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Safety tips for a first time table saw owner

4K views 71 replies 38 participants last post by  RonInOhio 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Greetings,

My parents very kindly got me the Ridgid R5412 table saw for Christmas. This is my first table saw. I've never even used a table saw before. Naturally I wish to keep all of my digits intact. And not destroy the saw.

So I'm soliciting for safety information from those more experienced. What sorts of things should I do (or perhaps more importantly NOT do)? What kind of safety equipment should I get? The saw came with a push stick and I have two push blocks I got for my jointer. But what else? I don't know what a featherboard is, for example.

Thanks.
 
#3 ·
Your public library likely has several books on tablesaws. Mine does- and I used them to learn how to safely handle a TS. Heck, I didn't even know what "kickback" was until I read the books. Glad I didn't skip that chapter. LOL.
Seriously though. A qualified shop teacher or cabinetmaker wouold be the best source to learn from. But since such people can be hard to find for such a remedial lesson, a well-written/illustrated book is a reasonable second-best. Buying a well-reviewed book from Amazon might be a good investment and could be had for $10 or less.
Also
Do you have an owner's manual? Some manuals do a reasonable job covering the VERY basic operations of a TS.
 
#4 ·
You must have very nice parents. If it wasn't for the fact that I got my Rigid4512 about 2 years ago I would ask them to adopt me. I found that the push stick that comes with the saw is awkward and hard to use. purchase or make more. The most important safety rule is to respect the tool.
 
#5 ·
Watch a lot of videos. Read a lot of articles and books. And BE CAREFUL!

I've had a few close calls now and they were all from being STUPID.

I ran a small piece of plywood through and then decided it would be OK to bring it back towards me. The saw caught it and spit it up and then drew it back at me (walking across the surface). It nailed me 1" from my business and left me on the floor for a good 2-3 minutes before deciding to try to stand. I had nice coloration from that one.

I was ripping heavy, SPLIT oak boards that had a lot of tension. A large "spear sized" chunk fell off and onto the blade, making it "spear acting", hitting me in the hip.

I had another kickback that I can't remember the details about, but kickback is a monster that you need to do everything you can to prevent.

Enjoy your saw!
 
#6 ·
Do not stand directly behind the blade. Stand off to one side. If you are ripping a board and if the board past the saw cut begins to pinch, stop and put a screwdriver in the kerf to open it back up. If the kerf pinches, the board can ride up on the blade, and the blade will throw the board straight back at hundreds of miles per hour. This can hurt you very bad. This situation can also jerk your hand into the blade where very, very bad things happen.

Some people like to have their blade height just above the top of the board. This makes it safer from the standpoint of getting your hand or fingers in the blade. However, that also makes it much easier for the board to ride up and the teeth get under the board whereby the board becomes a dangerous missile.

Kickback is a serious issue and occurs when the teeth of the blade get under the board and hurl it back. Most people do not just stick their hand in the blade. Kickback pulls or jerks it in. Preventing kickback is the safest thing that you can do. Understand how to prevent it. Make some extra push sticks. I generally use two when ripping. One to hold the end down and push, and another to keep the board tight to the fence.

A sharp blade is also safer than a dull one. If the blade is not cutting easy, change it out.
 
#7 ·
LIke Norm says, " Read, understand and follow all of the safety rules that come with your power tools." There is no reason to be afraid of any power tool but they do garner some respect. The table saw can change your life in the blink of an eye, and even take one out. One of the biggest mistakes I see new woodworkers make is cutting at too slow or too fast of a pace. Jamming a piece of lumber into a blade that is spinning towards you is asking for disaster. Too slow and the blade will burn the wood and increase your chance of a kick back. Use push sticks that keep your hands away from the blade and use a guard, splitter or riving knife as much as possible. NO long sleeves, long hair or jewelry that could possibly get caught in the blade. Most of all use common sense, if it doesnt feel safe, it probably isnt.
 
