping a 2x4 and luckily standing just off the side like your guy. The offcut was about a foot long 1x2 and penetrated the door of my beer fridge and busted open a can of soda inside. I kept that fridge with the wood sticking out the door for years as a reminder.
Same thing happened to me in my early days of owning a table saw. It was like an arrow out of a compound bow that went through the wall into the next room. I now use all the techniques you discussed to prevent it from happening again. Take heed - especially new woodworkers using table saws.
Your description toward the end of the video is exactly why don't have the end of my left thumb any longer. Great video James. Thanks for posting it.
I kept my push stick on the table saw fence. Nice fit next to stock guide. Got halfway through ripping a 2x6 when I heard a noise and barely caught a piece of wood flying by my head. Realized the push stick had fallen off the fence during the cut. No more push sticks on the fence.
😲
Literally 5 minutes ago I was cutting 45° cutouts on my table saw - everything went fine. 🤩 But to be honest: I would never had expected this brute force kick-back you show. But if you think about it, it makes perfect sense! Thanx for reminding again! 👍👍👍
Thanks for the tip James. I had be kicking the offcut off the blade in a similar manner. Never had a problem like this and I won't keep doing it. I seem to think that I've seen other youtube woodworking influencers kicking the offcut off the blade. Not for me anymore.
Thanks for posting stuff like this - as someone who's still something of a newbie to woodworking, the more I can learn about how hazards like kickbacks happen, the safer I am in the shop.
I remember many years ago in high school shop class (wish that was still a thing), our table saw protocol was to have a "buddy" on the outfeed side of the table to catch the wood after it has cleared the blade. I was the buddy, and the operator student didn't push his workpiece all the way through the blade. It kicked back and hit him right in the gut. In the emergency room, they said it had hit so hard it caused his kidney to move. Nasty bruise too. Kickbacks are no joke!
That's why it always makes me uncomfortable to have somebody catching I'm afraid they're going to pull on it so I try to have an off Feed roller or table.
But even then there's always a risk
When I was a rookie, I tried to cut 2 sheets of plywood on a 220v Grizzly table saw. The kickback broke 2 of my ribs, and bruised my lung. Not only did I get injured, I was written up, and mocked for about a year. 😂
Which of the three was the worst?
Sad as it sounds, fear of mockery may be enough to convince some of the people sitting on the fence (no pun intended) to think twice about taking off a blade guard or riving knife. If not for your own safety, just think of how you're going to have to explain how you hurt yourself. Bad enough to lose a finger or two, but imagine the entire rest of your life having to tell people you were trying to save 30 seconds.
@@qwerty112311 lol, definitely the ribs and lungs. I worked as much as I could (light duty) so that alone brought back some respect points. But today I am the FIRST one to tell a tradie they are making a mistake that will injure them.
Good on you. I wish more professionals would take that approach, even before they them selves get injured.
I've worked in different trades over the years. Common among all, is that grissled old guy, with 50 years experience. Who disregard all safety or common sense, and berates younger guys for doing "it" to slowly. Because he has never had an accident in his career.
1 fact that occur and could be ignored... but an inteligent woodworker turned to great lessons for us. Thank you and congrrats!
This is a brilliant safety tutorial. Thank you.
I purchased a Sawstop table saw about 3 years ago. I was using a wood Master/ shop Smith. I have had a few kick backs over 50 plus years. All but one I knew there was a good possibility of kickback. Expecting that I made sure to be to the side, nothing behind except some form projectile stop. It’s always a nice surprise when expecting a kickback and nothing happens.
A leather apron covering as much as possible could add a little more prevention . I’m curious if there is a long face shield that is certified to block a kickback?
Hello from Tijuana; 5 years ago I split my thumb on a kick back, it needed 5 stitches. Thank God I'd dint do any damage internaly it rip just the flesh. I LERNED THE LESSON. today I take extreme measures when I'm in my table saw. God bless and cheers from Tijuana!
Excellent - and - This is one reason, as someone who's short, my table saw cabinet under my Delta 5100 is low enough I can comfortably reach fully through with a push stick to the other side of the table without leaning forward excessively, and can keep my body to the left of the blade at the same time. I recently made a tablesaw cabinet for my son in law for the 40 yr old refitted Delta I gave him, and, first, had him stand in the right spot and reach forward so I could measure what would be the right height for him. He's taller, but still, his table's not 32" off the ground, it's 30" to help him stay safe.
