Since the object of Woodworking Safety Week is for woodworkers to focus on safety in the workshop I did a review of what equipment I use to make my shop safer, any problems that I may have with this equipment and areas where I could improve it.

It certainly was an eye-opener, realizing the good and the bad. Here is my workshop safety review:

Dust Collector

Continue reading 'A Safety Review Of My Workshop'

Possibly one of the most dangerous pieces of equipment in the workshop is the table saw. As woodworkers we often take this tool for granted because of its simplicity in purpose and the fact that it is so common in many workshops. Because of this it is easy to become complacent in maintaining our safety vigilance. However, a sharp, multi-toothed blade spinning at an incredible speed should heighten the awareness of the need for caution when working with this tool.

The saw blade is obviously sharp so therefore caution must be exercised whenever working near the blade. The blade has been designed to cut through heavy, dense wood which is much harder than skin and bone. According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission there are over 60,000 related injuries every year.

Another cause of table saw accidents is what is called ‘kickback’. Kickback happens when the blade catches the wood and throws it back towards you. It can very easily be thrown back hard enough to injure you. Kickback can be caused by a variety of different things including:

1. Internal stress in the wood pinches the blade.
2. The wood moves up or sideways during a cut
3. The wood is pinched between the rear of the blade and the fence.
4. Underpowered saw.

Here is a great demonstration of a kickback in action.

As you can see, minimizing the opportunity for kickback and the potential for blade related injuries is of major importance. However, while there is the possibility for injury while working with a table saw it should not be feared. With awareness, understanding and respect the tablesaw is an invaluable tool. Adherence to safety guidelines and proper techniques will minimize the chance of an injury occurring.

Although no where near complete, here is a collection of safety tips and techniques for the table saw that I have collected:

Continue reading 'Table Saw Safety Is Serious Business'

I thought I was turning a bowl until it turned into a spin top! And boy, did it spin… right into my face! I was merrily turning a bowl out of cherry when out of nowhere it just shattered and the pieces went flying.

One piece hit me square in the face and then continued on into the air. Luckily, I was wearing my new, dandy face shield that I told you about last week.
Continue reading 'A Spinning Bowl Is Not A Toy!'

I couldn’t stand it any longer! The face shield that I was using for the past 20 years is so scratched and marked up that it was hard to see out of. It never seemed a problem before because it was never used for that long. Now with turning it has became quite necessary.

Here’s the before and after:

Back to the shop…