Re: safety help please -- short cut-offs

Why not use a miter saw? Make your self a zero-clearance insert instead of the one that came with your tablesaw. It will prevent small pieces from getting caught.
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Hi Igor,
I recently made a few projects which required a lot (approx. 200) short cut-offs similar to what you're describing. IIRC, they were about 1.25" long, from approx. 1" wide and 1/4" thick stock.
Obviously, starting and stopping the saw and waiting for the blade to stop would make this procedure take forever. I used my Osborne EB-3 miter guage and a cut-off fence on the table saw. After each cut, I used the eraser of a pencil to move the cut-off out of the way. This was suggested in the plan I was using and it worked extremely well. It allows you to stand to the side of the blade, in case you accidently push the cut-off into the blade, and it keeps your hand a good distance from the blade as you move the cut-off. Give it a try, I was a little uneasy the first time or two, but it is very safe and easy. I think of the ~200 times I did this, I might have pushed a piece into the blade only one or two times total.
Mike
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I do small cutoff's all the time, and never have a problem (of course, I use a zero-clearance insert *and* an anti-kickback blade- I'm a belt and suspenders type of guy). The cutoffs just line up neatly until I either push them one by one off the back of the saw or sweep them aside (using a piece of scrap, not my fingers). Shouldn't be a problem. Heck, piece's that small probably woudn't hurt you even if they got tossed at you. I got whacked in the chest once after dropping a cabinet door on my moving tablesaw blade- that hurt some, but didn't even leave a bruise :)
Steve

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Yeah, the first time I ever used a tablesaw was my new tablesaw. Needless to say I only had what I read in books. While I learn a lot from books, there tends to be a big difference between intellectually understanding "kickback is bad" and understanding at a gut level that kickback is BAD, when you've never really even seen kickback.
Even so, I'd read a lot about the importance of pushsticks. I was ripping a small-width piece and using an 18" miter-saw scrap in my right hand as a push stick. I had comitted to myself that I'd always use the tablesaw guard, somehow having missed that using the guard when ripping thin stock can actually be _more_ dangerous.
As I tried to push the wood through between the guard and fence, the 18" stick I was using connected solidly with the blade. The blade pulled the stick out of my hand - it felt as though someone had ripped it from my grasp - and fired it straight at my chest.
Did I mention that, since it was a miter saw scrip it had a 45 degree cut on the side facing towards me? :) Ooof! To my surprise, however, as with Steve above, I didn't even have a bruise.
Scared the daylights out of me, though, and I definitely think a lot before I turn on the tablesaw, now.
-BAT

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in
A friendly counterpoint...
As I slowly type I am recovering from a tablesaw kickback accident that darn near removed the outmost flange of my ring finger. (I've learned that the part of fingers between or beyond knuckles are called flanges.) No part of my hand ever touched the blade. The piece of wood, with simple 90 degree edges, can move fast enough and with enough force, to remove parts of our bodies.
The last flange on my ring finger was nearly detached. The last knuckle was shattered beyond repair, and has been "fusing", or growing over as if it were not a joint, for the last 6 weeks. I still have two pins protruding from the tip of the finger. They form an internal splint that will hopefully be removed this week.
I fully realize that I pulled the above quote entirely out of context. I don't intend to dispute prior statements, but rather to just make sure folks know that kickbacked workpieces can be just as vicious as a blade.
Happy cutting!
Steve

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Well, the staff at the emergency room that treated me calls circular saws "un-skil'd saws" due to the large numbers of injuries seen. :-) One doc claimed circ saw injuries were the most common "shop-type" injury they treated.
For what it is worth, I caused my own kickback. It was just a stupid thing I did, plain and simple. I think over the years I've gotten complacent regarding tool safety.
Steve

Cars are much, much more dangerous than a tablesaw. You going to do without that to?
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"> If your tablesaw broke down would it be the end of your world? Would all
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No I have a RAS, But it would slow down quite a bit

gandalf spaketh...
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According to Kelly Mehler there are 30,000 tablesaw accidents per year involving fingers. He claims kickback causes even more accidents.
All machines are dangerous if you don't pay attention to what you're doing.

