hackaday.com: Our comments section has been pretty busy lately with talk of table saws and safety, so we decided to feature this sobering video about table saw kickback. [Tom] is a popular YouTube woodworker. He decided to do a safety video by demonstrating table saw kickback. If you haven’t guessed, [Tom] is an idiot – and he’ll tell you that himself before the video is over. There are two hacks here. One is [Tom’s] careful analysis and preparation for demonstrating kickback (which should be fail of the week fodder). The other “hack” here is the one that came breathtakingly close to happening – [Tom’s] fingers.
20 comments:
I'm just going to put it out there; I probably should not have just watched this video. Saws are the most terrifying thing in a Scene Shop to me. I know that they can be very safe if we follow certain safety instructions, but, after watching this video, I can understand further how easy it is to hurt yourself with a saw. Something I'll never understand is where there aren't more obvious instructions on the face of a saw. This definitely did not make me want to use a saw anytime soon, but rather, made me want to ask DR for some more lessons in proper saw usage.
Well, the first thing I learned from this video was not to deliberately attempt to demonstrate incredibly dangerous mistakes with incredibly dangerous power tools. This guy didn't really think this through. However, I think everyone should watch this video before they're allowed anywhere near a table saw- seeing how close his fingers came to the blade, even when he was expecting and planning for the kickback, really proves how dangerous this is, and how essential simple safety guards are. It wasn't just dangerous for him- it could have hurt someone standing behind him, as you can see in the video with how the wood got tangled in the sheet. I don't know if CMU's shop has the SawStop device that is mentioned in the article- it seems to be an essential protection, especially when so many amateurs are using the tools.
First off I want to make sure that people realize that the SAW Stop will not do a damn thing to prevent a kickback especially like this. The saw stop will only stop the operator from having his hand cut on the blade after the kick back.
Sarah, no our table saw does not have a SawStop on it but the architecture shop does. Relatively speaking we do not have amateurs using our table saw because we train all of our operators to us the table saw properly and safely. Accidents do happen, I had my first kickback this year because I was running a piece through the table saw left handed wasn't able to control it. Accidents happen and this guy is a moron for trying to demonstrate such an accident with his bare hands. Great thank you for showing us what would happen but he could have done it in exponentially safer ways.
Before this video I was afraid of the table saw. Now I am even more afraid of the table saw. Im not sure why the table saw in specific makes me more afraid than all of the other saws, but it does. I am kind of surprised at how little precautions this guy took when trying to force a kickback. He is obviously aware of how dangerous it is, yet he just goes about it with minimal protection. There are many ways to more safely replicate dangerous maneuvers. I have had a kick back on the table saw and it is incredibly scary and luckily I wasn't hurt. But I definitely am now more afraid of the table saw now than I was before.
You have to have a healthy dose of respect for any tool that has the potentially to maim you. I swear that like dogs, power tools can tell if you are afraid and react accordingly. Obviously the tool is not reacting to your fear, but the way a fearful operator runs the machine is much more dangerous, as generally being afraid of something means you don't know the proper way to use it and aren't comfortable around it. This guy in the video was an absolute idiot. Just because you're purposely attempting to replicate something dangerous doesn't make it any safer.
I agree with Alex on how after watching this video, this only made me scared of table saw even more, but I am still glad that I saw this kickback video. Until my sophomore year, I have not had any real chance to operate table saw during crew. So, Table saw was the only thing that I was not comfortable with, but I thought that the Table saw will be just like the other saw, so it would be very easy to work with. However, as I was using it in my sophomore year, I got a lot of warnings and advice from other people and I realized how I was thinking wrong. Now that I watched this video makes me even consider that I should have enough information on how to use for every saw. The scariest thing in this video was that it can hurt not only myself but also other people in the shop. Also, looking at how close his fingers got, I think this video definitely reminded me of safety first and asking instructions if I do not feel comfortable with. I do not think he is an idiot. Although it was dangerous to take this kind of risk, he definitely succeeded in reminding people that any danger can happen.
While I agree that the maker of this video was somewhat of an idiot to attempt to recreate a very dangerous situation, it also served as a way to shed some light on the seriousness of the tools in a shop. The table saw is a very versatile and useful tool, when used correctly and with respect. Like Sean said, in no way does the "SawStop" device have anything to do with this video or kickbacks in general, a "SawStop" is a special invention that uses the lack of conductivity in wood to detect your finger and stop the blade even though it is spinning at about 3-4000 revolutions per minute. It is essential that the operator knows clearly how to use the tool, and if they at all feel uncomfortable about using it, to ask someone who knows.
Wow...just wow. Before I saw this video I already had a ton of respect for the table saw, and I still do. I feel like trying to demonstrate how not to use tools always has the potential for disaster, and this was definitely the case here. Even with "careful" planning and forethought, he still almost cut his finger off. This shows just how unpredictable kickback is and exactly what makes it so dangerous. At least it didn't go more poorly than it already did. He is very lucky he still has all of his fingers. I will continue to be just as careful as I already am when using the table saw.
Allow me to point out one thing, in this situation, in this video, a SawStop would have been triggered the second that the blade deflected enough to make contact with the insert plate, had that happened then the blade probably would have retracted before his fingers were endangered. NOW, this will not always be the case and Nick and Sean are correct. This guy clearly made a mistake and accurately illustrated the unpredictable nature of power tools. If you take one thing away from this, it's that you should has respect the tool you're working with, the moment you don't is the exact moment that you're in the most danger.
