Articles By Syndicated Columnist
Dan Thomas
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Improvement Inside And Out
Preventing
Table Saw Kickback
Kickback happens when the saw blade grabs your work piece and forcefully
flings it back to the rear of your table saw, in the direction of person who
is operating it. It can be hurled very hard causing the injury to the
operator. Your work piece can travel at a high enough speed to actually embed
itself in a wall.
Keep your saw blade aligned.
Your saw blade has to be set so that it is parallel to the rip fence and
miter grooves. If your saw blade is not parallel, it is likely that your work
piece will get stuck between your rip fence and saw blade, causing kickback.
Keep your saw blade clean and sharp.
Beginners do not realize that it is important to use a sharp, clean saw
blade. Resin from the wood builds up on a saw blade, which increases
friction-causing burning of your wood. Resin on your saw blade will increase
the likelihood of kickback.
Always push the piece you are cutting past your saw blade.
Never let go of a piece that you are cutting before it is past the saw
blade, and you have removed it from your table saw. Turn the power to your
table saw off before you remove smaller pieces of cut off material.
Always use your blade guard if possible.
A standard blade guard on table saws have a riving knife, that aids in
stopping the cut from closing against the back end of your saw blade. Tension
can be present in wood that can cause the cut to close up, and bind against
your saw blade. A few blade guards have an anti-kickback device that only
permits forward travel beyond the saw blade.
Watch for flaws in your wood.
Making a cut through a loose fitting knot is hazardous. Cutting a twisted
or warped piece of wood along your rip fence is also hazardous as it can get
lodged between the saw blade and fence.
Always retain control over the situation.
Do not perform a cut if you do not have total control over the situation.
Make certain that there are no obstacles in your way. Never cut a piece that
is larger then you can manage.
