Where's Norm's TS spliter

[Battleax]

If a board I'm ripping starts to close up after the blade I lift it straight up and toss it into my kindling pile. It will warp again regardless of how straight you get it with sawing. b

[Mark Jerde]

The scars on my left hand from July 2003 remind me to *always* use the splitter.

-- Mark

[loutent]

Bought my TS about 16 years ago, and removed the splitter after about a month or so. Felt it was more hinderance than help - and besides, Norm never uses one!

If I see the wood closing up even slightly, I power the saw down and put a little wedge or 10 penny on the cut side. This happens a few times a year, but I don't use it every day like a pro.

Now, after disclosing this, I will likely get "beaned" on my next cut.

Lou

, Woodchuck wrote:

[Mark Jerde]

Besides, blood seems to cause rust on the TS top as quickly as sweat. ;-)

-- Mark

[Bob]

Are you saying that doing it 37 years makes it right? My brother-in-law who has been woodworking for 40 years nearly took off three fingers last year because of a stupid action.

I'm old enough to have stories like yours but never use that as justification.

Bob

[Bob]

You gave one of the most rational, calm explanations I've seen. I'd guess that there are a goodly number of "non-pro" workers in this conference and your advice applies well to them (and me!). Some guys who are pros seem to think they have a god-like status in what's right for everyone. The can take a leap off their pedestal anytime they feel like, as far as I'm concerned.

Bob

[Prometheus]

I have to admit, I took mine off, because it was signifigantly more dangerous having the cheap one that came with the saw on then it was running the sucker without it. The problem was that no matter how much time I spent setting it up carefully, and wrenching the sucker down, it would invariably move on me, and cause the splitter to jam up against the end of the stock instead of sliding into the kerf. As far as I could see, this was not only making extra work for me, but actually increasing my risk of kickback by shifting the workpiece a little when it jammed. Perhaps I'll install a different one, or a riving knife if I can find one for my odd sized table (with it's odd sized blade insert- thanks, Delta) but it's more likely that I'm just going to have to continue to use the tool carefully.

Aut inveniam viam aut faciam

[Dave jackson]

I have never seen a splitter/guard on David Marks TS either. Here's a proposition. I have an older Rockwell contractor special 1 1/2 hp TS. It is used quite a bit and I don't use a splitter or a blade guard. This may sound crazy to some, but I'm perfectly comfortable running it that way. On rare occasions, I have cut a board that gets wild and either wants to spread apart or close together and pinch the blade. Whenever a board has gotten squirelly, I have been able to put firm pressure against the board and keep it there, the motor will bog down and i can shut the saw off and hold it there until the blade stops. HOWEVER, if the saw had, say 3 hp, I don't think this would be safe, as the motor wouldn't bog down as easily. In this case, I think a splitter would definitely be warranted. At work, I use a portable TS regularly. Same situation here-no splitter as it was integrated into the worthless guard. It's not unusual for construction lumber to be "case hardened" and get crazy when ripping. That saw will bog down real easy and will trip the breaker. That said, and keep in mind I use a TS on a regular basis, I don't feel a splitter is necessary on lower hp saws. Higher hp saws definitely. BUT, keep in mind the TS is probably the most dangerous tool in the shop. If you are somewhat skittish running your saw by all means, get a splitter and use your guard. Ultimately, it's your fingers, and how comfortable you are having them around a spinning blade. --dave

. "Woodchuck" wrote in message news:41a08fdf$0$63175$ [e-mail]...

[Leon]

I do not use a splitter to prevent kick back rather to insure that the edge of the wood comes out smoother. I do see Norm and David Marks ripping wood and the tell tale burn marks on the edge of the wood on occasion.

I have used both a 1 hp and a 3 hp cabinet extensively with both tuned to cut well. I fear the lower powered saw and kick back much more than the higher powered saw. With that statement, I always hold the wood down securely while cutting and find that on the occasions when the wood seems to want to bind the higher power saw simply cuts through the wood rather than slow down and get hung up on the wood and increasing the chance of the wood being thrown back at me. This situation is when squaring up cabinet doors and not using a splitter. IF you do not securely hold your wood down the 3hp very well may throw back harder but I would suspect that technique is a bigger problem.

[Tom Watson]

I've probably been in a couple of dozen shops over the last thirty five plus years that would be considered pro shops and used a ten inch tablesaw somewhere in their operations. In some cases, like mine, it was the primary sawing tool in the shop and in the others it was a much used secondary tool because those shops used sliders as the primary.

I honestly can't recall any instances where the guard and splitter that came with the saw were in use. In those cases where a guard was used, it was usually the type that provided dust extraction, particularly in shops where a lot of MDF was cut; and it was positioned so that the blade could be clearly seen during the cut. In other words, it was not acting as a guard.

I can't speak to the size of their pricks and this is surely a topic for another thread - if not another newsgroup.

They were/are, without exception, deca-digital wooddorkers.

