# Are Grippers much safer than push sticks?



## tony359 (26 Aug 2020)

Greetings all

My DeWalt 745 table saw is still sitting on the floor in my workshop while I educate myself before I attempt my first cut. 
I stumbled into the MicroJig "Gripper" tool and many people seem to suggest they are a much safer tool than push sticks. So I came here hoping to find a long debate on the subject but I cannot find any besides a few short threads.

While I see why the gripper could be very useful when cutting small pieces, I am a bit confused as many safety videos I have watched online say "never lean on the blade" and "never place your hand close or past the blade". This is where a push stick play its role.

However with grippers your hand ends up ABOVE the blade and you have to FULLY lean on the blade to move the piece away from the blade when the cut is finished.

I believe Microjig says that you are protected as the gripper is in between the saw and you. But we all know that anything can happen - and very quickly - and if by any chance the blade manages to flip the gripper, your hand falls just on top of the blade itself.

So I was wondering what is the community feeling on those tools. 

Thank you all!


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## Ttrees (26 Aug 2020)

It depends on what you call push sticks is suppose, 
the gripper may be safer than a single pencil.
It's mostly an American thing.
We have better safety standards than over the pond.
I suggest you make a pair of long push sticks from something that will take abuse.
Soft plywood or something.
The sort of shoe style push stick on American publications is much shorter than what you might see here in compliant workshops.
Some quite dangerous looking things on Youtube

I believe a UK spec push stick is something in the nature of 400mm long, Steve Maskery here has made some, 
I wonder what he will suggest for a machine that size.

Tom


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## tony359 (26 Aug 2020)

Thanks Tom 
I have the stock DeWalt push stick that came with the saw and indeed I thought a longer one may be a better choice. I can indeed make some. 

In fact the previous owner gave me his home made push stick but it's one of those which pushes the wood from the back - so your hand ends up very close to the blade...

I can understand why people may have a better sense of control with the gripper - the problem is "what happens if" - at that point your hand is just over a spinning blade. Kind of reminds me when - before seat belts were compulsory in cars - some people felt they did not need to use them when at the wheel because "If I have an accident I will hold to the steering wheel" without realising that the forces at play during an accident are much more than a human bone - or even a steering wheel for what matters - can withstand.


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## JonG (26 Aug 2020)

tony359 said:


> Greetings all
> 
> My DeWalt 745 table saw is still sitting on the floor in my workshop while I educate myself before I attempt my first cut.
> I stumbled into the MicroJig "Gripper" tool and many people seem to suggest they are a much safer tool than push sticks. So I came here hoping to find a long debate on the subject but I cannot find any besides a few short threads.
> ...


I made one of these from scraps... works a treat.


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## MikeG. (26 Aug 2020)

I don't own or use a table saw, so take this with a pinch of salt if you like......

......but it strikes me that if you have a proper crown guard those gripper things can't work. In other words, in an attempt to add a layer of work-handling safety you need to compromise the overall machine safety by removing an essential guard. I'm struggling to see how this is any sort of benefit.


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## tony359 (26 Aug 2020)

Mike
Indeed, that's another one. You'll have to remove your guard to use them. Another thing that made me think a bit.


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## transatlantic (26 Aug 2020)

I think the Gripper is better than nothing, but the main problem I see is that you're still reaching over the blade with your arm. What if you were to stumble? or slip? ... basically, if things go wrong, you're right in the firing line. Hopefully the gripper takes most of the damage, but as can be seen from this video, that certainly may not be the case. And certainly won't help if its your arm that ends up going into the blade when leaning over. Yes he is purposly trying to induce kick back, and yes it's different kind of push block, but the point is that his finger ended up being extremely close to the blade.

In my opinion, a push stick should allow you to finish the cut with your hands still in front of the blade. No leaning over. No flesh in the danger area.


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## Trevanion (26 Aug 2020)

We had a thread once about this very topic it got so unnecessarily heated and bombastic from one side of the non-argument that it ended up getting deleted. That user isn’t here any more so it should be fairly safe ground.

Make some decent push sticks around 450mm long, ideally made out of MDF so they can’t shatter and splinter like natural timber or plywood when the blade eventually comes into contact.


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## Myfordman (26 Aug 2020)

Push-Stick for Table Saw – Free Design Plans | Longview Woodworking with Jon Peters







jonpeters.com





Here is a typical Merkin design shown with typically Merkin unguarded TS but no dimensions. You can scale up from the hand in the photo and then I'd increase by 50%. 450mm long is a good aiming point
Certainly agree with mdf as the best material to use.
Make two at least; one to drive the work through and the second to keep the job against the fence.


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## Ttrees (26 Aug 2020)

That video is both shocking and hilarious.
The first take must not have been dramatic enough to risk putting 
the hand in the firing line the second time! 
I would have liked to see the first take.


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## PAC1 (26 Aug 2020)

In the UK it is best to follow the considered advice of the Health and Safety Executive https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/wis16.pdf
I appreciate not everyone is in a commercial setting but why ignore a good source of advice.
A push stick or if you wish push sticks is the recommendation


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## Doug71 (26 Aug 2020)

As said 2 push sticks, 1 to push and the second to keep the timber against the fence.

Use the riving knife and crown guard. 

Try to avoid cutting small pieces, that's when accidents happen. Years ago I was told "Keep the wood as long as you can as long as you can", it's much safer pushing one long piece through the saw then a few short ones.


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## tony359 (26 Aug 2020)

@transatlantic 
Yes, that's one of the videos I watched which showed very well why hands and body don't want to be close to the blade at any time and hence my concerns about the gripper.

@Trevanion 
ahah, that's exactly what I was expecting, a heated and long thread on pros and cons of the gripper!

@PAC1 
Yes, I am planning to check what HSE has to say about that and also download the 745's user manual to see what DeWalt has to say.

I'll definitely make another stick out of MDF. 

I appreciate everybody's help - I'm glad I shared my concerns here before going ahead and buying a £80 piece of plastic


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## sunnybob (26 Aug 2020)

I have the micro jig gripper. Its an incredibly useful tool to hold smaller and odd shaped pieces on the router table and the bandsaw. I like it so much I dont begrudge a penny of the money it cost. If I had a planer I would happily use it on that.
But I have never used it on my dewalt 745 saw. I dont see any time when I would use it on the tablesaw. It cant be used with a normal blade guard. The only time I take the blade guard off is when I am using the table saw sled. The guard is replaced immediately after.
There are far too many american videos with dangerous practices.
The dewalt push stick is very good. There is no need to make anything longer, you will just lose control. I have never used 2 push sticks at the same time. Again, one being pushed harder than the other will make you lose control.
If you want a new toy to buy, get a couple of feather boards. I have a bench dog universal and sometime soon will buy another one. Theres no safer way to hold the wood securely.


