Table saw safety

UKworkshop.co.uk

Help Support UKworkshop.co.uk:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
...
3. A birdsmouth pushstick is not ideal as the wood can lift as you push it into the cut.
Not if you use two.
A homemade 'L' shaped ply jig with a notch at the end is better as you can apply downward pressure.
You press down (and in towards the fence) with the one in your left hand further up the workpiece, whilst you push with the right hand one at the near end of the workpiece. With variations of course.
I'm 38 years into it! I claim no credit for this it just happens naturally I'd rather it hadn't!
4. No distractions . Don't listen to the radio and ban children from the workshop ! :rolleyes:
Yes
 
You press down (and in towards the fence) with the one in your left hand further up the workpiece, whilst you push with the right hand one at the near end of the workpiece. With variations of course.

Exactly how I use them, and have done for a similar amount of time.

I need one of those in/out type signs for my workshop, only mine would read "If you can hear machinery, do NOT bang on this door"
 
Yes, two birdsmouth Push Sticks, one pushing against the fence and one pushing towards the blade, it’s now a staggering 49 years! and no accidents on a Tablesaw, using this method coupled with a fence that is altered to length depending on the work I think I probably never will have an accident.
49 years how the Hell did that happen lol.
 
Time flies when you're enjoying yourself!

Next year will be the 50th anniversary of commencing my Joinery apprenticeship, I consider myself still learning, and wouldn't have it any other way.
I see you’re in Leeds, that’s where I first used a Tablesaw, at the City of Leeds, Carnegie Teacher training College in Headingley, thinking back I was 19 so that will be 50 years in September. As you say Happy Days!
Ian
 
I've posted this before: a Bob Wearing tip? On the safety stick propelling the wood into the blade, cut a 'Vee' into the 'top' of the birdsmouth with a router, or canny-applied tablesaw cut. It enables locking on to the corner of the wood being sawn, so that you can push on to the wood from 45⁰, giving you a combined 'down and in' force against the fence, while simultaneously, moving your hand out from the direct path of the saw blade or possible projectile. Your other pushstick is in the left hand, further up the wood, pushing directly against it, keeping it against the fence.
In my experience, this makes the positioning of safety sticks more secure and thereby, safer.
 
As Recipio says...

"A birdsmouth pushstick is not ideal as the wood can lift as you push it into the cut. A homemade 'L' shaped ply jig with a notch at the end is better as you can apply downward pressure."

How I agree! With a pin for'd and one in the notch you can even exert a sideways twist against the fence. It leaves you (second stick loosely in hand) a limb free to scratch your nose/ fend off a wasp et cetera...
 
JSW,,,

"Instead of a pin, mine have a thin strip of rubber matting CA glued to the underside of the nose."

Wie hadn't heard of CA glue in the 1970s! Poop-poop..
 
I'm 30 years using a tablesaw and no injuries so far. A few danger points are :
1 Cutting thick boards over 2" especially Iroko. The twisted grain can pinch the blade and kickback. You will feel resistance and possibly see burning. Stop immediately and take shallow cuts instead..
2 . Cutting narrow strips when you can't use a pushstick. Get a jig and cut on the left side of the piece moving the fence for each cut .You get a better result with no burning.
3. A birdsmouth pushstick is not ideal as the wood can lift as you push it into the cut. A homemade 'L' shaped ply jig with a notch at the end is better as you can apply downward pressure.
4. No distractions . Don't listen to the radio and ban children from the workshop ! :rolleyes:
I don't have a tablesaw, always fought shy of them but still use circular saws and a bandsaw🤔. But, I've always wondered, what is the actual mechanism that causes kickback? Surely if the front of the blade is always pressing down on the front edge of the workpiece it will keep it pressed onto the table?
 
I don't have a tablesaw, always fought shy of them but still use circular saws and a bandsaw🤔. But, I've always wondered, what is the actual mechanism that causes kickback? Surely if the front of the blade is always pressing down on the front edge of the workpiece it will keep it pressed onto the table?
Don't forget the back of the blade is rising and while not actually cutting it can pinch the sides of the cut and kick it up .Most kickbacks are however caused by short pieces twisting in the cut allowing the back of the blade to grab it. I have an American saw with accessories and it is the the most valuable tool in the shop.
 
I don't have a tablesaw, always fought shy of them but still use circular saws and a bandsaw🤔. But, I've always wondered, what is the actual mechanism that causes kickback? Surely if the front of the blade is always pressing down on the front edge of the workpiece it will keep it pressed onto the table?
Having the riving knife in place helps prevent the workpiece gripping the blade and getting lifted/thrown. Having the crown guard in place further helps prevent it lifting. If it does it gets thrown out horizontally rather than up and dangerously.
 
