…that when properly used, the bandsaw is the safest machine in the wood shop.  Mostly, this is because the blade is almost completely encased in steel.  Only as much blade is exposed as needed for cutting the stock on the table.  But I wonder how many heart attacks they have caused?

When the blade on a bandsaw fails, it breaks under tension, catastrophically.  It really sounds like a rifle shot, right in front of you.  Oddly enough, it’s the narrower blades that startle me the most.  The larger ones tend to give some notice that things aren’t right, they start tick, tick, ticking as they propagate a crack in anticipation of failure.  The narrow ones, BANG! without warning.  I swear my heart needs to restart itself after each time one of those things breaks.

I think it may be time to pour a drink and call it a day.

Cheers,
Tom