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Power Tool Safety

Wed 29 Nov 2006 - 09:13

Power Tool Safety
By Al Perez

The very same tools that have made it possible for us to experience tremendous leaps in our productivity and our quality of life, have brought with them new potential problems and hazards. Here we will discuss just a few of these problems...and simple solutions.

Electric powered saws: There are three main types of powered saws, the circular hand saw, the reciprocating saw, and the jig saw. Though all present significant hazards to thoughtless use, the most hazardous one would undoubtedly be the circular saw. The reasons: They are the most widely used, they create the largest amount of potentially harmful byproduct...sawdust, they are prone to kickback (the tendency for the saw to jump back toward the user when it encounters a hard knot in the wood, when it encounters a change in the grain pattern in hardwood, or when the piece being cut is not properly secured), and the extremely high speed of the blade rotation. We can avoid significant problems with theses tools if we THINK! More specifically, the problem of the sawdust generated by the circular saw can be overcome by wearing a simple and very inexpensive dust filtering mask, standing upwind of the cutting action, and keeping your face at least a full arms length from the cutting action. When you consider that most pressure treated wood contains arsenic residue it becomes highly critical that you NOT inhale any of that sawdust.

Although theses rules apply when cutting wood, when cutting metal the potential inhalation problems are increased dramatically. Your lungs may recuperate from a limited amount of real fine sawdust, they will not recuperate from a similar amount of real fine metal dust!

The kickback problem can be minimized by: Thinking ahead and looking over the wood being cut, are there any knots in the cutting path? Is the wood a hardwood, will you be cutting against the grain? Are there any grain pattern changes in the cutting path? Finally, make sure the wood being cut is secured properly with clamps or other holding devices and guide the saw slowly and firmly through its cutting path. Slow down even more when encountering knots or grain pattern changes.

The high blade rotation issue can simply be addressed by keeping all appendages and other body parts out of the path of the rotating blade. When finished do not set the saw down until you are sure the blade has stopped rotating completely! Many a handyman has been rudely surprised when they set a circular saw down before the blade stopped rotating. It could take off seemingly on its own cutting whatever gets in its way!

Power tools are important to the handyman. Used wisely and thoughtfully they are indispensable.

Al is the owner and operator of Al's Tool Shop at =>http://www.alstoolshop.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Al_Perez


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