I think this guy is really stupid for deliberately doing something that could have caused him a severe injury. That being said his video certainly does justice demonstrating how dangerous a table saw can be. If anything this video makes me question why we don't have a SawStop device in our shop. I understand that users of the table saw are trained to use it properly but that doesn't mean accidents cant still happen. If the guy in the video really did get his fingers sucked into the blade he likely would still have them thanks to the SawStop. The kickback could have still injured someone standing behind him but at least he would have been safer. This seems like a valid reason for considering the purchase of a SawStop table saw. In my opinion it seems like a no brainer the more safety features one can obtain the better.
I was going to comment on this video, but it seems that would be redundant. The sum of the other comments on the page encompass most of what I would have to say about kickbacks, SawStop (except the strange militant anger I get about the patent and regulation controversy around that technology). I think one important thing to take away from this discussion it to realize, every time you step up to a tool, that someday you are going to have an incident. Someday, something you can't predict will occur, and it will occur so fast that when it's over you won't remember it happening. This realization is what instills the healthy respect required to be a safe user of dangerous tools. Whether or not that "incident" becomes an "accident" is largely based on your preparation for it, and the habits of awareness you build by reminding yourself of the inevitable every time go to your work. It's the Samurai way. You remember your Uncle Maury? With the three fingers? "Memento Maury."
I'm glad I was able to see a real life example of this. I personally didn't know what exactly a kickback was so it was cool I suppose to see a video of one. However, I do think this guy was stupid, even though it was a very educational video. It's scary to think just how dangerous the things we use pretty much daily can be. I don't know much about table saws, but I know I feel comfortable using them in our shop because I know those in charge of the shop know what they are doing so I know the equipment is safe. However, I'm hoping once I'm out in the real world, I'll be working with people who I feel are just as knowledgable so things like this don't happen. It's scary to think these objects we use do this and I would hate to have to experience this myself, whether I am the person on the table saw or just in the general area of any accident on a table saw due to these types of issues.
I’m glad that this video was posted. Especially since it relates to table saws, which are certainly among the top most common saws in any shop.
The disclaimer at the beginning of the video was entirely accurate. That guy was a moron. At least he knew that going in.
This kickback video is actually really terrifying. I’d make it a part of any table saw training. The intent wouldn’t be that people fear the tool, just that they respect it and know how to use it correctly.
It certainly has a lot of “Don’t Do That” Value.
Well, the guy was a moron, but I suppose we can at least thank him for this public service announcement. The video definitely gave me a greater appreciation for the potential danger in using shop tools. I was amazed at the speed with which the situation went from just fine to totally out of control. The wood really did fly like a bullet. Well, I'm glad the working environment at CMU drama is highly safety conscious. I'll certainly be more careful when using the table saw, but I'm not discouraged from using it.
I'm in awe of how much a simple part of a saw can do for safety. Back in high school we would just pull the riving knife off a saw and not give it a second thought. After seeing this video I realize how much danger we were putting ourselves in. This is definitely a video that should be shown to anyone who works in a shop so they know just how dangerous the tools they work with can be.
While this video serve a purpose for others who would have been dumb enough to try this, I can't imagine what possessed a man, who has obviously been using power tools for a number of years, to do this. When I first heard about kickback,I thought "well that sounds dangerous" and haven't ever used a saw improperly. The fact that some people still knowingly do is baffling to me, but I am happy that this teaching tool is now a thing that exist.
Terrifying. The only thing I agree with this man about is how idiotic his actions were. Very easily could he have lost a finger or two and this would have been his last carpentry video.
As for the SawStop discussion, I am not so sure that having a SawStop would have saved any fingers in this situation. The technology for the safety of that blade is optimal when the fingers are approaching from a direct frontal angle. As you can see in the slow mo, his hand almost grazes the blade from the side, providing a larger surface for which the blade to make contact and more damage would have occurred than the infamous hot-dog paper cut seen in SawStop promo videos.
This guy openly admits that what he was doing is stupid and hes right but ive done a very similar thing also. The only fairly severe injury that ive ever gotten in the shop was from when i was trying to cross cut something on the table saw and it kicked back and took a chunk out of the side of my thumb as i prevented the piece from hitting my face. Kick back is one of the scariest things that can happen with a tool because it is unexpected and very fast and i appreciate the fact that this guy has showed exactly what happens. Ever since that one event for me, i have been exponentially more careful when using tools of all sorts.
This is just stupid, and he knows he is stupid. Maybe he is right that he shouldn't use a table saw without a splitter or guard, cause he's stupid. I have used a table saw without a splitter or guard for many years, and never had any kickback. Maybe I'm just lucky, but I also use common sense. One thing to know is you should always have clear space at the end of the table saw, and be able to handle what you are cutting length and width wise. Also, don't be stupid and turn the board back on the blade, stupid.
Oh my god, this is just about the scariest thing ever.
I'm really happy that he posted this video and that he is sharing this. I think it's sort of brave that he is being so critical of himself, going so far as to calling himself an idiot to get a point across.
DR was talking about kickbacks but obviously didn't try to demonstrate them.
I'm glad I saw this video, it reminds me to be careful and how dangerous the table saw is.
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