Safety should be a top
priority with woodworkers. A lost eye or finger will not grow
back. Working safely needs to become a habit.
TABLE SAW SAFETY By: Lou Takacs January,
2009
Table saws
are a valuable and often used tool in most woodworkers’ shops. They
are also the cause of many woodworking injuries. If you use some
common sense and follow a few easy rules you can protect yourself. You
don’t need to fear the machine but understand the design and learn
to use the machine safely.
A good checklist to
follow:
- Don’t
use the saw or any other power tool if you have been drinking or
on some medication that might impart your judgment.
- Don’t
start the saw if you’re tired. That “one more cut” could be
very costly.
- Wear
your safety glasses – FOR EVERY CUT!
- Always
keep your hand/fingers at least 3 inches away from any
guard or blade. Make and use a few different size and style push
sticks to keep a safe distance
- Don’t
have “other stuff” on the saw top when you going to make a
cut.
- Make
sure the on-off switch is working properly. A good LARGE off
switch is a good add-on if your saw doesn’t have one.
- Use
the blade for the cut you’re going to make. If you’re going to
do some ripping, take the 2 minutes to install a low tooth number
(28-40) ripping blade. It will make the ripping much easier which
means you won’t be forcing the work piece.
- That
leads to “Don’t force the wood thru the saw”. If you have to
use a LOT of force, the blade is dull or the wrong blade.
- Always
anticipate the possibility of kickback. Don’t stand directly in
line with the blade, but off to the side a bit. Push the work
piece past the back of the blade, since it’s the back of the
blade where kickback occurs.
- NEVER
do a freehand cut that doesn’t use the miter gauge, is against
the fence or uses a cut-off sled. But don’t use the fence and
miter gauge together, this just sets up a nice kickback.
- Wait
for the blade to STOP before you reach for that small cutoff next
to the blade.
- Never
wear gloves, have long sleeves/loose clothing, or wear rings or
watches that might hang up on a board.
- Be
sure you check your saw alignment once in a while. It can go out
of alignment. “Remember that piece of oak you force through the
saw”? There are a lot of woodworking magazine articles on
“Aligning your Table saw”, and you don’t need a lot of
special tools. Or call another club member to borrow that dial
indicator and ask if he has a good alignment procedure. We can all
help each other work safely!
- And
last, when you’re at friend shop don’t be shy about insisting
on safety. You’re being a true friend.
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