The reasoning behind throwing away the OEM splitter/guard is almost always the same:

1. The OEM splitter/guards are poorly designed rubbish.
2. The operator wants to see the blade and the area immediately before and after the cut, so that he can react to what happens during the cutting operation.
3. The operator wants to deal with the wood, the blade and the fence - without other variables being introduced by the alleged safety devices.

That said, there are a number of caveats that must be explored in order to account for these pros continued ability to count to ten without recourse to their pedestrial appendages.

Stock Preparation:

When I worked as a carpenter I would often see a future organ donor try to feed a twisted, bowed, crooked, waney-edged piece of material into the angry part of a poorly set up, underpowered, dull-bladed widow maker of a machine that could only be called a tablesaw by analogy.

These were the sorts who eventually wound up trying, ineffectively, to clear nasal blockages with a phantom limblet.

The pro would avail himself of those tools which would render the stock into a condition where it is fit to be fed into the saw, ie: with a flat face produced on the jointer or careful use of the thicknesser; with the faces planed parallel, the edges trued straight on the jointer, and the twist eliminated or ameliorated via jointer or cross cutting of the stock to eliminate the worst of the twist.

Anything less than this is Sawicide.

Artful Dodging And The Careful Management Of Fear:

"Fear is the mindkiller. Fear is the little death that brings total obliteration." Frank Herbert.

The pro who seeks to protect his continued ability to disseminate inseminating solutions never stands in a direct line with a potential projectile. He stands to the side and addresses his saw with respect, but without fear. Standing in the possible path of a piece of ash that might be propelled towards the famous Italian Airline (Gen-Italia) at a speed governed by a c. 3450 rpm, 3hp motor is an exercise in Darwinism.

Fear and Foolish Inattention are what gets most infrequent users of the tablesaw injured. Let us now explore Fear - Foolish Inattention comes later.

I've seen them push the wood into the sawblade without sufficient downward pressure on the table or sideward pressure on the fence - this is the greatest cause of kickback. They proceed in a tentative fashion and their fear is the cause of the feared result. It is as though they do not want to commit the aligned force of their hand and body pressure towards the spinning amputator - and this is good - to a degree.

The solution is to be a student of the Bee Sting Theory.

The Bee Sting Theory states that: "One should never push on a piece of material in such a way that - if a bee stung them on the ass - any body part would naturally move towards the amputator."

The downward force is applied well prior to the intersection of the blade and the material, as is the side pressure; and this pressure is always applied in such a way and at such an angle to the amputator as to make the body parts unavailable to the amputator under conditions of surprisingly stressful events, ie: bee stings, earthquakes, naked women springing quickly and unexpectedly into the field of vision, etc.

Ahem...

Although the pro may adjust the height of the blade to project above the material to various heights, in order to gain the advantages of blade/tooth geometry - I would not recommend that an inexperienced user do this. This user should only allow the teeth to barely stand proud of the material - and he should do all of his cutting this way until he is used to how the saw and the wood react.

When he gets used to cutting, his fear will leave him - but his respect should remain.

Useful Appliances And Their Result In Use:

Although most small shop pros may eschew the use of the OEM alleged safety devices, this is not to say that they use no safety devices at all.

To whit:

They often make use of hold downs and feather boards. It is always the case when I am attempting a glue line rip and is most often the case in repetitive rips that pros use hold downs and featherboards.

These devices provide safety in the regard of appropriate pressure in the appropriate direction, as well as providing a superior cut. They also do this for you without occluding your line of sight to the blade

- a great benefit.

Deca-digital professionals also make constant use of push sticks. My personal favorite is a 1/2" thk simulacrum of a female leg (magic markered in replication of mesh stockings is optional in most shops, but required in mine), with a spiked heel at the end to encompass the woody material - ymmv on this.

On stock of such width as to make use of the GamStick (tm TW) impractical, I resort to the use of an icepick. This is an old patternmaker's trick but provides enhanced enjoyment to Kubrick fans.

Foolish Inattention:

This category begins with sawblades. Not to put too fine a point on it, but - combo blades suck.

If you are going to do much ripping on the tablesaw you need to get a ripping blade. Some ripping blades will give a rough cut but a good glue line ripping blade will provide a wonderfully smooth surface, suitable for glue ups without further treatment on the jointer.

Using the wrong blade for ripping results in a kerf that is too small to assist in the prevention of kickback.

You must also be attentive to your saw setup. The blade must be parallel to the fence. The blade should not toe in or out.

The blade must be parallel to the fence. The blade must be parallel to the fence. The blade must be parallel to the fence. The blade must be parallel to the fence. The blade must be parallel to the fence.

Can I get an Amen!

Properly prepared stock in a saw that is properly set up, with a blade of the proper type, operated by someone who respects the saw without fearing it, will result in safe cuts - with the following provisos:

Understand Your Stock:

During the process of stock preparation you should have discovered a good deal about the properties of your material. You should be able to determine the grain direction along the proposed cut line and you should be able to see if you are dealing with reaction wood, rather than mild stock.

