Table Saw Basics

By Ian Kirby

In most woodworking shops you will probably find a table saw operating as one of the essential workhorses. That's not surprising when you consider its impressive versatility. A table saw can perform four operations:

• rip solid wood,

• crosscut solid wood,

• cut manufactured sheet material (MSM),

• and shape solid wood and MSM.

The four operations require four different machine setups and four different operator techniques. Only the first operation will be covered in this article. The other three will be covered later.

In this installment

Ian discusses the following:

• Setting up your saw for precision cutting.

• What to look for in an effective fence.

• The importance of using a splitter.

• Are safety guards safe?

• Essential push sticks.

• Achieving a clean rip.

Regardless of your saw's model or brand, ^ the principles Ian discusses here will make your cuts cleaner and more accurate.

In the Beginning ...

Early table saws were made of massive cast iron parts and had large diameter blades. They were industrial machines built and perfected for one purpose: to rip solid wood parts into smaller parts.

Over the past 50 years, various manufacturers have offered smaller and less expensive models to satisfy the demands of amateur and small shop professionals. The outcome is the three models most widely available today: benchtop saw, contractor's saw, and cabinet saw.

Aligning the Arbor and Table Slots

The miter fence runs in one of two slots milled across the table. You cannot make an accurate crosscut unless the slots are parallel to the blade and at right angles to the arbor. Before starting any check involving the blade, unplug the machine from the power source. It's unsafe to rely on the on-off switch. Tighten a blade onto the arbor and raise it to full height. Next, lay a straightedge tight to the blade, avoiding contact with the teeth. You may have to lower the blade slightly to accomplish this. Using a vernier caliper, check the

Master woodworker Ian Kirby offers sage advice for getting the best from your table saw while protecting your eyes, ears, lungs and fingers.