Have you considered just using a bandsaw? With the correct blades this excellent machine will do 90% of what a table saw can do, including rip cutting. It's safer - the blade runs down and pins the workpiece to the table - and the kerf is narrow so little material is lost. Also you can do scroll cutting, dovetails and other joints - it's so versatile I don't know what I'd do without mine. Less room than a tablesaw due to upright design.
Your tablesaw doesn't want to kill you, it's an inanimate object. A bandsaw finds it difficult to kill you.
Quite the contrary. Many Americans, this one included, drink tea -- and I quite surprised a Polish friend a year or two ago: he and his wife were at our house for Sunday brunch, and -- without thinking -- I offered him coffee, as is the custom here in the States. He declined, and asked if we had any tea. I could tell he was not expecting an affirmative answer, and was more than a little surprised to receive one.
Not having used a US TS I'm not sure of that. But my 40+ year old UK TS has its blade guard on its riving knife and a short rip fence. When I need to use it without the riving knife the lack of a guard makes me treat it with extra respect. I have never had a kickback with it even though when I started using it I had no training and was not very careful. This is most likly due to its design.
I will be getting another TS and shudder to think of not having a decent riving knife on it .
(disclaimer:I am going to describe some dangerous procedures, dont do them unelss you fully understand them and are willing to accept complete responsibility of your actions.)
yes, you should be very afraid of any power tool. the time you become fearless of the destructive power of any power tool, i'tll rise up and bite you.
and yes, I still have all ten fingers.
I worked at a cabinetry place, and have seen people get really nasty injuries due to kick backs (ripping a 1/2"x1/2"x8' in half, lengthwise!) I quit that job before i was there a year.
But I alsmost conquered my fear, I'll tell you how.
take that table saw, raise the blade real high, get a 2x12 about five feet long and rip a 2inch peice out of it. about the easiest rip cut to do, plenty of room for your hands, and you should be at least 3 ft away from the whirling blade of death. feel free to use gloves, as you wont complete the ripping cut.
halfway thru the cut, try to stall the saw.
if you are lucky, you'll blow the breaker and not a thermal overload. turn off the saw and go in the house and relax.
this gives you a good idea of how easy a big heavy piece of wood can stop the saw. I believe once you realize that you need to have the cutting power match the job, the safer things get.
also, when doing that ripping/stall procedure, you'll find some flaws that may not be apparent. fence crooked? table too small? guards not proper?, shop floor uneven? stand wobbles? stand too light? dull blade? table sticky? blade cuts in a curve? shop too small?
look up info on featherboards. install a smaller diameter blade. fix any flaws up above and any that seem apparent. even the tiniest amount of the above flaws can cripple the best of power tools.
get the flaws straightened out, and dont attempt very dificult cuts (like ripping 1/2"x1/2") and the fear to dwindle to an acceptable level.
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