# kickback on router table



## delia1tj (Jul 21, 2010)

In April I was using a 1/2" "chair rail" router bit to make some picture frame material out of rough sawn oak. The pieces were about 18"-24" long. After removing about half the material (less than 1/8" each pass) one of the boards kicked back severely injuring two fingers on my left hand (which was located about 8" past the bit). I am ready to return to the operation but would like the guidance of more experienced members about the likely cause and possible solutions to prevent a recurrence.[/I]


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

Tom sorry to hear about your mishap. I hope your fingers are healing well. I am still a novice router user but I'll try my 2 cents. 
What direction were you feeding the wood into the bit? Normally on a table feed direction is right to left (as you face the bit).
How "rough" was the wood? The bit may have grabbed something.
Were you using any feather boards? They might be a good idea when trying to make your frames. 
How thick was the wood? Some folks use a thicker piece when making the profile and then rip it down to final thickness on the table saw.
Was the bit sharp? A dull bit can cause lots of problems. Bit speed might also be an issue. 
Do you have any pictures of the wood you were trying to profile? It might help us give you better answers.


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## Bob N (Oct 12, 2004)

Hi Tom,

Every time this subject comes up, I have to reach for my go to link

Micro Jig | Homepage | Woodworking Evolves One Shop at a Time™

I have 2 of these in my shop and would not be without them.


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

+1 on the Gr-r-ripper. I use it all over the shop.


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

I ditto Bob, keep your hands as far away as possiable.


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## Dr.Zook (Sep 10, 2004)

Welcome to the RouterForums Tom. Glad to have you as a member.
Hope all your injuries turn out ok.


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## delia1tj (Jul 21, 2010)

CanuckGal said:


> Tom sorry to hear about your mishap. I hope your fingers are healing well. I am still a novice router user but I'll try my 2 cents.
> What direction were you feeding the wood into the bit? Normally on a table feed direction is right to left (as you face the bit).
> How "rough" was the wood? The bit may have grabbed something.
> Were you using any feather boards? They might be a good idea when trying to make your frames.
> ...


Thanks for the good wishes as well as the clarifying questions. The healing process is going as well as could be expected but there will be some permanent damage.

Now to your questions: (1) the direction was right to left with the aid of a push stick; also ther was a featherboard on the table holding the workpiece against the fence before the wood reached the bit; (2) the wood was not surfaced at all so that a scrape of the hand was possible from the fibrous nature of the wood. However, the profile had already gone past the bit three times so the surface had to be much smoother than at the beginning; (3)the board was at least 1" thick to start. I had previously tried to make the frame material with surfaced 3/4" material when I realized that the profile would have removed virtuall all of the wood leaving nothing to hold the glass. I had intended to rip the piece as needed and cut a rabbet on the back side to hold picture and glass; (4) finally, the bit was brand new from MLCS. I hope this helps and any advice from here would be most appreciated. My surgeon and hand therapist will kill me if I reinjure the fingers.


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## TWheels (May 26, 2006)

delia1tj said:


> In April I was using a 1/2" "chair rail" router bit to make some picture frame material out of rough sawn oak. The pieces were about 18"-24" long. After removing about half the material (less than 1/8" each pass) one of the boards kicked back severely injuring two fingers on my left hand (which was located about 8" past the bit). I am ready to return to the operation but would like the guidance of more experienced members about the likely cause and possible solutions to prevent a recurrence.[/I]


Tom, I am sorry that the accident happened and I wish you as fast and complete a recovery as possible.

Your accident and other similar ones, many of which can be found in the Shop Safety subforum, lead me to be a strong advocate of both horizontal and vertical featherboards. The horizontal featherboards should hold the workpiece against the router bit. The location you described is located in such a place that it does not apply pressure on the workpiece directly against the router bit. The Gr-r-ripper seems to me to be essentially a handheld mobile featherboard. I do not own one, but may acquire one.

