# What Not To Do With A Table Saw (graphic Photos!)



## Shagee415 (Dec 18, 2013)

This is what happened to me when I was in a rush to get things done on time. Not paying attention.


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## Cody Killgore (Dec 18, 2013)

Holy cow. I saw the little thumbnails and decided not to make them bigger. I'm struggling just typing this with the tiny thumbnails above. AHHH CANT LOOK PAINFUL

Reactions: Like 2


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## DKMD (Dec 18, 2013)

Ouchy! Looks like a little more than a bandaid...


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## Shagee415 (Dec 18, 2013)

Yeah had to have surgery to straghtin up and let the bone regrow and reattach the tendon so i can move it. No feeling left as it cut all the nerves. Oh and it moves a whole 1/4" now. LOL


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## Shagee415 (Dec 18, 2013)

LOL Dave.

Reactions: Like 2


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## manbuckwal (Dec 18, 2013)

Oh snap !!!! Might be time to invest in one of those 5,000.00 table saws that sense skin contact ?

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## HomeBody (Dec 19, 2013)

I'm a retired machinist and I lost the ends of both my thumbs in machines, several years apart. Got one real good, the other just barely. Hurts like hell, don't it! About 3 days and the throbbing will stop. Those Tylenol with codeine are about worthless. Hope they gave you something better. You'll get used to it but the dead nerves are what gets me to this day. I can't hardly start a nut on a bolt without looking at it. Anything requiring fine feeling is hard. You'll soon realize how important your thumb is to doing everything. The old saying "He's all thumbs" is backwards. It should be "He's all fingers". Sorry for your injury. Heal up quick! Gary

Reactions: Like 1


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## rdnkmedic (Dec 19, 2013)

That's pretty ugly. A good reminder to all of us that you can NEVER be in a hurry when operating machinery. A table saw, bandsaw, planer, joiner, lathe, skilsaw, etc, etc, etc will hurt you right now and never even slow down. Diligence is the key. No distractions. Keep in mind all the time what these machines are capable of if you relax for even one second.

Good post because it is a visual that we all need. I hope you continue to progress and it gets better for you.


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## Ms. Rdnkmedic (Dec 19, 2013)

Oh My! 

I hope you get well soon. I always whisper a prayer when we rev up those power tools in the shop. You are in my prayers. 

Mel~


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## Blueglass (Dec 19, 2013)

Ouch!!! I have not feeling in my left thumb which is very strange when it gets cold out. Working construction outside most of my hand would be almost painful cold but from the knuckle up nothing. Glad you could get it patched up!


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## Hawker 1 (Dec 19, 2013)

MMM MMMMM MMMMM I think I will get that Stopsaw for sure . Good post to remind everyone just what can happen . It can happen even being careful.

Reactions: Like 1


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## ripjack13 (Dec 19, 2013)

I just barfed in my mouth a lil. Blech!!!


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## Molokai (Dec 19, 2013)

OMG !


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## Patrude (Dec 19, 2013)

Man; thats gotta hurt. I feel for ya. Hope you get better soon. Its tough to look at those pictures, but they deffinately make you stop and think. Any given day we are all exposed to dangers in the shop. Its what we do and can never take for granted. Hope you get better soon


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## Shagee415 (Dec 19, 2013)

Thanks for all the responses guys. Yeah I got careless and was in a hurry. Just put it up as a reminder. Also the thumb is healed up all the way this happened about 4 months ago and just getting around to posting. yeah without the feeling its hard starting a nut or working with any precision. I'm trying to train the left hand but its a slow process. Dumb left hand. LOL.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Patrude (Dec 19, 2013)

Glad to hear you can at least use it. I did something similar couple years ago, but on the router table. I was doing a good number of odd shapes assembly line style and got to daydreaming. My mind went off the work and whack! Just like that I was calling my Daughter to get me to the hospital. I ended up loosing some of the feeling at the tips of two fingers and also have a fingernail that wont grow quite right any more.


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## Brink (Dec 19, 2013)

Oweeee!


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## NYWoodturner (Dec 19, 2013)

Shane - Bad deal, good post. No one ever knows how many fingers you save with these posts, but 1 is a win. What distracted you? What was the careless second that led to sticking your finger into a table saw blade? Not trying to be flippant... But I guarantee your response will be something many of us do frequently. It just helps to drive the lesson home.

