General Power Tools and the Male Ego

Written by admin on October 22, 2009 – 2:20 pm -

Power Tools & the Male Ego or watch yourself, stupid!

General Power Tools are my favorite toy.  It doesn’t matter if you are using a woodworking power tool or an ATV, power is simply exciting to the male ego.  The more power the better and the more dangerous.  Every male thinks he is smart enough to avoid the dangers that general power tools create and that is the real problem with those powerful tools.

I have worked with power tools of one kind or another for a lot of years and I am always amazed at the stories I hear about the ways guys are hurt by them.  It seems to me that with a little respect for the tool there would be less accidents every year. ( I will come back and read this the next time I misuse a tool).

There are four woodworking tools that cause the majority of accidents every year.  The table saw, the circular saw,nail guns and utility knives (I have never seen a power utility knife but the statistics list the knife with the other power tools).  I have been instructed in the use of each of these general power tools by my father in his work shop but it wasn’t until I actually got my hands on one and used it for the first time that I really understood how easily it could hurt me.  That developed my respect for the tool, no article or video can get your attention like placing your hand on the table of a running table saw.

Stupid table saw mistakes that you can avoid:
Never turn the table saw on until you have thought out your cuts and safety concerns.  Are you making a cross cut? If so have you removed the fence?  Never cross cut agains the table saw fence.  The problem is that the end of the wood will bind against the fence causing the wood to bind the blade and throw the wood up and away pulling your hand into the blade.  Remember the power turning that blade is awesome. Never stand directly behind the blade, stand to the right or left behing the miter saw slots.  Do not rip wet,bowed or twisted lumber,again they will bind against the blade.  Pay attention to what you are doing and the possiblity that if something goes wrong you could loss a hand or finger. Never remove the safety feature (blade guard) of a table saw.

Stupid mistakes turn a circular saw:
The circular saw is a portable power tool that you can handle with one hand.  You can lose that hand if you do not respect that saw.  Never put your free hand directly behind the blade unless you want the saw to jump out of the cut and run up your arm. Never hold the board you are cutting with your free hand,always clamp it down and place your free hand away from the cut.  Never grab,hold on to or move the blade guard with the saw running.  Watch out for the electric cord when cutting to avoid a very scary surprise (surprise the saw has stopped running and your hair is on fire).  Never cut against your foot, knee or leg unless you no longer have use for them.

Nail gun stupidity:
I see more and more stories in the news about some guy with a nail in his brain,leg or other body part.  Let’s think about this, if a nail gun can drive a 3″ nail thru a 2″ board and 1″ into the board below it must by powerful.  Think about using nail guns the same way you would use a rifle.  Point it at the ground,don’t carry it around carelessly,never point it a someone or in the direction of a buy stander,never place your free hand,knee or head in front of the nail or near the point of attachment,respect its distructive power.

Knives can cut you, stupid:
Why do we sharpen our knives or buy sharp blades for a utility knife and then act surprised when we cut something off?  We want a sharp blade to cut the material we are working on but not ourselves.  Alway’s clamp material down to cut, never place your hand near the cut path,no not apply too much pressure and always respect a sharp blade.  Carelessly using a utility knife may not cut off a leg or arm but it is darn painful to have some Doctor stitch you up not to mention a blow to your ego.

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Tags: general power tools, Nail Guns, Table Saws, the circular saw
Posted in General Woodworking Posts, Nail Guns, Table Saws | 1 Comment »