Are Grippers much safer than push sticks?

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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?
 
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
 
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?
 
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
 
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.
 
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.
 
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 ;)
 
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
 
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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