Be REALLY careful leaning over a saw with the blade still spinning. There was a gruesome death in Australia some years ago (got written up TWICE in Police Journals here) where someone fell on a spinning saw blade, no guard, went straight through his sternum, through his heart and not quite into his spine.
@@brucelee3388 Yes, that is EXACTLY THE POINT of a saw table height set so it's NOT a stretch - so extending your arm WITHOUT leaning far over gets the work to the other side of the blade. #Ergonomics in action. Also why we measure our knee height for a saw bench, and set the workbench height for our personal measurements. "Standard" tool stand heights only work ergonomically and safely for a "standard" person. A second reason your admonition is good - so often in a video, even this one, we see someone leaning over, while the saw is still running, to push the cut piece away, or pick it up. No, never. In our Oregon Woodworkers Guild shop that's forbidden. Once the work is through the blade, we cannot reach for or touch it til the blade stops. Safety is no accident.
Damn! That went super-sonic in two frames. This is why you never stand directly behind the blade.
As with most of the comments I read,I have experienced a kickback. Thankfully, I was not injured badly (a bruise to the gut),but it could have been much worse. I now really take to heart the saying "If it feels sketchy, find another way. " Thanks for the video.
Good suggestion. I’m had a 3’ long piece of ash go straight through a wooden door last year. Thank for my kids weren’t around. Since then I never push small narrow stock to. It shapes that can bind on or under the blade. I will use sacrificial wood every time now to have more control over the work piece and off cut. And never stand indirectly in line with the blade. No joke with table saws.
Great warning thanks James. Re waiting until the blade stops spinning: If you are working under artificial lighting, there is a strobe effect created that can "freeze frame" the blade while it is still slowing down. It's easy to think it has stopped already.
Good video Stumpy, your clear explanations and demonstrations certainly have helped me to be safer in my small workshop. Many thanks for all that you post.
As a newbie...I appreciate your info. Rule 1 in my Shop: Saftey First, Rule 2: Saftey First, Rule 3: Always follow rules 1 & 2. As a new person.. Maybe the ORDER of production was wrong...cut the bevel/angle on a larger piece of work first then cross cut them to length...Im new, but I will def be VERY cautious of my processes too. Thank you!
Im glad ya man didnt get hurt. Take him long to get his wits back? He was extremely fortunate. I ve had a glancing blow from kickback, yeah, it hurt pretty good. What you showed, that could have been bad. Glad it wasnt. Keep on with the safety tips, as you know, one ya showed saved my life. Ill forever support your teaching safety.
Always trust your gut! When I was less experienced, I was cutting a narrow strip of wood (with no zero clearance blade throatplate). I thought I might have a problem, but started the cut anyway. Of course, it kicked back. Fortunately, I was standing to the side so I wasn't hit by the wood, however, it flew out of the garage, hit the windshield of my car 15 feet away, and continued on for another 20 feet.
This is a common problem when cutting wedges out. Not only does the end kick over cause those, but because there is pinch in the wedge, it happens a LOT. I have had them shoot out and go through cardboard boxes. Best bet when wedging out, is to wear a leather apron and full face shield. We changed our method by making a jig that holds the square at 45 degrees, and uses a dado blade underneath the jig to cut out the corner. Result is no corner piece, just sawdust. It also made it so we didn't have to dispose of all those corners.
awesome, content James, thank you so much......one day I will tell you about my kickback experience
while standing 18 inches to the left of blade while cutting 1/8" masonite.....
no cut fingers, just a severe blow to the groin, which I still have constant pain 36 years later....
it was due to vibration of the saw [Delta Contractor Saw 'new'] and not using some sort of device
like the "little Yellow Wheels' that I had installed on saw.......a pain full lesson to be had....
Thanks you so much for your attention to safety in your video, Paul in Florida
It’s twice as fun when it meets your upper arm muscle. It was weeks before I felt brave enough to turn any of my table saws on. The event had a huge impact on my woodworking prowess. Safety just is, period.
Retired RV Tech here.Years ago I was ripping a 3ft long 2x4 in half when it caught a knot and kicked back across the shop right into the side of a brand new 30K camper. Went right through the skin and interior paneling. I caught Hell for that one.
"The best technology ever invented for a table saw is still the blade guard"
AMEN!
It's a shame that so many youtubers don't use them to set a good example. :(
This is the scariest channel on UA-cam! Stumpy Nubs is such an earnest educator.
Kudos Mr Nubs.
