# It's time..



## allpurpose (Mar 24, 2016)

I'm going to somehow find the money for a Sawstop saw..IF the old woman even lets me back in the shop ever again.. I just ripped into my fingertip... again.. a cut off started coming back towards me and instinctively I reached for the damned thing and rrrrrip.. Headed to the hospital if for no other reason than to get antibiotics..
This hurts.. Sorry, no injury **** today..I have it all taped up..

My dad is acting like I cut off both hands, an eye and my liver.. He's an old worry wart.. lol


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## Tennessee Tim (Dec 15, 2010)

Feel Blessed you still have your finger(s)......and YES that's what parents do.....I've been on both sides and now watching the grandchild grow up.

Are you accident prone to cause the extra worry OR they just love ya that much???? Sometimes the instinct/reaction to grab over rides our thought to not (the thought takes longer to react).

I'm glad your fine...Just give' em both a big hug and say you'll do better.........nothing else to say....it happened.


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

Very sorry to hear you’ve been injured. I hope it’s not serious and you heal fast. You probably won’t be able to put your hand in your pocket until June.


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## difalkner (Nov 27, 2011)

Ouch! Glad it wasn't worse than that.

David


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## WeebyWoodWorker (Jun 11, 2017)

Glad you're okay mate, I've met lots of people missing fingers because of table saws and it doesn't seem like fun to get your hand caught in one.


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## allpurpose (Mar 24, 2016)

In no way does my dad's reaction disappoint me. I'm a dad too so..well who wants their kids to get hurt?
I'm lucky that it kind of killed the nerves in the end of my finger. After the initial jolt and pain and shock it stopped hurting although I have little doubt it's going to remind me later that I still have nerves in the finger.. 
It ripped almost straight down the nail into bone so this finger will likely never have a full finger nail again, but yeah..I got really lucky it wasn't worse. It glanced the middle finger with a small cut,but it'll heal just fine. 
I'm working out in the shop already tonight or was for a bit. The old woman thinks I'm insane and she's probably right..
Started looking at prices for a contractor saw stop model..somewhere in the $1700-ish range. I'll be paying the mafia (the wife/gf)forever for it since I don't have the cash, but she does..(our inside joke) I have a hunch she's going to insist on every little safety feature that I'm not particularly wild about, but heck..I only have so many fingers left.. I guess if she's paying I'm going to use them.. 
Now I'm going to have to find a buyer for my craftsman motorized..The only decent thing going for it is the align-a-rip and the fact it will run nice and strong.. I won't miss the aluminum slotted top nor the cheesy thin inserts.. Someone will cough up the asking price.. I'm aiming for around $400 if some poor fool drops by.. lol


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Look into the Bosch Reaax*

It doesn't destroy the blade like the Saw Stop. One of our members here has one... can't recall who? Anyway, sorry about your mishap! I keep a small push stick on top of my fence to bat the small cutoff towards me from the rear. You don't want to stick anything in from the front, it will jam and kick back. If you tend, instinctively or otherwise, to reach over or around the blade, tie your wrists with rope limiting the forward movement to within inches of the front of the blade .... :surprise2: 

Wipe the blood off the old saw before trying to sell it.... just sayin'


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## shoot summ (Feb 21, 2014)

I was working with my youngest son(28) in the shop last night making a center console for his Honda Element. Really the first time he has taken the lead on the table saw so I was giving him all of the safety tips. One of them was "do not reach for the cutoff"...

Sorry you were hurt, but thanks for giving me a story to share with him tonight while we are finishing up.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

allpurpose said:


> I'm going to somehow find the money for a Sawstop saw..IF the old woman even lets me back in the shop ever again.. I just ripped into my fingertip... again.. a cut off started coming back towards me and instinctively I reached for the damned thing and rrrrrip.. Headed to the hospital if for no other reason than to get antibiotics..
> This hurts.. Sorry, no injury **** today..I have it all taped up..
> 
> My dad is acting like I cut off both hands, an eye and my liver.. He's an old worry wart.. lol


I was taught when something goes wrong reach for the sky. Over the years I've been severely bruised but have kept my fingers out of the blade.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

I got my middle finger in a table saw years back, it ripped the side of my finger out and part of the joint. It never hurt, it felt like some one had jerked my shirt sleeve really hard and fast. What really hurt was when I slammed the screen door on it three days later, that hurt.


