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Many new woodworkers make common mistakes when using a table saw. In this video, Sumeray Builds points out three crucial mistakes that he himself made in the early days of owning a table saw. The first mistake is not making useful DIY upgrades, such as a cross-cut sled, a 0-degree insert, a storage caddy, or a router table attachment. The second mistake is cutting with the blade too high above the board, which unnecessarily exposes a ton of the blade and increases the chance of injury. The third mistake is cutting thin strips on the wrong side of the blade, which can result in kickback and safety problems.
He also emphasizes the importance of using the correct blade, understanding your table saw, and using push sticks to apply downward and lateral pressure to the wood. By avoiding these common mistakes and implementing these tips, woodworkers can ensure safer and more efficient use of their table saws.
Key Takeaways
- DIY upgrades for a table saw can greatly improve its functionality and safety.
- Cutting with the blade too high or on the wrong side can increase the risk of injury and kickback.
- Using the correct blade, understanding your table saw, and using push sticks can lead to safer and more efficient use of a table saw.
DIY Upgrades for Table Saw
New woodworkers often make mistakes when using a table saw. One of the most common mistakes is not making useful DIY upgrades. These upgrades require only basic tools and your table saw. A cross-cut sled is a great upgrade that allows you to make perfect 90° cuts every time with a great finish. A 0 degree insert can be placed on top of your table saw to prevent small pieces of timber from falling into the blade crack. A storage caddy is also a helpful little upgrade that can be used to store things like your tape measure and pencils. Another useful upgrade is a router table attachment that can be hooked up directly to your table saw, eliminating the need for a separate router table to make long routing cuts.
Beginners often make cuts with the blade higher than the thickness of the board they are cutting, unnecessarily leaving a ton of the blade exposed and increasing the chance of injury. The blade only needs to sit just above the board being cut, around 1 or 2 mm is perfect. To avoid this mistake, put the piece of timber that you’re about to cut alongside the blade and adjust it so that the blade is ever so slightly above the board that you’re cutting.
Cutting thick pieces of wood into thinner strips can be tricky, but there is a right way to do it. Pushing the fence right up close to the blade and locking it in place is not the way to do it. Instead, cut your thin strips on the offcut side of the blade. Use a miter gauge and a scrap piece of wood with a straight edge to position your piece of wood the distance that you need the cut to be. Clamp the piece of wood to the miter gauge and position it against the stop block and fence. Lock the fence into place and make the cut.
Cutting freehand is not safe and can cause the board to rotate, leading to safety problems. To ensure a safe cut, make sure that the board you’re cutting is going through in a perfectly straight line. Use a fence, cross-cut sled or miter gauge to support the board you’re cutting.
Using the correct blade for whatever you’re cutting is crucial. A fine wood blade with a lot more teeth provides less tear-out when making cuts, resulting in a nicer finish. Switching out a blade on a table saw may seem like a lot of effort, but it is worth the time.
New woodworkers should also learn what a good cut looks and sounds like. If the board starts to stutter or if it sounds like something’s about to go wrong, hit the off button before it actually does. It can be tempting to power through a bad cut, but it’s not worth the risk.
Finally, using push sticks is essential to avoid injuries. It’s important to use two push sticks, one to apply downward pressure on the piece as well as pushing it through, and the other to apply lateral pressure to the wood to keep it tight against the fence.
Correct Blade Height
One of the common mistakes that new woodworkers make when using a table saw is to make cuts with the blade height higher than the thickness of the board they are cutting. This is not necessary and leaves a lot of the blade exposed, increasing the chance of injury if the hand slips or there is a sudden movement in the board.
To avoid this mistake, before making any cut, put the piece of timber that you’re about to cut alongside the blade and adjust it so that the blade is just above the board that you’re cutting, around 1 or 2 mm is perfect. The less exposed blade that you have when making a cut, the better.
By doing this, you can ensure that the blade is at the correct height, reducing the risk of injury and ensuring a clean cut. It is a simple step that can make a big difference in the safety and quality of your woodworking projects.
Safe Cutting of Thin Strips
Cutting thin strips of wood on a table saw can be dangerous if not done properly. One common mistake beginners make is pushing the fence too close to the blade, which increases the risk of kickback. To avoid this, it is recommended to cut thin strips on the offcut side of the blade.
To do this, the woodworker should use a miter gauge with a scrap piece of wood that has a straight edge clamped to it. The woodworker should then position the piece of wood at the desired distance from the blade and lock the fence into place. The woodworker can then make the cut, slide the miter gauge back in, position the wood, and make another cut. This method ensures that the cuts are the exact same width without risking kickback.
It is important to note that the blade only needs to sit just above the board being cut, around 1 or 2 mm is perfect. Before making any cut, the woodworker should put the piece of timber alongside the blade and adjust it so the blade is ever so slightly above the board being cut.
Overall, when cutting thin strips of wood on a table saw, it is important to take the necessary precautions to avoid injury. Using the offcut side of the blade and adjusting the blade height can help ensure safe cutting.