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## Rorschach (26 Aug 2020)

I don't think one pushstick (or type of pushstick) covers all bases. It depends on the job you are doing, the size of the workpiece, a full or partial depth cut etc. It's the same with guards and riving knives, they aren't always useful for certain jobs and ideally you would have a selection of them as well (I have 2 riving knives for example).


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## tony359 (26 Aug 2020)

@sunnybob 
I can understand why the microjig is useful but my concern is mostly about safety. Again, the issue is always in the "what if" situations. But yes I can see how useful that can be with small pieces. To be honest I am with @Rorschach and others on the sticks: one to push the piece towards the fence while the other one pushes the piece through the blade.

I suspect the "table saw sled" is also called a "mitre sled" as the attached picture? If that is the case I was indeed thinking of making one as I may end up using the TS that way and I believe the sled allows for a safer and faster cut.

I googled "feather board" but I am not sure what you are referring to - could you please point me to the right direction?


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## Droogs (26 Aug 2020)

A couple of featherboard examples








Drillpro Upgraded Multi-purpose Double Feather Board for Router Table Saws Miter Gauge Slot


Only US$23.99, buy best Drillpro Upgraded Multi-purpose Double Feather Board for Router Table Saws Miter Gauge Slot sale online store at wholesale price.




uk.banggood.com






I rather like these


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## tony359 (26 Aug 2020)

interesting!

I don't think the 745 has slots to fix them though... But I'll investigate!


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## Droogs (26 Aug 2020)

Sunnybob has a 745 and is the one who suggested the featherboards


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## Trainee neophyte (26 Aug 2020)

I am in the Jacob 2 push sticks camp. One stick pushes the outer corner of the workpiece forward into the blade, the other holds the workpiece down, and pushes in towards the fence a bit.

I did a search on YouTube for "table saw accidents" a while ago, and the majority that weren't kickbacks seemed to be from people using home made ripper style devices. They seem to catch the naked blade on the return stroke, and then flip over, along with the hand holding it. My thinking is that if my hand is never in reach of the blade, I will probably be OK.

The nice plastic push stick that comes with the saw melts on contact with the blade, so a wooden one is better. I hadn't considered the mdf angle for not splintering - I had better get some mdf, as my push sticks are all splintered and cream-crackered.


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## tony359 (26 Aug 2020)

Droogs said:


> Sunnybob has a 745 and is the one who suggested the featherboards


Oh right - then I imagine there must be a different type that is compatible with the 745.



Trainee neophyte said:


> My thinking is that if my hand is never in reach of the blade, I will probably be OK.


Totally agree with that.


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## lurker (26 Aug 2020)

My ts came with a plastic push stick, it has only ever been used for a template to draw around when making mdf push sticks.
I always use two.


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## Chris Hawkins (27 Aug 2020)

Hi, I haven't read all the replies here. I used solely push sticks for years. I then invested in some microjig stuff (guess I fell for the marketing!) - both the 3D gripper and the push blocks. I had to saw off the top of the riving knife for the 3D gripper to function - doesn't effect functionality of the riving knife, but eliminates use of the cover guard. I bought a replacement set of knife and guard for when I feel the need. Initially, I was trying to use the 3D Gripper for every job and quickly discovered that it was probably detrimental to my safety in some cases. Now I use the best tool for the job - sometimes its the 3D Gripper, sometimes the push blocks and sometimes the push sticks - or indeed a combination of them.

I had a wakeup call a few years ago when I understood (through reading and watching rather than experience thank goodness) that keeping yourself simply away from the blade is not enough. A kickback scenario can throw your hand into the blade - you've always got to allow for this.

Regards

Chris


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## transatlantic (27 Aug 2020)

Chris Hawkins said:


> I had a wakeup call a few years ago when I understood (through reading and watching rather than experience thank goodness) that keeping yourself simply away from the blade is not enough. A kickback scenario can throw your hand into the blade - you've always got to allow for this.



Which is why I think this type of push stick is so bad. Yet it's very popular. Accident waiting to happen. Especially when they haven't lowered the blade to only allow for minimal exposure.


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## sometimewoodworker (27 Aug 2020)

transatlantic said:


> I think the Gripper is better than nothing, but the main problem I see is that you're still reaching over the blade with your arm. What if you were to stumble? or slip? ... basically, if things go wrong, you're right in the firing line. Hopefully the gripper takes most of the damage, but as can be seen from this video, that certainly may not be the case. And certainly won't help if its your arm that ends up going into the blade when leaning over. Yes he is purposly trying to induce kick back, and yes it's different kind of push block, but the point is that his finger ended up being extremely close to the blade.
> 
> In my opinion, a push stick should allow you to finish the cut with your hands still in front of the blade. No leaning over. No flesh in the danger area.


The video you posted is using a very different beast to the GRR-RIPPER he is using a push block that can only put pressure on one side of the blade, he is pushing toward the blade, due to his stance and has no riving knife or even a US splitter.

The stupidity of not, as a minimum, having a riving knife (he may not have been able to get his kickback with one) shows what he tried to demonstrate should have involved more planning.

I use GRR-RIPPERs when the overhead guard is off and they are safer than many designs of push stick, but then I seldom have the blade high enough that it could get to bite me without me trying hard.


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## transatlantic (27 Aug 2020)

sometimewoodworker said:


> The video you posted is using a very different beast to the GRR-RIPPER he is using a push block that can only put pressure on one side of the blade, he is pushing toward the blade, due to his stance and has no riving knife or even a US splitter.
> 
> The stupidity of not, as a minimum, having a riving knife (he may not have been able to get his kickback with one) shows what he tried to demonstrate should have involved more planning.
> 
> I use GRR-RIPPERs when the overhead guard is off and they are safer than many designs of push stick, but then I seldom have the blade high enough that it could get to bite me without me trying hard.



Of course he has no riving knife as he was TRYING to induce a kick back.
I already said it was a different kind of push block.
If you're using a gripper close enough to the blade that you can't use a guard, then you still have the opportunity for something unexpected to happen and you hand to be flung towards the blade.


