Bob Feeser
09-17-2007, 11:10 PM
I have fortunately only had one minor incident with a table saw, and it taught me a great lesson. Kickback is caused by the workpiece even slightly rising off of the table, then the workpiece is capable of twisting a little bit, which makes the blade grab the workpiece and turn it into a missle. Keeping the workpiece flat on the table, even as it is exiting the mid point of the blade is critical. Of course a riving knife, or a splitter forcing the workpiece down onto the table is a good solution. I don't use either. I use a plastic push stick that has rounded edges on everything. It also enables me to direct the workpiece against the fence, as well as follow it up past the blade, without getting my hands near the blade.
Getting afraid of the saw will cause you to go light on the piece as it is getting ready to exit the blade, and that will enable it to rise, causing a kickback.
The other thing that I think is key, don't ever put your hand over the blade onto the outfeed side for any reason whatsoever. When you think about how the blade is spinning, it is pushing the workpiece toward you. Any hands on the side closest to you are safe from getting caught in the blade. Kickback is the only concern on that side.
A hand on the outfeed side of the blade is really in danger. Anything that happens on that side, can lead to injury, with a hand being drawn back into the blade.
Another consideration is that if you are cutting slim strips, make your first pass to clean up an edge, then consider making consecutive cuts to the outside of the blade. Then you have the maximum control on the greater width of the board between the blade and the fence. With that wide of a board to handle, let's say over 5" for example, you can even use your hands to push the board, then the tail end of the pass you use a push stick, then at the tail end of the pass, once the 5" board clears the end of the saw blade, you can lightly slide it to the left, pushing the cut piece away from sitting their rattling on the edge of the blade. Remember we are now on the aft side of the blade so the push stick keeps your hand above the plane of the blade.
Cutting to the outside of the blade, requires some exact fence setting, and a blade like the Forrest Woodworker II which is exactly 1/8" wide. That makes it easy to set your fence by adding 1/8" to your setting to compensate for the blade width. Sorry to push Incra, but their table saw fence enables you to set your fence with any width blade, within a 1/32" setting, and get perfect results, since each setting locks into a comb or threads with the new spiral setting. I guess I am getting off on a tangent.
The other danger is wearing loose fitting clothing, or rings, jewelry etc, anything that can take a dumb move that results in a glance, into an amputation.
Another problem is misaligned fence, miter slot to the blade. If your blade is not perfectly parallel with the miter slot, and the fence perfectly parallel to the fence, will cause you to fight with the workpiece to get it to go through the blade. With a misaligned fence with the blade wide closer to you, you are trying to fit a semi through a narrow bridge. With the fence set with the blade wide on the outfeed side, you are fighting a workpiece that wants to creep away from the fence. So you exert a lot of force to keep it tight to the fence, and that is un natural. It causes you to be pushing the workpiece toward the blade, and a slip of the hands could result in them winding up in a blade.
A dull blade, causing unnecessary force is another concern.
You should never use your hand to push the workpiece directly in front of the blade. That is a common injury problem with band saws as well. You exert a lot of pressure, then a soft spot in the wood, causes a zero resistance cut and the hand winds up in the blade.
Drunk, stoned, medicated, or tired is another risk factor.
I lock the door at the top of the steps, when I am cutting in the basement shop, that way no one can come up behind me an startle me in the middlle of a pass.
Don't work in the dark. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/images/smilies/biggrin.gif Had to throw that one in there.
Sorry if I am getting a little wordy, but I am big on safety. Hope it helps those who want to know.
Getting afraid of the saw will cause you to go light on the piece as it is getting ready to exit the blade, and that will enable it to rise, causing a kickback.
The other thing that I think is key, don't ever put your hand over the blade onto the outfeed side for any reason whatsoever. When you think about how the blade is spinning, it is pushing the workpiece toward you. Any hands on the side closest to you are safe from getting caught in the blade. Kickback is the only concern on that side.
A hand on the outfeed side of the blade is really in danger. Anything that happens on that side, can lead to injury, with a hand being drawn back into the blade.
Another consideration is that if you are cutting slim strips, make your first pass to clean up an edge, then consider making consecutive cuts to the outside of the blade. Then you have the maximum control on the greater width of the board between the blade and the fence. With that wide of a board to handle, let's say over 5" for example, you can even use your hands to push the board, then the tail end of the pass you use a push stick, then at the tail end of the pass, once the 5" board clears the end of the saw blade, you can lightly slide it to the left, pushing the cut piece away from sitting their rattling on the edge of the blade. Remember we are now on the aft side of the blade so the push stick keeps your hand above the plane of the blade.
Cutting to the outside of the blade, requires some exact fence setting, and a blade like the Forrest Woodworker II which is exactly 1/8" wide. That makes it easy to set your fence by adding 1/8" to your setting to compensate for the blade width. Sorry to push Incra, but their table saw fence enables you to set your fence with any width blade, within a 1/32" setting, and get perfect results, since each setting locks into a comb or threads with the new spiral setting. I guess I am getting off on a tangent.
The other danger is wearing loose fitting clothing, or rings, jewelry etc, anything that can take a dumb move that results in a glance, into an amputation.
Another problem is misaligned fence, miter slot to the blade. If your blade is not perfectly parallel with the miter slot, and the fence perfectly parallel to the fence, will cause you to fight with the workpiece to get it to go through the blade. With a misaligned fence with the blade wide closer to you, you are trying to fit a semi through a narrow bridge. With the fence set with the blade wide on the outfeed side, you are fighting a workpiece that wants to creep away from the fence. So you exert a lot of force to keep it tight to the fence, and that is un natural. It causes you to be pushing the workpiece toward the blade, and a slip of the hands could result in them winding up in a blade.
A dull blade, causing unnecessary force is another concern.
You should never use your hand to push the workpiece directly in front of the blade. That is a common injury problem with band saws as well. You exert a lot of pressure, then a soft spot in the wood, causes a zero resistance cut and the hand winds up in the blade.
Drunk, stoned, medicated, or tired is another risk factor.
I lock the door at the top of the steps, when I am cutting in the basement shop, that way no one can come up behind me an startle me in the middlle of a pass.
Don't work in the dark. http://www.sawmillcreek.org/images/smilies/biggrin.gif Had to throw that one in there.
Sorry if I am getting a little wordy, but I am big on safety. Hope it helps those who want to know.