Igor wrote:
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Dunno, but it sounds like an interesting idea. I face the same problem frequently, and I *have* had the small piece vibrate into the blade and go KAWAAAAANG.....THOCK!!! The stuff is too narrow to make it to the splitter. (That's why I NEVER stand in front of the blade!!) It's a real problem because even if I turn off the saw between cuts, the cutoff can do the wrong thing while the blade is spinning down.
As I see it, the problem with your diverter idea is in making sure *it* doesn't get loose. You'd want to clamp it very, very securely, but it sounds like it might actually work.
Don't know if it's safe or not. I'm not one of the experts you're asking for ideas. However, I might try it, and if I do, I'll let you know how it worked out.

Silvan wrote:
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How 'bout making a special-purpose insert and gluing the diverter to the insert? That should be pretty secure.
I think I'll make one of these, it could be very useful!

Providing your saw runs reasonably smooth and the cut off pieces don't dance around you should be able to let them just line up and fall off the back of the saw. I would highly suggest that you use a zero clearance insert. Be sure that there will be no obstruction that would prevent the pieces from freely moving. Take care that the pieces to not get jammed in the empty miter slot.

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I had the same problem ripping 3/16" wide strips off of a 10" long section of 1"x4". (Making a bathroom vent cover) The strips of course fell down beside the blade about 1/2 the time to be chewed up by the blade. I was thinking a tighter fitting insert would fix this. Is it best to make one, and if so what is the best way to do so? I have ordered up an insert for my dado blade, but saw no inserts that were tighter to the blade (Delta 36-600)
Cheers,
Paul

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You should be able to buy these at most ww'ing stores(Woodcraft, Woodworkers Warehouse, etc.) or order them from most catalogs. Blank insert you install, then raise running blade through it to make the zero clearance insert. Nahmie

What I do (until I get a zero clearance insert) is to take some masking tape and put down over the hole right next to the blade. It's not a permanent fix, but it works to keep small pieces from falling down next to the blade.
And before some idiot brings it up, yes - stop the blade before putting the tape down.
wrote: snipped...
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Paul wrote:
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I made mine - it was easy. Cut a scrap of 1/2" MDF (or whatever you prefer) to rough size. Use double-stick tape to attach it to your existing insert. Use a bearing-guided straight bit in your router to trim it to the exact shape/size. Then put a nail in the backside to match the corresponding part on your insert. A few small screws in the side and one in the front (counter-sunk, with the head level with the edge) will allow you to adjust the fit precisely. Mine fit far better than the original. I sealed them and waxed the tops, as well. I recommend making a bunch.
Once they are fitted, I used a couple of spare speaker magnets to hold it down while slowly raising the blade through the insert. I've also used my fence on one side to hold the insert down (very carefully positioned, of course).
Good luck!

Igor spaketh...
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Well Igor, for what it's worth, I'm a careful person and as long as the triangle piece is securely fastened (I'd use mounting tape) I wouldn't have a problem with it myself.

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I use a crosscut sled. Takes you an afternoon to make one, max.
It gives me a zero-clearance slot, somewhere to mount a length guide, and a clamping fence for the stock. Best of all, for these repeated operations, it gives me a moving table that carries the stock. When I slide it back, the blade retracts entirely into the far-side blade cover and it's safe for me to clear the offcuts by hand.

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[snippage]
On a unifence which I have no clue if you have one, you can slide it (fence) back far enough so that the rear of fence is even with where the wood would be as it is severed. Basically, your fence would only extend 2 inches or so past leading edge of blade.
I hope made that understandable.
WEs

I have a push jig that rides on rip fence made with 1/4" Baltic Birch. I've used it several times for tasks like this and ensure the pieces are pushed beyond the backside ot the blade. It rides ON the wood to avoid kickback.
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