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## sunnybob (27 Aug 2020)

This is what I have
www.rockler.com/bench-dog-reg-single-feather-loc-reg-multi-purpose-featherboard
other makes are available, and I have made my own on a table saw out of wood.
The 745 has standard mitre slots and this fits.

This site seems to be equally divided between being totally indifferent to table saw dangers, and so scared that I dont know how they stay in the same room as one. When ever you approach a cutting machine, all you have to do is (horrors!) a risk assessment. look at that blade, and imagine what CAN happen if you get careless, because one day, EVERYBODY gets careless.
The micro jig gripper, (as opposed to other micro jig push blocks) I have already said, can only be used on a table saw if the top guard s removed. If youve removed the top guard, good luck and god speed. No point having the ambulance on speed dial if you have no fingers to push the buttons.

On a router table or a bandsaw, the gripper is very useful for small and awkward shape pieces.


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## Lazurus (27 Aug 2020)

Feather boards when applicable and long push sticks for me on both table saw and band saw, been doing it like this for years I have never needed to remove a guard or riving knife and consider my self risk averse. Still when i look at the nicks and cuts in the push sticks gained over the years makes me wonder what would have happened if I had lesser items to hand!!


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## Woody2Shoes (27 Aug 2020)

tony359 said:


> .....
> I have the stock DeWalt push stick that came with the saw and indeed I thought a longer one may be a better choice. I can indeed make some.
> ....



If it's plastic - use it as a template for making a wooden one then bin it. Plastic ones can and do snap when you least want them to (DAMHIKT).

Your first (critical) line of defence is guarding of the blade - so even in the worst possible scenario, your body parts can't physically get near the moving blade and the blade can safely cut to its design efficiency (blade guard, riving knife, proper dust extraction etc.).
Your second line of defence is push sticks, feather boards and sliding tables.
Your third line of defence is taking time to think about each cut and what could go wrong - chip out/splintering, kickback etc etc

Cheers, W2S


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## Oddbod70 (27 Aug 2020)

One more vote for the long handled wooden push stick. If I'm cutting a shorter piece I'll often use two, one to push the wood through and another as a sort of featherboard to nudge the wood against the fence when starting the cut.

Maybe I'm paranoid and the gripper is OK, but I always feel that my fingers would be just a bit too close to the blade if anything went wrong.


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## Trevanion (27 Aug 2020)




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## TheTiddles (27 Aug 2020)

Yes, there have been some heated debates on these things in the past.

I would summarise that safety advice from a country that permits completely untrained people to buy semi-automatic weapons with ammunition that’s banned by the Geneva convention with no checks at all, but bans kinder eggs as a choking hazard... might be one to take with a pinch of salt.

Over here we have more fingers too.

When it comes to machinery, if it feels a bit dodgy, it’s time to stop and do it another way.

Aidan


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## sometimewoodworker (28 Aug 2020)

transatlantic said:


> Of course he has no riving knife as he was TRYING to induce a kick back.
> I already said it was a different kind of push block.
> If you're using a gripper close enough to the blade that you can't use a guard, then you still have the opportunity for something unexpected to happen and you hand to be flung towards the blade.


I know he was trying to demonstrate kickback.

I knew that the first time I saw the video a few years ago. That doesn’t contradict any of my comment.

From your last sentence you either don’t use a GRR-ripper, know how it’s designed to be used or use it for a job it isn’t designed for.

The tool is designed to be used over the blade not to one side of the blade, so cannot be used correctly with an overhead guard, if you are using it to the side because you have the overhead guard on then you are using the wrong tool, but you probably can’t get a major kickback anyway 

If you are using it to the side with the overhead guard off you are using it in a way it’s not designed for so a slip that can allow your hand/body part to contact the blade is your poor technique or education.

We work with dangerous equipment, there is always risk involved, used correctly we are generally safe. Get careless or don’t think enough as he did not and you may not be lucky.


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## transatlantic (28 Aug 2020)

sometimewoodworker said:


> From your last sentence you either don’t use a GRR-ripper, know how it’s designed to be used or use it for a job it isn’t designed for.





I stand by what I said in my first comment of this thread. I think a Gripper is better than nothing, but all you're doing is temporally guarding the blade whilst the jig is over the blade. Still lots of room for an accident where that blade has become fully exposed and now you're reaching over.


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## Doug71 (28 Aug 2020)

I have been a joiner for 30+ years and in that time I don't think I have ever put my hands as close to a running table saw blade as a Grr-ripper would put them. 

You won't see a grr-ripper used in a professional workshop.


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## GrahamF (28 Aug 2020)

I rarely use my gripper on the saw but find it very useful on the router table when needing down pressure as well as feeding across the cutter.


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## tony359 (28 Aug 2020)

sunnybob said:


> This is what I have
> www.rockler.com/bench-dog-reg-single-feather-loc-reg-multi-purpose-featherboard
> other makes are available, and I have made my own on a table saw out of wood.
> The 745 has standard mitre slots and this fits.



Ah, thanks. I thought the feather board was attached to the ripping fence. That makes sense. I'll get one, thanks for the tip.



Woody2Shoes said:


> Your first (critical) line of defence is guarding of the blade - so even in the worst possible scenario, your body parts can't physically get near the moving blade and the blade can safely cut to its design efficiency (blade guard, riving knife, proper dust extraction etc.).
> Your second line of defence is push sticks, feather boards and sliding tables.
> Your third line of defence is taking time to think about each cut and what could go wrong - chip out/splintering, kickback etc etc



Great advice, many many thanks! I was indeed thinking of making a nice sliding table - one that allows for the blade guard stays in place too, thanks for confirming that that is indeed a good idea  



TheTiddles said:


> I would summarise that safety advice from a country that permits completely untrained people to buy semi-automatic weapons with ammunition that’s banned by the Geneva convention with no checks at all, but bans kinder eggs as a choking hazard... might be one to take with a pinch of salt.



I usually do not brush a group of people with the same brush - I'd rather take the individual's opinion and evaluate it. Where this opinion comes from does not really matter.



sometimewoodworker said:


> The tool is designed to be used over the blade not to one side of the blade, so cannot be used correctly with an overhead guard, if you are using it to the side



Indeed. However, your hand is still in a dangerous area and the "what if" situations are still valid. What if you make a mistake, the blade catches the gripper and launches it away from your hand, which then falls on the blade? You may argue with "you must hold the gripper firmly" but that is not relevant. Safety measures is for when a mistake happens or the unthinkable happens unfortunately.


