Safety with woodwork


Using a potato peeler
Great for peeling bark off green (freshly cut) wood, making wands, drumsticks and lots more.
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Wear a glove on the hand you are holding the stick with so if you slip with the peeler you will not cut your hand.
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Place your piece of wood across your leg to the side.
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Always peel away from you.

Using a bow saw
Use for cutting wood that is too big for loppers
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Wear a glove on the hand you are not holding the saw with to protect it.
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Place your piece of wood on a saw horse or on the ground but lifted up at one end.
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Get into a rhythm when you saw - singing a song can help. Bow saws cut as you pull them towards you. So pull hard but relax when you push it forwards again.
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It is great to saw in pairs - one either side of the saw.
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Always put the safety guard back on the saw and store the saw in a safe place.
Using a gimlet or palm drill
These are simple tools for making holes in wood or taking the pith out of elder.
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For safety you might like to wear a glove on the hand you are holding the wood.
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Place your piece of wood on a hard surface - flat stone, wooden stump.
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Turn the gimlet clockwise to drill into the wood pushing down on your hard surface.
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If pushing out the pith of elder you will need to raise it off the hard surface. Ensure that you are pushing the gimlet towards an open space - not into your hand.