Table saw dangers

skittles11

I'm looking to buy a table saw to try my hand at making a few cabinets and wardrobes for my new house as it seems like the only way I can afford to have them! I'm ok with my hands and have some experience with decking and flooring but never taken on anything quite like this.

Anyway, I have my eye on a particular table saw but my Dad is telling me not to get one (Im 38 btw!) as their too dangerous. Is this really the case? Apart from the obvious, running your fingers through the blade, is there anything else I should be aware of? Maybe I'm being naive but I don't really see it.

Alternatively, are there places you can go to get wood cut? I know B&Q do it but you have to buy it there at their prices.

Thanks in advance.

the_pen_turner

skittles11 wrote: »

I'm looking to buy a table saw to try my hand at making a few cabinets and wardrobes for my new house as it seems like the only way I can afford to have them! I'm ok with my hands and have some experience with decking and flooring but never taken on anything quite like this.

Anyway, I have my eye on a particular table saw but my Dad is telling me not to get one (Im 38 btw!) as their too dangerous. Is this really the case? Apart from the obvious, running your fingers through the blade, is there anything else I should be aware of? Maybe I'm being naive but I don't really see it.

Alternatively, are there places you can go to get wood cut? I know B&Q do it but you have to buy it there at their prices.

Thanks in advance.

they are reasonably dangerous. you need to be cautios . if your not comfortable then you will make it dangerous.
saying that even the safest of tools are dangerous if your an idiot.
i think you would be better off with a circular saw or track saw

listermint

Without being totally funny,

Yes Table saws are dangerous, but so is an automobile.

Does your father allow you to drive @38 years of age or is being on the road at over 100Kmph in a metal box surrounded by other equally fast metal boxes not a danger :cool:

Jack the Stripper

Accidents happen in bed, op you're old enough now to make the decision.

Mulbert

Kick back. Look it up on you tube.

woodturner

The most dangerous machine in a workshop is a bandsaw. Tablesaws are relatively safe if all the safety guards and riving knives kept in place. With these all in use the only thing that could happen is to get a chip in your eye. Pushsticks will keep your hands well away from the blade.

the_pen_turner

woodturner wrote: »

The most dangerous machine in a workshop is a bandsaw. Tablesaws are relatively safe if all the safety guards and riving knives kept in place. With these all in use the only thing that could happen is to get a chip in your eye. Pushsticks will keep your hands well away from the blade.

why do you think the band saw is the most dangerous.
bandsaw is one if thee not safest tools you can own.

all the force is down . no chance of dangerous kickback, even if you touched the blae the worsed you would get is a cut. a table saw will cut your hand off.
if the blade comes off a bandsaw very little bad will happen.

Jack the Stripper

A bandsaw will cut your hand off too penturner wake up.

gctest50

you want a sawstop you do

the_pen_turner

Jack the Stripper wrote: »

A bandsaw will cut your hand off too penturner wake up.

no it wont. unless you feed it into it.
not a nice accident but not on the scale of a saw blade

shopper2011

Ear defenders, eye protection and good ventalation. Sawdust also highly flamable so an extractor or hoover to collect. Ideally do you have a suitable workspace? This should be carefully considered!
Regarding personal injury; Im guessing you'll be fine if your carefull. In my opinion its not newbies who have serious accidents with equipment buts complaceny and rushing by more experienced individuals which causes digit injury etc

Jack the Stripper

Sawdust highly flammable lol, workshops going on fire every day because of sawdust.

woodturner

You'd have to be pretty stupid to cut your hand on a tablesaw. Your hand should always be kept away from the blade whereas with a bandsaw your more likely to be cutting small irregular shaped pieces which will put your hand very close to the blade. On a bandsaw you tend to push the piece harder when you get resistance. This could be from irregular interlocking grain but once you're past that the piece can shoot forward.

shopper2011

Jack the Stripper wrote:

Sawdust highly flammable lol, workshops going on fire every day because of sawdust.

Ok maybe not highly flamable, but does make a big mess.

Jack the Stripper

shopper2011 wrote: »

Ok maybe not highly flamable, but does make a big mess.

We use saw dust in garage for oil soak up, god love you.

Steve

As others have said, kick back (lose a testicle) and finger chop (not as bad) are the dangers.

