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Safety First

Each piece of equipment has it own unique safety rules. Reading and understanding all safety documents is a must. Everyone should be taking personal responsibility for his or her own personal safety in the wood shop. With so many new woodworkers joining it is important to reinforce the things that may seem like common sense to an experienced woodworker. Even experienced woodworkers can always use a refresher on these key safety attitudes:

1. FOCUS – A good safety attitude means that you focus on the task. How well are you concentrating on the job? If you have other things on your mind, you may be distracted.

2. STRENGTH – No, this does not mean muscle strength. What it means is the strength to do the right thing, even when you are under time or other pressure to take shortcuts. A good safety attitude means you have the strength to follow the safety procedure.

3. TIME – A good safety attitude means taking the time to do things correctly and using the right guard or personal protective equipment. Is saving a few minutes worth a lifelong injury?

4. RESPONSIBILITY – If you care about yourself and others, YOU will have to take responsibility, follow the safety procedures, and not take short cuts.

5. RISK – We all take risks. A good safety attitude means being smart and avoid taking unnecessary risks. A one in a thousand risk is not worth the possible cost. Do not play the odds, always follow the safety procedures.

Wood Shop Orientation

General Principles

• The wood shop is a shared space, and works best when everyone is a considerate user.

• Clean up machine surfaces and the floor when you are done. Brooms and dustpans are in the shop as well as two ShopVacs.

• While the shop provides for larger supplies (e.g. sanding belts and drums, router bits, drill bits, etc.) users are expected to provide their own smaller supplies (e.g. 18g brads for the brad nailer, sanding discs, etc.)

• Any materials (wood, finishes) that are left in the shop without labels may either be thrown out or claimed by another user.

• If you need to leave your project overnight (e.g. waiting for glue or finish to dry), it is essential to do the following:

  • Place the piece on the long workbench or on the free-standing table. Use as little space as possible.

  • Print out a sticker from the “storage” tape machine (just to the left of the entry door to the wood/auto shop, and place this on or near you project.

  • Please pick up your piece as soon as possible, as we are quite limited on space.

• Wood in the shop (racks on the walls, sheet goods behind the clamps, and short pieces in the free-standing table) are available for your use. We only ask 3 things:

  • The wall lumber should only be for your own personal use - not to make something that you will sell.

  • Be considerate of others, and limit the amount you take.

  • If you want to use the figured maple on the racks above the planer, please speak to one of the Resource Managers first.

• If you find a problem with a tool in the shop, please let one of Resource Managers know as soon as possible. It would also be ideal to post a note in the #resource-wood-shop channel of Slack. If it is a power tool and is not safe to use until repaired, please hang one of the “out of order” signs on the tool (these are hanging above the long workbench).

• Please do not sharpen any tools owned by the space (chisels, router bits, lathe tools). Reach out to a Resource Manger instead.

Safety

• There is a first aid kit just outside the wood shop, between the two roll-up doors (just to the right of the auto shop).

• The same location holds a fire blanket, eye wash bottles, and fire extinguisher.

• There is also an eye wash device attached to the sink just outside of the wood shop (right before you walk out the swinging door to the rest of the maker space.

• Ear protection and eye protection is available in the shop. There are also numerous safety glasses in a box to the left of the swinging door before you enter the wood shop/auto shop area.

• If you are not familiar or comfortable with any tool or technique, please ask for help! You can send a DM in Slack to either of the Resource Managers (@david_bauer or @thadd_williams). There may also be one or more experienced users in the space who can help you.

Locations of Materials

• As noted above, common-use planks are hanging on racks in the shop. Shorter pieces can be found in the free-standing table. Sheet goods are in slots behind the clamp wall.

• Stains and other finishes are in the metal cabinet above the drum sander.

• Other tools and supplies are stored in cabinets and containers. Most of these are labeled. 

Wood Shop Safety

Table Saw

• SawStop mechanism - prohibited materials: very wet wood, wood with metallic coating or paint, wood that has been cut or etched on the Epilog laser, metals, mirrored acrylic, carbon-filled plastics, or reclaimed wood (since it might have nails or buckshot hidden in it).

• Remove scrap only after blade has stopped

• Use push stick (located in bins under the right saw table) for pieces narrow than 3”

• When adjusting either the height or angle of the blade using the wheels, do NOT apply additional pressure once you feel the wheel provide resistance. Applying further force could damage the mechanism. Always return the angle to zero when you are done.

• Preventing kickback

  • Always use a riving knife - either the one with guard or the standalone one (which hangs off the left side of the saw near the wheel that changes the angle of the blade).

  • Never make cuts without the red throat plate in place

  • Stand to the left of work

  • Lower the blade such that the teeth are just above your workpiece. The higher the blade, the more likely to cause kick-back.

