Well… that was stupid…

[CH4Ohio]

I don’t do a lot of woodworking… just small things around the house…

Right now the plan is to see what’s possible with my circular saw/demolition saw/jig saw… lots of good ideas available for: “do i really need a table saw”?

I get it. There are lots of easy fence options that will work for ripping with a circular saw. Just be sure to make yourself a stable wide surface to work on so you're not trying to "balance" your saw on a skinnier board.

I use a compound sliding miter saw for most all crosscuts these days. Circular saw for occasional ripping and panel cuts. (Just because it's quicker than clearing my mess off the table saw.)

Another common mistake is NOT adjusting the depth of cut. You only want an 1/8" - 1/4" of blade clearing the cut on the back side. Lots of people will use the same setting whether they're cutting a 2x8 or 1/4" lauan. All that extra blade dragging through the cut really slows the motor down and causes the blade to grab and kick-back.

 

[WinterDeere]

I had the pleasure of watching someone cut their finger off on my table saw, never a pretty sight. Their choices were basically the same, and they chose the inoperable "fixed" finger, permanently slightly-bent. It's only funny because, in their case, it's the middle finger.

Hope it all heals up as well as possible. To anyone criticizing the OP for the injury, remember that guards are not there to protect the inexperienced, but because accidents happen to even those with ample experience and expertise.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

My grandfather, born late 1800s, went to various trade schools before college (Mechaical Engineering, M.D., D.O.). In woodworking class, early 1900s, a student lost a finger while using a band saw. Back from the hospital and insurance agent asked the student how it happened. So he showed the agent by removing yet another finger!

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Many years ago I cut the end off of my left hand little finger. I was using 120v hedge clippers, holding a branch back and felt a tickle. At the hospital a surgeon reattached it, it wasn't completely severed. It doesn't look that bad.

 

[MossRoad]

For me anyway when a tool or pos equipment wrongs me cuz of my irresponsible cobblery or continued repair attempts to no avail, I usually gratifyingly at the time destroy it with a sledge hammer, large beating device, fire, occasionally have used my tractor loader and more recently my mini x. Lol in any case I feel for you.

 

[S854]

Many years ago I cut the end off of my left hand little finger. I was using 120v hedge clippers, holding a branch back and felt a tickle. At the hospital a surgeon reattached it, it wasn't completely severed. It doesn't look that bad.View attachment 842406View attachment 842407

Oooh... pictures... you guys want pictures?!?

Do you have a strong constitution?

 

[MossRoad]

How much does it cost to replace a SawStop brake?


A standard brake cartridge costs $99 USD and a dado brake cartridge $119 USD. SawStop saws are designed to absorb the force of activation and are not damaged by it.

Not a bad price to pay to keep your digits.

 

[MossRoad]

Oooh... pictures... you guys want pictures?!?

Do you have a strong constitution?

Yes!

 

[jjeff]

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Ouch, lol fortunately I still have a shorty I cut a good chunk of the handle off quite a few years ago, Made it a bit more controllable and portable.

 

[mrmikey]

Re lost fingers.
I remember my dad (he worked in the shipyard during the war) telling me you could always tell a plater. They were missing at least one finger from using their finger to check for rivet hole alignment. He would always say to me, "Never stick your finger where you wouldn't stick yer doins' " Word to live by in my books LOL
Many years ago my wife, I and two kids were visiting my folks....a knock come to the door, it was their next door neighbour white as a sheet holding one hand in the other. "Would you mind taking me to the the ER? " "Sure, no problem" as I was turning away to get my coat he was holding the screen door open and as I couldn't see anything wrong right away, I asked him, "What's wrong, you not feeling too good"
"Not really" he says and proceeds to hold up his curled up left hand with his right and opens up his left hand. He had cut thru the palm of his left hand from base of hand to base of fingers on his tablesaw. Well...I've got a pretty strong stomach but that almost did me in. Nice straight cut tho...he must have used the fence I figure

 

[S854]

Yes!

I’ll start with the “easy” one… I’ll just put in the thumbnail view… clic if’n ya wanna… there’s more where this came from…

 

[KennyG]

I keep on ( carefully) using my ancient Craftsman table saw but my son, just out of college invested in a SawStop. As he noted, you never have to replace the brake if you don't have an accident. I think it's a smart way to go. Plus it's a really nice saw.

 

[Michiganguy]

I shared this in a previous thread.
I have an old Craftsman miter saw with a guard that broke off probably 35 years ago. About 10 years ago I was cutting rafters for a wood shed and reached across to grab a piece of cutoff scrap and got my wrist in the blade. Got the bone, main artery, five tendons and a bunch of nerves. Ended up with limited motion and no feeling in the thumb, an index finger with maybe 10% feeling, middle finger with maybe 30% and ring finger with about 50% feeling. Pinky is the only finger that wasn’t affected.
I went out and bought a nice sliding miter saw but because of the stupid (cheap?) part of me I couldn’t bring myself to throw the old one out. Just used it to make a couple of quick cuts the other day……now
that’s stupid!!!

 

[WinterDeere]

He had cut thru the palm of his left hand from base of hand to base of fingers on his tablesaw... Nice straight cut tho...he must have used the fence I figure

Not only is that the most amusing observation I've read in weeks, it reminds me of the strange little details you can notice and remember during a crisis.

 

[garry1p]

After crushing the end of my finger my wife was driving me to the hospital and I made the comment "this is really starting to hurt". Her comment was "you think that hurts you should try having a baby".

 

[2manyrocks]

Sorry this happened. I bought a Dewalt portable table saw a few years ago. The fence adjustment is so easy and accurate compared to my older table saws that I don't really use them anymore, not to mention that the saw guard works and it is so much more portable.

 

[etpm]

I really feel for you. I know what it is like to have tendons re-attached and waiting a year for nerves to grow back. I think it bothers me more to see other people hurt than me. I know nothing I say will make your situation better, nevertheless I sure hope you heal quickly. Oh yeah, don't do that again.
Eric

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Over the years my wife has driven me to the ER so many times. Here's a good one. I decided to put a Briggs motor on a bicycle. Top speed was about 65 mph...insane on a flimsy bicycle & no helmet. I had an ignition toggle switch for a "Jake brake".
First trial run I had the side cover off, started it, it was idling and I had a flat blade 6" shaft screwdriver I was going to adjust the carburetor with. BOOM! The screwdriver shaft hit the spinning flywheel fins which drove screwdriver into my right eye .
I shut motor off & pulled screwdriver out. Closed my good eye and looked at the sun. I was blind except sun I could see what looked like a purple curtain. I went to house "well...I did it now!" I said to wife. She grabbed a towel, drove me 80 mph to hospital flashers on, me holding a bloody towel over eye.
X-ray showed screwdriver went into my brain. (That's what's wrong with me ) Doctors asked why I pulled it out? Just a reaction. All they could do was sew up the eyelid, sent me home with an eyepatch and pain meds. The screwdriver went through lid at top, rolling eyeball back.
Looking at it next day it was horrible, red and iris wasn't there. I went to a local eye center to be checked out and given drops of some sort. Then checking every few days the white part appeared, then after a few weeks something below which was the iris. Day by day the iris slowly moved around until finally it was back! Vision was blurry at first but cleared up! Back at the eye center they called me "the miracle guy". I'm 71, no cataracts and they said 20-20 vision. I do use reading glasses for close work, although I can read normal print ok.