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

Good to hear everythings still attached. Was there a few years back, table saws are mean


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## pro70z28 (Feb 26, 2018)

Don't feel too bad, you aren't alone on the "fingers in the saw" list. I ran 2 fingers through the saw a year ago last December. First time in my 65 years that I've had an altercation with the saw, just a momentary laps is all it takes. 16 months later my fingers are still numb. I still have them both (I did a rip cut as apposed to a cross cut). Had reconstructive surgery on the bones and went through physical therapy the whole deal. People still ask how I'm doing. I say not bad but I'd be doing better if I had just skipped the whole fingers in the saw thing.:surprise2:


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

woodnthings said:


> It doesn't destroy the blade like the Saw Stop. One of our members here has one... can't recall who? Anyway, sorry about your mishap! I keep a small push stick on top of my fence to bat the small cutoff towards me from the rear. You don't want to stick anything in from the front, it will jam and kick back. If you tend, instinctively or otherwise, to reach over or around the blade, tie your wrists with rope limiting the forward movement to within inches of the front of the blade .... :surprise2:
> 
> Wipe the blood off the old saw before trying to sell it.... just sayin'


I am the one with a Bosch REAXX table saw. They are not available for purchase in the US right now, but are available elsewhere in the world. If you are in the US and you must absolutely have a REAXX, you can find them for sale at a premium price. At least one seller is shipping them from Canada. US Customs may stop the shipments if they realize what is happening.

I love my Bosch REAXX saw, which I have been using for just over a year. I agree that the cost of SawStop brakes and replacement blades is expensive compared with the dual-use Bosch Reaxx cartridge (and you keep your blade!). In theory, you should never need it, whether Bosch REAXX or SawStop. If you do trigger the safety mechanism, it should be very rare indeed, and the difference in cost should not be a consideration.

SawStop makes good saws, and I would have no hesitation to recommend one in cases a Bosch REAXX is not available, such as the current US market right now. I note that the SawStop patents are supposed to expire in 2021 (according to Wikipedia), which may open the floodgates of new table saws with safety mechanisms from many manufacturers.

I work on computers and play piano. A woodworking accident would be devastating. Besides, I can't count higher than nine. ;-)


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

BigJim said:


> I got my middle finger in a table saw years back, it ripped the side of my finger out and part of the joint. It never hurt, it felt like some one had jerked my shirt sleeve really hard and fast. What really hurt was when I slammed the screen door on it three days later, that hurt.


Hopes! That makes me hurt just to read about it.


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## allpurpose (Mar 24, 2016)

This is the 2nd accident with the saw. Last one just nipped the side of my finger, this one a bit more harsh. Even though I know not to reach where I shouldn't it's the instinctual reach that gets me. I could see it happening even before I did it so...oh well..
Surprising that I've had very little pain with this one until this evening..It's catching up with me. 
Last time around everything was healing well then right after I finally removed the bandage for good I went and smacked it with a mallet which hurt even more than when I cut it. I did the &#@$! dance for an hour.. lol 
Anyway, I have to figure out how I'm going to move the old saw and all the other crap in the way when I finally get the new saw. With two good hands it's not a huge problem, but with a hand and a half it's a problem.. I wonder if the place I'm planning to buy from will deliver and set it up..not that I particularly trust other people to do these things for me, but I might not have a lot of other options..
I figure that the cost of a new cartridge and blade, about $130 is definitely cheaper than a finger and the pain that goes with it.. Also looking at even more for a dado cartridge. I've never had any problems with dado blades.. if I had enough space I'd love to keep both saws and keep the old one as a dedicated dado saw.. Maybe I can talk the old woman into giving up her pile of junk on the other side of the garage..The only thing I think has to be out here is the lawn mower..the rest is her small mountain of sentimental junk..


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

I would like to add one more thing about the Bosch REAXX and SawStop. Both are excellent saws with important safety features. 

The Bosch REAXX only comes in a jobsite saw. That fits my needs perfectly. I needed a table saw that could be folded out of the way, and it is easy to wheel outside when I want to use it. It does have the limitations of a typical jobsite saw: the table lead-in is short between the front of the saw and the blade, and the table is made of aluminum. Still, it works for me, and it makes perfect cuts at the furniture-making precision that I want.

SawStop makes a jobsite saw that is similar to the Bosch REAXX. The SawStop jobsite saw is very good, but I chose the Bosch REAXX over it. I would not argue with someone who prefers the SawStop jobsite saw. Each has its advantages and disadvantages; it comes down to a personal choice between the two. (One consideration for me was political. I don't like how SawStop is pressuring the government into mandating their patented safety features, to force other manufacturers to license the SawStop technology at unreasonably high costs.)