Reactions: Like 4


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## woodtickgreg (Dec 19, 2013)

Holy crap Shane! How the heck do you guys take pics of your stuff hanging off? I couldn't even think of doing that, I would be week in the knee's and only thinking of getting patched up. Man if I even wack my finger with a hammer I get dizzy and break out in a sweat.
P.S. What's with the name change? Trying to confuse the old man? LOL


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## Shagee415 (Dec 19, 2013)

Sorry for the confusion but I go by my middle name, Shane.

As for as the distraction. I had two projects going on at one time trying to catch up on orders. I was ripping some wood without grabbing my pusher and turned my head and at the same time hit a knot in the wood. The kickback threw my thumb on top to the blade due to wrong hand position worrying about the other job. Learned me a good lesson. I now stand on the fence side and attached the pusher to the table saw. I will not lie the first time I fired it back up to rip more wood I was a little scared. LOL

Reactions: Like 1


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## HomeBody (Dec 20, 2013)

Your "thumbs up" avatar is kind of ironic. Also glad to hear it was 4 months ago. I now know you're not sitting around in pain for days. That's passed at least. Gary

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## Shagee415 (Dec 20, 2013)

thanks Gary i now have a permanent thumbs up as it dont bend much LOL

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## Treecycle Hardwoods (Dec 20, 2013)

I shouldn't have looked at the pix!! Man that is graphic!! I ran my finger thru a moulder head a number of years back. Got a little woozy watching them stich it back together. I don't know how you managed to not pass out fumbling with a camera during the whole ordeal!

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## Hawker 1 (Dec 20, 2013)

Louisiana Swamp boys are tough!

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## Shagee415 (Dec 20, 2013)

Yeah you can tell one or two were kinda blurry from shaking. LOL.


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## rdnkmedic (Dec 20, 2013)

I thought the pictures were awesome. But, then again, I'm a paramedic and think that kind of stuff is cool. I would be looking inside to see what structures I could identify.  And then we could go get lunch. Such is the life of a medic.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Shagee415 (Dec 20, 2013)

Yeah stuff like that doesn't bother me. I started spreading it open trying to see inside and stuff and the wife was freakin out. The doc was really digging and I was all in his way trying to see too. Lol

Reactions: Like 1


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## rbhandcrafted (Jan 20, 2014)

Shagee415 said:


> This is what happened to me when I was in a rush to get things done on time. Not paying attention.


 
That one went instantly to my belly with adrenaline. man! similar thing happened to me, same thumb. The worst part...hours after it happens, when its throbbing in hyper sensitivity, they jab a needle right into the heart of it... did you just relive the pain? sorry man, it just isn't something onbe forgets.
I hope you didn't loose any function in it and that you wil be back to 100% maybe time for a sawstop?


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## HomeBody (Jan 20, 2014)

rbhandcrafted said:


> That one went instantly to my belly with adrenaline. man! similar thing happened to me, same thumb. The worst part...hours after it happens, when its throbbing in hyper sensitivity, they jab a needle right into the heart of it... did you just relive the pain? sorry man, it just isn't something onbe forgets.
> I hope you didn't loose any function in it and that you wil be back to 100% maybe time for a sawstop?


Oh boy! Do I ever remember that pain. Had a little anxiety attack I think. I went through it twice, 2 years apart almost to the day. Gary


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## Shagee415 (Jan 20, 2014)

Cant bend the thumb no more but can still get in the shop. One good thing I cant feel it. Was sanding one time and started smelling something funny. It was my thumb getting scorched. LOL


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## LoneStar (Jan 20, 2014)

Ohhhhhhh. Damn. God grant you the serenity to accept the things you cannot change. Indeed.
Sorry to hear you had to go through that.


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## Shagee415 (Jan 20, 2014)

yeah it was definitely an eye opener and sure have learned to slow down


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## Hawker 1 (Feb 14, 2014)

Was it you Shane that received a Xmass gift of a air system . If so have you set it up and how is it working .
I am in the process of trying to decide on what to get and also a mask of some sort . I have a full beard and now need both mask and air system.


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## ripjack13 (Feb 14, 2014)

I went through an osha class dealing with dust masks and respirators last year. I have a fairly long goatee, and they said this is my best option for a mask short of shaving it off....
http://www.tcpglobal.com/spraygundepot/dsafequip.aspx


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## brown down (Feb 15, 2014)

i cut my left thumb down to the bone with a knife butchering a deer. happened so fast as do most accidents. I too don't have any felling in my thumb, it will always be that way. I don't know what you were doing on your saw, but i use that GR ripper push stick best $60 i ever spent. use it constantly. prob gonna get a second one for my left hand


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