Couple thoughts:
1. Seems like in some situations a sliding table would result in a safer setup.
2. Here's a kickback I think no one would expect: while doing some kind of rip, a flaw in the offcut causes the offcut to break into 2 pieces such that one of them gets launched before the cut is finished. Probably more likely in a cut as was pictured, with the blade leaned over, but not sure you couldn't have it at any angle. Wood sometimes does funny stuff when sawing releases internal stresses. I hasten to point out I only imagined this scenario, but I'm pretty sure it's possible.
OK, imagination running, I begin to think that ANY circular saw, hand, table, or track, can find a way to kick. Hard. Chainsaws too, but different, recips much less. Also, had experience with a lawn edger.
3:25 Thanks for this clip, I'll be doing this setup from now on. For as often as I would ever be making this type of cut I will not mind the extra steps. Also, I see paper wadding in the unused dust collection port, that's a great idea too. 👍
I just mentioned this exact scenario to my son when teaching him to use the table saw the other day and showed him your video. I've seen an entire piece of plywood kick back and knock a guy off his feet before. table saws are to be respected!
Great video. Every shop class should see it.
I don't have a table saw yet. However one thing I have is a leather apron. I plan to use it as often as I can. Wood work, metal, welding. It might not be the best thing for safety. I just feel a layer of protection is better than none.
I wonder if someone will ever develop a table saw jig made to do cuts from the other side. Just flat out keep your body out of the line of fire.
Thank you for this video and possible solutions to prevent it. Very good tips, James! I appreciate it. Have a great Labor Day weekend! 😃😃😃😃❤️❤️❤️❤️
Quaint. I was once fixing a computer. Went to eject the cd, drive was faulty, cd went through the first sheet of drywall behind me before shattering into millions of sharp, tiny projectiles. Many embedding into other walls (and carpet) in that room.
Battlefield in the computer repair shop!
Moved overseas; setting up new shop. Gawd, I needed this. Thank you.
Great video Thanks for sharing this as a new woodworker I value these videos like this Thanks again James
Definitely Worth Watching! If someone had asked me, about this scenario, before seeing this video, I likely would have dismissed it as a non-threat... Viewers of this channel have a heightened sense of awareness.
That table saw is like a loaded gun, get careless, complacent or lazy around it, you are gonna get hurt!
What I have been saying for so long is to have long handled pushshoe that keeps your body and hand away from the line of fire. A 2nd pushstick pushing gently after the riving knife would have caused the offcut to open up away from the front of the blade.
Those push shoes like the one in the video are a crazy design.
This has made me decide to buy and always wear a thick leather apron if I ever get a table saw. Thank you for posting.
My grandfather was a cabinet maker and he lived with us growing up. One day I'm looking around under the unfinished basement stairs for something and i find a 3/8" square x 18" piece of wood sticking out of the drywall horizontally right in line with the table saw. If I'm not mistaken, I think my dad broke or fractured his thumb on a kickback.
I had a student have a kickback that dented the block wall. I always used it as an example when demonstrating how to use the tablesaw. The dent did make an impression on how dangerous it was. That happened 30 years ago and it’s still there.
It made a LITERAL impression!!!
You should put a picture frame around it for emphasis.
Love this video. I HONESTLY could not sort out what went "wrong" at first. Thank you for this. I will have it in my mind now.
Best safety device I got for my table saw is a: track saw. This means I do not have to use a table saw nearly as often. But I am not a woodworker, just a renovator homeowner who only occasionally makes cabinets.
I have a colleague who had this happen. It ended up piercing his lambing tackle! Fortunately no lasting damage was done. He keeps the bloodied piece of timber in a plastic bag in his toolbox as a salutary lesson for people. It made my eyes water!
Thanks a bunch for the lesson, James! 😊
Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊
I worked in the carpenter shop while I was in college. The door behind the tablesaw was riddled with holes from kickbacks. I never stood directly behind the blade whenever it was on, whether I or someone else was using it.
Very good advice. I just got a table saw. Never had one and no one showed me. I watched many videos.
If you think about every step, and take things calmly, you will be fine. When we get confident is when we must concentrate HARDER on every step. Remember not to reach towards the blade while it is running, very easy to misjudge, or get dragged in by something going wrong.
Two things I always stress is
One is keep an utterly clean workspace. Nothing anywhere on the bench, no tape measure, ruler, pencil, only the one work piece you are using the tool on, nothing leaning against the bench or a wall nearby where it may slip. Takes longer, but 100% safer.
The other is have a completely uncluttered floor around the bench. It is really easy to be concentrating so hard on the blade, that you trip on even a tiny piece of off-cut, or roll your ankle, and then people end up maybe not falling on the blade, but pushing the work and jamming it. My dad was always dropping off cuts onto the floor as he worked and just let them build up.