-> What I want to point out is that SawStop makes more than a jobsite table saw. SawStop also makes excellent contractor and cabinet table saws, with the same SawStop safety technology as their jobsite saw. At some point in the future, I will sell my Bosch REAXX jobsite saw and buy a larger cabinet table saw. You can bet that it will have a blade retracting safety feature, whether from SawStop or elsewhere.


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## pro70z28 (Feb 26, 2018)

I'm a table saw surviver. I got 2 fingers, but I did a rip cut rather than a cross cut so I still have the fingers. Like you, it got the bone, so I had to have reconstructive surgery to put the bones back together & redo do the nails. Surgery hurt more than the accident. Nails did grow back although they aren't quite right. The worst of the 2 finger is about an 1/8'' carbide blade width narrower now. Finger tips are still numb after about 16 months, but at least I still have them. They get cold in the winter very easily. As far as reaction time, it was over before I even realized I'd been cut. Raised my hand and I could see daylight through my finger down to the first knuckle. Realized then that this was not good. Wrapped my hand in a paper towel and headed for the hospital since I was home alone. I got to the hospital about the time the numbness was wearing off. Wasn't long before the nice nurse had the pain under control though.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

I have to wonder how long it will before sawstop makes other machinery. There are other pieces of equipment more dangerous than a tablesaw. I think they should at least make a radial arm saw and perhaps a miter box.


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## allpurpose (Mar 24, 2016)

Steve Neul said:


> I have to wonder how long it will before sawstop makes other machinery. There are other pieces of equipment more dangerous than a tablesaw. I think they should at least make a radial arm saw and perhaps a miter box.


You know what would really make sense is if they could develop a retrofit kit for almost any saw on the market although I doubt it would be feasible. Just a way to stop any spinning blade retractable or not would be a huge step forward. The problem I would see would be that most people wouldn't have the skills necessary to rewire the saw(s) to fit a current sensor on the equipment.. Sounds like a hell of a great side business if such retrofit kits were made available..
Sawstop really wants to sell saws.. They might overcome the political stuff by offering the service through highly trained people to retrofit any saw at a very reasonable price.. WhadoIknow though?
It makes me wonder how many guys would be willing to pay a few hundred bucks or more to retrofit their old saws and just how would the logistics work either getting the saw to the techs or the techs to the saws.. Might be interesting..


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

allpurpose said:


> You know what would really make sense is if they could develop a retrofit kit for almost any saw on the market although I doubt it would be feasible. Just a way to stop any spinning blade retractable or not would be a huge step forward. The problem I would see would be that most people wouldn't have the skills necessary to rewire the saw(s) to fit a current sensor on the equipment.. Sounds like a hell of a great side business if such retrofit kits were made available..
> Sawstop really wants to sell saws.. They might overcome the political stuff by offering the service through highly trained people to retrofit any saw at a very reasonable price.. WhadoIknow though?
> It makes me wonder how many guys would be willing to pay a few hundred bucks or more to retrofit their old saws and just how would the logistics work either getting the saw to the techs or the techs to the saws.. Might be interesting..


The biggest problem I can see is they would be competing with their own saw. They like the idea of having the only saw that won't cut hot dogs. I forget who it was but another company started making a similar device and their lawyers stomped them in the ground to keep the monopoly on it. Then they would probably have to invade on someone else's patents to make the accessory for another brand saw. They could care less how many fingers it would save, it's all about money.


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

Steve Neul said:


> The biggest problem I can see is they would be competing with their own saw. They like the idea of having the only saw that won't cut hot dogs. I forget who it was but another company started making a similar device and their lawyers stomped them in the ground to keep the monopoly on it. Then they would probably have to invade on someone else's patents to make the accessory for another brand saw. They could care less how many fingers it would save, it's all about money.


The stomped company was Bosch. SawStop obtained a court ruling to block importation of the REAXX jobsite table saw into the US. Fortunately, I had bought my REAXX before the ruling took effect. 

I agree that SawStop's motivation is greed, not personal safety. They wanted such high licensing fees for their patents that nobody would pay them. Unable to license their patents, they resorted to making their own saws, which is fine. 

What upsets me is that SawStop has been actively lobbying the US government to require SawStop technology in all table saws. SawStop wants to force other table saw manufacturers to pay the unreasonably high license fees that the other manufacturers would not or could not pay before. SawStop could not sell their licenses in the open market fair and square, so they resorted to lobbying the US government into extorting the fees from the other table saw manufacturers. 

