Hey guys!
Just thought that I'd take a minute to emphasize the importance of safety and common sense when working with power tools. This weekend, I started making a new handle for my AK. I made up a few blanks of oak to work with , and cut them to approximately the length that I needed. The next task was to get rid of the waste wood to bring the wood to the approximate diameter and shape desired for my handle. Many different tools can be used for this, some safe, some not so safe. I chose the latter of the two... A 12" compound miter saw is a very useful tool. It is designed for crosscutting and mitering wood. It is very good at cutting through even really hard wood, with very smooth cuts. Usually to take a piece of wood down to rough size, I would use my radial arm saw with a sanding drum on it, or else use it as a planer of sorts. My radial arm saw is temporarily out of commission (too much junk on it!), so I figured, "Hey, I can use the old miter saw, I'll just be careful...". BAD IDEA!!!! I was using the saw as a planer/gouge to form the rough outline of the handle. It was working very well, and I was just about done with the roughing in stage. I was trying to get close to the pommel of the handle, to smooth it out and take it down a little more, when the wood caught in the blade. The binding didn't take the wood out of my hand, but did manage to pull my left thumb into the blade. I was VERY BLESSED, I just got a nick on the tip of my thumb about a blade tooth wide (1/4") by about 1/2 inch long, and about 1/8 to 1/4" deep. This is a very minor cut from a saw like this, it could have very easily taken the thumb clean off, and not missed a beat.
The moral of the story is this: use the right tool for the job, and BE CAREFUL! I was not seriously injured this time, but it could have been much worse. We get too comfortable with tools that we are familiar with, and forget sometimes, just how dangerous they are. Keep your digits in place, you might need them sometime!
Take it easy,
Rob
PS, the handle is coming along well, outside of a slight blood stain on it!
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I'd rather sleep next to a Bush than be Gored!
Just thought that I'd take a minute to emphasize the importance of safety and common sense when working with power tools. This weekend, I started making a new handle for my AK. I made up a few blanks of oak to work with , and cut them to approximately the length that I needed. The next task was to get rid of the waste wood to bring the wood to the approximate diameter and shape desired for my handle. Many different tools can be used for this, some safe, some not so safe. I chose the latter of the two... A 12" compound miter saw is a very useful tool. It is designed for crosscutting and mitering wood. It is very good at cutting through even really hard wood, with very smooth cuts. Usually to take a piece of wood down to rough size, I would use my radial arm saw with a sanding drum on it, or else use it as a planer of sorts. My radial arm saw is temporarily out of commission (too much junk on it!), so I figured, "Hey, I can use the old miter saw, I'll just be careful...". BAD IDEA!!!! I was using the saw as a planer/gouge to form the rough outline of the handle. It was working very well, and I was just about done with the roughing in stage. I was trying to get close to the pommel of the handle, to smooth it out and take it down a little more, when the wood caught in the blade. The binding didn't take the wood out of my hand, but did manage to pull my left thumb into the blade. I was VERY BLESSED, I just got a nick on the tip of my thumb about a blade tooth wide (1/4") by about 1/2 inch long, and about 1/8 to 1/4" deep. This is a very minor cut from a saw like this, it could have very easily taken the thumb clean off, and not missed a beat.
The moral of the story is this: use the right tool for the job, and BE CAREFUL! I was not seriously injured this time, but it could have been much worse. We get too comfortable with tools that we are familiar with, and forget sometimes, just how dangerous they are. Keep your digits in place, you might need them sometime!
Take it easy,
Rob
PS, the handle is coming along well, outside of a slight blood stain on it!
------------------
I'd rather sleep next to a Bush than be Gored!