Kickback is often caused by the wood misbehaving between the saw blade and the fence, usually after it has passed the centre of the blade, this is why it is recommended that the fence is adjustable so that it can be pulled back towards you out of harms way.
But how far to pull it back?
If a line is drawn at 45 degrees from the gullet of the tooth nearest to you back towards the far end of the fence that’s the spot.
Obviously cutting a wider piece of wood between the blade and the fence means that the end of the fence is further away, it’s a rule of thumb thing/a general rule, but it does work to keep you safe.
Ian
 
Kickback is often caused by the wood misbehaving between the saw blade and the fence, usually after it has passed the centre of the blade, this is why it is recommended that the fence is adjustable so that it can be pulled back towards you out of harms way.
But how far to pull it back?
If a line is drawn at 45 degrees from the gullet of the tooth nearest to you back towards the far end of the fence that’s the spot.
Obviously cutting a wider piece of wood between the blade and the fence means that the end of the fence is further away, it’s a rule of thumb thing/a general rule, but it does work to keep you safe.
Ian
Makes a lot of sense. I have never seen a fence like this. Sounds if it is an after market item.
I find if you look for twists, cupping and bowing of the wood to rip or cross cut will dictate whether it is safe to cut or not.
 
I have the same saw. as well as the Benchdogs cross cut addition (all 3 sizes), I have the Bow products 36" fence extension and the smaller of the 2 featherboards (as well as their pushsticks). In my opinion these give me many (safe) options dependant on what I am cutting.

Excellent piece of kit for those of us that don’t have the space or requirement for a cabinet saw.
 
Makes a lot of sense. I have never seen a fence like this. Sounds if it is an after market item.
I find if you look for twists, cupping and bowing of the wood to rip or cross cut will dictate whether it is safe to cut or not.
It depends on the saw, most larger ones do, but you could probably bolt a piece of ply ( in long grooves for the adjustment) onto the face of your fence.
This is my saw - sorry it’s the only pic I have. You undo the angled levers and slide the ally section.
50CA02A4-2378-4316-92F7-05961A3CDB8E.png
 
Kickback is often caused by the wood misbehaving between the saw blade and the fence, usually after it has passed the centre of the blade, this is why it is recommended that the fence is adjustable so that it can be pulled back towards you out of harms way.
But how far to pull it back?
If a line is drawn at 45 degrees from the gullet of the tooth nearest to you back towards the far end of the fence that’s the spot.
Obviously cutting a wider piece of wood between the blade and the fence means that the end of the fence is further away, it’s a rule of thumb thing/a general rule, but it does work to keep you safe.
Ian
On old construction sites, here in Scotland, you used to come up against site saws, which were dragged from site to site. Often these were diesel generated units, 22" blades approx (which were seldom sharpened) and relied on brute force to push the wood through. Now the point...they had a cast iron fence which was not adjustable through it's length, only side to side, and they were never longer than the centreline of the blade, why, because construction timbers are often full of tension(s) this allowed the timber to splay away from the rear of the blade, where it could catch in it's upward motion. The rule is try to never cut timber shorter than 150mm longer than the saw table, this allows you to keep downward pressure via the rear of the timber being fed into the saw blade, and if possible, pull the wood back toward you after the first half of the cut is done, flip it toe to tail, and proceed to finish the second half, whilst still having hold of the rear of the wood.
When setting up the saw ensure the blade and fence are parallel at all width settings, if not make sure you know WHY, and fix it. Always have the riving knife in position, and preferably with the blade guard fixed to it, this prevents rear lift of the cut timber, and some protection against warping timber, coming off the blade.
I've used just about every type/style of table saw, and tasked with the upkeep of ditto.
 
....they were never longer than the centreline of the blade....
Totally agree. Even on 'golden oldies' like Wadkin, Sagar, Robinson, Dominion, a full length table saw fence always had a subsidiary fence fixed to the face of the long fence, such that the subsidiary never went beyond either the saw blade edge or (less frequently) the blade centreline.
This modern(?) practice emulating Beismeyer unmodified fences is ignorant of wood stresses being suddenly released by the cut and subsequent warping binding between blade and fence. DAMHIKT....
 
... never longer than the centreline of the blade, why, because construction timbers are often full of tension(s) this allowed the timber to splay away from the rear of the blade,
In preference I'd say stress or stresses rather than tension because tension, a stretching force, is just one form of stress, others being, for example, compression, shear, bending, torsion, and fatigue. I've no comment on the rest of your post which is good. Slainte.
 
My 6 year old axi TS, has the subsidiary fence as std, it is always set as per advice I read on this site - then end of the fence is fractionally past the gullet of the tooth at table level. I have a very fery healthy respect for my table saw.. bordering on fear, so I am very careful when using it. Feather boards, push stick(s) and suitable clearances.
 
Back
Top