Anti Kickback Safety Rollers for table saw - anyone try these?

[Daniel Hillmer]

http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx...s=4393&pcs=fam

Just wondered if they work as described.

[glenn bradley]

Commonly referred to as Board Buddies. Do a search here. Many users. This link may eventually fail but here's an example: http://www.google.com/search?q=board...wmillcreek.org

[Bill White]

Bought "Board Buddies" for my RAS years ago. Have 'em set up to swap to TS and back when needed. They work, but ya still gotta be "anti-stupid".
Bill

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi, I purchased a set of those for the tablesaw and have a couple of comments;

- I have a biesemmeyer fence, which means that it doesn't lock down at both ends, only the infeed side. This means you can't really put any significant downward pressure on the wheels since it just lifts the outfeed end of the fence

- I've seen kickbacks on gang rip saws that use a metal tread like a Caterpillar tractor to hold the wood, under thousands of pound of pressure. Sometimes things do come out the wrong end of gang rip saws. How well do you think a small plastic wheel under a few pounds of force is going to do against the inertia and motor of your tablesaw?

What I do find the wheels handy for is lightly holding work down, and against the fence, however they simply don't have the grip to stop a kickback.

regards, Rod.

P.S. A power feeder is capable of preventing/reducing kickback on a tablesaw because of the tremendous force it can exert on the wood.

[Daniel Hillmer]

P.S. A power feeder is capable of preventing/reducing kickback on a tablesaw because of the tremendous force it can exert on the wood.

Thanks,

OK so for a 3 hp cabinet saw, a grizzly 1023SL, what brand - model of power feeder would you recommend?

[Rod Sheridan]

Thanks,

OK so for a 3 hp cabinet saw, a grizzly 1023SL, what brand - model of power feeder would you recommend?

I have a Hammer HC-308 which is a three wheel, 1/2 HP feeder, used primarily on my shaper......Rod.

The important items with the tablesaw are fence alignment and splitter/riving knife, and of course using a suitable guard at all times.

[John Shuk]

I seem to remember Mark Singer swearing by them. It would be something I might add in the future.

[Eric Larsen]

I've found that board buddies aren't helpful when ripping stock less than about 6" wide. With the buddies in the way, there's no room for a push stick. So when I need them the most, I have to remove them to rip stock.

I like them for sheet goods, though.

[jason lambert]

ok I will be different. I have them and love them. They migh help prevent kick back by keeping the wood agenst the fence in the first place but I aggree kick back is possable but it may slow it down enought to warn me. Also on long boards I don't have a large outfeed table it helps holds the wood to the table.

It helps with several problems but may not totally solve kickback if you get a good catch, although I have never had it with them on. But all in all I think it is a good addition to my table saw. Thin strips I aggree can be a issue but then you just slide it off.

[Bill Arnold]

These are what you really need. In a nutshell, everything about them works as designed. Take a look here.

Note: I don't own stock MVD, nor do I have any other interest than to steer fellow woodworkers in a great direction.

[Peter Quinn]

How would I describe board buddies? Junk. Limited value. Nuisance in yellow rubber. Don't remember what possessed me to buy them, wish I could get my money and junk drawer space back. A decent 1/2HP feed should handle most operations on a TS. Brand name? Steff, Delta, Powermatic, Grizzly, Griggio...lots of names to choose from. Make sure to get one whose arm is long enough to reach where it needs to.

I too have seen a person get skewered from a sticker that shot backwards out of a gang rip saw, making it through the kick back pauls and safety curtain. Not a deep puncture but a good bruise to the receiver. Not cute.