Popular Woodworking 2008-10 № 171, страница 32

Hand position, \\xiar how my right hand has fingers lipped orrio thefence. This Mgfitm my Ihiitd ill n-btion fci the M.iJr. Abo notice the push stidt positioned fix use tofinish my ait.

surfaces, such as the fence or miter gauge.

When ripping wood. I dedicate my hands so that my right hand provides the forward push and my left hand pushes the wood against the fence - make sure to maintain 3" of clearance from the guard with both hands. When ripping wood. I also like to hook a finger or two on the top edge of the fence to keep my right hand from accidentally being thrust toward the guard. It is OK to stop feeding a board during the middle of the cut to reposition your right hand or to pick up a push stick - but you must never let go of the stock with your left hand during this transition. Once the cut is complete you need to make it a rule and habit to not reach over the saw blade to pick up and bring the stock back to the front of the saw - even with the guard in place. Never clear scraps away with your fingers while the Made is rotating: always kt the black^- conic to a complete stop first. Make sure that you always push the stock that is between the blade and the fence so it is beyond the back of the blade: always use good follow-through after the cut.

Third is maintaining good eye contact. Leant to keep your eyes in tune with the fence ai>d the guard (instead of the blade). Most people want to stare down the blade as it's cutting the wood, but with the guard

over the blade the cut is obscured and will tell you very little. As long as you keep pushing the wood the cut will take place. You must be aware of the entire work area: be alert and keep your eyes moving over the entire table but concentrate mostly on the control between the work and the fence. Visualize where the 3" rule is and develop a good awareness of this zone. Be aware of where your hands are at all times; watch to make sure your fingers stay way beyond this zone.

Fourth is how to control oversized material. Large and heavy wood can have a tendency to tip or fall off the machine. It's very hard to control large and awkward stock. I know most shops are limited on space, but it sure is nice to have extra table surfaces around the sides and especially the back of the saw. If you haw someone helping you with large stock, make sure you practkc first and make sure you are in control of the cut. The helper should just act as a table extension. It does not work to have two people trying to steer a piece of wood through the saw at the same time. If a helper is not availabk*. use a roller support to help support long stock as it is being ripped.

The fifth factor of control on a table

saw is the feed rate. The rate you feed the stock in the cut can be art'cctcd by many factors including the differences between ripping and crosscutting. the type of blade being used and its sharpness. the type of material being cut. and the power of the saw. Sometimes just listening to the cut will tell you more than anything else. You should never force the cut to the point where the blade sails. If you notice the edge of the board is bunting, that's a pretty-good indication that you are feeding too slowly, that your blade is dull or that the fencc is misaligned - or possibly all three. If the edges of your boards arc showing signs of burning, try to speed up the feed rate a bit. If that doesn't improve the burning then the blade is probably getting dull or needs a good cleaning. Verify that the fence is parallel to the blade.

And finally, the sixth factor of control is built into the saw itself. On a 10- uble saw the blade is rotating at approximately 4.000 rpm. As wood makes initial contact with the blade there is little kicking force because the cutting force is straight down toward the table, just like with a band saw. As the wood continues in the cut to a point where the stock is about halfway

Support Stationary tMrs to K*/» the Uft Mid right of my toWr saw make this ami nnw it<rr friendly, but nothing umrases safety morr than a proper out feed table.

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