Every year, hospitals see injuries caused by woodworking tools in the emergency room. This includes professionals and hobbyists, students and homeowners. The types of injuries vary, as there are more ways to make mistakes in a woodshop than there are ways to plan ahead for them – precisely why they’re called accidents! In 2011, the
Why Hearing Protection is Important My first job out of college was framing houses. The contractor I worked for was ‘old school.’ Protective gear like gloves, earplugs or safety glasses were generally viewed as signs of weakness. For a long time I tried to be a tough guy. After an afternoon of air-nailing fire blocking
Whether used freehand or mounted in a table, a router is possibly the most useful power tool in the woodshop. But working with a device that spins sharp carbide-tipped bits at dizzying speeds can be quite hazardous, unless you follow good safety practices each and every time you rout. Here are a dozen tips for
I recently bought a SawStop tablesaw. (Is that the sound of applause I’m hearing?) On the one hand, it was an easy decision. Who wouldn’t want the blade brake safety feature only SawStop offers. On the other hand, it wasn’t a snap decision. In fact, years went by between the time I first used a
Grizzly has again done something that they’re great at making what looks like an amazing tool at what I know is an amazing price. Their new G0700 table saw, $2,795, is a 10″ sliding table saw with a 5 hp motor and built in scoring blade. And, unlike some sliding saws, this saw will accept
The new Feather Guard from Sommerfeld Tools, $24.90, is a two-for-one deal. It serves as both a feather board and a bit guard. It works great for jobs like raised panels, affectively covering even massive horizontal panel raisers. And instead of setting my table up with two feather boards, one on the infeed side and
Scientific Hearing Protection – Noise Canceling Technology Without the Batteries. Industrialization brought loud noises into a relatively quiet world. The first hearing protection was right at hand: fingers or hands were employed to either plug or cover the ears. These early devices worked OK, but made it hard to work while they were being
Save Your Fingers! Why do table saws cause so many woodworking accidents? The saw blade does not care whether it is cutting wood, bone, or meat. If you use a table saw, then pay attention to these table saw safety tips! I met a person who previously worked in a Van Conversion Factory. He is
Whether you’re a seasoned woodworker, or just starting out, these router safety tips will help you work safer in your shop. I’ve been a woodworker for 30 years, and trust me… I’ve made every mistake told here at least once. Fortunately, other than bruised pride and wasting some wood, I haven’t been hurt. Keep yourself
Want to use a router, but don’t know where to start? Learn how to use a router with these router woodworking techniques and tips. Boy, I use routers a lot. They can do so much. From adding a profile to an edge to cutting dovetail joints, a router is an incredibly versatile machine. But if