  • Use a feather board and/or Jess Em stock guides

  • Push in center of board to prevent twisting

  • Twisted or warped wood will almost always try to kick back

  • Never use crosscut sled/miter and fence at the same time

Miter Saw

• 3” exclusion zone for fingers

• Always start saw when not in contact with work.

• Don’t slide unless you need to. To place the saw in chop mode (non-slide), flip the red lever up. If you do need the greater cut size of a slide, cut front to back.

• Never cut anything shorter than 4”

• Extra care with warped wood

• If using a stop, always hold work between stop and blade

• Let saw come to a stop before lifting blade to prevent cut-off from flying away.

Jointer

• Blades are incredibly shape. Don’t touch even when off

• Never adjust tool with blade spinning

• Never joint end grain

• If planing, use push stick

• Minimum length 10”

• Walk along side of jointer, don’t place body in line with work.

Planer

• Blades are incredibly sharp. Don’t reach inside even when the device is off.

Drum Sander

• Very safe - don’t put hand on moving drum

Belt Sander

• Keep fingers away from belt

• Fingers on top of wood, rather than sides

• Pinch hazard

Drill Press

• Spinning bit and spindle can catch loose clothing, jewelry or hair - properly secure.

Router

• • Only 1/2” bits may be used.

  • It is very important that the bit not be lowered all the way into the chuck - raise it about 1/8” and hold with your fingers while you tighten the chuck. (Failing to do this can cause the bit to loosen.)

  • Be sure to unlock the mechanism (see arrow below) before adjusting height.

  • Never force the up/down mechanism, and do not use a power tool (e.g. driver) to raise or lower it.

  • When routing outside edges, always move the piece from right to left. (When routing the inside of a bowl [for example], the reverse is true).

  • Adjust sliding sides of fence to just larger than bit to maximize dust collection. This is done with the T-handle tool under the router, and involves slightly loosening the Allen nuts on the face of the fence.

  • Bits are very sharp. Try not to touch the blade portion.

Lathe

• • Spinning bit and spindle can catch loose clothing, jewelry, or hair - properly secure.

  • Always wear a full face shield.

  • There are two lathes; the parts that hold the wood (chucks, star bits, and tail-stock ends) are interchangeable. The bins are labeled with their contents.

  • Clean frequently while you’re turning, especially your footing, as it’s a slip hazard for you and others in the shop

  • Reference the speed chart attached to the wall when starting a new piece of work

  • pine practice stock is provided for members (bucket of pine)

  • turning stock and some burls have been donated as well. Please use them judiciously and for your own personal projects

  • Please don’t sharpen or touch-up the tools

  • Do not use reverse. Ever.

  • New or first-time wood turners should take the Wood Lathe Orientation class before starting wood turning

Band Saw

• Always tension blade (pull large handle on back of machine down) before cutting, and release tension when done.

• Lower blade guard as much as possible. Ideally, you should not be able to fit your finger between the top of the wood and the blade.

• Try to avoid having any part of your hand directly in front of the blade while pushing your piece of wood.

• Fence can be set with small edge perpendicular to the table (good for most work) or with the large edge perpendicular to the table (used for resawing taller pieces of wood).

• There is a pedal on the side of the machine that will stop the blade fairly quickly.

• Do not change blades unless/until you have taken the “Blades and Belts” class.

Tools & Status

General Info & Rules

Questions about anything shop related should be directed to the Wood Shop Resource Managers, Thadd Williams or David Bauer or posted in the resource-wood-shop channel on Slack.  General woodworking discussions, not specifically related to the shop or its tools, should go in the general-woodworking channel.

Anyone wishing to use the Wood Shop needs to be a member in good standing and must complete the MakeIt Labs Wood Shop Safety & Orientation Class.  This is conducted once per month, generally on the first Wednesday, but additional classes may be scheduled based on demand.  You can sign up in the MakeItLabs Class Schedule. 

Before leaving the Shop, it must be returned to as-found or better condition. This includes, but is not limited to, sweeping the floor, vacuuming dust from tools, putting hand and power tools back in their proper homes, etc.

Any work on reclaimed material will not be done without prior approval of the Wood Shop Resource Managers.  In determining if the work can be done on MakeItLab's equipment, the Wood Shop Resource Managers may consider:

• Removal of any prior finish

• Visual inspection of boards to assess foreign objects

• Use of a metal detector to confirm whether nails, screws, or other metal objects are present.

Shop users agree to follow Wood Shop Resource Managers' directives, including leaving the shop if not following the shop rules.  Repeated violation of these rules is cause for losing shop privileges and other membership privileges pending Board of Directors decision.  The user may be responsible for any equipment or shop damage due to negligence.