Kickback on a tablesaw yup its real

[Robert Engel]

It happens just be glad you didn't get hurt worse. I take the time to do a "debriefing" focusing push blocks & featherboards & splitter and how to make that task safer. In your case, I think a splitter would have saved you. A push BLOCK (not a stick) that covers both off cut and save piece is the safest way to do this cut. You don't need to spend $$'s on fancy push jigs. I make mine of a piece of 2x4 and a 1" dowel for a handle cut the bottom to create a heal at the back. When its all chewed up, I just toss it an make another one.

I would suggest get all the stuff you need, set it up and do it again so that you do not have any fear about doing it again.

BTW, if the fence is on the right of the blade you should be pushing with your right hand and standing a bit to the left. I've heard of guys standing on the opposite side of the fence using the wrong hand to push. This is not proper technique using a TS. To me, they are just showing how scared they are of the machine.

There should always be some pressure against the fence. You can stand a bit to the left if kickback is a potential issue.

However, if you stand on the opposite side of the fence not only can you not see the wood/fence contact points, even worse, the tendency is to push the save away from the fence with more pressure into the blade. Even with a splitter this is not safe. Even worse, if something slipped, you could get a hand or finger in the blade.

[Rick Moyer]

Ouch, Ole! I'm with Pat though, It shouldn't matter which side as long as it's the SIDE, not in line with the blade. I feel I have much more control standing left of the blade and using whatever "push stick" device in my right hand. I get that maybe I'd get hit in the arm but with riving knife and better push sticks (like the one you pictured and the Gripper,too) I've not gotten close to a kickback. I seem to get more cautious the older I get. Pretty mindful of what could happen.

Dave, thanks for the reminder.

[Bill Adamsen]

I have an older Unisaw that I use for dadoes, rabbets, tenons and box joints ... so the riving knife isn't practical. But over the past year I have become a big fan of the knife on my slider. I'm pleasantly surprised at the amount of safety such a simple addition provides.

Just out of curiosity, what is required to add a riving knife to my older Unisaw, or any older saw like a Whitney 177 or Tannewitz XJ type saw?

[Rollie Kelly]

Bill, I was just on the OWWM site looking for info on a splitter for my Tanny U. Most of the time I use my feeder when ripping, however, there are times when it isn't practical. For these times I would like to have a riving knife. As soon as I clean my saw out, I'm going to see if I can cobble something together.
Rollie

[Joe Adams]

I recently had to rip a bunch of narrow, thin strips safely and became a big fan of Microjig's GRR-Riper 200. Not cheap but well worth the cost.

[John TenEyck]

Any saw that has a removable insert can be fitted with a splitter, as Glenn showed. The OP's incident is yet another reminder of why safety devices are important.

John

[Rod Sheridan]

Glad to hear that you weren't seriously hurt, here are a few considerations

1) riving knife or splitter, always use one

2) blade guard, always use one, if you can't, you're doing something you shouldn't, or you need a different guard design. This is normal procedure, not all guards are for all operations.

3) when ripping solid material the fence should end at the beginning of the blade, often the gullet is recommended as the furthest the fence should project. If you don't have a multifunction fence, make a 6" X 6" piece of plywood angle, as long as your fence with some solid edging. This can be clamped to your fence to make a low fence (allows push stick clearance) or can be used as a short fence for solid wood ripping.

4) deflector wedge if cutting small lengths or there are small offcuts produced.

Regards, Rod

[jack duren]

Welcome to the club.....

[Pat Barry]

You are a man cruising for a bruising, Pat. By the time you even think of reaching for the switch, the wood, if it missed you, is buried in the wall behind the TS. A smaller piece comes off the blade at over 100 mph and in the blink of an eye. I know.

Yes -- I'm thinking of buying some PPE to use with my tablesaw. I'm thinking if I dress like an old hockey goalie except use regular hockey glove on my pusher hand instead of a catchers mitt I'd be safe enough - maybe a tad uncomfortable in warmer weather, but thats a small price to pay

[Matt Day]

Regardless of riving knife or splitter, a simple featherboard helps a lot to keep material tight to the fence. I don't have a RK or anything and use a FB wherever possible

[Mike Manning]

You are a man cruising for a bruising, Pat. By the time you even think of reaching for the switch, the wood, if it missed you, is buried in the wall behind the TS. A smaller piece comes off the blade at over 100 mph and in the blink of an eye. I know.

Exactly my thoughts/experience Ole.

[Chris Hachet]

Regardless of riving knife or splitter, a simple featherboard helps a lot to keep material tight to the fence. I don't have a RK or anything and use a FB wherever possible

I find featherboards help immeasurably with cut quality also...

[Jim Becker]

Even though I am generally "out of the line of fire" for kickbacks on my slider, I still pay very careful attention to avoid it anyway. The velocity that the blade can fling a piece of material, regardless of size, can be a least...painful...and at most...deadly. It's essential that everyone insure that their saw is properly tuned up and aligned and to use safety accommodations like splitters or riving knives (the latter preferable) to reduce the instance of kickbacks to begin with and also take care in "where" they are physically relative to the cutting operation in progress. Some cuts benefit from hold-downs, too, whether via a good push-block or by mechanical means fastened to the fence. This is particularly true with thin materials that can lift with just the friction of the blade coming up at the back of the cut.

[Rod Sheridan]

Yes -- I'm thinking of buying some PPE to use with my tablesaw. I'm thinking if I dress like an old hockey goalie except use regular hockey glove on my pusher hand instead of a catchers mitt I'd be safe enough - maybe a tad uncomfortable in warmer weather, but thats a small price to pay

LOL, that's some image you're generating Pat LOL.

It's exactly the wrong approach however.

The first approach is to remove the hazard, which in this case is the kickback event.

The simple, industry standard items I listed in my other comment will remove the hazard of kickback..................Regards, Rod.

[Pat Barry]

LOL, that's some image you're generating Pat LOL.

It's exactly the wrong approach however.

The first approach is to remove the hazard, which in this case is the kickback event.


The simple, industry standard items I listed in my other comment will remove the hazard of kickback..................Regards, Rod.

Ya, I said "line of fire" but that's not precisely correct.

I do stand left of the blade, push with my right hand using a push stick that also tends to hold the workpiece down against the table. I do feel that I try to push the material up against the fence as well with a tad bit of lateral pressure. I do at times use a second push stick, user side of the blade, to push the material to the fence (for narrow pieces). I have a Rigid saw with 1 1/2 HP motor. I can literally stall out the saw if the board binds up on the saw. This has happened more than once. I know that safety is job one with this tool having seen enough discussions like this, and the occasional video, plus one near miss of my very own.