One point seems clear to me. A workpiece in contact with a rotating router bit is a relatively stationary object exposed to something moving at about 20,000 rpm. The dangers of climb cutting are well known. My left forefinger is a victim, albeit only with a scar and altered fingerprint from one unthinking moment. A workpiece being subjected to a climb cut that is not securely held will shoot back or to the left at a high rate of speed. However, even a workpiece being cut in the "correct" direction that is not securely held will shoot toward the worker or to the right at a high rate of speed. This last situation seems to have injured several forum members.

Again, my best wishes for your recovery.

If anyone disagrees with me, I would very much like to know.


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## GoonMan (Mar 22, 2005)

delia1tj said:


> In April I was using a 1/2" "chair rail" router bit to make some picture frame material out of rough sawn oak. The pieces were about 18"-24" long. After removing about half the material (less than 1/8" each pass) one of the boards kicked back severely injuring two fingers on my left hand (which was located about 8" past the bit). I am ready to return to the operation but would like the guidance of more experienced members about the likely cause and possible solutions to prevent a recurrence.[/i]


Hello Tom, Welcome to the Forum

I hope you continue to heal and get better.

I have had several small incidences with my routers and router tables. I have had major kick back using a bearing template bit on end grain red oak. Where I had mashed, tingled fingers and hand and the board went shooting across the room. The worst kick back which was in both directions I have had was when I used and was new to the router table and all I got was splinters and minor finger cuts. Was when I did not read the instructions and tried to route a piece of trim and fed the wood between the fence and bit. It worked great the first pass and the second one sent it flying across the room and out the door of my shop and the other piece bounced off the wall, luckily I was standing to the side of the table and the wood went in both directions when it broke in half. So I read the instructions and felt very lucky not to lose fingers and only get away with splinters and cuts from the wood._ The Smoke was terrible and my wife thought the shop was on fire._ I thought this table routing was for the birds.

I also have had some problems with cheap bits and raw wood. So I either use my planer for a light quick pass or I will surface with the belt sander first. I have found that red oak and white oak are notorious for splintering while routing and treat it with extra care. I also wear cut resistant gloves that fit real tight on my hands. Yes I know some will say you should not wear gloves but I cannot work with wood and not get cut as much as I have tried over the last 10 years..

I use the side and top feather boards when routing and I am planning to buy or build a gripper for my tables.

Sorry to hear about your injury.

PS I have ruined several cheap bits learning to use routers and router table.

How wide was the board you were routing?


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

" kickback on router table"

Almost imposable when you have your router table setup right with the buddies, they work so well you can take your hands off the stock and the buddies will hold the stock for you..plus they only turn free one way..

Amazon.com: Woodstock W1104 Board Buddies, Yellow: Home Improvement

http://grizzly.com/products/searchresults.aspx?q=Buddies

====


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## GoonMan (Mar 22, 2005)

bobj3 said:


> " kickback on router table"
> 
> Almost imposable when you have your router table setup right with the buddies, they work so well you can take your hands off the stock and the buddies will hold the stock for you..plus they only turn free one way..
> 
> ...


Thanks bob,

I had forgotten about those.


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## delia1tj (Jul 21, 2010)

Thanks Randy for sharing your experiences with oak and the router table. I now feel less alone with my own experience. I didn't realize the problem with oak splintering as it has never happend to me before. So far that is the best explanation I can come up with for the situation I described. Thboards were about 2" in the vertical direction and about 1 1/4" in the horizontal direction. 
It look to me that I will need quite a bit more "security" to finish this operation.


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## GoonMan (Mar 22, 2005)

delia1tj said:


> Thanks Randy for sharing your experiences with oak and the router table. I now feel less alone with my own experience. I didn't realize the problem with oak splintering as it has never happend to me before. So far that is the best explanation I can come up with for the situation I described. Thboards were about 2" in the vertical direction and about 1 1/4" in the horizontal direction.
> It look to me that I will need quite a bit more "security" to finish this operation.


Your welcome Tom,

I think from what I had learned working in a saw mill, that it does not matter what type of wood you work with it will always do the unexpected. Alot of times it is how and where the wood is grown, the sawing and drying process.


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