The Hodaka Club Forum

This happened to my thumb recently, It was not a pleasant experience but it cold have been much worse. The bone was not touched at all and it could have been cut off completely very easily. It happened with a table saw when I was building a green house for the wife.
I am not a young man anymore. And I better be careful. I certainly will with that damn table saw. Be careful Gentlemen.

Here it is after a little repair.

very ouch! How long ago was that

Rich

its been about two months since it happened, I am just grateful that I did not loose that thumb. It was hard to do much with it. Made me realize how important things like thumbs are. My goodness. Its back to normal now just about.

My Dad had a more serious tangle with a table saw blade during his late '70's and ended up with very little strength or flexibility in his fingers and thumb. It sure put a crimp in his activities building things. Your experience and his will serve as a constant caution to use safe procedures with cutting types of power tools.

I'm so glad to hear the thumb is almost back to normal!
Ed

Not sure exactly how that happened but like most of us, I'm guessing the blade guard was taken off the saw? I know that I find them a pain in the butt to leave on. I know they're not bullet proof but I'm guessing they do work in most cases. Very nasty cut, I hope things get back to normal for you.

Yes of course the guard was off! Dummies like me don't need guards. Ha! There is one on now. That is not going to happen again. Yes power tools can be dangerous. Thanks Gentlemen.

I've studied this in detail during my surgery residency at the University of Pittsburgh in preparation for a grand rounds presentation following a table saw related fatality. At that time, there were over 30,000 table saw related significant injuries annually in the USA. The majority of significant injuries were related to table saw kickback. Remember, the blade is turning TOWARD the operator. The front half of the blade is driving the working piece down into the table, but the back half of the blade is moving away from the table. If the working piece is rotated or skewed into the blade past its half way point, it can be bound by the blade and subsequently propelled toward the operator at an extremely high velocity. This mechanism can be enhanced while ripping or if the cutting operation involves the use of a ripping fence. This was the mechanism that resulted in a devastating zone 2 penetrating neck injury with lethal consequences for the patient I presented. This same situation can pull the operator's hand into the blade as it happens literally in the blink of the eye and there is no way to let go in time to spare an horrific laceration. On properly equipped table saws, there is a thin guard, called a riving knife, that is fitted immediately in line with and behind the blade that is designed to prevent the working piece from rotating into, binding and being propelled by the back half of the blade. Never EVER remove this safety feature. If your saw doesn't have one, then install one. Its just like riding a motorcycle - ALL safety gear EVERY TIME you ride.

Very interesting post there. My injury from the saw was not a result of kick back. I am familiar with the kick back you describe. I just stuck my thumb into the blade by pushing the wood through. Just a stupid thing on my part. There will be a guard on from now on. The experience of trauma and shock from that accident was very unpleasant. And it will not happen again. Especially when I think that my grandson will help at times. He will learn about machinery safety now that's for sure.
I should have know better, I took a machinery safety course for the company I worked for years ago. The injuries that have occurred from machinery are horrible. Yes all safety gear at all times. Thanks

ef, I am as guilty as the next when it cones to safety gear. I know the scene well. "I just need to make this one quick cut so safety glasses aren't necessary. One quick confirmatory jetting run without a helmet. Just a few taps on a drift with this hammer". These things and many more I've done. I took the antikickback guard off a chain saw so I could plunge cut with it and darn near cut my fingers off when it kicked back. Lessons learned my friend. Now, I'm a firm believer in all safety precautions. I don't even let my kids in my shop without safety glasses on.

That's great, and that's the way I am going to be from now. Safety first! Thanks