Popular Woodworking 2009-06 № 176, страница 58

\'ol just for large machines. I\dnateddust cottec tkm for potldbic power look should not be a luxury Mem.

comes into play. Most modern power tools come with some form of a dust port. With the growing public consciousnessahout the danger* of wixxl dust, it's clear that manufacturers sec the writing on the wall.

Dust collection is quickly bccominga feature that is valued nearly as much as horsepower. There are two types of dust collect ion

that you should be concerned with. One Is for the big power tools. These tools generally take 4* connect ions and require a lot of air movement. Full-size dust collectorsand cyclones provide tltat amount of movement. And if you plan on running ductwork in your shop, you really need some serious air movement to effectively remove the smallest and most dangcrousdust particles.

l^:or portable power tools, you want some-ihinglikcadustvacuumoradedicatcd dust-extract ion unit. Dedicated systems, while significantly more expensive, are a great investment as they are built to withstand long run-times and gather fine dust.

Push Sticks/Paddlcs

So what's the best way to keep from getting cut by blades and bits? (And dont answer. "Have someone else do It!") One way is to increase the distance between our bodies and the cutting edge. Instead of pushing wood through our machines with our bare hands.thcuscofpushsticksandpaddlescan enlarge our "safe zone." This way if disaster does strike, it is unlikely that your fingers or hands will he pulled into the act ion. I rarely operate tools such as my table saw, jointer or router table without a set of paddles or a push stick in my hand.

Always a belter thoke. Push sticks are rJiec the and come in a variety of ditlereoi design-to keep )om lingers away from danger.

design, our bladcsand bttsare usually pu«h-ingagainst us. This is where fcalhcrboarJs are worth their weight in gold.

Trying to push a kmglxurd through t v table saw can be incredibly tricky, simply because you absolutely must push forward and into the fence at the same time. But with theaidofafcaihcibnard.you really only need to be concerned about pushing the board forward. This type of com rolled cut not only yields better results but goes a long way in helping to prevent kickback.

Feathcrboards come in all shapes and sizes. And they're easy to make. Many commercially available models arc magnetic and can be modified to work as hold-downsto make your cuts safer and kkkback kssof

Splitters

The most effective devkc to prevent kick-bock isa splittcror rivingknife -a thin pkee of wood, metal or plastk positioned behind the table saw blade in such a way to prevent wood fromconiactingihehtckof the blade, where kkkback originates.

The sad truth is that most folks remore the safetygear from theirsaws. At least prn of the blame lor this trend lies on the dual* ders of saw manufacturers that have maie little effort to incorporate splutersand guad assemblks as user-friendly features totheir saws. But with changes in Undcrwriurs Laboratories guidelines and a clear chaise in public sentimem, saws arc now beng manufactured with riving knives that are easy to remove and replace when ncccssay

Now if you're one of those folks whose splitter^uard assembly isgttheringdustin the corner, please do yourself a favor. Pi:k up an aflcrmarkcl splitter and install it. Ii is worth yourtlmeand effort And I must sty.

Performs half the task. AH stock should be held flat to the saw and tight to the fence as >ou cut. A ifatherboard takes >out guide hand out of the picture.

Keep wood apart. Kxkback is a hazard many sswdssvrkxvs experience. A spHtter or riving knife <shown here) is a sak-ty rfo-m that reduces potential problems.

after yearsof usinga spiittcron my tabk saw. tunning it w ithout a splitter kels as unnatural as driving my car without a seat belt.

Knowing how to protect yourself in the workshop is not somcthingyoucan karn overnight.or even during Safety Week. It's a hank of knowledge and experience that's developed and honed over lime. We only have one set of lungs, one set ofeyesand one set of hands. These arc the most important, valuabk and irrrplaccabk tools in our shops. So. much like any other prized tool, let's use them properly, protect them and keep i hem in top condition. fw

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About This Column

wuodtvorlung thoughts and ideas, along with shop techniques from Marc Spagnuoio. Each column has a corresponding video related to the techniques or views

column availabk-at popiiarwootkvorfclng.

Featherboards

Much of "safe woodworking" comes from keeping the workpiece secure and moving it deliberately in the ptoperdlrectIon But by

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