Shopsmith Safety Tips



		*ISSUE ARCHIVES*

	*JULY/ AUG 2001* Volume 44 / Issue 4 IN THIS ISSUE Project Articles Butcher Block/ Microwave Oven Table Gourmet Bird Feeder Recipe Box and Interlocking Play Logs *DEPARTMENTS* Ask Smitty Owner’s Gallery Letters from Owners Academy Notes All About Saw Blades Find A Shopsmith Woodworking Academy Near You National Woodworking Academy in Dayton, OH Service Pointers Bandsaw Service Pointers Safety Tips The Safety Caper... *SURF’S UP* The Shopsmith Universal Lathe Tool Rest Specials & Online Catalog Links Worth Visiting Find A Shopsmith MARK V Demo Near You *FREE FROM SHOPSMITH* Free Woodworking Tips Request Accessory Catalog Request MARK V Information Package *FEEDBACK* Contacting Shopsmith Copyright 2001. Shopsmith, Inc. All Rights Reserved


	Safety’s Always First


	The Safety Caper...

Finally...take a good look at our smiling Doctor and it should be fairly obvious that he not only lacks respect for his environment...he has little for his personal safety, as well. Here are three reasons why:

1: His Eyes
Why isn't he wearing safety goggles or a shield to protect his eyes from flying wood chips and sawdust?

2: His Ears
As a Doctor, he should know that constant exposure to the high frequencies of certain power tools (most notably, routers, thickness planers, table saws and jointers) can cause permanent hearing loss. The damaging effects are cumulative, so it may be a long time before he notices any loss. He should be wearing hearing protectors that have been specifically designed to greatly reduce these high frequencies without filtering out the frequencies of the human voice.

3: His Clothing
He may be a real "dude" in the office, but his attire in the shop is unacceptable. He should NEVER wear loose clothing, gloves or jewelry in the workshop. His shirtsleeves should be rolled-up above the elbows and his tie should be hanging in the closet. For shoes, he should be wearing lace-up tennis or athletic shoes with non-slip soles...NOT his alligator "Mary-Janes". His long hair should be tucked under a hat.

So far, our Dr. Practice has made numerous workshop safety mistakes. Hopefully, he's not as careless with his patients as he is in his workshop. He should always remember that the safest tools are those operated by an informed woodworker who has carefully read the owner's manuals that came with them...BEFORE he ever turns them on for the first time.

In addition, he should know that the danger zone for power tools is anywhere within 3" of a moving cutter or part. He should always use the safety guards that came with his tools and other safety devices designed to keep his hands out of harm's way such as push sticks, featherboards, fence straddlers and push blocks.

Shopsmith also offers a number of optional safety accessories for certain tools that you should consider very carefully. They've been designed to provide the protection and support you need to work more safely in your shop. These accessories include, but are not limited to the following:

An Auxiliary Fence Kit (with featherboard hold-downs) for your Shopsmith Jointer
A special Utility Light to better illuminate a number of power tool operations
A rip fence-mounted featherboard hold-down
Support Tables and Roller Stands to provide better control of oversized workpieces
A Three-Lever Quill Feed Handle for added control when performing many MARK V operations

And last, but certainly not least, we need to always be sure that our power tools are maintained properly and that our blades, cutters and bits are sharp. Remember...shop safety doesn't just happen...it comes from following the rules of common sense and paying attention. Follow these simple rules and you'll be around for a long time...with all your appendages intact !