You want to enjoy woodworking and see a great finished product. You DO NOT want to spend your weekend in the emergency room because of carelessness. Try these tips to ensure a good woodworking experience.
1. Wear safety eyeglasses. I was using the table saw two days ago. I was "ripping" a five foot board and all of a sudden "zing", a small chunk of wood hit my cheek. It could just as well have been mt eye. Make it a habit to wear eye protection before you start a project.
2 Wear ear protection. It will save your hearing, long term, especially if you have a lot of equipment. I can't hear anything when the planer, dust collection system, and air circulation systems are going. The decibel levels are outrageous! Protect your hearing, wear highly rated ear devices.
3. Take off any jewelry, This includes rings, bracelets, watches, and necklaces. If one of these items gets caught in a piece of machinery..... Well, you get the drift. Be safe, take off the bling!
4. Do not wear loose clothing. Make sure clothes are tucked and are "away" from machines. I know you love that favorite baggy shirt. But, if you lean over a piece of machinery and it gets caught in the gears, Watch out! Wear snug fitting clothes, no ties.
5. Keep your fingers away from the blades. Common sense, right? Wrong. My father in law had been an experienced woodworker. One careless moment and pow.... Parts of three fingers missing. Use jigs, push blocks and accessories, if you get in a situation where the machine operation feels dangerous then stop and rethink what you're doing.
Hope these tips were helpful. Share your tips. And enjoy your next project. SaFELY.