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## pcb1962 (28 Aug 2020)

GrahamF said:


> I rarely use my gripper on the saw but find it very useful on the router table when needing down pressure as well as feeding across the cutter.


I use a pair of these on the router table, and on the planer, can't see that he gripper has any advantage


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## recipio (28 Aug 2020)

Well, a push stick has two functions. It must push the piece forward and hold it down to the table. The type shaped like a tenon saw with a notch at the back works best. The gripper is a bit pricey and you definitely have to have the guard removed. Its not too hard to make your own - rubber strip is freely available.


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## MikeG. (28 Aug 2020)

recipio said:


> .........The type shaped like a tenon saw with a notch at the back *works best*. The gripper is a bit pricey and you definitely* have to have the guard removed*. Its not too hard to make your own - rubber strip is freely available.



Do you not understand that these two highlighted phrases are in complete contradiction to each other? 

A pushers job is not to hold the wood down and push it forward. A pusher's fundamental job is to keep you hand away from the blade. By removing the guard you are making an accident with hand-in-blade far more likely.


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## powertools (28 Aug 2020)

When using a table saw there are a lot of things to to take into account.
No 1 make sure the fence is in line with the blade.
No 2 always use the riving knife.
No 3 always lower the blade to the minimum height to complete the cut.
No 4 always make sure your blade is sharp and is the correct type for the cut you are about to make.
If you have done all of that then you have reduced the chance of having any problem to almost zero.
Having done the above a tennon saw style push stick is the way to go and your other hand can keep the wood against the fence well back from the blade.


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## Trevanion (28 Aug 2020)

For _really_ awkward cutting I like to use a stick with a sharpened steel point in it in my left hand in conjunction with a push stick in the right. Pointed stick means you can give lateral pressure against the fence from pretty much anywhere on the top of the board without slipping, so long as you don't mind little dimples in the surface!


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## Spectric (28 Aug 2020)

Hi all

Reading all these post there is one very important point that is missing, that is your enviroment. A cluttered untidy work area that is poorly lit will increase the risk of potential hazards happening, don't rely on safety features just work safely and self preservation should kick in. I find woodworking machinery more hazardous than metalworking and seeing sawblades with those big teeth spining just makes me keep my distance!


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## ArferMo (29 Aug 2020)

I don't own a table saw but for radial arm ripping the advice I read for ripping stock too narrow for push sticks was to glue the narrow stock first to a wider board of the similar thickness.
I've just used spray mount to fix some aluminium oxide paper flat to a board with pretty instant grip; (UK forum yet the auto-correct wants to spell aluminum!!) . I wonder how successful that might be for the above job?


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## pcb1962 (29 Aug 2020)

ArferMo said:


> I've just used spray mount to fix some aluminium oxide paper flat to a board with pretty instant grip; (UK forum yet the auto-correct wants to spell aluminum!!) . I wonder how successful that might be for the above job?


I use double sided carpet tape for holding parts together temporarily, I wouldn't trust spray mount on parts I was sawing


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## Trevanion (29 Aug 2020)

I recently picked up a safety pamphlet from the 1930s which goes over push sticks and push blocks (And to think there used to be a member here who was adamant that push blocks were a new-fangled thing made up by the hobby market!)

I've put it up in it's entirety here if you want a look: Vintage Wood Machining Books


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## TheTiddles (29 Aug 2020)

tony359 said:


> I usually do not brush a group of people with the same brush - I'd rather take the individual's opinion and evaluate it. Where this opinion comes from does not



If it helps Tony, the USA has over 10x the rate of work related fatalities than the U.K. (based on last year’s numbers) and over 6x the rate of workplace injuries (I’ve not interrogated those numbers for at least a couple of years to be fair). So when I make a point about a country’s attitude to safety, it’s based on that.

I was in a press facility in Wisconsin once, on the wall as we walked in was a big sign that proudly announced it was 59-days (or something) since the last amputation. As we went round there was a siren for a few seconds and as we left someone was peeling the numbers off the wall. 

Aidan


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## Rorschach (29 Aug 2020)

TheTiddles said:


> If it helps Tony, the USA has over 10x the rate of work related fatalities than the U.K. (based on last year’s numbers) and over 6x the rate of workplace injuries (I’ve not interrogated those numbers for at least a couple of years to be fair). So when I make a point about a country’s attitude to safety, it’s based on that.
> 
> I was in a press facility in Wisconsin once, on the wall as we walked in was a big sign that proudly announced it was 59-days (or something) since the last amputation. As we went round there was a siren for a few seconds and as we left someone was peeling the numbers off the wall.
> 
> Aidan


Is that 10x per capita or 10x in general?


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## TheTiddles (29 Aug 2020)

Rorschach said:


> Is that 10x per capita or 10x in general?



Per 100,000, theirs is 5.something and ours is 0.5, sad hey?


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## Rorschach (29 Aug 2020)

TheTiddles said:


> Per 100,000, theirs is 5.something and ours is 0.5, sad hey?



Very sad indeed. While some of that is reflected in the fact that they have much more manufacturing than we do, it is still a sobering statistic.


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## recipio (29 Aug 2020)

Eh......the gripper and push sticks are different tools. Its self evident that both are used to keep the hands away from the blade except that the push stick can be used with the guard in place and the gripper can not. Personally I have an American saw which was supplied without a guard. I tried a guard but then found I could not see the wood lifting off the table or the kerf closing up so I prefer to have eyes on with a high 'tenon saw' push stick . I believe most kickbacks are due to forcing the wood through the cut +/- a blunt blade anyway. A lot of people on here seem to use the gripper so I presume they have unguarded blades as well so the argument is the same as for dado blades -- don't use them without a big dollop of common sense.


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## Doug71 (29 Aug 2020)

A lot of saws these days come with a full length fence, this is generally okay for cutting down sheet material but for solid timber it's best for the fence to finish somewhere between the front and middle of the blade. A lot of kickback is avoided if the timber is not trapped between the back of the upwards spinning blade and the fence. This means fitting a sub fence to a lot of saws so it doesn't get done, plus all the American Youtubers use full length fences so that's how people think it should be done


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## bp122 (30 Aug 2020)

I tried to use the gripper style push block at first, then made a shoe style one, tried the plastic one that came with my Axi TS. 

In the end, after trying all the types mentioned, I use a shop made featherboard for pressing the workpiece against the blade sideways and use either the plastic push stick that came with the saw or a very similar over that I made out of thinner stock.

When and if I can't use the feather board, I use both the sticks mentioned. 

I think common sense prevails here, be as far away from the blade as you possibly can to do the work at all times.


