caarapet1rug

Kickbacks are the table saw's mafia. Always there waiting to punish you if you screw up. In 50 year I've suffered a kickback to the gut that left a 4 inch scar.

My safety procedure is pro-active. I always run the blade below the top when I finish sawing. Then, when I start the saw I have to run it back up thus being more than aware of the blade ...waiting to give me a one finger salute.

The second thing I do is wear a full face shield when I use the saw. And when I stop sawing the face mask is kept on the saw top. It is there to remind me every time as I put it on of the danger in front of me when I start the machine.

Using these two reminders of the dangers at hand keep me alert....and I start and finish each day in the shop counting each of my 10 fingers. No little piggies go to market.

Richard O. Byrne
www.richardobyrne.com

At 70 years of age I am still amazed at the wonderful tools that have come on line in my lifetime because of the efforts of Lei-Nelson, Veritas and Lee Valley Tools; and the many fine journals like Fine Woodworking that let us talk to and learn from each other. None of the makers and designers of the new fleet of woodworking tools is getting rich at it....though I hope they are well rewarded. Woodcraft and the other tool suppliers all try to do an excellent job of bringing wonderful tools to our hands. Why carp about a snowflake of rust or other small faux pas.If you are looking for perfection go to church...if you want to make beautiful things get busy in your shop. What I am waiting for is a line of beautiful Norris planes again!!!

For all those interested in building traditional chests or trunks there is a wonderful Swedish museum site that show a hundred or more 16th-19th century trunks [kista in Swedish] with decorative iron, decorative painting [bloomster maling], various feet formates, curved and flat tops, etc. based on items that are forbidden export license because of their cultural importance to Sweden. Go to www.eoco.org and click on the British flag to get the English version and you will find a treasure trove of wonderful hand crafted trunks, furniture and other items. Enjoy. Richard O. Byrne, Staunton, VA