Bottom line: USE the guards and safety devices that are supplied with
your unit. Life will go well with you.
Ok, so back we go to our discussion of table saw fences. Some fences
have a ‘micro-set’ adjustment knob that allows very small, controlled
adjustments. In all cases, it is very important that the fence does not pinch
the workpiece between itself and the blade. If that happens, the subject of
‘kick-back’ could become very familiar to you.
But since we’re on that subject, we might as well define it. “Kick-back”
is a condition wherein the workpiece is grabbed by the blade and shot forward
–TOWARD THE OPERATER- at tremendous speed. When kick-back happens, it not
something you can dodge…well, not unless you are The Flash and are used to
moving at supersonic speeds. I knew an engineer in Jackson, TN who did some
very in depth studying of kick-back – even to the point of doing some hi-speed
video of what happens as the blade grabs the stock and flings it back toward
the operator. It was really incredible to see. The stock usually came flying
out in a circular motion which produced an arced gouge in the surface of the piece.
The blade deflected so far that you would have thought it would shatter, but it
didn’t.
Kick-back is not something to want to see. I’ve seen many a cinder block
wall get some wood imbedded into it by kick-back. It isn’t pretty. Just guess
how bad it hurts to be hit by it.
Till next time….
Send your questions or comments to:
Toolsmartz@bellsouth.net and
we’ll see what we can do to help you.
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