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## tony359 (30 Aug 2020)

I have now made my first cuts on my 745. And it is so obvious in my mind that there is no chance that my hands can go close to that spinning blade - either by using a gripper or by pushing the wood by hand as seen on many videos online. 
It reminds me the first time I stepped on a scaffolding without a hard hat (don't say anything, I was young  ) - it took me a just a couple of minutes to realise that I NEEDED one.

Regarding the feather board, I now see why it can be useful. However I'm wondering if there is any chance that the piece being cut, when it eventually runs past the 'feathers', could get a slight counter-clockwise rotation which may push the front edge of the wood towards the blade? I am not sure whether this makes any sense to you.


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## transatlantic (30 Aug 2020)

bp122 said:


> In the end, after trying all the types mentioned, I use a shop made featherboard for pressing the workpiece against the blade sideways and use either the plastic push stick that came with the saw or a very similar over that I made out of thinner stock.



I assume you wrote that in error. The featherboard should never push the workpiece against the blade. It should be in front of the blade.


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## bp122 (30 Aug 2020)

Oops, I meant to say in the direction of the blade, not in line with the blade and indeed in front of it. Sorry, should have been clearer. Well spotted!


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## transatlantic (30 Aug 2020)

tony359 said:


> Regarding the feather board, I now see why it can be useful. However I'm wondering if there is any chance that the piece being cut, when it eventually runs past the 'feathers', could get a slight counter-clockwise rotation which may push the front edge of the wood towards the blade? I am not sure whether this makes any sense to you.



It might seem counterintuitive, but when using push sticks, you actually want to have the stick closer to the blade than to the fence (left side of center of the workpiece). This way, any induced rotation will rotate clockwise, pushing the work piece against the fence. If you do the opposite and have the push stick closer to the fence than to the blade (right side of center), the workpiece will rotate anticlockwise into the blade.


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## tony359 (30 Aug 2020)

@transatlantic 
I understand and I get why you want to do that with your push sticks. That is why I am a bit concerned that a feather board may induce a rotation just when the piece exits the "fingers" of the feather. But maybe it is just me overthinking  

I made a quick sketch to explain - please don't laugh


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## Droogs (30 Aug 2020)

Your fence should be positioned so the the end is somewhere between the D in wood and the A in blade. Doing this and positioning the push stick that is providing the moving force to the blade side half of the board helps prevent both kickback and the chance of the board rotating anti-clockwise.
Having the fence positioned as it is in the picture increases the probability that the board will rotate

hth


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## Just4Fun (30 Aug 2020)

@tony359 and @Droogs. Between the two of you, you have confused me completely. Not difficult at the best of times but even easier when discussing power tools, which I do not use. Anyway ...
Tony, with the wood as it is in your sketch, surely the blade will not cut it at all. Indeed, with the wood like that and the feather board not moving, I don't see how the blade can cut anything apart from stray fingers.
Droogs, when you mention the position of the fence do you mean the position of the feather board?
Or should I go back to my hand tools and keep quiet?


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## tony359 (30 Aug 2020)

@Droogs and @Just4Fun 

Apologies, the sketch was inaccurate. I've attached another one.
@Droogs 
The 745's fence is end to end, it cannot be shortened or repositioned as you suggest - unless I am misunderstanding you?


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## Droogs (30 Aug 2020)

no no The fence itself, the position of the featherboard is fine.
When you push the board through the saw and the push stick is in the nearer to the sawblade half of the board, it not only gives forward motion but also a small amount of sideways movement as well. In this case the motion is a vector that moves forward but also at the same time away to the right of the blade and this causes the board to try and rotate in a clockwise direction and is stopped by the fence. This therefore ensures the cut is accurate but also prevents the forces that can induce a kickback up to the point where it is inline with the very center of the blade spindle. Once you go past this the blade is moving in a different (up) direction to the front (down) and so that the forces are then in reverse and this is why we have a riving knife. There is also pressure from the fence to push the wood that is between it and the blade into the blade causing anti clockwise rotation. this is prevented by making sure the fence is not there to do that and so the furthest you want the fence to be is in line with the centre of the blade.

You normally fit a sub fence to the fence that follows the principles above if the main fence can not be repositioned.

hope that makes it clearer


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## spb (30 Aug 2020)

I think Droogs is describing something like this - correct me if I'm wrong.


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## Lonsdale73 (30 Aug 2020)

I have a Gripper-clone which I've used with a DW745. I have found there are times, eg when cutting strips thinner than 18mm, when the blade guard impedes the fence so - shock, horror - I've removed to permit those cuts. The Gripper is a great asset in this instance. It's possible to use one without having to have your hand all the way over the blade at all. They're about 7" long and a 'heel' can be hooked over the tailend of the workpiece to complete the cut without fingers being at risk.


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## tony359 (30 Aug 2020)

Droogs said:


> You normally fit a sub fence to the fence that follows the principles above if the main fence can not be repositioned.



That was the part I was missing! It makes sense but I never seen anything like this on any online video to be honest...


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## MikeK (30 Aug 2020)

What Droogs explained is what is in the operator's manual for the SCM slider saws, and possibly the other slider saws as well, which have adjustable rip fences. With my slider, the end of the rip fence should follow a 45-degree line away from the arbor as the width of the rip increases. Most times, I follow a 60-dgree path for the end of the rip fence and have not seen any problems with ripping. My rip fence has a slight toe out, which I think is about 0.006 inch.

As soon as I setup the Incra positioner on the auxiliary table of the sliding sled, I might not use the rip fence again. Most, if not all, of my ripping can be done from the left side of the blade, as the crosscuts are now.


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## Droogs (30 Aug 2020)

bang on MickeK, I use a SCM


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## MikeK (30 Aug 2020)

Droogs said:


> bang on MickeK, I use a SCM


I have the SC2 Classic, which dominates my small shop. I'll post an image of the positioner as soon as I have it set up.


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## tony359 (30 Aug 2020)

I may be a bit confused now - if you could post a picture @MikeK I'd appreciate it a lot, thanks!


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## MikeK (30 Aug 2020)

tony359 said:


> I may be a bit confused now - if you could post a picture @MikeK I'd appreciate it a lot, thanks!


Here are two quick teaser images showing the SCM SC2 Classic and the Incra LS25 Positioner used as a second point in space on the slider. I hope this helps.

