[YZF]

I own a bandsaw and it doesn't scare me. It just does what it's supposed to do. If you put your finger in it then it'll cut it off... So I just don't do that ;) A router can literally jump out of your hands, a table saw can pull you in, or kick out- you really need to know what you're doing (use a push stick, don't stand right behind the piece etc.).

[Doxin]

> If you put your finger in it then it'll cut it off... So I just don't do that

Ah yes, simply don't make any mistakes ever ;-P

Fair enough though. I suppose the thing that makes table saws / routers / etc seem safer -- to me at least -- is because they look and sound scary. An untrained novice is much more likely to be careless around a band saw than around a table saw.

[YZF]

You need to be "present" when using the tool, respect it, and maintain very healthy safety margins. Before I flip the bandsaw switch on I think about what I'm doing. I don't get close to the blade. For me this is what makes this safe.

The router, even when you do all the above, it can jump, it can throw material off, it keeps spinning for a surprisingly long time after you power it off. All these characteristics make it less predictable. You need to understand it at a somewhat deeper level, how much can you cut, what direction to go, what direction is the grain going. You need to hold/brace it understanding that it can be unexpected and has a lot more power than you think. That's what makes it a more dangerous tool. Ofcourse properly used - it's fine.

[Doxin]

I think we're basically agreeing. All I'm saying is that it's much easier for newbies to be "present" when using a tool that seems dangerous.

[qup]

I've never been around a quiet band saw. Mines easily as loud as my table saw. To be fair, my table saw runs smooth as butter, but the band saw has some slight imbalance I've been chasing for a couple of years.

None of them sound like the router though. It's a banshee from a nightmare. I don't even like using it when it's mounted.