Woodstock SHOP FOX W1677 - Manual (Page 13)

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W1677/W1711 10" Table Saw
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Kickback
Kickback occurs when the blade launches the workpiece toward the front of the saw. This happens so
quickly the operator rarely has time to respond. He or she can be killed, severely hurt or have his/her
hand forced into the moving blade. Kickback is one of the most serious dangers that can occur with a
table saw. In order to protect yourself from kickback, it is essential to educate yourself about why and
how it happens. Below is a list of ways to protect yourself from kickback.
• Do not stand directly behind the
workpiece. Should a kickback occur, the
workpiece may be launched at a high rate of
speed in the direction from which it came.
If you are standing behind the workpiece, it
will hit you. Instead, stand off to the side in
a location where you are still able to main-
tain total control.
• Do not use the rip fence as a guide when
crosscutting with the miter gauge. The
workpiece may pinch the blade, causing
kickback. Use the miter gauge and the rip
fence by themselves—never together.
• Only use sharp, clean blades. Sharp blades
will cut the material easier, reducing the
chance that the blade will get jammed up
while cutting the workpiece. Always replace
or sharpen your dull blades. Blades covered
in resin are just as likely to cause kickback
as a dull blade.
• Never freehand a cut with the table saw.
The small twists or turns that are inherent
with freehand cuts will cause kickback.
• Keep your table saw clean. Buildup of
wood chips or dust, or any other objects
that may obstruct an otherwise smooth cut,
has the potential to cause kickback.
• Cutting warped stock or stock with loose
knots, nails, or other defects will cause
kickback.
• Do not reach behind the blade to pull the
workpiece through the cut. In the event
of a kickback, your hand may be pulled
into the moving blade.
• Use push sticks or push paddles when-
ever possible. Using one or two push sticks
when ripping can decrease operator injury
in the event of kickback. Push sticks and
push paddles create a barrier between
your hands and the workpiece.
• Be aware that small cutoff pieces are
easily kickbacked if loose near the blade.
Use a zero-clearance table insert whenever
possible.
• Always use the blade guard/splitter
when making through-cuts. The blade
splitter has anti-kickback pawls that dig
into the workpiece in the event of a kick-
back. Removing the guard/splitter greatly
increases the risk of danger from kickback.
• Always feed material into the blade at
the proper feed rate. Feeding material
into the blade too fast may cause a kick-
back. Listen to the blade and the motor
during a cut. If either one is struggling,
decrease the feed rate.
• Consider aftermarket or shop-made
accessories to increase your level of safe-
ty. Many of these items are designed to
stop the board during a kickback or reduce
the chance of kickback by stabilizing the
board during a cut.