Jointer safety

[RichardL]

G'day All

I was out in the shed running some maple over my jointer (which I don't use that often) - 4 inch wide, 3/4 inch thick and 40 inches long. No problems. Then I beveled a nice 16 degree angle on the edge of a shorter bit - 10 inches long. No problems.

Then I thought to meself - I don't really know what I'm doing with this thing so lets go and have a read on the net to refresh my memory about the hazzards of jointing/planing.

There is lots of stuff like this (most of which I know but don't always practice):

Jointers

• Check that the guard has sufficient tension to cover the part of the cutter head not covered by stock.
  
  
• Do not use a jointer with dull knives.
  
  
• Do not attempt to joint stock that has knots, nails, etc.
  
  
• Do not use a jointer to plane stock shorter than 10", narrower than 2", or thinner than 3/8".
  
  
• With power off, check that blades are flush with the out-feed table and securely fastened in the cutter head.
  
  
• Feed stock into a jointer "with the grain".
  
  
• Keep a firm grip on stock to prevent kickback. Position your body to the side of the machine; never stand to the front (feed side) of the table.
  
  
• Do not allow fingers to drag behind or along edges of stock.
  
  
• Do not use a jointer to plane the grain-end of stock that is narrower than 12".

Well, I have just broken several of the rules I guess. I'd like to use all manner of safety devices to keep the fingers out of trouble but I can't see how you can when you are planing the side of a board. I try to use a home-made push block with a non-slip pad on the bottom to surface plane (I haven't got a thicknesser and use the jointer a bit for making boards a bit thinner). Why is there no planing of wood less than 2 inches wide?

Anyway, are there any really good sites that describe the way a jointer (or planer or what ever else they are called) should be used safely (with pictures). For instance, how do you put even downward pressure on the edge of a board using a push stick:confused: ? How do you really keep your fingers 12 inches away from the cutters? How do you feed smoothly and still keep your hands from going over the cutters when putting a bevel on a relatively short bit of wood as I described earlier.

[Sprog]

How do you feed smoothly and still keep your hands from going over the cutters when putting a bevel on a relatively short bit of wood as I described earlier.

Use two of these

[swiftden]

Richard trust me they can be a nasty machine!! See my thread titled "the loss of a finger"

I learnt it the hardway .

Regards
Allan

[RichardL]

Richard trust me they can be a nasty machine!! See my thread titled "the loss of a finger"

I learnt it the hardway .

Regards
Allan

Yes, I have read a few horror stories and I guess that is partly what has prompted the question.

Sprog - I have one of these but will get 2. Still not clear how you plane the side of a board using them but perhaps its just practice. I made myself a decent pushstick too so I'll probably use it more than the grotty one I used to use.