Table Saw

I have a Ryobi collapsable saw and it works nice. It's fairly accurate and easy to take down and move around. Not the best quality (I'm sure the Bosch is better) but for something that spends most of it's time stored in a corner of the basement, it works well enough when I need it.

 

I bought a cheap model 1 month ago, because I have lot of woodwork to do and my right hand is not well working as before, rapidly tired.
I use it instead of my portable saw, I just have to put the wood piece on the table instead of carrying the saw. It is easier for me.
But... I don't like these saws because they don't like our fingers.
So I work very carefully. A friend of mine was carpenter, woodwork is the most accidented job (fingers, hands).

 

I owned a wood shop for over 10 years and did it for a living. Table saws are dangerous. If you take safety precautions, you will be fine. If you rush, are tired or don't take care and work safely, the saw can eat you. Getting your hand in the blade is only one way a saw can hurt you. It can bind the wood and throw a 2x4 back hard enough to really injure you. Which is only one reason I don't like saw stops. It takes a very dangerous tool and gives you the appearance of making it safe.

No table saw is ever safe. Ever. Always, always use it with caution. I've never been cut by a saw but I am always cautious and always keep my hands away from the blade.

While I"m on the saw stop, I used to teach woodworking at Woodcraft. I had 2 different students do stupid things and get their hands in the saw stop. After it happened I asked them what happened. Both times they did something they new was unsafe but did it anyway because they knew if they touched the blade, it would not cut them. THen there is the legal issue but I"ll just say you need to google that to see what that company has tired to do to other table saw companies.

 

That was always my first thought about the Sawstop...that it might lead some people to become complacent around the table saw. Like you say, there are many ways a table saw can hurt you. Honestly, the worst accidents I've seen around any type of saw involved users who were just careless, in too big a hurry, or those who failed their post accident drug test. If you are aware of where your hands are in relation to the blade at all times; use an appropriate push stick/device, featherboard, etc.; don't stand directly behind the wood you're ripping; use the guard and a riving knife/splitter if you can; have some sort of outfeed support; don't wear leather gloves, long sleeves that aren't buttoned or long hair that isn't tied up; and be AWARE that any cut you make can result in the loss of a finger or fingers, an eye, or worse, leave you bleeding out and you'll be fine.

After all that, I don't use the guard on my saw at home. But I am always extra careful.

 

Yes, a saw is a danger. That is why I prefered to use an electric hand saw (3 kinds, circular, and the others I dno't know the name in english) but I can cut many kind of wood and I keep the control of the blade because I hold it in my hand.
This is less powerful and perfect than the table saw, but I can cut until 9 cm (3 inches?) of wood without problem. For big parts I can use a chain saw.
But, to cut long and wide panels, it is boring and not perfect, a table saw is better.
And because my right hand is a little bit tired, it is easier.
Imagine that, everytime I start the table saw, I am afraid of it and I double precautions/care.

 

yes, or whan you want to work fast! I have an old farm, all structure is in wood and to repair I must use wood, it is nicer.

When I was younger, no problem but... soon 69, and the right hand sometimes tell me not to do too much.
Nothing broken, but tennis, motorcycle, pneumatic tools... I sometimes loose strength and it is when I need it.

My only safety is to work not slowly, but calmly. I do less work in a day.

I paid recently the roof wrokers/carpenter to rebuild one part of roof on a big barn, covered with small rustic tiles.
They work all day, non-stop except for lunch, using heavy power tools, a crane... in 6 days all was done.

It would have be 3 weeks for me, and not sure because they have very pro tools.

New tools on batttery are very powerful but you must hold them, and they are expensive.
I have bought some and it avoids me to use my right hand non-stop. I cannot well use the left one... must train!

 

This has been an interesting thread. I too have one of the Bosch job-site saws, and it's great. It's their least expensive model - https://www.amazon.com/Bosch-GTS103...d=1473085911&sr=1-2&keywords=bosch+table+saws My only complaint is the miter gauge seems like a toy. I may spring for the Incra mentioned earlier in the thread. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000051WS...TF8&colid=2LBW945TZC4U9&coliid=I3RREQB6WIZ6XX And the table does not extend very far. This tool is meant to be carried like a suitcase, and is not offered with the wheeled stand. The optional stand does work well though. Watch the video at the Amazon link.

Regarding safety, I think the main theme is - you can never get lazy and/or complacent. I've been around and using table saws all my life, and I still find the sight of the spinning blade sobering and its potential to hurt you a little shocking. My saw came with a formidable looking and complicated blade guard and kick-back stop that I removed and have not used. My impression is that this is more of a CYA effort on Bosch's part, and that most users will remove it and use the saw in the "traditional" way. Any thoughts?

