Table Saw Safety
(Page 2 of 4)
February/March 1997
By David Mukamal Camp
Other Binding Situations
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Avoid using the fence to guide a piece that is wider than it is long (photo 3, Image Gallery). This can be a problem because it's hard to keep the piece stable against the fence. It may tilt askew, binding against the blade and causing you to lose control. The least that can happen is that it will fling the board off to the left in an arc. It might also pull your fingers into the blade as it takes off.
In that situation, use the miter gauge to control the workpiece. Move the fence well out of the way and treat it as if you were making a crosscut. Also, don't crosscut a board with the fence restricting it against the blade. If you want to cut several pieces to the same length, you can use a stop block with the fence to register that measurement. Make a stop block by screwing a scrap of plywood to a short block. Measure from the blade to the block (photo 4, Image Gallery) and secure the fence. Clamp the stop block to the fence near the front of the table (photo 5, Image Gallery), so that you can reference the wood for the cut without anything pushing the cut piece into the back of the blade.
Maintaining Control
Keeping the wood against the fence when you're ripping, or against the miter gauge fence when crosscutting will not only help you cut the wood accurately, it will prevent it from becoming a DFO (Dangerous Flying Object). Consider clamping the board to the miter gauge fence, especially when cutting a miter.
There are a number of devices that you can make that will help maintain control. Feather boards (photo 6, Image Gallery) are handy to help hold the wood against the fence. Make one by cutting a long piece of scrap at 45 degrees at one end and using a band saw to cut a series of kerfs about a quarter inch apart. Commercial versions are available; I have one that locks in place in the miter gauge slot and features a metal arm that helps hold the wood down on the tabletop as well (photo 7, Image Gallery).
You might also consider buying a ripping guide like the one in photo 8 (Image Gallery). There are several versions available, but they all work similarly. Spring-loaded rollers press the wood down and toward the fence and roll in only one direction, eliminating the risk of kickback. You need an extra long push stick, as shown in photo 9 (see Image Gallery), to get the material all the way past the blade.
Finally, don't forget about supporting your lumber as it comes off the tabletop. Build an outfeed table or get a roller stand (photo 10, Image Gallery) to keep the weight of the wood from tipping it out of your control.
Paying Attention
There's no need to be afraid of this most essential woodworking machine. Understanding your table saw and respecting its potential for injury is enough to keep you safe.
