I’ve been kicking this can down the road for years, but I finally got a job that involves cutting so much melamine board there’s no way I’m doing it with a circular saw.
I watched multiple safety videos before even opening the package, and now I’m just sitting here staring at it wondering whether I should fire it up and cut off a finger or two. I’m fucking terrified of this thing.
I got my first real table saw
Bought it at the local home store
Played it 'til my fingers bled
Take my upwards chevron, you silly goober.
Was the summer of 20 26
me and some guys on lemmy
had a group and we tried real hard
I’m fucking terrified of this thing.
Good. A healthy respect for the tool will help keep all your digits in tact. Just exercise proper safety precautions every time and you’ll be alright. I’ve got at least one push stick with a notch in it as a constant reminder of why you never put your fingers near the blade.
Yeah, I think the only powertool that I’m more scared of than a table saw is a chainsaw. I guess the day I stop feeling afraid is when I should stop using it.
I would argue that you should be more wary of the table saw
the chainsaw is farther away from you and you have some time to react. your fingers are right next to a higher speed blade on a table saw and you have no time to react. and you tend to make many more cuts with a table saw than a chainsaw, leading to more opportunities for injuries.
this goes for any tool, but especially table saws: if you’re “just making one last cut”, stop and take thirty seconds to reset and think about it. do not get complacent.
Nah, fear isn’t better than complacency because it can also keep you from doing things safely. Like being afraid to have a push tool too close to the blade means not having enough control over the piece you are cutting.
A healthy respect for the dangers and then taking the necessary precautions is the best course of action. Make sure you have the right tools to push stuff through it without needing to have your fingers close. Not the little plastic thing it probably comes with, but a large thing with a wider pushing part so you have more control. Then adjust the height and use the safety thing that keeps it from kicking back for flat stuff.
Lathe. Lathe will fuck you up.
Chainsaws aren’t too bad, just make sure you have the right safety gear. Chaps, ear protection, and eye protection (impact resistant) for most things. Gloves are nice for rough wood and I’d consider a helmet as important as chaps if you’re working on trees or anything taller than you.
Power tools are like horses. They can take you anywhere or they can put you in the hospital. Be cautious and be educated.
Go for it, slow. As a small but determined girl I split quite a number of large-ish boards with a monstrosity of a table saw from the 80s to make beams of the desired width for a tiny house. The important thing is always go slowly. Prepare well. Where is each piece and cutoff going to be at each time of the process. Where are your fingers going to be. Play this through in your mind, only then start cutting. If you cut large pieces build some kind of support they can be pushed onto, falling or hanging heavy pieces are always a bad idea - I also had some wheels screwed onto a support for easier moving of the large stuff. I guess the danger is what makes woodworking so meditative. Lose your attention, lose a finger.
You got ten chances, you can master it by attempt three for sure!
Even more chances if you get someone else to help.
I’m a cabinet installer, and I use a table saw every day. Do not put your hand anywhere near the saw blade when it is running. Use push sticks and never pull a part through from the back of the saw. If the cuts are getting harder to make, put a new sharp blade. Dull saw blades are the most dangerous and cause most kickbacks. You’re smart to respect the dangers but with care and attention you can use them without much risk.
never pull a part through from the back of the saw.
If I’m ripping long pieces – long enough that the outfeed end has to be held up – I will stop about half way and pull the work piece the rest of the way through. I won’t do it with short pieces and it’s not necessary for those anyway. Are there any safety risks I’m not accounting for?
The risk is that if a kickback occurs while you are gripping on the work piece, it could pull your hand and arm towards the saw. You will not react quickly enough if a kickback happens. That being said, since the parts are longer, if you are keeping your arm far enough away that a kickback couldn’t pull you close enough then I could see the cut being done somewhat safely. Still, I would say that an outfeed table or roller stand is a worthy investment to make long cuts easily and safely.
That’s what I thought. I don’t get anywhere near the saw if I’m pulling material through it for exactly the reason you mentioned. A roller stand would definitely be a better option in my case. All it takes is to be a little careless for a one second one time. Thanks for the feedback!
What you want is a ‘push stick.’ There are a lot of different form-factors, but this one reminds you why:
This came with one. Even has a holder for it there on the right.
That’s good, I was going to suggest one as the first thing you make with it.