 

I use my guards as much as the cut will allow..........the anti-kick back devise I've had to fix a few times...........the plastic fold down guard works pretty well and at least reminds you where your fingers do not belong.........If you notice in my last photo.............the supplied plastic pusher is front and center & has had it's face trimmed a few times by the blade as it should..........

 

Yep, I use the pusher regularly.

The chip/dust collection works well too. I connect my saw to my shop vac and run it while I'm cutting. Saves a lot of time in clean-up.

 

If I remember correctly, the Bosch guard is pretty user friendly as far as removal and replacement goes, whereas some of the jobsite saws are a PITA especially after they get beat up from being thrown in a gang box or some delivery kid driving a flatbed cranks a ratchet strap over the guard and fence. Some of those guards can get so loose, or be so carelessly installed by a previous user that it's more scary to have it in place! OSHA fines heavily for a jobsite table saw with no guard, so it's usually on at work unless we're making a type of cut in which the guard interferes...or scribing baseboard or cabinet fillers freehand, which you really don't want OSHA to see

The anti-kickback pawls are a good safety feature but sometimes we have to tie them up out of the way as they will scratch some of the finishes as they ride along the face of the wood. Alternatives are a featherboard clamped vertically to the fence or something like Board Buddies.

I have a feeling that most saws used at home have had the guard removed, but I'm not sure about that. It would be interesting to see how many of us keep the guard in place.

 

In studies I've seen, and also after 30 years with the Rescue Squad, the table saw is clearly the most dangerous tool in woodworking as far as frequency of injuries. Particularly to the left hand and fingers. It can be very ugly.

However (as a lifelong professional builder/woodworker) I never have used a guard, and I don't believe doing so would have helped any better than good (safe) technique.

The trick is to survive the learning curve (!) and always pay full attention. I did nick myself once but when that happened I was thinking about something else I was ticked off about.

YMMV

 

I just upgraded from a cheap skil table sae to the collapsible porter cable. It was 300 bucks or so. Been an amazing saw for ripping plywood down in my building projects. It finally has me going to it instead of the circular saw like i favored with the skil.

 

I absolutely agree with 95% of your post. The other 5% I would say is a radial arm saw is more dangerous.

 

So I am happy to be in good condition. No motorcycle accident, I stopped when I was 45. A survival. never been to hospital in my life.
The fact to write this may be dangerous!
Effectively, I have installed my table saw but just look at it! lige at at bear in front of me in the wild...
I tried it, cut some wood but... I believe that I'll manage a safety space around to work very freely.

I have mode some research on the web to learn what is a porter cable saw.
I was imagining a cable turning at high speed like a chain saw... but it was a Porter & Cable saw.

About space at work around a machine, that is the reason of problems in many cases. You want to move and you hurt something or someone and ... accident.

I remember 2 factories in which a worked long ago. textile machines. Big ones, 15 yards long.
In France, the space between 2 machines was 2 yards. 2 workers had problems when they were at the same level.

In Switzerland, there was at least 5 yards so it was easy to work.

The French manager was always looking at cheaper, save money so he bought the machines (400.000$ each) but saved the space!

result : bad work and maybe accidents.

 

Not in the studies I read, but maybe that's because no one has used a radial arm saw in the last twenty years - they were too dangerous.

 

Lets face it these machines are not dangerous ..........it's the individuals that operate them without respect or knowledge of the proper operation............Radial Arm saw, that's pretty much all you had years ago.........Rip, crosscut, sand, dado & bevel ...........that was a pretty amazing machine if you understood it's capabilities.

 

I have had an old Craftsman belt drive iron table saw for 25 years, but "inherited" a used DeWalt portable (plastic/alloy) a few years back. Night and day difference for the better. I'll give the old one away if I can find somebody to take it.

On the topic of dangerous, I seriously cut my knee open back in my mid-20s on an old Rockwell power miterbox. Plastic guard was broken, and yes, I got careless doing repetitive cuts. Pick up block on the right, cut angle, set finished piece on left, all while stooping. After about 40 pieces, I swung my knee into the blade after making the cut. 1 3/4" deep, angled under the kneecap from the side. Three levels of stitches, but didn't sever anything critical, though it did cut into the joint. The doc said I would have serious arthritis by my mid 30s, but thankfully, all I have is a scar. I got real lucky and have never had a close call since. Back in those days, the blades didn't have any kind of brake either!
-Donny

 

That one did. A "knee brake".

 

They are just like guns. Its the negligence of the operator that causes accidents.