# Improper bandsaw use - PSA



## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

My plan was to cut a piece of a Cherry log to make some signs on the CNC. I cut two pieces before disaster struck and it was all my fault. I'll tell you before you watch this that it isn't pretty but this video is not gory, no blood. But a Laguna 1" Resaw King blade was destroyed in the process. This is my Public Service Announcement for 2017 - don't do what I did.

David


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

whew...
glad yur okay...


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

WOW , David you scared me , I thought you had lost a hand, WHew what a relief, you are OK. Please don't do that again. That round went from zero to 60 in less than a second.

I was thinking when you started that was a good looking jig you made, guess you needed a dog or hold down of some sort if you don't want to flatten the back and bottom. 

Thanks for posting,
Herb


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Good grief David , you scared the heck out of me !! 
I was actually having a difficult time watching , as obviously were anticipating something going wrong as the video progresses .
To heck with the blade , I'm just very happy that your ok . I've never seen anything like it before , and cannot get over how fast that log started spinning :fie:


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Btw , I thought that reaching around the blade was a no no even before you mentioned it . Just looked dam iffy at best . 
This video certainly shows how fast things can go south.

I still remember a member here mentioning not to reach over the blade on a table saw also , so I try my best to avoid that to


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Holy cow. That was a shocker. You are a lucky guys, a couple of hundred for a blade is nothing compared to what could easily have happened.


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

DesertRatTom said:


> Holy cow. That was a shocker. You are a lucky guys, a couple of hundred for a blade is nothing compared to what could easily have happened.


Tom, one of my former co-workers said he didn't buy a fancy over arm blade guard for his table saw because of the price. Then he got the bill when he cut the tip of his finger off...


David,

I ended up with a broken knuckle and 30 stitches on my left hand after a momentary distraction. Fortunately the Good Lord was watching over me that day and I have healed almost as good as new. Your guitar playing intro had a special impact on me... I lost a little speed and mobility on my bass due to the scar tissue on the knuckle.

So glad you didn't get hurt, and that you have the intestinal fortitude to share your mistakes to keep others from maybe falling into the same trap.


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## Gene Howe (Jul 10, 2007)

Woa! Gives me the shivers.
Thanks for the cautionary video. Should make us all stop and think.


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## JudgeMike (Feb 27, 2012)

WoW... Guess I had a false sense of security about my band saw. I'd have to say your reflexes were working at 110% though. As fast as that log was spinning, your hands pulled back way before the log flew off the table in the quarter speed scene. 

Nice video. I will definitely quit being so complacent at all my saws. Guess we all need a wake-up call occasionally. Thanks for sharing. Glad your well.


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## chessnut2 (Sep 15, 2011)

First of all David, I'm glad you're OK. That could have been tragic. Your lead-in playing guitar was a great way to make the point. I can appreciate it because I was learning to play fingerstyle guitar when I had my ladder accident and damaged some nerves in my hand due to my wrist being broken. So fingerstyle is out now. Gone in an instant.

That's some nice playing. I never wanted to be another Tommy Emmanuel, but the nice, subtle alternating thumb playing you're doing in the second part makes for a full rounded sound. That was my goal. Nice. Nice Takamine with graphic equalizers, too.

Your experience on the video makes me glad that I'm a coward when it comes to moving blades and bits. As you demonstrated, it can happen _soooooo_ fast. And it shows that it's important to resist the temptation to cut corners and save time. Thanks for this.


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

David I also want to thank you for sharing this excellent video. 

I've been working with power tools for over 50 years and sometimes I didn't take the time to make sure what I was about to do was safe, I just had that "it is only one cut attitude", which is making time for disaster to happen. I had more than one close call before I finally decided it was time to stop and think before I turned on a power tool. I now try to live by the rule that "Your BRAIN Is The Most Important Power Tool In Your Shop. Turn It On Before You Turn On Any Other Power Tool."

This doesn't happen very often on a bandsaw but this shows that proper preparation of the stock and holding devices on jigs being used are important to safety. Also to be noted with each cut the stock changes and should be checked to make sure it is still safe to run through the saw. 

