j.
Feed workpiece at an even pace. Do not bend or twist the workpiece. If jamming occurs, turn the tool off immediately,
unplug the tool then clear the jam. Jamming the saw blade by the workpiece can cause kickback or stall the motor.
k.
Do not remove pieces of cut-off material while the saw is running. The material may become trapped between the fence or
inside the saw blade guard and the saw blade pulling your fingers into the saw blade. Turn the saw off and wait until the saw blade
stops before removing material.
l.
Use an auxiliary fence in contact with the table top when ripping workpieces less than 2 mm thick. A thin workpiece
may wedge under the rip fence and create a kickback.
m.
Never Cut Metals, Cement Board or Masonry. Certain man-made materials have special instructions for cutting on table saws.
Follow the manufacturer's recommendations at all times to avoid overheating the saw blade tips as well as melting the plastic. Avoid
overheating blade tips by pushing material through blade evenly. Forcing material to fast can cause heating and damage to blade or
workpiece.
3.
Kickback causes and related warnings
Kickback is a sudden reaction of the workpiece due to a pinched, jammed saw blade or misaligned line of cut in the workpiece with
respect to the saw blade or when a part of the workpiece binds between the saw blade and the rip fence or other fixed object.
a.
Most frequently during kickback, the workpiece is lifted from the table by the rear portion of the saw blade and is
propelled towards the operator. Kickback is the result of saw misuse and/or incorrect operating procedures or conditions and can be
avoided by taking proper precautions as given below.
b.
Never stand directly in line with the saw blade. Always position your body on the same side of the saw blade as the fence.
Kickback may propel the workpiece at high velocity towards anyone standing in front and in line with the saw blade.
c.
Never reach over or in back of the saw blade to pull or to support the workpiece. Accidental contact with the saw blade
may occur or kickback may drag your fingers into the saw blade.
d.
Never hold and press the workpiece that is being cut off against the rotating saw blade. Pressing the workpiece being cut
off against the saw blade will create a binding condition and kickback.
e.
Align the fence to be parallel with the saw blade. A misaligned fence will pinch the workpiece against the saw blade and create
kickback.
f.
Use a featherboard to guide the workpiece against the table and fence when making non-through cuts such as
rabbeting, or resawing cuts. A featherboard helps to control the workpiece in the event of a kickback.
g.
Use extra caution when making a cut into blind areas of assembled workpieces. The protruding saw blade may cut objects
that can cause kickback.
h.
Support large panels to minimise the risk of saw blade pinching and kickback. Large panels tend to sag under their own
weight. Support(s) must be placed under all portions of the panel overhanging the table top.
i.
Use extra caution when cutting a workpiece that is twisted, knotted, warped or does not have a straight edge to
guide it with a mitre gauge or along the fence. A warped, knotted, or twisted workpiece is unstable and causes misalignment of
the kerf with the saw blade, binding and kickback.
j.
Never cut more than one workpiece, stacked vertically or horizontally. The saw blade could pick up one or more pieces and
cause kickback.
k.
When restarting the saw with the saw blade in the workpiece, centre the saw blade in the kerf so that the saw
teeth are not engaged in the material. If the saw blade binds, it may lift up the workpiece and cause kickback when the saw is
restarted.
l.
Keep saw blades clean, sharp, and with sufficient set. Never use warped saw blades or saw blades with cracked or broken
teeth. Sharp and properly set saw blades minimize binding, stalling and kickback.
4.
Table saw operating procedure warnings
a.
Turn off the table saw and disconnect the power cord when removing the table insert, changing the saw blade
or making adjustments to the riving knife, ant kickback device or saw blade guard, and when the machine is left
unattended. Precautionary measures will avoid accidents.
b.
Never leave the table saw running unattended. Turn it off and don't leave the tool until it comes to a complete stop. An
unattended running saw is an uncontrolled hazard.
c.
Locate the table saw in a well-lit and level area where you can maintain good footing and balance. It should be installed
in an area that provides enough room to easily handle the size of your workpiece. Cramped, dark areas, and uneven slippery floors
invite accidents.
d.
Frequently clean and remove sawdust from under the saw table and/or the dust collection device. Accumulated sawdust
is combustible and may self-ignite.
e.
The table saw must be secured. A table saw that is not properly secured may move or tip over.
f.
Remove tools, wood scraps, etc. from the table before the table saw is turned on. Distraction or a potential jam can be
dangerous.
g.
Always use saw blades with correct size and shape (diamond versus round) of arbor holes. Saw blades that do not match
the mounting hardware of the saw will run off-center, causing loss of control.
h.
Never use damaged or incorrect saw blade mounting means such as flanges, saw blade washers, bolts or nuts. These
mounting means were specially designed for your saw, for safe operation and optimum performance.
i.
Never stand on the table saw, do not use it as a stepping stool. Serious injury could occur if the tool is tipped or if the cutting
tool is accidentally contacted.
j.
Make sure that the saw blade is installed to rotate in the proper direction. Do not use grinding wheels, wire brushes, or
abrasive wheels on a table saw. Improper saw blade installation or use of accessories not recommended may cause serious injury.
k.
DO NOT REMOVE A WORKPIECE without first turning off the saw and unplugging it from the power source.
TABLE SAW SAFETY RULES
6