# Tablesaw Kickback!



## ssevey17 (Sep 9, 2014)

I was ripping some boards to size yesterday while finishing our living room remodel (pictures of the built-ins and mantle to come later). I had my first ever kickback on the tablesaw. I was rushing and not thinking and set up to have my cut off on the fence side of the blade. After I cut it the board sat there for about a second when I realized what was going to happen. Then BOOM! The board went flying and stuck about 6" into the wall! Thankfully it missed me. But still scared the crap out of me. And it taught me not to rush and think about what I'm doing! Be safe!!!


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## MadMark (Jun 3, 2014)

Stand to the left of the blade, that type of cut *always* kicks back. Plan for it!

M


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

> Stand to the left of the blade, that type of cut *always* kicks back. Plan for it!
> 
> M
> 
> - Madmark2


Yep, that table saw safety 101


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

I assume you were standing to the side since I don' see your belly in the picture


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Always push both pieces all the way past the blade. I'm guessing you weren't using a push stick. And yeah, good on you for not standing behind it. I was lucky enough to see a Unisaw throw an 8' oak board through a wall when I was in HS and I've never forgotten it.


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## Redoak49 (Dec 15, 2012)

Could you tell us what saw you have and if you were using a riving knife.


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## Kazooman (Jan 20, 2013)

If the cut off is on the fence side you either need to push both pieces fhrough as was mentioned above, or clamp a piece of wood to the fence on the infeed side to set the alignment of the cut so that the cut off is not trapped between the blade and the fence.

Redoak49asked about a riving knife. Were you using a blade guard with a anti-kickback pawls? Either one might have made a huge difference.

Glad to hear that the bullet missed you. I had one bad kickback years ago and learned a scary lesson. I did not know exactly where the piece went until later when I heard splashing water. My shop in in my basement and the kickback piece absolutely shattered about three feet of the drain pipe from my kitchen. I have nice patch in the length of drain pipe to remind me of the event.


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## chrisirving (Mar 21, 2017)

Glad it didn't get you!
I had my reminder two weeks ago when I was cutting a 24"x 24" piece of plywood, I was cutting a couple of inches of of one side and when I went to push it all the way through the blade (after it was cut) I saw that I had left a little container of Boiled Linseed oil on the outfeed table and didn't want to hit it. I lifted up slightly on the plywood and it caught the blade, tore out of my hands, got airborne and the opposite side hit the spinning blade. The whole piece slammed into my thumb and index finger, nothing broken but I learned my lesson.

#1) My riving knife was off because I just removed a dado stack and forgot to put it back

#2) make sure the outfeed table is clear!

#3) Pay attention!


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## oldnovice (Mar 7, 2009)

Once upon a time in land far away (living in Illinois at the time) I was making a 1/2"×3/4" rabbit on a 2×4 by cutting the height, rotating the 2×4 90° to cut the width, when the waste material shot across my 30' basement, and put a noticeable mark in the painted wall. 
Luckily I was the only one there and that's why I never stand behind the blade on any rip cuts!


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

> Could you tell us what saw you have and if you were using a riving knife.
> - Redoak49


Riving knife/splitter wouldn't have helped as it's designed to prevent the kerf from closing behind the blade. He actually cut the wood into 2 pieces but left one piece trapped between the blade and fence. Kickback pawls would have helped.


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## CFrye (May 13, 2013)

Glad you were not hurt, Scott! Extra glad you learned from the experience. Thanks for the reminder.


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## Redoak49 (Dec 15, 2012)

I know that a riving knife would not have prevented the kick back. BUT….my experience is that the cut off piece does not contact the blade as much and reduces the speed of the kick back.


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## bonesbr549 (Jan 1, 2010)

sure glad u ok! Only had one bad one that smacked me in the chest. Luckily it kicked sideways coming off the saw.

That was over 20 years ago. Since then, always had a splitter, and stand to the side…..

hope you back in the swing of things soon.


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## ssevey17 (Sep 9, 2014)

I was ripping a 30 degree angle in a piece of casing for a window. I didn't have a riving knife in either. My saw is a grizzly 1022. The only way I could get the angle was to pinch the cut off between the blade and fence.


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## jacksdvds (Jun 13, 2015)

Even the best woodworker will occasionally make that stupid mistake and afterward says to their self, "Why did I do that"?

Once when working with a 36" sander, the disc left the machine platen at full speed and buried itself in a wooden wall about 12 feet above the ground, grinding its edge almost all the way through the 3/4" thickness and stuck firmly. I can only imagine what it would have done if a human body were in line with the spinning missile instead.

Even the most neutral situation can get out of control and cause harm. We accept some risk every time we turn the power on but knowing the risks and avoiding the dangers can make it safer.


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