Accidents with power tools happen so quickly there is no time to react. Like Herb said "That round went from zero to 60 in less than a second." 

Glad you were not hurt and hope this helps others stop and think before they turn on a power tool "IS THIS SAFE?"


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## TenGees (Sep 12, 2012)

Glad that you didn't hurt yourself, David. I'm a new bandsaw owner, so I was watching a few videos on them. In one the guy was showing what can happen cutting a piece of plastic pipe. You had a similar problem. The blade pushes your work down, so when the material is square everything is quite safe. When you're cutting a round part, especially near the beginning or end of the cut, the downward force wants to spin your part. I think a V shaped sled might be better, or at least a block under the front of your work too, but I think I'd rather stay further away from the blade anyway.


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## rwl7532 (Sep 8, 2011)

See my signature...


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

David, I was wondering if the type of blade was not suited for the operation? I had a similar incident years ago on the table saw with crosscutting a flat board with a large tooth ripping blade. I had ripped a board using one of those big toothed hook shaped HSS (before Carbide) 10" blades and had to trim the end off, so used the miter guage and it grabbed that piece with a bang and threw it back at me in pieces.
Maybe a finer tooth BS blade would be safer, but slower cutting. But clamping down the work is necessary too.

I used a chainsaw one time to rip some boards and had to get a special chain for it that was sharpened differently and fewer teeth, filed srraight accross instead of at an angle.
Just some thoughts.
Herb


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## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

Herb Stoops said:


> David, I was wondering if the type of blade was not suited for the operation? I had a similar incident years ago on the table saw with crosscutting a flat board with a large tooth ripping blade. I had ripped a board using one of those big toothed hook shaped HSS (before Carbide) 10" blades and had to trim the end off, so used the miter guage and it grabbed that piece with a bang and threw it back at me in pieces.
> Maybe a finer tooth BS blade would be safer, but slower cutting. But clamping down the work is necessary too.
> 
> I used a chainsaw one time to rip some boards and had to get a special chain for it that was sharpened differently and fewer teeth, filed srraight accross instead of at an angle.
> ...


I think the blade is fine for this and it cut with no problems at all, literally like a hot knife through butter. I could have fed it much faster but I was making sure the gullets had time to clear the chips. 

But securing the piece and placing something under the leading edge is essential. I've cut other logs before but they weren't quite so large in diameter and were longer, much easier to hold and control. At some point I may cut this piece again and video the proper way to do it.

David


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

difalkner said:


> At some point I may cut this piece again and video the proper way to do it.
> 
> David


I'm surprised you won't have WWCCPTSD from the last incident . I know I have a hard time getting back into the groove of things once I've had a close call :fie:

(Wood Working Close Call Post Traumatic Stress Disorder )


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## chessnut2 (Sep 15, 2011)

RainMan 2.0 said:


> I'm surprised you won't have WWCCPTSD from the last incident . I know I have a hard time getting back into the groove of things once I've had a close call :fie:
> 
> (Wood Working Close Call Post Traumatic Stress Disorder )


I've had a few of those myself. Mainly from using inferior equipment. It makes you a little gun shy for a while.


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## rrrun (Jun 17, 2014)

OUTSTANDING video. I understand the pain that went into making it, but this is truly a worthy PSA. Thank you.


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## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

RainMan 2.0 said:


> I'm surprised you won't have WWCCPTSD from the last incident . I know I have a hard time getting back into the groove of things once I've had a close call :fie:
> 
> (Wood Working Close Call Post Traumatic Stress Disorder )


I had a replacement blade and have been setting it up since yesterday afternoon. There are a lot of steps to setting one of these up correctly such that everything is square for a 14"+ wide cut. I don't cut woods that wide often but I need my setup to handle that with no issues.

This morning I've been on the saw and have resawn some Honduras Mahogany, Maple, and Alder (cutting slices at 0.100"). The Mahogany was a 10" wide board and I need to know that my setup can cut to within a few thousandths corner to corner. Right now I have it close but I'm getting about 0.006" variance corner to corner and that's more than I want - prefer no more than 0.004". But I have CNC work to do so I'll have to pick this up later to finish the setup; I may have to settle for 0.006" for a while.

