# Need safety help for my Makita 2708 bench top saw



## nicknamemike (Dec 8, 2013)

Thanks in advance for the help,

For Fathers day I received a Makita 2708.

I was using it tonight to make a stand for the wife's iPad in the kitchen and had a kickback. FYSA I took an old red 2×6 and cut a 4×7 from it and began routing a 15 degree notch out. Tomorrow I'll sand and patina the block. It's looking like it will come out nice.

…back to the story. It doesn't have a blade guard or riving knife. I'm trying to figure out the best and most cost affective way to make it safer. The OEM blade guard is $90. A portable table from Rosseau costs around $200 and has a guard. I don't know if those guards include a riving knife and if it's separate from the guard.

I'm hoping someone can show me the best way ahead to make this saw something safe to use.

Thanks,
Mike


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## DonB (Jan 11, 2011)

Sears parts advertizes parts for this saw. You can call toll free at 888-213-5824 and check it out. I have no idea of the cost but at least you'd have a central warehouse to hit. Enjoy.


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## dhazelton (Feb 11, 2012)

That's a fairly dinky saw you're starting to spend serious money on. Might be better served using that money for a better saw with those features already there. Is the Makita used? Don't see how you could have a new saw with no guard supplied. I understand it was a gift but the gift of ten fingers is worth slightly more.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

When using any table saw it's best to stand to one side out of the line of kick back,you can also make or buy feather boards to hold the wood down and against the fence. If you are cross cutting wood always use your miter gauge to hold the wood you cutting if the piece of wood is considerably longer than it is wide. It's also a good idea if you make a sled for you TS to cross cut wood. It's a very basic thing to use push sticks to help push the wood through the saw while ripping wood.
A saw your size it might behard to do some of these things because your table top,fence,miter gauge are all a lot smaller than a full size saw. It would be a very good Idea for you to take a beginning woodworking class if you have one available.There are some good books available about using table saws also,such as "Table Saw magic" by Jim Tolpin.


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

Whatever saw you use, I like featherboards to control the cut. 
Portable tablesaws usually do not have true riving knives, but you can add a splitter to a zero clearance insert.

Here are my rules to prevent kickbacks…
1. Use a featherboard.
2. Use a long push stick that not only holds the workpiece to the fence, but also holds it down (I like the ones that look like a saw handle).
3. Only rip boards that have been freshly jointed. Crooked boards are the ones that will kick back. 
4. Use a blade with anti-kickback tooth geometry (ie Freud diablo 1024 ripping blade).

With these techniques, I haven't had a kickback in 20+ years.


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## bondogaposis (Dec 18, 2011)

The best safety tip I can offer is *don't *rip small parts. When you need to make a small part rip a longer board to width first then cut it to length. I have experienced the thrill of kickback and and it is almost always is because the tendency of short lengths to turn into the blade before they are clear of the blade. Now I won't rip anything shorter than 14" on the table saw. Feather boards are also a great help.


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## GShop (Dec 7, 2013)

Check alignment of blade.

I have a 2708 with the Rosseau table for abt ten years. The large fence on the R table adds a lot to this saw. No, it is not a cabinet saw but this combination provides portability with larger table surface. My biggest complaint about the 2708 is the odd miter track size. It makes it hard to set up feather boards, jigs, etc. Google Gary Katz Riving Knife. He modified the blade guard into a riving knife.


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## nicknamemike (Dec 8, 2013)

Many thanks to everyone for the great advice. I use a push stick and stand to the side but as most of you mentioned a class or instructional video probably would prevent whatever it is I'm doing (or not doing). Half the terms you're using are unfamiliar to me. I'll do my homework and let you know how it goes.


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