I'm confused, please set me straight!

[Michael Zerance]

I don't think either device provides any protection while using a crosscut sled. There is nothing to "pinch" or force back on the blade. What am I missing here?

You may be right and I don't think you are missing anything. I just don't see the point in removing a safety device that is not impeding the cut.

[Pat Barry]

For all those who think a kickback can't occur in a crosscut operation please watch the Laney Shaughnessy video I linked to and tell me it didn't happen.

He wasn't using a cross-cut sled but its a good reminder of what can go wrong when poor procedures are followed

[Rod Sheridan]

Its called a crosscut sled. I really don't think you need a riving knife.

Hi Pat, depending upon the type of sled, you could have offcuts contact the rear of the blade, which gets exciting all of a sudden............regards, Rod.

[Art Mann]

There is no protection against lack of training or outright stupidity. The guy experienced a kickback because he tried to remove the cutoff while the blade was still powered. I did that once about 40 years ago and learned my lesson. If you do stuff like that all the time, you are going to get hurt whether your riving knife is installed or not. While he is at it, he needs to replace his saw with a Sawstop if he is going to reach over the top of the blade like that because he will eventually go off balance or lose his footing and an accident is almost inevitable.

For all those who think a kickback can't occur in a crosscut operation please watch the Laney Shaughnessy video I linked to and tell me it didn't happen.

[John Lankers]

I don't think a riving knife is a guarantee against kickback, I experienced a few kickbacks with or without riving knife that left a lasting expression, but a riving knife will reduce the risk tremendously. A sled, same as a slider lets you clamp workpieces down, first to keep your hands out of the danger zone and second to prevent it from shifting during the cut, a push block is no guarantee either. Here is a link to a post from Tom Hintz where he gets caught of guard trying to recreate a kickback situation: http://www.newwoodworker.com/basic/kickback2012.html
My advice is to use a r. k. or splitter whenever possible and don't let time or inconvenience stand in your way, it will hurt you eventually in one way or another.

[Rod Sheridan]

I don't think either device provides any protection while using a crosscut sled. There is nothing to "pinch" or force back on the blade. What am I missing here?

Mark, kickback occurs when the wood contacts the rear or top of the blade.

This can occur when ripping, crosscutting or making non through cuts.

regards, Rod.

[Ben Rivel]

Yea thinking about how kickback occurs it doesnt seem like a splitter or riving knife would be needed when using a crosscut sled. That aside it also doesnt seem like it would hurt or cause any problems to use at the least a riving knife with a crosscut sled. Its just another layer of protection.

[David Kumm]

If you crosscut ( not rip using a sled ) wood it is much less likely to close up behind the blade because you are severing the straws that form the wood rather than splitting them. Doesn't mean you should take off the knife, just that offcuts are a more likely danger, as is too much cfm at the guard if it pulls the offcut into the blade. For a riving knife to be most effective, it needs to be as thick as the plate of the blade but less than the kerf. If less than the plate, the kerf may still be able to close enough to contact the back teeth. Dave

[John Lankers]

David, you're making some excellent points. For controlling the offcut Felder (and maybe others) are offering a very simple device to guide the offcut away from the saw blade.
Balancing cfm and static pressure at the blade guard is (at least for me) much more challenging.

[John Gornall]

A table saw is at the center of so many different cuts. And as woodworkers usually only do a few of each cut they don't take adequate time for safety. Working in a shop that makes wood parts for a manufacturer we have a different point of view which may be useful to you. For example we might be making those little triangle pieces shown above and we need produce 20,000 of them. So we take the time to setup safely. For these there would be a piece of plywood about 1/16th inch thicker than the wood stock 6 inches wide clamped across the saw table from front to back and a suitable distance to the right of the blade. Another piece of plywood would be screwed to this one which bridges out over the blade. Clamped, screwed and strong. The blade would be raised into this bridge. Can't reach the blade with your hand, the pieces can't get to the dangerous part of the blade. And finally a tube connected to an air hose is placed to blow the pieces (or off cuts) clear and out the back of the saw. The sled is designed for this setup and is left of the blade.

When using a sled you can work up suitable guards with a little thought. Plexi guards can be seen through. The stock guard isn't likely to work and sometimes may make things more dangerous. Push the sled under the guard and with the spinning blade in the middle of it all find you can't move the sled because it's caught on the guard. And don't forget your blade coming out the back of the sled at the end of the cut.

Be safe out there!