#10 ·
When I went school yrs ago for cabinetmaking, we were shown some safety videos that made many a student cringe and to this day my power tools make me think twice about the operations I perform on them. Use common sense, if it doesn't feel safe, don't do it. Always pay attention to what your doing and always keep your body to the side of the blade, not in line with it. Reading books is always a great source of info, as is the LJ site, tons of help and info here. Safe and happy woodworking.
 
#11 ·
I'll add to the above . . .

Make yourself some good push-sticks and jigs for various types of cutting. These hold the work and keep your hands and fingers away from the blade.

Another thing is to always know where your hands and fingers are in relation to the blade. Most accidents happen when a finger drags across a blade. Over time it will become a habit to move your hands, arms and fingers in a way to stay clear of the blade. Develop these "automatic" movements and subconscious awareness so you always keep clear of the blade.

Planeman
 
#13 ·
and most of all:
DO NOT REMOVE BLADE GUARDS, ETC. unless making such cuts as prevent the use of said guard (dado, rabets, etc.).
Google can be your friend when it come to seeing proper saw use.
I know that there are those who don't use all the safety stuff, but it is there for a reason.
I'm a woose, but I still have all ten (so far).
Good luck, and be safe.
Bill
 
#15 ·
Maybe you can get your parents to buy Tage Frid's Woodworking Trilogy for your birthday. Google it.

I'll start you off with some basic rules -

#1 - stand centered on the board between the blade and the fence

#2 - never switch push sticks during a cut, never use two at the same time

#3 - anything left of the blade will fall away without your help or anyone else's, don't touch it until the blade stops

#4 - never let anyone else touch the saw or the board while the blade is moving

#5 - always look at the board touching the fence, make sure it stays against the fence, you don't need to look at the blade

#6 - until you know the rules, don't break any of them
 
#16 ·
I'd suggest taking a basic woodworking class, maybe at your local college? I've used table saws before, but didnt have experience with other tools like routers, jointers, planers, etc… I took a 10 week course (just 1 day a week) and while learning woodworking basics, dos and donts, the most valuable part of the class was having an experienced group of woodworkers to talk to and ask questions… Especially regarding the equipment and best practices. I also managed to score my own cabinet table saw from the school since they had upgraded to the Sawstops. Got a steal of a deal there. I highly recommend considering it…

Research, learn, and get to working.
 
#18 ·
purrmaster…google featherboard and you'll see it.

http://woodworking.about.com/od/gettingstarted/qt/UseFeatherboard.htm

clamped to a table and/or a fence, they are a very effective means of holding a piece against the fence and/or flat on the table.

notice: #1 the angle and #2 the "fingers". Properly set-up they can greatly reduce kick-back plus they help in many operations (you only have 2 hands and should be paying attention to where your hands are…featherboards serve as extra hands).

As long as I'm on it, I hate when somebody tries to "help" on the backside of the saw. NOBODY should stand there plus you have to control the cut from your side.

And finally, make sure you have your OFF switch visible at all times and don't be afraid to use it.
 
#19 ·
While you can also build your own featherboard, I picked up one of these at Rockler last week. http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=19488&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=&utm_content=pla&utm_campaign=PLA&gclid=CKbb77S3u7QCFal_Qgodw2IA3Q The featherboard lets you run wood through your table saw (or other tools like a router table) while keeping steady pressure against the fence. In my case, it lets me safely rip long, large, or very thin boards.

If there is a Rockler woodworking store nearby, and they are like the one by my place, they offer free classes from time to time on popular woodworking/power tools. Home Depot does it now and again too. Otherwise… Google and Youtube can be your best friends and make for reasonable instructors.

While I cant suggest using your saw without the guard… I can say that I dont use it myself as it can be cumbersome. One thing to keep in mind is NOT to rely on safety devices to keep you safe. Be attentive and focused on what you are doing at all times. A healthy dose of fear and respect should be applied at all times around power tools. It never gets less scary… You just get more confident… and that's still no guarantee.
 
#21 ·
I agree with some earlier posts about the value of taking a class. There is nothing like getting the immediate feedback from an experienced table saw user. It is also very helpful to see the tips and suggestions that the instructor gives to the other students.