I've seen the former happen, it's not pleasant.

skittles11

listermint wrote: »

Without being totally funny,

Yes Table saws are dangerous, but so is an automobile.

Does your father allow you to drive @38 years of age or is being on the road at over 100Kmph in a metal box surrounded by other equally fast metal boxes not a danger :cool:

Actually, the reason I even posted this question is that my Dad never had much of an issue with me buying the most ludicrous of cars over the year's and yet he's pushing the point on this!

What exactly is 'kick back'? It sounds like something that might happen when you hit a knot or something. Im planning on using mainly MDF and ply. Would a track saw be a good alternative for ripping 8ft sheets?

Bonzo Delaney

skittles11 wrote: »

Actually, the reason I even posted this question is that my Dad never had much of an issue with me buying the most ludicrous of cars over the year's and yet he's pushing the point on this!

What exactly is 'kick back'? It sounds like something that might happen when you hit a knot or something. Im planning on using mainly MDF and ply. Would a track saw be a good alternative for ripping 8ft sheets?

All wood working tools are safe once they're maintained and common sense and confidence is observed when using them
And equally as dangerous if not.
With regards to ripping 8x4sheets its a panel saw you woukd need to this' safely
A table saw would do but it'd have to be a goid pro one and have supporting tables made up around it to keep the sheets straight on the saw
As a domestic site carpenter and joinery fitter
I find the track saw invaluable for riping 8x4sheets and panel cutting safely and accurately even though a range topping festool will set you back north of 800 €
But theres other good makes for considerably less
All you need is a mobile bench that will carry and support an 8x4 sheet eg 2/3 decent trestles and a few 8ft lenghts if 4x2
Only thing is a track saw is no use for general circular saw work due to the plunge feature
Food for tought .

Alun

Jack the Stripper wrote: »

Sawdust highly flammable lol, workshops going on fire every day because of sawdust.

We're not talking of setting fire to big piles of sawdust here, the most that will do is smoulder.

It's very well known that any fine inflammable dust in the air in sufficient concentrations can pose a significant explosion risk if there's a spark to set it off. It's a very well known phenomenon, and has happened in furniture factories, flour and sugar manufacturers and is also a big problem in bulk carrier ships when loading and unloading stuff like flour for example.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=dust+explosions

Steve

skittles11 wrote: »

What exactly is 'kick back'? It sounds like something that might happen when you hit a knot or something.

When cutting, you are pushing the workpiece against the rotation of the blade. This helps hold it flat onto the table.

Kick back is when for whatever reason the blade bites and the workpiece rides up on it and it and propels it back at you at great speed.
It's a bigger risk when ripping long boards or sheets so, if possible, always stand to the side out of the line of fire.

jack of all

There's plenty of good videos on youtube that will demonstrate kickback, how it occurs and how it can be prevented. A table saw is a very useful machine, in addition to ripping and crosscutting (with a sled) you can make jigs to form tenons etc. If you do decide to get a table saw you could do a lot worse than read Kelly Mehler's "Table Saw" book- it's very readable and gives you all the info you need to select a saw, how to use it safely and what jigs, accessories etc you may need to get the most out of it. First project should be to make some suitable push sticks and a crosscut sled.

colm_mcm

A circular saw with a track would be safer and easier to cut large sheets with. A small table saw is a pain to cut sheets on as its very hard to cut them straight.

jack of all

colm_mcm wrote: »

A circular saw with a track would be safer and easier to cut large sheets with. A small table saw is a pain to cut sheets on as its very hard to cut them straight.

Agreed, I break down full sheets with a circular saw and a straight edge before maching them further on my small table saw.

colm_mcm

OP is looking to save money vs buying cheap flat pack furniture, I woud assume the budget is tight.

skittles11

colm_mcm wrote: »

OP is looking to save money vs buying cheap flat pack furniture, I woud assume the budget is tight.

Thanks for all the helpful replies, I've read up a good bit on track saws and think that might be the best way to go. I had seen them before but thought they were just circular saws with a guide. Maybe if I get into it I could buy a table saw in a year or so.

Budget is an issue but I dont mind spending a few quid (within reason) on the right tools. Theres a lot of wardrobes, cabinets and shelving to do over the next few weeks/months so assuming my work will be good enough, the potential savings should more than offset the cost of tools.