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common
questions:
Familiarisation
and complacency do have a way of sneaking in to make
for an unsafe situation. The two words 'safety first'
often come to mind just as I'm about to make that cut.
I'll take an extra second or two to do a quick survey
of the scene, to make sure fingers are out of the way,
or loose sleeves are securely rolled up, or there are
no tripping hazards laying about, etc. I'm sure this
'constant reminder' has saved more than just a finger
or an eye. And I find myself constantly remind my three
boys (and their friends) when they're working around
the house, or before they head out on their daily adventures:
"Have fun, yes, but always remember the first rule,
"safety first".
- Jules
Table
Saw top wax ...After you have removed the rust,
'wash' all metal surfaces with kerosene. As a petroleum
product, kerosene is a 'mild' solvent with paraffin
as a bi-product. After the solvents evaporate, the metal
will be left with a light coating of paraffin wax to
protect it from rusting. Use of any other 'strong' solvent
will remove any protection, allowing rust to creep back
in. After the 'wash down' several light coats (much
better then one heavy coat) of paste wax will keep it
rust free and the wood will gliding smoothly across
the table. MM uses Johnson's Paste Wax, I use Arrow
Paste Wax. Keep the can of wax handy, and buff up your
equipment often. Every now and again, get a half sack
of beer, unplug your equipment, and dedicate an afternoon
to a kerosene wash and re-waxing. This will help with
regular inspection and fine tuning to ensure long life
and faithful service.
- Jules
If
in doubt, err on the side of safety. Look for ways a
workpiece may kick back. I'll often use two or three
featherboards to hold a workpiece down on the tablesaw.
If it does kick back, it's not going very far,and the
saw will stall. It's better to lose a featherboard or
burn a saw belt, than lose a finger or a hand. Use your
pushsticks!
- Dewe4
Safety:
Attention at all times and patience in its use.
- Rusty
Safety:
1. Eye protection
1a. Ear protection
1b. Dust collection and/or dust mask
1c. Common sense and awareness
- CeeBee
#1
Safety Device: Safety glasses! You people with good
eyes don't think about people like me that have one
GOOD eye and the other not VERY good. That's my vote,
otherwise, watch your fingers!
- duckabush
I'd like to vote for the personal respirator as the
#1 Safety Device. I'll explain my rationale--and perhaps
some have additional insights. At one time, all major
aerospace companies had substantial woodshops. New equipment
designs (e.g. cockpits, entire aircraft, trainers, etc.)
would often be prototyped in wood during the early stages
of the project. I have, for example, seen prototypes
of the flight deck on the B-2 bomber, the entire Space
Shuttle (full scale), and the entire Space Station (full
scale)--all done in wood. However, there was a VERY
high incidence of cancer-- particularly lung cancer--among
the (mostly) men who worked in these shops. (I faintly
remember seeing a written report on this, some years
ago.) The disability claims and long-term costs to the
corporations finally brought the problem to light. As
I understand, many of these shops were downsized or
eliminated. This may have been as a result of changing
technologies--but may also have been a result of the
costs related to these health issues. Those new to woodworking
need to be informed about the importance of the personal
respirator as the first line of defense for your long-term
health. Other shop-wide measures (e.g. dust collection
systems, etc.) are certainly needed but the personal
discipline to use the respirator is the responsibility
of each individual. My understanding is that the fine
airborne dust (less than 5 microns) is area of real
concern. Also, I might mention that personal respirators
come in various qualities and prices. Buy the best;
it's cheap insurance.
- Ed Hanna
With
out a doubt, [the #1 safety device] is your head.
If you are always thinking about what can go wrong and
knowing where the cutting edge is at all times you won't
get hurt in the shop. Sometimes I think that the other
safety equipment lulls us into thinking that we are
safe. When there is always something that could go wrong.
Like the vast majority of woodworkers my table saw blade
guard is gone, long gone. I am more aware of the blade
knowing that there is not guard than if it were there.
Now on my shaper I always find some way to keep the
cutter covered except where it meets the wood being
cut. Again I build jigs thinking about how keep my body
parts away from the cutter. That is my $.02
- Lou Williams
I
strongly advise you have a phone in your shop - especially
if you work alone or isolated from the rest of the family.
It should be mounted low enough that you can reach it
from the floor. Accidents happen (well, did to me, anyway)
and you might have to get to that phone while on the
floor. You can't call 911 for yourself if you suddenly
find the phone to be 2 feet higher than you can reach!
I had an accident several years ago while home alone
and had no phone within reach. Luckily for me, I am
a volunteer fire fighter and just happened to have my
2-way radio on my belt at the time. Otherwise I might
have laid there bleeding until my wife came home and
found me.
- Michael Vournazos
My advice to you is to purchase a GOOD set of over the
head ear muffs (at least -25 decibel.) And wear them
EVERY time you turn an electrical tool on! This means
saws, sanders, routers and even the vacuum! These ear
protectors are available at Lowes or Home Depot in the
$30 range. Believe me it's a hell of a lot cheaper than
$2800 for hearing aids that don't work anywhere near
as well as your original hearing. Look at it this way;
you can pay the 30 bucks now or the $2800 later. And,
oh yeah, you'll still be able to hear too.
- rrich
Wear hearing protection in the shop. Use *both* plugs
and muffs for best protection. If you wear glasses muffs
are of limited use because the side pieces break the
seal and let sound in.
- MadMark
I
strongly advise you have a phone in your shop - especially
if you work alone or isolated from the rest of the family.
It should be mounted low enough that you can reach it
from the floor. Accidents happen (well, did to me, anyway)
and you might have to get to that phone while on the
floor. You can't call 911 for yourself if you suddenly
find the phone to be 2 feet higher than you can reach!
I had an accident several years ago while home alone
and had no phone within reach. Luckily for me, I am
a volunteer fire fighter and just happened to have my
2-way radio on my belt at the time. Otherwise I might
have laid there bleeding until my wife came home and
found me.
- Michael Vournazos
Care
includes cleaning blades, keeping them sharp and using
a good lubricant on the blade during work. Care also
to keep the table saw top clean and powered so stock
slides effortlessly (baby power rubbed into the metal
pours with an old style blackboard eraser, I read it
in Fine Woodworking, honest, and it really works.)
- C. Scott
The
first priority is safety. Presumably you will often
be working alone around power tools: give some thought
to how you would notify someone that you need help;
assemble a good first aid kit; read up on shop safety.
- Kevin
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