Fortunately I have not experienced circular saw kickback or chain saw. I have read about it and I am wondering how strong it is, though. I know the answer probably depends on the HP of the saw, the material being cut, user posture and strength, etc. Is the force imparted so strong that a reasonably healthy guy would still be able to hold onto the saw (with two hands) or does the saw simply go flying out of your hands?
Thanks, Tim
I never shed blood from saw kickback but was injured. One of the 1st times I ran a table saw I didn't have the fence parallel to the blade and when I forced the stock it kicked back and bent\\broke my finger. For better or worse I've never been able to wear a wedding ring cause that knuckle in now too big to get a ring over that fits the lower part of my finger.
The kickback depends on how the blade/chain meets the surface. When saw chain on the long part of the bar pinches, you may get a healthy pushback. However, when plunge cutting, if the nose of the bar contacts the surface, the whole bar will swing up rapidly since the chain moves DOWN at that point. One of the reasons plunge cutting is so hazardous.
For circular saws, the problem is that they are already close to your legs and hands. They don't have to go far to bite you. Carpenters do remove or pin back the guard, leaving the blade in the air with the saw upside down. Most saws don't have a blade brake, so they are still spinning after the trigger is released. Do NOT cut a board laid across your knee. More than the board might get cut.
Tom
My circ saw kicked back on me when I was almost done pruning the branch of a beautiful japanese dogwood growing in our front yard. It costed me a quart of blood and twelve outer plus four inner stitches on the top of my right wrist... Happy cutting. ps yeah, kickback is quite strong - and I'm a well built , 200 lb , healthy guy who has no problem lifting 150 lb weighs...
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Your saw will only kick back if you are doing something wrong and/or unsafe with it.
I had a manager that did this pruning branches with a circular saw. Almost died of blood loss when saw slipped and cut into his thigh. He was also on crutches for a couple of weeks.
Did not know about plunge cutting - something I will now avoid.
The first time I ever seen kick back, was in Jr. High shop class.
One fella was leaning over the stock area, looking for a piece of wood. Another guy was ripping on a table saw. It shot that wood out & hit the guy square in the rump, he fell into the wood pile. I started laughing, & this was back when they paddled kids. That shop teacher gave me 3 swats with that damn paddle for laughing! True story!
The wood tore the guys pants, cut his leg open, and he broke his glasses when he fell into the wood pile. I think what was injured the most, was his pride.
I was helping my inexperienced Bro-in-law with some remodeling and he kept placing his foot right behind the saw where he was cutting. Finally I took the saw, placed a loaf of bread behind it and faked a kickback. Had enough bread crumbs to stuff the turkey, but he finally understood what I meant! Keep all body parts away from the saw in anyway it or the stock being cut might fly - to the front, back, or up.
He also had a tendency to want to hold both ends of the piece he was cutting - foot on one piece hand on the other end. That's a sure recipe for kick back as it easily binds the blade...
"James D" wrote in news:gmikcf$dk2$ snipped-for-privacy@reader.motzarella.org:
Similar. In H.S. and someone was ripping a piece. Don't remember details. May have had narrow piece between fence and blade or something. Fortunately he was standing aside the saw rear. Piece shot back to back of shop where lathes were. Hit piece spinning. That goes into shop orbit.
That was in the late 60's though. Whole thing may have been a hallucination. In reality, I could have been sitting in a parking lot and a couple of birds just flew over.
Chainsaw kickback: One _can_ stop one before the chain hits you but only if you have a firm hold on the saw and are braced. I have had several over the past 30 years and, so far, have not came close to getting cut. I lay that down to luck though.
A kickback with a chainsaw is both VICIOUS and SUDDEN! You have no time to react.
Bore cuts: Not bad if you understand the dynamics. The saw will kick back if the top quadrant of the nose contacts something, therefore start a bore cut with the bottom half of the nose, git it well into the log and then rotate the saw straight while pushing. You won't get a kickback after the nose is buried as it is held by uncut wood - you will, however get a 'push back' if you let the top of the bar contact uncut wood - that is controllable though.
Harry K
way more than you want to know. use ALL precautions they advise. it will bite you, and BAD
Yeah, no kidding. My first thought reading that post was "why on earth was he using a circular saw to prune a tree???" Dumb, dumb, dumb.
This happens faster than you can react or think!
Basically ALWAYS two hands on circular saws. Always use clamps to hold down what you are sawing. This keeps that extra hand out of the way of a saw kicking back and keeps control of the saw.
For chainsaws, this is one thing where you *need* to read all safety directions and get the safety DVD below. You can use a chainsaw in a manner which will protect you in the case of a kickback - if you learn the correct way to use and hold the saw...
Stihl Chainsaw Safety and Maintenance DVD...
Yes, i was told "If you remember the '60's, then you weren't there".
sDon't scare yourself out of the pleasures of using tools. You can be hurt by all tools, not by the tool, but, rather, by the idiot driving it. A screwdriver that slips off the screw can enter some part of your anatomy if you aren't careful.
Have a healthy respect for the things that can go wrong and position the work and your body accordingly.
snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com wrote in news:c72c81f8-8f31-4eaa-9d0c-d43e9c339fe7 @y23g2000pre.googlegroups.com:
The force is probably enough that a reasonably healthy guy could hold on to the saw with both hands. The trouble is kickbacks usually happen FAST! There's simply not enough time to react once you realize the kickback is happening, and by the time you do react it's over.
Puckdropper
Kickback accidents are over in less than one second. People who are strong, but in the wrong position or holding on lightly can have a tool get away from them. How many times has a small drill kicked your ass? (or just twisted a finger or wrist) As posted by Dan G., knowing how to use the tool and where the danger points are is a lot of it. I use electric hand held grinders and wire brushes a lot. I KNOW from hundreds of hours using them where the points are on the spinning device that kickback occurs. I have learned this over time, and without major consequences. But I have seen others who were not so lucky. Every damn tool in the box can hurt you if you don't use it right. Yesterday evening I stuck myself with an Xacto knife point. First thought was, "that was dumb". And it was. It was 200% avoidable.
Steve
Well, that really depends on what body part is hit, and how hard. It is very possible to lose control of a hand-held tool, which is something to avoid. Most user manuals explain how to use the tool safely. A tool tuneup will help--many factors can affect control. I've have not lost grip of a circular saw during kickback, but not saying it doesn't happen. I'm sure there are hospital stories to share.
Rueful chuckle. I resemble that remark. I drive a desk for a living these days, but have been known to still pick up a tool when nobody is looking, or when doing it myself is less work than doing the paperwork to have somebody else do it. Right now I have 2-3 healing spots on both hands from minor nicks caused by not paying attention to what I was lifting or bolting or whatever. And I frigging grew up on construction sites. But to bring this on topic, I have never been bit by saw kickback, circular or table or chain. My father beat the proper procedures on how to do all that into me at an early age. (I was the table saw 'catcher' on the jobsites from as soon as I was big enough to handle the weight. Different world back then, pre-OSHA, and when bringing your kid to work was considered a Good Thing.)
-- aem sends...
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