Most Dangerous Tool in the Shop

[Mike Jackson]

I am not sure how we got on the subject, but Noel Weber and I were talking about dangerous tools in the shop. Table saws, radial arm saws, band saws, and cut off saws came up. Noel suggested it might be an X-Acto knife, not so much because of the severity of the damage, but more because they are so common in every shop, and get used almost all the time. A couple of years ago, I was trimming off the fringe from some plastic parts. I put some pressure on a piece of plastic and it broke, cleanly cutting the very tip off my right index finger. I had it stitched back on and all is well. Yesterday, I did a similar cut, only this time on the top of the finger below the last joint. It was deep and bloody. I went to the local emergency center just before closing and got three or four stitches. $379 later, I now have a purple bandage over it. I've also trimmed a tiny bit off the very tip of a few fingers when cutting along a metal straight edge....something I am sure most of you have done, too.

So, yes I agree with Noel on this one.

Mike Jackson

[Doug Bernhardt]

I have all sorts of tools in my shop....saws of all varieties...routers planers, jointers...the list goes on. And although I almost had a disaster with a band saw once the only tool that has drawn real blood is a bloodied X-acto with a number 11 blade! An article I saw several years ago in Fine Woodworking compared safety issues with power tools. Apparently the hand router is the most dangerous of common woodworking tools. The least so is a bandsaw...go figger.

[Roderick Treece]

From personal experience I would say the most dangerous thing in my shop is......ME! Hands down ,#1 it's me.When I think back to all the mishaps that I've had they all could have been avoided.It all boils down to paying attention.I try real hard to listen to that little voice in my head that tell me "your about to screw yourself DON'T DO IT !


Roderick