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The table saw in the workhorse of any workshop. It is the most versitile and effiencent tool there is. Most woodworkers would put this up there as the most important tool in the shop. But watch your digits! Due to it frequent use and the nature of the saw, more fingers are lost on this tool than any other tool in the shop! Thankfully, our saw has a special technology that fires a brake if fingers get too close.
Safety
Safety
Review Materials
Review Materials
DO NOT USE THE TABLE SAW UNTIL YOU HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE TABLE SAW PRESENTATIONS AND ARE PERSONALLY CHECKED OUT IN ITS USE BY THE INSTRUCTOR. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING HOW TO USE THE SAW, DO NOT START THE MACHINE AND ASK FOR CLARIFICATION FROM YOUR INSTRUCTOR.
Safety practices to remember before operating the circular saw:
Before using the table saw, tie back hair, remove all jewelry, and wear snug fitting clothing. Loose items and get caught in the blade.
Always inspect the table before turning on the saw. Make sure all objects are cleared from the table.
Inspect all wood carefully; be sure it is free of loose knots, nails, sand, paint, and other foreign material.
Select and install the rip blade to cut with the grain of the wood and the crosscut blade to cut across the grain.
Always pay attention to the direction you are applying force to the stock so that if your hands slip, they will not go toward the blade.
Never start the saw with the work piece in contact with the blade.
Make sure the blade is sharp and free of cracks and other defects.
Make adjustments only when the power switch is off and the blade has completely stopped.
Do not allow the blade to extend more than ¼” above the stock being cut or enough to clear the common gullets.
Ensure that all guards and other safety devices are in their proper position before starting the saw.
Ripping without the rip fence and/or crosscutting without the miter gauge are absolutely forbidden. NO FREEHAND WORK.
Never use the miter gauge and the rip fence together without using a clearance or stop block. The fence is used to guide ripping operations. The miter gauge or sled is used to guide crosscut operations. Always hold the work firmly against the fence, sled, or miter gauge.
Ask your instructor to approve all special setups.
Safety practices to follow when operating the circular saw:
OBTAIN PERMISSION FROM THE INSTRUCTOR BEFORE STARTING THE MACHINE.
Stand slightly to the side and not directly in line with the revolving saw blade to avoid being struck by flying material and splinters.
Keep fingers clear of the track of the saw. Never allow your hands to cross the saw line while the machine is in operation.
Seek assistance and direction from your instructor before cutting materials with defects such as splits, warps, and knots.
Always use a push block when ripping stock less than 6” in width. Push sticks allow operators to keep their hands at a safe distance from the saw blade.
Never force stock into the saw faster than the saw will cut.
Feed work into the blade or cutter against the direction of the rotation of the blade or cutter only.
Wait for the saw blade to stop and completely lower the blade before clearing scraps from the table.
Never reach over or behind a revolving saw blade. Do not pass wood over the blade at any time.
Never cut cylindrical stock on the circular saw.
When “tailing off” (helping the operator), support, do not pull, the stock. Allow the operator to feed the stock into the saw.
A blade that is dull or a blade that has little set will not cut freely. If the machine does not seem to operate correctly, TURN IT OFF and notify the instructor.
Always reset the saw adjustments to their normal positions after finishing an operation which requires a special setup.
Avoid ripping stock that is wider than it is long.
Performing on-edge re-sawing is a special setup. You must get specific instruction and special permission from your instructor.
During a rip cut, once the material has moved away from your left hand, move your left hand off the table. Do not drag your hand across the table and never reach over the blade.
Cutting pieces shorter than 12” in length is a special setup; get permission from the instructor before cutting.
When ripping stock, the piece between the fence and blade must be controlled and pushed past the blade all the way onto the outfeed table. Failure to do so may result in kickback.
Lowering stock directly down over the saw blade is dangerous and never allowed.
The over-arm saw guard must always be in place except when the instructor has authorized its removal for a special setup.
When crosscutting a number of pieces to the same length, clamp a clearance block to the rip fence well ahead of the saw blade to prevent the cut piece from being pinched between the blade and fence.
Stock edges or faces that contact the table, miter gauge, or fence must be straight and flat.
Obtain permission from your instructor for all special setups using a dado stack.
Procedures involving raising the blade into the work are special setups. Permission and instructions must be obtained from your instructor.
The splitter (riving knife) must always be in place behind the blade except when the instructor has authorized its removal for special setups.
Whenever a measurement or other procedure is made where you must have your fingers in close proximity to the blade, make sure the main power switch is in the off position and the blade is at a complete stop.
The main power switch should be left in the off position when you leave the saw.
When you are ripping stock, the scrap must fall to the outside (non-bound side) of the blade (not between the blade and fence).
The instructor must inspect all special setups and dado blade installations before the power is turned on.
Backing the stock away from the blade while the saw is running may throw the piece toward you. If it is necessary to remove the piece, always stop the saw first.
Never attempt to turn off the saw in the middle of a cut. If you must stop mid-cut, stop what you are doing without moving your hands and call for someone nearby to turn off the saw.
Be smart – you could do everything right and the wood may still catch. Using a Saw Stop Table Saw does not guarantee your safety – you must use common sense and good judgement.
Statistics on table saw accidents show the following:
An estimated 39,750 table saw accidents occur yearly.
52% of those accidents occur during the ripping process.
65% of the accidents occurred with the hand position in the feeding or pushing motion.
The hand position involved in holding, reaching over, or pulling accounted for 17% of the accidents.
In 50% of the accidents, the guard was never installed or removed.
Injuries can be severe, including amputation of the fingers, thumb, or hand.
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