- Joined
- Nov 25, 2015
- Messages
- 8,399
been there a few times. It can do some serious damage.Yesterday was again, not my day. Blade guard with riving knife is on order. I had a good 20 year run, but it's time to be smarter evidently. I'll say my luck hasn't run out yet, because I walked away with all my fingers. But the saw is out of commission until the safety gear is attached. The red hand I drew would have been on the opposite face of the board of course, but my goodness that was the scariest (and fastest) thing that's ever happened with a power tool.
I don't use a guard. I just find it too difficult to set my lines. I do use a splitter.
But even that didn't help once. My son was home from school and wanted to make something to bring back.
I was helping, but letting him do the work. All of a sudden he was having problems ripping something. I shut down the saw.
I started it back up after taking over only to find it was binding again. What I didn't know was that he moved the fence with the lock engaged. He had forced it and done some damage to the mechanism. We bent a forrest woodworker blade and had a fence part to replace. That day it could have been and a person to repair or bury. we lucked out on that one.
BTW a leather apron is always a great idea. While it won't prevent you from getting speared, it can try. it also blunts any flying objects.
And if you ever feel it grabbing, I recommend holding it down tight and not letting it go...