Avoiding Freehand Cutting
In the world of woodworking, one of the most common mistakes that beginners make when using a table saw is freehand cutting. This refers to cutting a board without any support, such as a fence, cross cut sled, or miter gauge. Even experienced woodworkers can struggle to push a board through in a perfectly straight line, which can cause the board to rotate and lead to safety issues.
To avoid this mistake, it is crucial to ensure that the board being cut is going through in a perfectly straight line. This can be achieved by using a support such as a fence, cross cut sled, or miter gauge. If a board needs to be cut freehand, it is recommended to stop immediately and reassess the situation.
Another common mistake is making cuts with the blade higher than the thickness of the board being cut. This unnecessarily leaves a ton of the blade exposed, which increases the chance of injury if the hand slips and there is a sudden movement in the board. The blade only needs to sit just above the board being cut, around 1 or 2 mm is perfect. Before making any cut, it is recommended to put the piece of timber that is about to be cut alongside the blade and adjust it so that the blade is slightly above the board being cut.
Additionally, it is important to use the correct blade for the material being cut. A fine wood blade with more teeth can provide a smoother finish with less tear-out, while a blade with fewer teeth can result in more tear-out but a faster cut.
Finally, woodworkers should be familiar with their table saw and learn what a good cut looks and sounds like. This can help them identify when a cut is going wrong and prevent potential accidents. It is also important to use push sticks to apply downward and lateral pressure on the board being cut to keep it tight against the fence and prevent injuries.
By avoiding these common mistakes, woodworkers can ensure that they use their table saw safely and effectively.
Using the Correct Blade
When it comes to using a table saw, one of the most crucial mistakes that new woodworkers make is not using the correct blade for the job. While the factory blade that comes with most table saws does a good job, it may not be suitable for every type of cut.
A fine wood blade, for example, has a lot more teeth which results in less tear-out when making cuts. This means a nicer finish, although it may result in a slightly slower cut. On the other hand, a blade with fewer teeth will result in more tear-out and a faster cut.
It is worth the effort to switch out the blade on a table saw to ensure that it is suitable for the job at hand. This will result in a better quality cut and a nicer finish.
Understanding Your Table Saw
New woodworkers often make mistakes when using a table saw. In this video, he points out three crucial mistakes and provides tips to avoid them.
DIY Upgrades
One of the common mistakes is not making DIY upgrades to the table saw. He recommends building a cross-cut sled, a 0-degree insert, a storage caddy, and a router table attachment. These upgrades can be made with basic tools and improve the accuracy and safety of the table saw.
Blade Height
Beginners often make cuts with the blade too high above the board they are cutting. This leaves more of the blade exposed, increasing the risk of injury. The blade only needs to sit just above the board, around 1 or 2 mm is perfect. Before making any cut, he recommends adjusting the blade to be ever so slightly above the board.
Cutting Thin Strips
Cutting thick pieces of wood into thinner strips can be dangerous if not done correctly. He advises against pushing the fence right up close to the blade and setting it to the width you want, which can cause kickback. Instead, cut thin strips on the offcut side of the blade using a miter gauge, scrap piece of wood with a straight edge, and clamp.
Cutting Freehand
Cutting a board without any sort of support is called cutting freehand. This is unsafe because the board can rotate and cause safety problems. He advises against cutting freehand and recommends using a fence, cross-cut sled, or miter gauge to ensure a perfectly straight line.
Using the Correct Blade
Using the correct blade for the material being cut is important for achieving a smooth finish and avoiding tear-out. He recommends getting a fine wood blade with more teeth to reduce tear-out and improve the finish.
Being at One with Your Table Saw
Learning what a good cut looks and sounds like can help prevent accidents. If the board starts to wobble or make strange sounds, hitting the off button before something goes wrong is crucial.
Using Push Sticks
Using push sticks is important for applying downward and lateral pressure to the wood to keep it tight against the fence and prevent injury. He recommends using two push sticks, one to apply downward pressure and one to apply lateral pressure.
In conclusion, avoiding these common mistakes can improve the accuracy and safety of using a table saw. By making DIY upgrades, adjusting blade height, cutting thin strips correctly, using the correct blade, being at one with the table saw, and using push sticks, woodworkers can achieve better results and avoid accidents.
Importance of Using Push Sticks
Push sticks are an essential tool for table saw safety. They are used to apply downward and lateral pressure on the wood being cut, keeping it tight against the fence and preventing kickback.
It is crucial to use two push sticks when making cuts, as using only one can cause the wood to twist and potentially lead to injury. It is recommended to have a second push stick on hand, and they can easily be made from an old piece of timber and a jigsaw or band saw.
Using push sticks may seem like an inconvenience, but it is a necessary step to ensure safety when using a table saw. Not using push sticks is asking for an injury, and it is essential to apply both downward and lateral pressure to the wood being cut.
Overall, using push sticks is an important safety measure when using a table saw. It is recommended to always have a second push stick on hand and to apply both downward and lateral pressure when making cuts to prevent kickback and ensure a safe woodworking experience.