Popular Woodworking 2008-06 № 169, страница 33

farther away your hands are from the blade, the better leverage you will have to turn and make corrections. It seems natural to place your hands as close to the blade as possible to gain control of the cut, however, I believe you have better control with your hands farther away. Try this for yourself. Take a large piece of scrap plywood (at least 24" x 24") and draw a curvy line down the center. If you keep your hands close to the blade, just beyond the 3" limit, you will find it difficult to control the turning motion of the cut. Now place your hands at the back edge of the board and notice the gain in control. I recommend that you either learn to pull wood through the cut by placing your hands to the back of the blade, or that you position your hands as far away from the blade as possible to gain leverage.

Important Safety Steps - The Process

The following is how I teach students to accurately and safely use a band saw. There are so many situations that we simply can not cover in this article. All of these rules will apply in most situations. The key is to learn good common sense. If you follow these steps and make them a part of the sawing process, then the "skill" of using a band saw will always be accurate and be safer for the user.

1. Wear protective personal safety gear. Remember your eyes, ears and lungs. Make sure all loose clothing is secured and away from any action that could pull it in - no gloves. Always stay alert.

2. Keep the guards and guides in place and in working order. Make sure there are no chips or offcuts that could affect the performance of either. Make

sure the upper and lower wheel guard doors are closed tightly before turning on the saw.

3. Use proper blades that are sharp and well maintained. Be aware of proper blade tension, tracking and alignment. Use the correct blade for the type of cut being made. The narrower the blade, the sharper the curve it will cut. Wider blades should be used for larger curves and re-sawing.

4. Make sure that all moving parts are free and clear. Maintain a regular maintenance schedule and read the important user information in the owner's manual.

5. Since the main guard on a band saw is used to prevent excess blade exposure and is located above the guide systems, it will be very important to establish a boundary limit of 3" from that blade that your hands will not enter.

6. The upper guide system should be set to approximately H" or less above the height ofthe work surface. If the guide is too high, the blade will not have the proper support and that could cause the blade to twist.

7. Be aware that the right-hand side of the saw is where broken blades have a tendency to travel. Keep bystanders away from this area.

8. Always keep your fingers and hands away from the path of the blade.

Re-saw. When resawing, try to move your hands to the other side of the blade a. — and avoid using your thumb as a hook.

is possible

No guards. The only "guard" at the band saw is the one that moves up and down to minimize blade exposure. Make sure you follow the 3" rule around this guard and the guide blocks.