This is still a work in progress, as I have to make a better fence and stop block for the positioner. I used a spare Woodpeckers T-track to put on the end of the positioner to show how it would look. I have two of these auxiliary tables. One is for the positioner and the other is plain and used as a support for large sheet goods. The table fits into a T-track on the side of the slider sled and has grub screws to set it coplanar to the sled. Once adjusted, the tables can be removed for storage and when attached when needed without additional adjustment. 

Not shown in these images is the vertical clamp that rides in the slot on the top of the sled. The clamp secures the piece to be cut securely to the sled. High-end shops use pneumatic plungers attached to the fences to secure the piece, but these usually cost about $2K for a basic system and exceed my hobbyist desire.

This image shows the positioner attached to the auxiliary table. The table can be set at any position along the length of the sliding sled to accommodate different lengths of board or sheet stock to rip.








This image shows how a board would be ripped using the crosscut fence as one point and the Incra positioner as the other point.







This is not my idea, as I borrowed it from this video by Sam Blasco:


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## MusicMan (31 Aug 2020)

Tony359 yes your wood should be wider in your sketch so that it is cut!

But note that (a) the fence should be straight and (b) so should the fence-side edge of the work. If the latter is bowed (either concave or convex) then there is indeed a danger that the work will rotate as the wood progresses. This is not often noted.

If your work does not have a straight edge, then you can use a straight piece bonded to it by hot glue or double-sided sticky tape to run along the fence. This is a way of getting a straight edge from sawn planks with a live (want) edge.

And yes, unless cutting ply, MDF etc, the fence should definitely end after the start and before the centre of the blade. In fact, my fence is curved to follow the curve of the blade so that the pressure point keeps roughly the same relation to the blade all the way up. This wooden fence attaches to the main stainless steel tubular fence, which clamps automatically front and back (Wadkin AGS design). The blade is for smooth crosscuts.






Oh and the riving knife is disassembled in this pic to show someone the design. I have never once used it without the riving knife and guard.


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## MikeG. (31 Aug 2020)

MusicMan said:


> .......I have never once used it without the riving knife and guard.



Just curious......

The only thing I would ever find a table saw useful for would be cutting larger rebates. This would be perfectly easy with a riving knife, but not with a crown guard if that attached to the riving knife. How do properly set up machines manage this sort of cut?


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## Trevanion (31 Aug 2020)

MikeG. said:


> How do properly set up machines manage this sort of cut?



This is how the HSE states it should be done.


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## TheTiddles (31 Aug 2020)

MikeG. said:


> Just curious......
> 
> The only thing I would ever find a table saw useful for would be cutting larger rebates. This would be perfectly easy with a riving knife, but not with a crown guard if that attached to the riving knife. How do properly set up machines manage this sort of cut?



with a guard on a cantilever arm off the side table? I rigged one up on my (admittedly small) TS200 them found a router with a dedicated jig was way better as the small saw didn’t have the huge sliding table to take advantage of

aidan


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## MikeG. (31 Aug 2020)

I'm talking about rebates way bigger than a router can cut.


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## TheTiddles (31 Aug 2020)

Just a general observation, it’s interesting how much opinion and concern we all have for safety here despite our low accident rate, does anyone remember the guy years ago who sawed off his kids thumb end with a table saw and the forum in a different country was full of people saying how brave his kid was at the hospital, nobody mentioned the parent’s extreme negligence.

I think we have this right

Aidan


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## TheTiddles (31 Aug 2020)

MikeG. said:


> I'm talking about rebates way bigger than a router can cut.



would you not build up the cut, like you would with a router? And what would you be making, a large lap?


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## MikeG. (31 Aug 2020)

A window, for instance, can have rebates in excess of 35mm deep. A door frame has rebates over 45mm deep.


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## TheTiddles (31 Aug 2020)

Ah, depth not width, with you now, yes, cantilever crown guard with the dust extraction attached I think it the normal route, plenty of people here who actually do that I think?
Aidan


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## Droogs (31 Aug 2020)

The crownguard on the the SCM I use is on a side mounted post and can be raised/lowered to accommodate the height of the material to about 800mm if you wanted to.





__





Sliding Table Saw for solid Wood Application Class Si 550EP - SCM


Class Si 550EP is the sliding table saw with 550 mm blade and represents the best solution for solid wood application.




www.scmgroup.com


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## MikeK (31 Aug 2020)

Droogs said:


> The crownguard on the the SCM I use is on a side mounted post and can be raised/lowered to accommodate the height of the material to about 800mm if you wanted to.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I have a similar overhead guard that the dealer included at no cost. The SCM tech found it in the demo area of the warehouse and no one could remember why they had it, so they tossed the unopened box on the truck with the rest of the saw components. It is a great guard and the dust extraction worked well. I used if for a while, but it got in the way when crosscutting wide sheets.


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## tony359 (31 Aug 2020)

MusicMan said:


> And yes, unless cutting ply, MDF etc, the fence should definitely end after the start and before the centre of the blade.



Ahh, that is what I was missing. For now I have never cut anything but wood that I can buy at B&Q to be honest. Mostly plywoof, MDF or birch studs. 
I guess the reason is that solid wood can bend after the cut so it's better not to have anything that can push the whole piece back to the saw?

Regarding safety, now that I have a better understanding of what not to do with a TS I am appalled by the number of people I see on videos that don't follow the slightest safety whatsoever... 

I stumbled into this yesterday (skip to 1:20):  and that made me cringe! No raven knife, no protective googles and looks like the boy needed a few more directions before he was let on the TS by his own!!


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## TheTiddles (31 Aug 2020)

There’s literally so many terrible safety practices demonstrated on YouTube and the like it is hard to know where to start, the usual justification being “I’ve always done it this way and never had an accident”. It’s worth noting that is precisely the attitude NASA had before Challenger blew up (and worse still Colombia).

Aidan


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## transatlantic (31 Aug 2020)

He's literally watching him make the dangerous mistakes and only correcting him after the cut has been made.

But hey ho - he needs content for his youtube channel, right?


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## pcb1962 (31 Aug 2020)

tony359 said:


> I stumbled into this yesterday (skip to 1:20):  and that made me cringe!



If you think Wandel is bad wait till you see his mate John Heisz. 
This one is pretty scary, fingers far too close to spinning blades throughout.


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## Trevanion (31 Aug 2020)

pcb1962 said:


> If you think Wandel is bad wait till you see his mate John Heisz.



