From: burd@hydra.unm.edu (Stephen Burd ASM)
Newsgroups: rec.woodworking
Subject: Re: Safely cutting off small pieces on a table saw? (+handsaw hint)
Keywords: kickback
Date: 15 Sep 92 17:38:49 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque

In article <BuL8rC.1q2@news.orst.edu> holtt@OCE.ORST.EDU (Tim Holt) writes:
>In article <1992Sep14.133745.13170@cbnewsh.cb.att.com> warren@cbnewsh.cb.att.com (warren.a.montgomery) writes:
>>...  Frequently, the
>>cut off piece catches in the blade and is shot across the room,
>>and while it isn't big enough or fast enough to do major damage, ...
>
>Hah!  Try catching one in the eye some time.  Or have a guest walk in to
>your shop at the wrong time.  Or be making japanese screens with
>ricepaper covering and see what it does to the paper!
>Watching people use saws like that (throwing off pieces) scares the
>heck out of me!

I think a few respondents to the original posting have gone off the deep
end in their concern for shop saftey.  Kind of reminds me of some of the
more superfluous saftey complaints found in Consmer Reports.

The saftey of letting SMALL pieces of cutoff wood has to be balanced
against various factors including the layout of the shop, breakable
items in the shop, and saftey apparel used by the operator.  By SMALL,
I'm talking about pieces that cannot cause impact injuries to skin
(and bone) when thrown by the saw blade.  Certainly, the pieces of dowel
mentioned by the original poster fit in this category.

My saw is positioned within my shop with its front (direction of kickback)
facing the garage door (which is always closed and locked).  It is far
from the doorway to the rest of the house and faces away from it.  Thus, 
the chance of somebody walking unexpectedly through the door and being 
struck by flying wood is virtually nil.  I also don't do any cutting while
somebody else is anywhere near the front of the saw.

In addition, there are no breakables located anywhere near the saw.  I 
would venture to say that few of us operate power tools near Japanese 
ricepaper screens (or large panes of glass, hopefully) and that such 
fragile items are in danger from many 'normal' shop activities such as 
moving materials and tools from one place to another.

As for eye saftey, protection should be worn at all times when using power
tools to protect against flying objects both intentional and accidental.
In addition, strong shoes, heavy trousers, and long sleeved shirts all
substantially reduce the chance of injury from flying objects.  Also, the 
operator should stand away from the potential (or expected) 'line of fire'
whenever possible.

Essentially, the choice of whether or not to 'let it fly' boils down
to time (e.g, from using hand tools or to set up a jig) vs. risk to your 
fingers and hands (e.g., from attempting to hold onto small cutoff pieces)
vs. risk from flying objects.  For SMALL pieces, common sense shop saftey,
good shop layout, proper clothing and eye protection, and proper operator
position can virtually eliminate the risks from kickback.

Now that I and the saftey police have had our tantrums, will somebody
please answer the original poster's question!?


-- 
FROM:      Stephen D. Burd			AT&T:      (505)-277-6418
USNAIL:    Anderson School of Management        FAX:       (505)-277-7108
           University of New Mexico		INTERNET:  burd@hydra.unm.edu
           Albuquerque, NM  87131
Newsgroups: rec.woodworking