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6.
Kickbacks can cause serious injury. A “KICKBACK” occurs
when a part of the workpiece binds between the blade and the
rip fence or other fixed object. Workpiece binding the blade
due to misalignment can also cause kickback. During
kickback, workpiece rises from table and is thrown rapidly
back toward the operator. Keep your face and body to one
side of the blade, out of line with a possible “KICKBACK”.
In general, some simple procedures and setups can usually
avoid kickbacks and possible injury:
A
djust the blade so that it is parallel to the miter gauge
s
lots on the table then adjust the fence so that it is
p
arallel to the blade. Do not use miter gauge and rip
f
ence together in cutting operations.
A
misaligned fence,
miter gauge or these two devices used together could cause
t
he workpiece to become like a wedge and bind the spinning
blade.
Always use the guard for every through cutting
operation.
The guard system (hood, splitter and anti-
kickback pawls) is designed to reduce the intensity of a
kickback and keep your hands away from the spinning blade.
When using a push stick or block the trailing end of the
work must be square.
A push stick or block against an
uneven end can slip off or push the work away from fence.
Keep the saw blade clean and sharp. Dull and sticky
blades will increase the tendency to bind in the workpiece.
Do not trap or confine the cut-off piece when ripping or
crosscutting. Let the cut off piece be free to move away
from the blade.
Trapping the workpiece between the fence
and the blade will cause a kickback.
Do not position your hands or fingers in the path of the
blade.
You may slip into the blade if you apply uneven or
excessive force. You can be dragged back into the blade
during a kickback.
Push the workpiece through against the rotation of the
blade.
Never feed material from the back of the saw as the
blade can launch the workpiece at great velocity across the
tabletop.
Never pull the work through the blade. Start and finish the
cut from the operator side (switch side) of the table saw.
Stand to the side of the blade and workpiece; never stand
directly in line.
During a kickback the workpiece will be
rapidly projected from the table saw.
Never cut more than one workpiece at a time. Stacked
workpieces can shift or bind on the easily and lead to
unexpected contact with blade.
Never reach in back of the blade during operation or until
the blade has come to a complete stop.
You may be
dragged into the blade during a kickback.
Rip Cutting
Always set and maintain the rip fence parallel to the saw
blade.
A misaligned fence could cause the workpiece to
become like a wedge and bind the spinning saw blade.
Set blade height for through cutting to just above the
workpiece thickness.
Minimizing exposure of blade body will
reduce the tendency of blade binding on body of saw blade.
Keep hood guard assembly, spreader and anti-kickback
pawls in place and operating properly. Replace or
sharpen anti-kickback pawls when points become dull.
Check their action before ripping.
The spreader aligned with
t
he saw blade and the pawls are intended to stop a kickback
once it has started.
F
eed force must be applied only between fence and blade.
Never apply pressure to the side of the blade.
Pressure
applied to the side of the blade will cause the blade to stall or
k
ickback the workpiece.
When performing a bevel rip cut, always place the fence
t
o the right of the blade.
O
n this particular table saw the
blade tilts to the left. Bevel ripping with the fence on the left
side may not allow the use of the push stick and will wedge the
workpiece between the blade and the fence.
Be aware of increased blade exposure on the right side of
the guard, when setting the blade for bevel angle.
Pay
attention to the proximity of your fingers to blade.
Never cut freehand! Use the fence to support the length
of the workpiece in ripping cuts and the miter gauge for
cross cut operations.
Unsupported or improperly supported
workpieces may bind and kickback.
Never attempt to pull the workpiece through the spinning
saw blade.
You may experience a kickback and be dragged
into spinning saw blade.
Do not release work until you have pushed it all the way
past the saw blade.
Keep your hands away from side and to
the rear of a spinning saw blade. A kickback can drag your
hand into the blade if it is positioned on the workpiece, to the
side or behind the blade.
Use a Push Stick for ripping widths of 2" to 6" and an
auxiliary fence and Push Block for ripping widths
narrower than 2". When ripping, apply the feed force to
the section of the workpiece between the saw blade and
the rip fence.
If your hand or fingers are within 6 inches of the
spinning blade you are too close to be able to react in case of
a kickback event and you may be injured.
Never through-saw rip cuts narrower than 1/2”. The blade
guard system is not effective for narrow rip cuts and will not
prevent kickback if blade becomes bound.
Do not rip workpiece that is twisted or warped or does not
have a straight edge to guide along the rip fence.
Workpieces without a straight edge will tend to wedge
themselves between blade and fence possibly causing a
kickback.
Cross Cutting
Whether performing straight cross cutting or miter angle
cross cutting operations, always follow these warnings:
When cross cutting, never use the rip fence and the miter
gauge together.
They will act against each other and bind
the work on the blade leading to kickback.
Use the guard system for the cross cuts. The guard is not
just for rip cutting.
If the workpiece is too small, affix a jig or other means to
fix workpiece to miter gauge during a cross cut
operation.
This lets you properly hold the miter gauge and
workpiece while keeping your fingers away from blade.
Plunge Cutting
Never attempt to plunge cut into a workpiece by placing
it on top of the spinning blade. The workpiece will kickback.