I think there's a video somewhere where Wandel uses his fingers to slow down a circular saw by applying pressure against the saw plate, fingers _touching_ spinning blade


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## TheTiddles (31 Aug 2020)

Trevanion said:


> I think there's a video somewhere where Wandel uses his fingers to slow down a circular saw by applying pressure against the saw plate, fingers _touching_ spinning blade



He is a most interesting chap, kinda reminds me of Tesla a bit, some good ideas, some barking.

Aidan


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## tony359 (31 Aug 2020)

transatlantic said:


> He's literally watching him make the dangerous mistakes and only correcting him after the cut has been made.



That's what I thought exactly! And seriously are you allowing an untrained person to use a TS without raving knife, blade guard and googles??
The fun thing is that I watched some of his videos before - before I had a TS so I didn't really know much about how to use it - and I did not notice anything!  I still like his videos, I just caught the safety issue today for the first time


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## Sgian Dubh (31 Aug 2020)

tony359 said:


> ... seriously are you allowing an untrained person to use a TS without raving knife, blade guard and googles??


To be honest, if I was expected to use a saw with a, er, well ... a raving knife, I'd be very tempted to not attach it in the first place. I wouldn't want to be forever distracted and put off what I was trying to do by some crazed piece of metal raving at me all the time, ha, ha. 

As to grippers, I've never found or needed a use for one on any kind of bench saw, rip saw, or sliding table saw. They are for people who use saws in the American style with their fondness for a long rip fence, which, set long, is device perfectly designed to encourage kick back. Slainte.


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## MusicMan (31 Aug 2020)

MikeG. said:


> Just curious......
> 
> The only thing I would ever find a table saw useful for would be cutting larger rebates. This would be perfectly easy with a riving knife, but not with a crown guard if that attached to the riving knife. How do properly set up machines manage this sort of cut?


I have never had the need to do this, since I don't make architectural-scale things, and routers have been adequate for me. But as others have already said, if necessary I would use a Shaw guard or a crown guard mounted on a cantilever. Steve Maskery has good designs.

I am just setting up a small Inca Universal saw, which does indeed have a side-mounted cantilever guard, and I intend to use that for medium-scale rebates, tenons etc. It also has a moulding head, with Shaw-type guards included, so profiles can also be cut.


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## tony359 (1 Sep 2020)

Sgian Dubh said:


> To be honest, if I was expected to use a saw with a, er, well ... a raving knife, I'd be very tempted to not attach it in the first place. I wouldn't want to be forever distracted and put off what I was trying to do by some crazed piece of metal raving at me all the time, ha, ha.



I knew I was misspelling that!


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## maznaz (1 Sep 2020)

I have a problem with some of the advice in this thread. In fact I think it's potentially dangerous to leave it up.

A large number of new woodworkers are buying lower-end table saws without sliding carriages etc. Those saws invariably have a fence that spans the entire table top. The single most important thing they can do with that fence is ensure it runs parallel to the blade. Encouraging those same starting woodworkers to make a shorter fence themselves that attaches to their main fence is madness. The chances of introducing error, either immediately or over prolonged use is far greater when you add in a home-made fence.

The most pertinent and useful post in this thread for that category of woodworkers (I am among them) is the post from powertools, which was succinct and clear.


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## maznaz (1 Sep 2020)

powertools said:


> When using a table saw there are a lot of things to to take into account.
> No 1 make sure the fence is in line with the blade.
> No 2 always use the riving knife.
> No 3 always lower the blade to the minimum height to complete the cut.
> ...



Please, anybody reading this thread looking for advice with their tablesaw and fence, just follow these guidelines. Don't start modifying your fence to try and shorten it, or sticking another fence over the top that's shorter, or worrying about pivoting stock on a correctly aligned fence (you won't). Just follow the above and use appropriate push sticks for the cuts you're making.


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## PAC1 (1 Sep 2020)

I was always told that the Rip fence should be aligned to the gullet of the cutting teeth.
That remains good advice. The problem with full length fences is that real wood moves when cut and can get jammed between a full length fence and the saw blade. This is very dangerous as the saw blade at the rear is turning upwards and could launch the timber at 80mph in your direction


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## tony359 (1 Sep 2020)

maznaz said:


> The single most important thing they can do with that fence is ensure *it doesn't run parallel* to the blade. Encouraging those same starting woodworkers to make a shorter fence themselves that attaches to their main fence is madness. The chances of introducing error, either immediately or over prolonged use is far greater when you add in a home-made fence.



Thank you - just to clarify: did you mean "it does"?

I understand the issue when cutting "real wood". For now, I shouldn't really need that. If I need to cut any studs, I'll probably use the mitre sled I am about to build. If I need to rip some pine studs... not sure anymore now! Still, I would think that if the piece wants to bend a bit, the riving knife should take care of that?


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## Oddbod70 (1 Sep 2020)

Wise advice from Powertools and Maznaz there. 

Maybe two more?

5. Don't remove the blade guard, or if you do, PUT IT BACK.
6. Never crosscut using the (full length) rip fence as a length stop.


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## maznaz (1 Sep 2020)

tony359 said:


> Thank you - just to clarify: did you mean "it does"?



Apologies you're absolutely right and I'll change that now. Too much codeine!



tony359 said:


> I understand the issue when cutting "real wood". For now, I shouldn't really need that. If I need to cut any studs, I'll probably use the mitre sled I am about to build. If I need to rip some pine studs... not sure anymore now! Still, I would think that if the piece wants to bend a bit, the riving knife should take care of that?



In the vast majority of cases yes, but really gnarly wood could still catch in some way and try and kick back.


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## tony359 (1 Sep 2020)

no worries - I feel your advice, and Powertools' and Oddbod70's is sound. Thanks for your contribution.


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## PAC1 (1 Sep 2020)

tony359 said:


> Thank you - just to clarify: did you mean "it does"?
> 
> I understand the issue when cutting "real wood". For now, I shouldn't really need that. If I need to cut any studs, I'll probably use the mitre sled I am about to build. If I need to rip some pine studs... not sure anymore now! Still, I would think that if the piece wants to bend a bit, the riving knife should take care of that?


Tony you need a short fence for cutting real wood. The whole reason that a Rip fence for real wood stops at the gullet of the tooth is so that the wood can move freely once cut. If there is a full length fence it will bind and that is dangerous. If you are pushing the wood against the fence the fact that there is no fence beyond the cut does not cause a problem it will not pivot because it is pressed against the flat fence. You should not be putting sideways pressure to press the waste into the blade in any event and certainly not beyond the length of the fence. Any sideways pressure should stop before the saw blade.
The riving knife only keeps the kerf open ie when the wood bends into the kerf. It does not do anything when the wood wants to bend away from the saw blade and equally there must not be a fence there stopping it from bending away from the blade.