I've never taken a Woodcraft class. However, there are two three-hour classes titled "Get The Most Out Of Your Table Saw" being offered at the Woodcraft of Portland, OR:
http://www.woodcraft.com/stores/storeclasses.aspx?id=312&page=classes
 
#22 ·
Sixstring…so many of us own older saws and there are probably a few like me that find them to do more harm than good. I think the newer saws have better safety guards (was a premptive strike against a total Sawstop mandate).

So for a new user I think I would say to leave it on until he figures out whether it works or not. If it does, then use it.

And Monte…eyes on the operation at all times! I had 1,000's of cuts on my saw but one day I took my eyes off (to reach for a push-stick no less!!!). I didn't have to cut finger nails for months (I was lucky).
 
#23 ·
Lots of good info above - I strongly recommend the use of push sticks and feather-boards. I like the Ultra Push-Bloc too.

Maintain a healthy respect for the amount of damage a spinning blade can do in a blink of an eye and always think about your cut before you start. I always take a moment to consider how I am going to maintain positive control of my workpiece without placing myself in harm's way.

And for the love of all things holy, do not stand directly behind your workpiece, because sooner or later (probably sooner) you will have a kickback. Even experienced woodworkers can and do get them. Where you are standing, what safety equipment is in use and what's in or not in your hand can make the difference between a scare or a trip to the E.R.
 
#24 ·
When placing your table saw in the shop/garage, dont put anything valuable or breakable behind the saw. The wall behind my saw already has a few nasty dings and gouges from kickback occurrences over the last year. I've had 2 doozies that could have impaled me if I wasnt standing off to the side. It's a humbling moment, and one to be learned from. Respect the tools always.
 
#25 ·
Congratulations on the new saw! I'm also the happy recipient of an R4512 for Christmas, thanks to my awesome wife. I'm still working on getting it assembled.

I am also a first time table saw user, though have used many other power tools (primarily handheld) for a couple decades. Stationary tools, excepting the drill press and miter saw, have always scared me a bit. I think it's the idea that the position of your hands with respect to the cutting implement is always changing. With a handheld power tool or tool with a moving head, the position of your hands is always a fixed distance away from the business end of the tool. Anyway, I've been reading up on safety all year since my wife announced many months ago this would be my Christmas present. :)

I see some conflicting information in this post. One person says stand centered on the workpiece between the blade and fence. Others say never stand directly behind the work piece, in case there's a kickback. The latter seems more logical to me.

I have read through most of the R4512 manual, and one thing struck me. It says to only use the riving knife in the riving knife position for non-through cuts (ie dados, rabbets, etc). For all through cuts, it says use the riving knife in the splitter position, which puts the knife what appears to be a couple inches above the blade, instead of maybe 1/2" below the blade. I was under the impression that a riving knife was better than a splitter. All else being equal, which in this case it must be, is the sole reason for the riving knife being superior that it can remain on for non-through cuts? Is there any benefit to it being below the top of the blade for through cuts? One thing that comes to mind for me is that the splitter position wouldn't allow use of the GRR-rippers or similar devices. I have a pair of these on order and do plan to use them when needed.

I'm a bit leery of using the standard guard and anti-kickback pawls for ripping a long narrow piece of wood, say a 7' long 1×4 down to 1×3. It seems like the GRR-rippers would be much safer in that situation - easier to control the piece and keep it against the fence. But of course, the saw manual will tell you to never remove the guard, spreader, and pawls, for a through cut. I have a Skil flooring saw that's sort of like a mini sliding miter saw which can lock for ripping. While performing a similar ripping operation did work with just the guard, pawls, and push stick, it was not easy to to keep the piece against the fence.
 
#26 ·
Purrmaster,

I just went online to check to see if there was a Woodcraft by you. In Portland they are having a table saw class in February. I checked out the one at the Woodcraft I go to and it was worth the money, the instructor taught you technique, explained the different types of blades, some maintenance and other things that you should know. It was great as a refresher. The class size is small and each person had a different level of experience.
 
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