David


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## ScottyDBQ (Jul 5, 2008)

David, when you make a PSA, it definitely gets the viewer's attention and gets the point across. Glad you were not hurt. Whether a machine is turning at 200 RPM or 25,000 RPM, it is always unforgiving and things happen very fast. It seems the more experienced we get, sometimes it is easy to overlook something, particularly when making just one more repetitive cut. A good reminder you can never be too careful when making a cut.


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## gjackson52 (Jul 4, 2015)

I am glad you are ok !


Gary


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## Shop guy (Nov 22, 2012)

DAMN! Glad you're ok. As careful as we are this video shows how quickly things can and sometimes do go terribly wrong.


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## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

Shop guy said:


> DAMN! Glad you're ok. As careful as we are this video shows how quickly things can and sometimes do go terribly wrong.


And when you ignore physics, common sense, best known practices, and 40+ years of experience and then couple that with a bandsaw and blade combo that simply ain't gonna lose a battle then you have a recipe for disaster in true widescreen fashion! Things go bad even quicker and often to a grander height when you toss in a bit of 'shop arrogance', you know, that 'it wouldn't dare do anything to harm me' sort of attitude?

Oh, wait, that's probably just me... LOL! :surprise:

David


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## Shop guy (Nov 22, 2012)

@difalkner: I think it is everyone of us from time to time. I got just the very end of my finger nicked a few years ago on a Shopsmith table saw. I don't use that table saw any more and don't intend to ever again.


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## BrianS (Nov 7, 2004)

David, glad you're not hurt. 

But, sure wish I could see the video... this has happened a few times in the past, all I see is a black square. ??? Anyone have any ideas?


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## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

BrianS said:


> David, glad you're not hurt.
> 
> But, sure wish I could see the video... this has happened a few times in the past, all I see is a black square. ??? Anyone have any ideas?


Not specifically as to how or why it doesn't show up in the forum browser but here's the link to my YouTube channel - David Falkner Woodworking - subscribe! 

David


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## JFPNCM (Dec 13, 2009)

As a new bandsaw user I definitely appreciate the video and am pleased to ehar you survived intact. 

As an aside, what was the intended use of he round?


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## BrianS (Nov 7, 2004)

Thanks for the link David, worked like a charm. Was certainly an eye opener. Will file the lesson away for future reference.


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## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

JFPNCM said:


> As a new bandsaw user I definitely appreciate the video and am pleased to hear you survived intact.
> 
> As an aside, what was the intended use of the round?


Making a small sign on Joshua 24:15, still going to do it because I managed to get two good blanks before 'stupid' took over on the bandsaw... :frown:


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## schnewj (Nov 18, 2013)

@difalkner

Wow! Ive been distracted with other things and I just got to viewing this thread.

First, Like the other, I am sooooo glad that you are alright. This could have been disastrous to say the least. KUDOS on the video. It is outstanding! Thankfully, it is a life lesson and not a life long regret. Thanks for posting this lesson for other to learn from.

Secondly, the Safety Professional just kicked in. _*This is for everyone, so pay attention!*_

No matter what you do, no matter what you use, no matter how you do something, or how careful you are and your experience level, *YOU *have to realize that you are your own best defense. One of the things that we used to teach in our training classes is to rely on yourself. Your first instincts are usually the most accurate. Call it what you will; a pinch in your stomach, that voice nagging in the back of your head, whatever...you need to listen to it. The mind is a wonderful thing if you just learn to trust yourself, it won't let you down.

The "voice" will shout loud and clear that something just isn't right. *LEARN* to listen. Stop, back up and re-evaluate...fix the problem before it becomes one!

The lessons and the results are all over; the price of the guard vs the ED visit, the material being flung somewhere because it wasn't secured, the cut fingers because "I don't like wearing gloves" (while I handle this sharp and awkward item), or in this case a damaged blade. Bad habits result in bad outcomes!

Great job, David, and many thanks for the effort to share a mistake, to make it a positive. If it saves one persons fingers it is all worth it in the end.


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