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## Oddbod70 (1 Sep 2020)

Pac1 is correct. However I find it's very rare for a bit of wood to do that and that when is does it stalls the blade rather than anything else. (Using a 16A 250mm schep 2500). With well seasoned wood it's not something I worry about overly.

But if, for some odd reason, I was cutting a bit of semi seasoned reaction wood then yes, I would do as PAC1 recommends


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## pcb1962 (1 Sep 2020)

Steve Maskery's video on using a short fence.
No idea why anyone would think that it's 'madness' to follow this advice.


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## transatlantic (1 Sep 2020)

But if you are cutting a piece that wants to close up, it doesn't really help?

The only reason I can think of where it helps is if your fence was incorrectly set and the tail end is skewing into the blade.... but then thats a setup issue?


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## pcb1962 (1 Sep 2020)

transatlantic said:


> But if you are cutting a piece that wants to close up, it doesn't really help?


That's what your riving knife is for.


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## Droogs (1 Sep 2020)

@tony359 here is a rather good British video about saw safety


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## transatlantic (1 Sep 2020)

pcb1962 said:


> That's what your riving knife is for.



Sure. So if you have a full length fence and a riving knife, what is the issue switching to a shorter fence is supposed to resolve?


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## PAC1 (1 Sep 2020)

transatlantic said:


> Sure. So if you have a full length fence and a riving knife, what is the issue switching to a shorter fence is supposed to resolve?


Read my last post on this thread


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## Inspector (1 Sep 2020)

transatlantic said:


> Sure. So if you have a full length fence and a riving knife, what is the issue switching to a shorter fence is supposed to resolve?


Someday you will rip some maple and watch the wood spread, twist and curl several inches as you make the cut. The space behind the end of the half fence gives the wood somewhere to go without binding the blade. Even if you are a beast and can push on though with a full length fence the blade will rub like crazy and the friction will send embers down into the cabinet to smoulder in the pile below or in the DC collection bags/barrel. It isn't a case of if it will happen it is when.

Pete


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## transatlantic (1 Sep 2020)

Inspector said:


> Someday you will rip some maple and watch the wood spread, twist and curl several inches as you make the cut. The space behind the end of the half fence gives the wood somewhere to go without binding the blade. Even if you are a beast and can push on though with a full length fence the blade will rub like crazy and the friction will send embers down into the cabinet to smoulder in the pile below or in the DC collection bags/barrel. It isn't a case of if it will happen it is when.
> 
> Pete



That makes sense, although surely even with a half length fence you'd stop and just take it to the bandsaw?


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## Inspector (1 Sep 2020)

Maybe if you have a switch you can hit with your knee but if you have to divert your attention to look for the switch and take a hand away to hit it you can get a kickback. Sometimes it is better to complete the cut and toss the board in the scrap pile. It's going to be a problem anyway.

Pete


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## tony359 (1 Sep 2020)

Thanks @Droogs I have seen that already, good one indeed.

@Inspector - inches!! Wow, I had no idea. That said, I understand that this is mainly when cutting real wood which I have never dealt with and that I likely never going to use. But I see why the shorter fence can be a good idea.

(speaking of switches, I need to make something that allows me to stop the saw using my knee, I don't like the way it is right now.


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## MikeK (1 Sep 2020)

transatlantic said:


> Sure. So if you have a full length fence and a riving knife, what is the issue switching to a shorter fence is supposed to resolve?



I can't comment about cabinet saws, since I have never owned one. However, I do own a slider and the operator's manual makes it very clear that the outfeed end of the rip fence shall follow at least a 45-degree path away from the center of the saw blade. 

There are two other points in the manual that the certified SCM tech pointed out when he assembled and commissioned my saw.

1. Never adjust the two main adjustment nuts on the rip fence guide bar that attach the guide bar to the cast iron table. These adjustment nuts are set at the factory to ensure the proper toe-out of the rip fence with respect to the blade. He then proceeded to show me how to set the toe-out the way the factory does it. After watching and assuring him I understood, he took the rip fence guide bar off, removed the adjustment nuts, and told me it was my turn. I could have killed him.

2. Use care when adjusting the slider sled to ensure the proper toe-out with respect to the blade. I can't remember how much toe-out the tech recommended for the slider, but he referred to his commissioning checklist while he was setting up my saw and didn't undo it so I could do it. The adjustment on the sled is much more complicated than the rip fence since it must be adjusted on all three axes and one minor adjustment on one axis affects the settings of the other two.


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## tony359 (1 Sep 2020)

MikeK said:


> After watching and assuring him I understood, he took the rip fence guide bar off, removed the adjustment nuts, and told me it was my turn. I could have killed him.



LOL! I work in a completely different industry but that is what I also do when training people, it's the only way to make sure they have actually understood. And the machines I work with won't throw items at you if you make a mistake


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## Wadkin22 (2 Sep 2020)

The past two workshops where I have been working both companies have paid a fortune for a so ‘called’ woodworking safety ‘expert’ , to advise and up grade the spindle fences and the crown guard on a rip saw. Well quite frankly all he has done is made the machines more dangerous and has taken 1’000’s of pounds off each company. The push sticks ( around £30’each ) are made from 10mm flimsy beech but the do look nice and have a nice ‘AIGNER’ print on them , absolutely no good for pushing through serious sized solid timber but they do look nice !! £800 on a crown guard that doesn’t work , breaks very easily and in order to push any size timber through you have to manually lift the guard up then push the timber through . If you don’t lift the guard up the guard judders and wobbles and the blade cuts into the guard ! BRILLIANT . 
The expert has since retired but he has ‘trained’ a younger adviser to take his place . 
The problem is , there is a distinct lack of proper training In all aspects of woodwork machining .
Be safe , use common sense


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## tony359 (5 Sep 2020)

I have now been using the 745 for a few days - I'm just a DIY'er so first task is to make a stand for the saw itself since the one I got from the previous owner is flimsy and too high.

I would like to thank everybody on this thread for helping me understanding how to use this tool: I am getting more confident (but not complacent) to use it every time I cut something and I do feel that all the input received by you guys has been invaluable to allow me to work with it as safely as possible!! Thank you!

On a side note, all the cuts I've made so far have just been spot on. The simple project I am putting together is coming up nicely and all parts that I have cut have assembled together perfectly. I could cry!


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