- Joined
- Feb 13, 2017
- Messages
- 2,138
Well, up front I must state that everything I have to say will be negative. I am 71 and still have all my fingers.(and toes) Although I am professionally an electrical man, I have done some pretty serious hobby work and a few odd jobs that involved a saw of one type or another. Over the years, I have owned several table saws, (job site saws) a couple or three radial saws, uncountable handheld circular saws, a couple of portable band saws, and several low end stationary band saws. Most of the above tools were low end tools, purchased for a particular job and then used as needed for a few more, then scrapped or given away. The point being thay I have used power saws from childhood, literally at the age of 8 or 10, and still have all my fingers.
Safety is in the mind, paying attention to the job and what you are doing. No interruptions, no loud music, no children, no booze, just the work. Any external safety device such as a "Saw Stop" allows you to become complacent with an inherently dangerous machine. Essentially consider if you would put such a contraption on your lathe. Stopping the machine in less than one revolution when your necktie gets tangled up in the work. Like riding a bicycle as opposed to a tricycle. Even with a hammer, you hit your thumb once and then avoid any future situation that puts your thumb at risk.
A Saw Stop mechanism is available for retrofit on older saws. When it activates, it does stop the blade within a very few teeth. To the detriment of the saw blade, the spindle, the bearings, and sometimes the entire saw assembly. (cracked frame, etc) All because someone is so stupid as to push a board through with his(or her) hand. That's why God made push sticks, to keep your fingers intact. When someone loses a finger, or a hand, to a saw, it usually can be attributed to a stupid move. Even a genius such as (E=MC^2) can make a stupid move. Most times they get away with it, some times it bites. Someone that religously follows safety procedures is not stupid, they are safety concious. There are no short cuts with power saws. Just stupid people making more money for some nameless corporation.
I'm sorry, I am waxing political again. Safety cannot be legislated, it must be in the mind. I have ridden a motorcycle, at highway speed, side saddle. But there was no one around on an open road, in eastern Colorado I think. I survived not through luck, but by paying attention to what I was doing. I have climbed on a crane mast over water in freezing (65 s latitude) weather because my crewmates were hanging in a boat being brought aboard and a limit switch was stuck. The controls were behind a bolted (weather proof) steel cover. While the electricians were still working to remove the cover, I climbed the mast and helped my friends out of rough water. But had no problems because I was paying attention to what I was doing.
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Safety is in the mind, paying attention to the job and what you are doing. No interruptions, no loud music, no children, no booze, just the work. Any external safety device such as a "Saw Stop" allows you to become complacent with an inherently dangerous machine. Essentially consider if you would put such a contraption on your lathe. Stopping the machine in less than one revolution when your necktie gets tangled up in the work. Like riding a bicycle as opposed to a tricycle. Even with a hammer, you hit your thumb once and then avoid any future situation that puts your thumb at risk.
A Saw Stop mechanism is available for retrofit on older saws. When it activates, it does stop the blade within a very few teeth. To the detriment of the saw blade, the spindle, the bearings, and sometimes the entire saw assembly. (cracked frame, etc) All because someone is so stupid as to push a board through with his(or her) hand. That's why God made push sticks, to keep your fingers intact. When someone loses a finger, or a hand, to a saw, it usually can be attributed to a stupid move. Even a genius such as (E=MC^2) can make a stupid move. Most times they get away with it, some times it bites. Someone that religously follows safety procedures is not stupid, they are safety concious. There are no short cuts with power saws. Just stupid people making more money for some nameless corporation.
I'm sorry, I am waxing political again. Safety cannot be legislated, it must be in the mind. I have ridden a motorcycle, at highway speed, side saddle. But there was no one around on an open road, in eastern Colorado I think. I survived not through luck, but by paying attention to what I was doing. I have climbed on a crane mast over water in freezing (65 s latitude) weather because my crewmates were hanging in a boat being brought aboard and a limit switch was stuck. The controls were behind a bolted (weather proof) steel cover. While the electricians were still working to remove the cover, I climbed the mast and helped my friends out of rough water. But had no problems because I was paying attention to what I was doing.
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