Use the Saw, Fear the Saw

When I learned to use a table saw, my teacher impressed upon me that the machine wants to cut fingers. Fear the saw!

Powerful tools can do powerful things. If you want to make handmade wooden furniture you must cut wood. Your desire to have limbs and your desire to have furniture are not at odds if you learn to use tools safely.

There are table saws that will stop at the touch of a finger, but I don’t know of any chainsaw that won’t cut an arm. There is a limit to how safe a tool can be before its function is crippled.

We should not stop making powerful tools because they are dangerous. Rather, we should empower people to use powerful tools safely.

I use the saw, I fear the saw. I have handmade furniture, and I have all my limbs.