# bandsaw safety



## john lucas (Sep 18, 2007)

From time to time I see people cutting limb or log sections on the bandsaw cutting across the limb. This is very dangerous as the log can roll and will happen so fast you could easily lose a finger. You think you can hold it and probably 90 percent of the time you can but all it takes is a grab by the blade and bam it's over with. Damages the blade at the least and could hurt you very seriously. 
What I learned was to make a sliding table with a jig on top to help hold the log and keep it from rolling. I made mine slide in the miter slot but I don't think that's absolutely necessary. I used a V slot for the log. It works very well. I've never had anything try to roll on me


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## jomarra (Nov 7, 2012)

john lucas said:


> From time to time I see people cutting limb or log sections on the bandsaw cutting across the limb. This is very dangerous as the log can roll and will happen so fast you could easily lose a finger. You think you can hold it and probably 90 percent of the time you can but all it takes is a grab by the blade and bam it's over with. Damages the blade at the least and could hurt you very seriously.
> What I learned was to make a sliding table with a jig on top to help hold the log and keep it from rolling. I made mine slide in the miter slot but I don't think that's absolutely necessary. I used a V slot for the log. It works very well. I've never had anything try to roll on me


Nothing else holding the log?


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## john lucas (Sep 18, 2007)

Nope In most cases your hand and the sides of the V hold the wood quite well. Occasionally I screw a piece of webbing down over a piece to hold it better. I usually only have to do that with already turned cylinders because they are so slick.


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## BassBlaster (Nov 21, 2010)

Cool idea!

Cant ever be too safe with the bandsaw. Theres a reason the bandsaw is the tool of choice in a butcher shop.:thumbsup:


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## jomarra (Nov 7, 2012)

john lucas said:


> From time to time I see people cutting limb or log sections on the bandsaw cutting across the limb. This is very dangerous as the log can roll and will happen so fast you could easily lose a finger. You think you can hold it and probably 90 percent of the time you can but all it takes is a grab by the blade and bam it's over with. Damages the blade at the least and could hurt you very seriously.
> What I learned was to make a sliding table with a jig on top to help hold the log and keep it from rolling. I made mine slide in the miter slot but I don't think that's absolutely necessary. I used a V slot for the log. It works very well. I've never had anything try to roll on me


John, how many teeth per inch on your blade? Thanks


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## john lucas (Sep 18, 2007)

That's a 1/2" 3tpi. I use that when cutting bowl blanks and hollow vessel. It's not bad for this size branch. For smaller things you would be better of using more TPI. Less chance of a catch rotating the log.


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## DST (Jan 10, 2011)

Another great tip / idea. Thanks John


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## duncsuss (Aug 21, 2009)

The method I've been using is simply screwing a piece of flat plywood onto the end of the log with 2 screws, it stops the log spinning. It only works if the plywood remains on the saw table, so there's a limit to how much I can trim off the end (from the blade to the edge of the table).

Your sled looks far more useful, thanks for sharing.


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