Thanks for posting this, the more information we have on how accidents happen the more accidents we know how to avoid.
Thanks for sharing this with us James. Great safety lesson for sure. Stay safe and keep up the great videos. Fred.
Not a woodworker but just a couple spitball thoughts.
1: Could benches be fitted with a spring-loaded gate (like parking lot 'teeth' to prevent reversing) that is placed slightly in front of the saw?
2: How useful or dangerous would a few mil metal sheet be in terms of stopping/minimizing the projectiled piece?
Thank you for another lesson making everyone safer
I've done that once, it caught me in the hip. I learned 2 things, follow all the way through, and stand a little bit more to the side
Thanks for the reminder, James. I had forgotten about this one.
I have an old 8” table saw from the 50’s that barely has enough power to rip a 2x4. I use it for cutting small intricate work like that shown. I can’t ever remember having a kick back using this saw. I know I’ve stalled it many times but never a kick back. I have another saw for doing larger cuts when I really need power.
I work in a wood shop as a pattern maker and we cut all sorts of crazy angles on a table saw. This video is great but I would add that the saw should be positioned in a way that the kickback will go harmlessly into a brick wall or something and for everyone else to stay away until the operator is done.
Why would the blade guard have been helpful here? While it prevents you from touching the blade, it doesn't prevent the offcut from touching it. So if you moved the offcut to the side (past the blade guard), the front could still have swung into the path of the blade causing a kickback.
It seems the basic message is don't touch the offcut until after the blade stops (or use a push block that pushes both the offcut and the piece at the same time). But I will note that occasionally I touch the offcut because the vibrations seem to move the offcut closer to the blade and I'm worried about a kickback.
I’ve made a comment on the power of a kickback on another site, in this case I witnessed a hardwood block penetrate a cinder block wall. The amount of comments calling me a liar was insane! Do not ever stand behind the workpiece when cutting! I have seen the power of the saw and it is something to respect!
Very useful information. Now I have never really trusted table saws entirely and turned off the blade before fiddling around after the cut is made.
My experience with kickback was an older guy I worked with getting a bit casual with the drop. It took off and hit a plaster wall from the 1800’s, and only the drop took damage. Sure was loud in that little room though.
Had 2 guys reach for drops before the blade stopped, one got stitches, and the other miraculously only had a fingernail removed. This is good advice here
One of the reasons I bought a Sawstop CTS was that the safety was built into the entire design and isn’t just a ‘gimmick’ stopping the blade. The fence that comes out of the box has a low support and is easy to adjust. The knife and the blade guard take 10 seconds to install and the adjustments for the most part are really easy to make. The most dangerous thing that comes with the saw is the absolutely horrendous mitre gauge that I would argue is unsafe as it’s a mile away from the blade, and doesn’t hold its position - it’s the only time I’ve had a kick back on the saw was using that POS
Thanks for that reminder! I own an after market table saw. I don’t have a riving knife or a blade guard unfortunately. I tried DYI versions but none of them felt safer. Can you suggest a way to make a home made version of a riving knife and blade guard? Thanks!
This kind of thing gives me a knot in my stomach🙈 I watched so many safety videos before I first used a table saw, but was still so anxious before using it. Thankfully no incidents. Now I haven't used it for a few months, and am again feeling that anxiety when I watch these videos!
I really like your video and the seriousness with which you treat the subject - I try to be alert concerning "normalization of deviance". I can relate to not standing in the way of the potential trajectory of the workpiece: E.g., when working with chainsaws, axes or sledgehammers. I have had quite a number of axes or sledgehammers flying by, when something went wrong when trying to hit the workpiece
another good safety lesson, but these tips also provide better results when cutting. two in one!
Fun with kick back. I use a sacrificial push stick for just that reason. Otherwise same setup. I also stand aside so if things do go bad, I'm not behind it.. That position also has my right thigh directly at the saw kill toggle so if things bind or jam, a slight flex forward and the power goes off. Still does not stop blade immediately but on a jam, gets a rapid stop and doesn't wreck the saw. My table saw used to be the most terrifying tool I had, until I got a 5hp gas leaf/branch chipper the other day. Fun times.
okay have never done woodworking heh go algorithm, but I remembered from shows on PBS like New Yankee Workshop that you stood to the side of the work piece because of kickback , I just had never seen the results of a kick before. that is some serious energy.
great vis. years ago I had a piece leave my hands and go into the garage door in a blink - just sloppy pracyice on my part. The WTF and shock of the impact mark are seared into my memory. All the guards and PPE all went on and have been worn ever since!!
