Will I have all my fingers when I finish this project?

I am happy to report that I’ve been working steadily on the dining room molding this week.

Here’s a photo of the progress I’ve made since my last update:

So far, I’ve installed over 80 feet of box molding. Whew. I’m estimating that I’ve made around 65 cuts on the miter saw this week. And I’m only a little more than halfway done with the room! That’s a lot of sawdust. With all this power tool action, I’ve been extra vigilant about safety. For example, I always wear safety glasses when operating my miter saw and I keep my fingers the recommended distance away from the blade. This has been especially important with this project because the “picture frame” molding has sometimes split while being cut.

I thought this blog post might be a good opportunity to foot stomp safety to all of you, too, when operating a miter saw. I researched the following tips from Start Woodworking:

1. Use proper eye and ear protection.
2. Don’t wear gloves, loose clothing, jewelry or any dangling objects.
3. All guards must be in place and operating. If a guard seems slow to return to its normal position or sticks, adjust or repair it immediately.
4. Unplug or lock out power to the miter saw when making repairs or adjusting blades and guards.
5. Keep hands and fingers AT LEAST six inches from the blade.
6. Clean the lower guard frequently to help with visibility and movement.
7. Use only the recommended blade size.
8. Regularly check and tighten the blade and the blade-attachment mechanism.
9. Ensure that the blade and its related washers and fasteners are correctly positioned and secured on the saw’s arbor.
10. To avoid losing control or placing hands in the blade path, hold or clamp all material securely against the fence when cutting.
11. Do not perform operations freehand.
12. Never cut small pieces (less than 12 inches).
13. Long material should be supported at the same height as the saw table.
14. To avoid contact with a coasting blade, do not reach into the cutting area until the blade comes to a full stop.
15. After completing a cut, release the trigger switch and allow the blade to come to a complete stop, then raise the blade from the work piece. If the moving blade stays in the cutting area after cutting is complete, injury can result from accidental contact.
16. When using a sliding miter saw, start cutting with the blade closest to you, plunge downward, and then push the blade forward on its sliders as you cut.

Do you have any power tool safety tips to add ? Please share them in the comments section.

I’m linking this up to Beneath My Heart.