I like to feed wood into the ripping blade with the same attention to grain direction and slope as I would use with when feeding the thicknesser or the jointer.

By being mindful of this you can eliminate the production of pointy- sticks-headed-towards-your-nether-regions to a great degree, as well as keeping at bay the explosive surprises contained within some highly figured and interlocked-grained woods.

Don't Be Stupid:

If a piece breaks off between the blade and the fence - shut the saw down.

If the blade starts to bind on your material, even though you have taken all of the above precautions - shut the saw down.

If someone walks into your shop while you are ripping, because you foolishly neglected to lock the doors - shut the saw down.

If the song on the 400hp shop music device is sounding so good to you that you start to get Happy Feet - shut the saw down.

If you decide that you would like to have the first Pina Colada of the day in the middle of a rip - shut the saw down.

Remember - Be Like The Pros

Because Pro-made

Is Better Than

Ho-made

and much safer.

Regards,

Tom.

Thomas J. Watson - Cabinetmaker, ret. tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet (real email)

[Dave jackson]

I TS to close width leaving final width after a light pass or two on the jointer. Just habit. But you're right, I've noticed burn marks on occasion as well. --dave

[Leon]

Ok, who taught you to get close with a TS and smooth up with a jointer???? "~)

My TS rips put my Jointer to shame when it comes to smoothness of cut.

[Swingman]

Yabbut, you left out the pertinent part of my post:

Got a kid just old enough to be in the shop?

If so, there's a damn good way to dipstick your level of commitment to NOT using safety devices like splitters and guards. Put your non "pro" loved one _alone_ in the shop with 100 bf of lumber to cut, then think real hard beforehand whether to use splitters and blade guards, or not.

You will then know, at gut level, the strength of your commitment.

Most of us, while not foolish all the time, will do a foolish thing now and again ... and that's when we, and even the "pro's", need all the help we can get to remain unscathed.

Besides, why not?

[Tom Watson]

You started out with turning it into a dick measuring contest and now you've moved on to child abuse.

Congratulations.

The point, which you have so deftly ignored, is that it is your brain that must be your primary safety device.

Regards,

Tom.

Thomas J. Watson - Cabinetmaker, ret. tjwatson1ATcomcastDOTnet (real email)

[Andy Dingley]

Only if they've finished sweeping the chimneys from the insides. And Daisy the cow probably needs reaming again too. No playing with the hazardous tools until they've done their chores.

We're too soft on our kids. Prince Charles is right. Teach 'em some respect for the machinery.

[Swingman]

LOL!

So, answer the question. Would you insist that your own kid use a splitter and blade guard until they were old enough to make up their own mind?

Quite the contrary ... considering some using tools these days, ignoring any safety devices is arguably the product of a disengaged brain. You forget what century you're in? ... there ain't no more shop classes in junior high school.

[Mike Marlow]

I never saw Swingman's original response, so I'll tag on Tom's to address Swingman. That's just an absolutely foolish position and one that speaks to open mouth before engaging brain. It is in fact the blind reliance on what is purported to be a safety device rather than relying on proper safety. Your implied logic Swingman is likely what causes the near accidents that you credit the "safety" devices for having prevented becoming full fledged disasters. A little practical thought and you can completely avoid most of what you spread as fear-uncertainty-and doubt when it comes to proper and safe use of tools.

In short - when I allowed my kids to use the power tools it was only after they had worked for a long time with me in the shop. In the beginning they were just helping hold things or were just sort of around the shop. They began their indoctrination process by seeing the way things are safely done, coupled with a bit of explanation. As they showed interest in using tools they received a lot more instruction. They also received a lot of demonstrations, and a lot of help. Lo and behold in no time at all they were pretty well qualified to use my tools on their own at early ages. It didn't take a lot of time and effort to get them to this point and they actually understand the tools. That makes for a far more educated and qualified operator than one who relies on scare tactics.

Know your tools, not just marketing and newsgroup claims.

[Dave Jackson]

Just the opposite here. My TS has older 50" vega fence that has very slight concave over the legnth. Just enough to make glue joints have a noticeable gap. Light pass over jointer fixes this. In fact, i've been toying with the idea of running my TS fence through the jointer at super light setting to fix the fence problem. Sounds crazy, but may work. I'm just waiting until the jointer blades are close to needing replaced to do the deed. --dave

[Dave Jackson]

Just the opposite here. My TS has older 50" vega fence that has very slight concave over the legnth. Just enough to make glue joints have a noticeable gap. Light pass over jointer fixes this. In fact, i've been toying with the idea of running my TS fence through the jointer at super light setting to fix the fence problem. Sounds crazy, but may work. I'm just waiting until the jointer blades are close to needing replaced to do the deed. --dave

[Mike Marlow]

Ouch! Why not use a long board and sandpaper glued to it to flatten it down? Much more controllable and surely less aggravating to your jointer knives.