Woodworker's Journal 2010-34-1, страница 51

Woodworker

General

650R-T50

Rip Capacity: 50"R, 12"L

Depth of Cut: 31/8" (90°), 23/16" (45°

Table: 28"W x 36"L

Weight: 495 lbs

Street Price: $2,899.99

www.general.ca

(514) 326-1161

remove it for dadoing, thanks to a pull lever under the front fence rail. A versatile design.

Other controls are also user-friendly: the two blade tilt and elevation wheels are positioned in front where they're easy to reach, and the dial-style bevel tilt scale is both enclosed and accurate to within one-quarter degree.

Delta's new, beefy one-piece trunnion — the biggest of the test group — and American-made Marathon motor form a solid, low-vibration power

You can just about split hairs with the T-square style rip fences on these big saws, making ripping extremely precise (top right photo). A quick-release knob simplifies changeovers on General's riving knife and guard system (right).

platform. And, the Unisaw has updated dust collection provisions: a shroud below the blade is coupled to a hose that directs dust out the back of the cabinet. Plus, the dust port adapter cover on the cabinet has openings on the bottom to catch debris that escapes the shroud. I only removed one handful of dust after my cutting test.

You also get more table area in front of the blade with this machine — 15!/i" when the blade is raised to 1". It's very helpful for wider crosscutting.

Other tempting features of this saw include a storage drawer with full-extension slides, a precision miter gauge that has nine adjustable detents and a true Biesemeyer Tool Review continues on page 52 .

: .litftfi

t___

« wait i

_ ______— . -

W^^MmM t wM

_ lUffltfiT

_________

Riving Knives: The New Standard for Table Saw Safety

Kickback is one of the leading causes of table saw injuries. It happens in two ways: when the wood kerf closes up behind the blade during ripping and pinches the blade, or when workpieces pivot into the blade's rear teeth. Either way, the blade lifts and fires them back at the operator with great force. But, thanks to revisions to Underwriters Laboratories UL 987 Standard for Stationary and Fixed Power Tools, all table saws designed after 2008 must now have a riving knife that rises and falls with the blade instead of a fixed-position splitter. Its close and constant proximity to the teeth greatly reduces kickback from happening. UL also stipulates that the guard must attach to a riving knife-style spreader that rises and falls with the blade. And, the system must be easy to install and remove. Either the riving knife or the guard/spreader can be left on the saw for most cutting operations except dadoing.

To comply with UL 987, manufacturers are taking different approaches. Some provide one riving knife/spreader with removable kickback pawls and guard (top parts in right photo). Others fix the guard and pawls to the spreader as one high-profile unit for making through cuts and offer a second low-profile knife for non-through cuts (bottom).

Woodworker's Journal Ferbruary 2010 51