# Kickback



## phlyers (Jul 4, 2013)

About a month ago I had my first (and hopefully last) kickback from ripping. Basically when I went to move the off cut which was 2 1/2" by 12" I must have managed to put the trailing edge of the cut into the back of the blade. Wow that was some scary stuff and I had a welt on my stomach to prove it. Anyway enough of that…I haven't been right since when using the TS. It's not the ripping that i'm weary of for some reason it's cross cutting pieces that have a small cut off that sits idle to the right of the blade. If I have to make repeat cuts and have that same small sized off cut piece it just pushes it to the rear and I just get nervous that one will make a left and kiss the back of the blade sending it right at me. Now I make one cross cut and shut off the blade. I guess you could say that if i'm not comfortable enough reaching and moving the off cut I will shut off the blade.

Is this good practice or is this just a result of a little fear after a kickback.

Since then I have added a Micro jig thin kerf splitter and a Grr-Ripper.


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## BTimmons (Aug 6, 2011)

Nothing beats the safety and convenience of using a cross cut sled. No worries about kickback at all.


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## phlyers (Jul 4, 2013)

Makes sense because after the cut has been made even with a small off cut you just bring the sled back to you and the off cut comes with. I will have to look into making one.


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## Nygiants77 (Jan 15, 2013)

It is fear of the kick back but I like to call it respecting the tool. I try to stand more to the left side of the blade when cross cutting. So even if that off cut does fly back its no where near me.


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## phlyers (Jul 4, 2013)

I stand to the left while crosscutting


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## BTimmons (Aug 6, 2011)

Standing to the left is always a good idea either way you're cutting. But as for a crosscut sled, even when I determined that I was going to make one, I underestimated how much use I'd get out of it. I probably use my sled every single time I'm in the shop. Once you have one, you'll wonder how you lived without it.


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## Bluepine38 (Dec 14, 2009)

A cross cut sled, or an outfeed table, so you can just push that piece of wood completely clear of the blade
and not worry about it.


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## MarkwithaK (Sep 12, 2009)

The cross cut sled is your friend. I recently made one based upon William Ng's video and as mentioned above, I have no idea how I did without it. It's proven itself as a game changer for me.


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## Woodmaster1 (Apr 26, 2011)

Crosscut sleds are great to use, mine has a stop for extra safety.


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## PaulDoug (Sep 26, 2013)

Well to make you feel better check this out.










The sad part is this was the second time in a month, note the scare above this injury. I took a little time away form woodworking and had a long talk with myself before at went back to the shop. Both were caused by being stupid!


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## AandCstyle (Mar 21, 2012)

OUCH!!!!!!! Be careful and keep all your body parts intact!


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## Dal300 (Aug 4, 2011)

Sorry for your scare, but I have to ask, why the hell are you standing behind the back blast from the saw?

I'm left handed and I have no problem standing to either side, whether it's using the miter gauge or the fence.

I have had friends who are right handed do the same thing.

Once you force yourself to make kickbacks on purpose, you'll be learning how to NOT make them anymore.


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## DKV (Jul 18, 2011)

Most kickbacks I've heard of happen when ripping. My one and only happened that way. I now use a gripper and follow the rip all the way throught the cut and out the backend. I bet 99.99% of all kickbacks happen during a rip cut and not paying attention. How hard is it to pay attention during a 10-15 second rip?


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## phlyers (Jul 4, 2013)

Dallas - were you asking me? If you were I was standing to the left of the blade as I normally do. The piece hit me on my right side.

DKV - It's not hard to pay attention but reading how you had one tells me that you did not pay attention as well.


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## GT350 (Dec 22, 2012)

For most cross cuts I use the miter saw. Were you using the blade guard with the fingers that keep the piece from flying back and keep the piece from twisting into the blade?
Mike


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## phlyers (Jul 4, 2013)

No guard. Since then I have added the micro jig splitter. I use a vintage craftsman t/s and can't add a regular splitter.


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## GT350 (Dec 22, 2012)

I had a 1970's Craftsman till this spring and it didn't have a splitter either but what it did have was a guard and the thin upright that held the guard. I have been lucky never to have a kickback and I think part of the reason was the guard that I always use when possible.
Mike


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## BinghamtonEd (Nov 30, 2011)

If you're worried about small repeated crosscuts, you could clamp a small block to your fence inf front of the blade as a depth stop, instead of the fence itself, then use the miter gauge to push the piece through the blade. This will keep the small offcut from being pinched between the blade and the fence.

I just use a miter sled with a swingstop on t-track, though.


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## unbob (Mar 10, 2013)

When I bought my first TS for making shipping crates over 20yrs ago, I made just about every stupid mistake possible. I had several kick backs. I had bad alignment problems, and working Fir 2 X 4s and such, that seems to be the worst for it also.
I was lucky and didnt got hit, but did learn to stay out from the front of the board and blade..
Last year, I had two incidents where the board shattered during ripping. One was knarley grain Walnut, The other was very old Spruce. The wood seemed sound no cracks, but came apart. I got some skin peeled on the feeding hand, there was shrapnel ejected at high velocity. Now I use a push blocks one with an end cleat keeping my hands totally off the wood now.
This crazy kid on this vid shows what can happen.


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