Great video, great pointers for table saw safety.
My dad grew up using table saws with pretty much zero safeties. He taught me to use a sacrificial piece of material behind what was being cut to considerably lower the risk of kickbacks.
If you ever got the chance this would be an awesome kickback to get a slo-mo of to see exactly how the saw grips the wood to throw it so hard.
Great video ! This is a danger that is not very obvious and everybody should be very aware of.
One time I had a small triangular piece of oak end-cut left on the tablesaw after making a cut. It was VERY close to the blade and as I reached forward to shut the saw off it vibrated and made contact with the blade. That piece shot back at lightning speed and hit me in the right cheekbone. I got a small cut from it and a rather noticeable bruise but better than losing an eye.
Thank you for sharing your awesome safety tip. Everyone stay safe, happy and healthy.
3:00 this is the clear solution... just raise the blade an extra 0.5" and your risk of this kickback is significantly reduced. When I do this, generally the piece just slowly coasts towards me (as I stand out of the path, obviously)
Good video. I always rethink safety in everything I do. (It's why I'm still around with all ten fingers.)
My practice on the table saw is to always be extremely wary. I learned a lot about kickbacks after a small piece hit me in the stomach. I always try to stay out of the path of a kick back.
I try to set up the saw so hold downs are holding the material. Any binding at all I stop and set it up differently.
One way I think about all of this are Vectors, as in physics. What is pushing where? So my hold down feathers are pushing down, and if they have an angle to the feathers, they are away from the blade. Usually if I have a bind, or a spot a problem, the piece is so contained I can just leave in place right next to the blade.
One thing bothers me about my General Contractor saw. The on/off switch is to the right side of the blade. I should've changed this years ago because there have been too many times when I didn't feel safe crossing that kick back zone to turn it off. Ideal there should be on/off switches on both sides of the saw. So I can step out of the danger zone the safest direction to turn it off.
And I don't make my living from my table saw so I can take as much time as I want setting it up. I don't drink and I get plenty of sleep. A friend who was often tired and hung over had a horrible accident.
I really appreciate those 'feelings' that something might not be safe enough and I turn off the saw and rethink my set up. These are not failures these are victories. I know a lot but I don't know everything, and now here is a moment where decades of experience are no excuse to keep going.
I made a jig to (flat) scarf 1/4" x 3/4" 12' long western red cedar strips to make a kayak. The wedged cutoffs were jumping around. I rethought the entire set up, re made it, raised the bottom of the jig so the small wedge cut off fell down and away from the blade.
I remember this lesson from a grade 10 shop class. It would be unfortunate anyone operating a table saw would not know the possibility of saw kick back happening. I’m guessing your operator knew. That’s why he was standing to the side. You also need to ensure no one is behind you.
I saw or heard this happen back in the late nineties on a job I was on. I was in the next room finishing drywall and suddenly I heard this super loud bam. I came out of the room and saw strip of wood that had went through the wall right where it meets the ceiling like a spear. The guy who had it happen was at least in his mid-thirties and he had been doing this work since he was 15 years old, so he was very experienced. He had jerk to the side just in time for it to miss his face, he said it was right past his head and barely missed. This was with just a small little job site saw. This is something you really have to be careful of, even though it doesn't happen all the time it definitely happens even to experienced workers. One thing I do remember is he was not cutting a bevel. I know this saw did not have a guard because we never used guards on table saws.
This same scenario happened in my high school shop class. Only difference was the off cut hit a fire extinguisher and knocked the top nozzle off of it. So not only did we have a chunk of wood fly across the class room we also had a extinguisher discharging against the wall. Thankfully the bracket restrained it from rocketing across the room. The teacher was less than pleased that day.
The one and only time I got cut on the table saw was because I upgraded to wearing hearing protection.
See prior to getting them I got used to hearing the saw and blade stop spinning. Then I got hearing protection and the first time I used them I didn't hear the blade moving so I reached for the off cut and sure enough it hadn't stopped yet but I thought it did because I couldn't hear it.
Now I actually look at the blade before I consider it stopped.
Great points. I've feared the same thing. Balancing hearing protection with safety is hard, I use noise canceling earbuds so when the volume is less I can still hear. Before I grab my pieces I always stand there and stare until the blade stops.
@@carpo719 that was the very first time I used hearing protection so now I do as you and watch it stop.
Great channel, great content. How do you like being furry? I've had a beard since 2000 and a mustache since high school back in 1977.
Well worth the review. Thanks for sharing.