Don’t be terrified. Just think before every cut, how the wood will move and where you put your fingers. Get used to not stand behind the saw, you will soon do it automatically. And never do “just a quick cut before I’m done for today”. Those are the most dangerous ones.
That follows to a last task before the end of the day. I saw my friend die at the workplace on a last task. Fucking horrible shit. We were supposed to be gone already.
Damn, I am really sorry to hear that. It is always the “I just wanted to do a quick cut”
He was standing backwards on it ladder only like 5 feet up in a basement, and fell and his legs got caught in the rungs and he hit his head on the concrete, blood was coming out of his ears and he was doing that agonal breathing.
911 accused me of Faking it and wouldn’t even send out an ambulance right away, I never made a complaint because it wouldn’t have mattered I decidedafter I talked to a mutual friend of ours but I am still pretty salty about it.
Rather do be terrified?
It’s the most dangerous tool in my shop, and you have to give it the respect it deserves
If you are led by emotions, you should definitely not use those tools. Be careful and conscious, then the tool is not dangerous at all.
If you haven’t already, I suggest investing in a good full-face respirator with replaceable cartridges. Something like this:
The half face ones also work well. But melamine dust is nasty. You really don’t want to be breathing that in!
I’m fine and I been hack doing it for 35 years! labored breathing
Adding a few bits here:
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see that plastic cover over the blade? It will get annoying and you’ll want to remove it. Don’t. That’s like removing the seatbelt from your car. There should only be 2 times where it would be necessary. The first and most common is if the cut you are making requires it (you aren’t sawing all the way through the wood/the work piece cannot fit between the table and the guard). Remember to put it back after. The second is if you’re replacing it with a better one. (Typically seeking better dust collection or a “floating” guard). Usually at that point, it might be good to consider if you’re asking too much for the current saw; there’s no lack of companies and products offering solutions to make your tablesaw “better”.
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See the red blade insert? Treat that as your no finger zone. It’s a big area yes, but an accident in that area can equal no fingers.
Over time you’ll develop a “healthy respect” for the tool where you will be able to operate it confidently, while also being aware of what it could do if you let your resolve waiver. The same is true with chainsaws and any other tool.
I’m going to give you 3 resources that really helped me get the most out of mine.
The first two are videos that cover some techniques on zeroing your blade. (Note, mine is belt drive and hangs off the back so it’s slightly different, but a majority of what they cover is for ALL table saws).
Stumpy Nubs - Aligning table saw : This is the only reference I’ve seen outside some much older resources that cover adjusting the table at 45*. This REALLY helps move it from very good to great in my experience.
Workshop Companion - Table Saw Tuning : This is FANTASTIC as the history of the old table saw he’s working on is interesting, and he really explains the why’s behind each adjustment. He has a short about tool vibration where you can see and hear how smoothly you can get an average saw to run. The loudest part on mine is the relay engaging the electric motor now.
Yes, you can get by without spending a weekend tuning and swearing at yourself for wasting your time (theres a period where it absolutely sucks until you’re done), but once you’ve gotten it done and done right, all your cuts will benefit. You’ll have a much more enjoyable time in the shop overall.
The last is a book called The Accurate Tablesaw by Ian J Kirby. This book covers not only some of the topics above, but more on safety and technique. I’ve gotten more out of this book than most other woodworking books I’ve found.
I know the above is a lot (more than I was expecting…) but I DO hope this helps some as you continue your journey. Remember to have fun with it! And reach out if you ever need an ear to bounce ideas off of. I’ll try to not be so long winded next time…!
Thanks! Good info
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A healthy fear of the table saw is what has kept me safe all these years. Fear it, respect it when you use it.
Exactly, it is when you get complacent that shit happens.
I appreciate all the comments here validating OP’s trepidation around the table saw. Dull men are cautious, and dull men are way more likely to have all ten fingers.
Ok, I saw your saw and now can go to see other things. Try not to cut off anything important from your body.
When I bought my table saw, I grabbed some scrap wood and just did some cuts to practice being safe around the blade. Didn’t bother with measuring, just did the cuts to get the feel for the tool
High four, dude! Congrats!!
(keep the sausages clear of that blade…)
If you’re cutting really dense or thick boards, like you said melamine, then you’ll want to find a way to “attach” the saw legs to the floor. That style of table saw WILL move when you are pushing baords through it.
Stay safe brother, have fun rippin!
I actually prefer the circular saw + jig combo for heavier/denser boards.
