Top three woodworking machines that scare you...

[Dave Shepard]

I've never run one, but old insert head shapers make me nervous. Any tool where the start up instructions include laying on the floor and reaching up with a stick to turn the machine on to see if the head is going to fly apart can't be too safe.

[OneWithWood]

I have a healthy respect for every tool I own.
Here are the top three tools that I never use when I am tired:
Chainsaw
SCM
router

[36 coupe]

The old metal frame drills need a 3 wire cord,5 bucks will fix.I have been using a metal cased skilsaw since 1958..In short you dont stand in water while using electric tools...

[red oaks lumber]

i respect every tool i run. they usally aren't accidents, mostly avoidable ;) pay attention and all is safe

[PC-Urban-Sawyer]

The old metal frame drills need a 3 wire cord,5 bucks will fix.I have been using a metal cased skilsaw since 1958..In short you dont stand in water while using electric tools...

And if you do stand in water while using electric tools you may SHORT the circuit yourself...

Only takes 30 milli amps of current across the heart to cause it to stop.

Herb

[thechknhwk]

Forstner bits in a cordless drill.  12 stitches.

[hackberry jake]

Tule peak... I would like to follow you around for a couple days and take pictures. I got a couple questions, 1. is that a homemade shaper in the first pic? don't know if I've ever seen one like it, and 2. What size is that monster bandsaw and what are you making with it?

[tule peak timber]

Hi Jake , No not home made -just modified to do single functions with better speed and efficiency. The bandsaws are Italian 24 and 28 inch Centurions. In the pic I'm making stair parts.....Rob

 

[MattJ]

The shaper pictures scare me!  Maybe we need to add best safety equipment to a new thread!

Mine would start with:

1) Husky forest hardhat and chaps
2) Sawstop table saw
3) A wide variety of push sticks and jigs

and if there was more space

4) replaced stop switches with oversized ones I can hit with a knee
5) trend airsheild for sanding/planing
6) proper dust collection at each tool

[tule peak timber]

The shaper pictures are supposed to be scary..That's a good thing !

[justallan1]

1) Any hand tool with a butterfly switch, just a flying wreck waiting to happen.
2) Air actuated chop saws, either knee or foot controlled.
3) Cheap table saws.

Allan

[redprospector]

I grew up in a production wood shop. My Dad started me full time in the summers when I was 12.
My Dad told me that no one ever got hurt in his shop, that someone didn't have their head stuck up somewhere that it didn't belong. This has held true in every job, in every field that I've ever worked in.
He also taught me that every machine is like a jealous woman. Take your mind off of her for just a second, and she'll get your attention.
So, back to the main question. Top 3 woodworking machines that scare you? NONE! I do have a healthy respect for every tool in the shop. If a machine, or tool scares you, you should stay away from it.
Safety equipment? The best safety equipment you can have is between your ears. I highly recommend that it is used while operating any machinery. Nothing they can come up with will ever replace it.

[hackberry jake]

My $80 bandsaw came with a sign that said "machines DO NOT come with brains, you must use yours".

[clww]

1. Tablesaw
2. Lathe
3. Routers

[mad murdock]

1.radial arm saw
2.jointer
3.chainsaw

Not scared of any of the above, but like Redprospector said, have a healthy dose of respect for any and all power tools. The 3 mentioned are probably the most capable of causing massive damage if not used properly.

[Dave Shepard]

My $80 bandsaw came with a sign that said "machines DO NOT come with brains, you must use yours".

We borrowed an Oliver corn picker once that had a factory installed sign that said: "Caution, this machine is faster than you are!".  :D

[Texas Ranger]

Not scared of em, but, the band saw is the one that bit me the worse, until I fought the wall fan, and I am very respectful of the radial arm saw, the shaper, and anything with a rotating blade. 

[Gary_C]

There is probably nothing worse than a straight line rip saw with the blade on top. They say you had to wear a leather apron to keep from getting speared from kickbacks. Then there are circle saws with top saws.  And shapers.

[redprospector]

There is probably nothing worse than a straight line rip saw with the blade on top. They say you had to wear a leather apron to keep from getting speared from kickbacks. Then there are circle saws with top saws.  And shapers.

The only thing I can think of might be the gang rip that my Dad had in his shop. As long as you kept feeding one board butted up to the next, there wasn't a problem. At the end of a unit of lumber the catch man had to be on his toes, or one of those pieces between two blades could gather up a pretty good head of steam in 12 to 16 feet of board. The trick to not getting hit was to not get in front of it.  :D

[justallan1]

Redprospector, you are definitely right on that one. One cut-up mill I worked for had us making banding channel on a gang rip saw using basically a dado blade between the taller blades with spacers. What a disaster! You wore a leather apron plus stood to the side.

Allan

[hackberry jake]

I worked with a guy that lost an eye running a wood lathe. He was wearing saftey glasses, but the piece in the lathe blew apart with enough force to go through his glasses and right into his eye... it was a piece of eastern red cedar log. To this day I won't turn cedar bigger than pen blank size.

[Dan_Shade]

do you know if there were knots, checks, or bark inclusions?    all of these things can make turning "exciting".

[LeeB]

I have a scar running through the middle of my left eyebrow from a cedar chunk. No ones fault but my own. Had a gauge and no head gear on. Rang my chimes pretty good. So good I didn't even know I was bleeding till the kids told me so. The woodworking tool that scares me the most is myself, and a router.

[blackfoot griz]

6 or so years ago my elderly neighbor literally cut his hand completely off w/ a radial arm saw.  He grabbed his severed hand, held it to the stump and walked over to another neighbor's house. He used his foot to knock on the door and politely asked if they would please call 911.  Lifeflight flew him to a hospital in Missoula, MT then to Seattle.  They surgically reattached the hand and (to me anyways) it is amazing how much use he still has with his left hand.  He can't close his fingers all the way/ make a tight fist with his left hand but he can hold a nail, open a pop top etc.

[Holmes]

Radial arm saw,  table saw, . I used to build a lot of furniture and only had a radial arm saw. They can do a lot of jobs but sure are dangerous.