Shame on SawStop. They could have made a fortune by setting reasonable license fees for their technology. Just think of how many injuries might have been prevented if everyone had licensed their technology 15 years ago. With the patents due to run out in three years, it is probably too late for SawStop to drop their license fees and get the other table manufacturers on board. The lead time to design and produce table saws with SawStop technology would consume much of the remaining years on the patents anyway. I predict that it portends SawStop's doom. I predict that SawStop sales will drop precipitously, starting on the day that their patents fall into the public domain. 

In my opinion, SawStop does not care about woodworkers, only money. That said, SawStop makes excellent saws, and I still recommend them to others, lacking any alternatives.


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## allpurpose (Mar 24, 2016)

Sawstop won't have been the first company to try to corner the market and establish a monopoly on their technology and darn sure won't be the last. I refused to use the Windows operating system for a long time for similar reasons and stuck with various Linux systems. Part stubbornness on my part and partly just not liking the system anyway. I have a Windows computer I use occasionally, but I'd rather use Linux. The only reason I even have a Windows setup is because the old lady thinks she'll die if she has to use Linux..lol
I'm tempted to wait it out to see who's the first competitor to use the technology, but I might not have any fingers left by then. I've come to realize that my brain isn't equipped to protect my body parts just for the sake of fair play in the business world.. I'm going to occasionally have times when the old noggin takes a nap at the worst possible time. Although a few stubborn people in my family seem to think I like chopping into my fingers with sharp, spinning objects I'm happy to report that just isn't the case. Sssssometimes stupidity runs over the other senses just because. It's not intentional.
I still have the occasional moment when I'm not even in the shop and I'll jerk my hand back just thinking about the fateful moment. It hurts more thinking about it than it actually hurt cutting into it. Strange how that works..


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## ORBlackFZ1 (Dec 25, 2013)

*Help out the newbies*



allpurpose said:


> I just ripped into my fingertip... again.. a cut off started coming back towards me and instinctively I reached for the damned thing and rrrrrip.. Headed to the hospital if for no other reason than to get antibiotics..
> This hurts..


Sorry to hear about your injury. I am glad that it wasn't worse. In order to help other newbies from the same mistake, will you explain more about what you could have done differently, other than NOT "reached for the damned thing"? Were you using anti-kick back paws on your Craftsman table saw? Did the anti-kick back paws fail to catch the cut off? Was your blade guard working correctly? 

Thanks,
Eric


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## allpurpose (Mar 24, 2016)

ORBlackFZ1 said:


> Sorry to hear about your injury. I am glad that it wasn't worse. In order to help other newbies from the same mistake, will you explain more about what you could have done differently, other than NOT "reached for the damned thing"? Were you using anti-kick back paws on your Craftsman table saw? Did the anti-kick back paws fail to catch the cut off? Was your blade guard working correctly?
> 
> Thanks,
> Eric


There is no safety equipment on my saw anymore other than the on and off switch and a nice bright light over top.. It's one of the reasons I want to retire the saw at least from my possession.. Maybe my CL ad will read, Very unsafe saw for sale! Hurry while the emergency room is still a thing!


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## ORBlackFZ1 (Dec 25, 2013)

allpurpose said:


> There is no safety equipment on my saw anymore other than the on and off switch and a nice bright light over top.. It's one of the reasons I want to retire the saw at least from my possession.. Maybe my CL ad will read, Very unsafe saw for sale! Hurry while the emergency room is still a thing!


I like the safety features of the standard G1023RLWX blade guard, but the "blade shroud" did very little for keeping saw dust off the table top. I made my own blade guard/saw dust collector, but I really didn't like how fragile it was from gluing the Lexan plastic together. So, I purchased a Shark Guard for my Grizzly table saw. 

I should have done it when I purchased the G1023 in 2015. The Shark Guard works very well. It includes anti-kick back paws and a 4" diameter port. I get very little saw dust above the table these days.

http://www.thesharkguard.com/

I probably should post a review. I will see what I can do in the next couple of weeks.

Anyways, the $200 is probably cheaper than a trip to the ER. The Shark Guard will still let you cut a hot dog, but I find that it keeps my fingers away from the spinning blade.

Eric


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## pro70z28 (Feb 26, 2018)

> I still have the occasional moment when I'm not even in the shop and I'll jerk my hand back just thinking about the fateful moment. It hurts more thinking about it than it actually hurt cutting into it. Strange how that works.


Funny you should mention that. I've had the same thing happen to me. Sort a like post traumatic blade syndrome. Doesn't happen much anymore, but did quite often right after the incident.


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