Class Red Equipment
High risk of injury
See Workshop Safety
Training is required to use this tool
"Assume that all power tools are trying to kill you, and all hand tools are blood-seeking opportunists" Mike T. 2023
This machine uses a powerful motor to spin an exposed blade. Table saws are capable of causing life-changing injuries which occur in a fraction of a second. You are responsible for ensuring your own safety; do not operate this machine if you do not feel capable of doing so safely. Trainers will always be happy to assist you if you need it, and would much rather be involved before problems occur, than after.
- Only those who have been trained by the room lead, and have signed a usage agreement, are permitted to operate the machine.
- Keep your hands well away from the blade.
- Remove or tuck-in any loose items of clothing, so that they do not catch the blade.
- Always wear safety glasses and hearing protection while operating the machine.
- Never cut anything without using the ripping fence or the crosscut table. This is a major kickback risk.
- Never cut rough-sawn timber on this machine; always plane 2 flat surfaces to run along the table and fence. This is a major kickback risk.
- Always be vigilant about your balance and the position of your limbs while the blade is spinning.
- Always use the dust-extractor when using this machine.
- Never pull a workpiece back through the blade while the blade is spinning.
- Never reach over the blade while it is spinning.
- Never remove the riving knife positioned at the back of the blade. A low-profile riving knife has been fitted to allow for partial cuts, so there should never be a reason to remove it.
- This machine is intended for cutting wood and soft plastics only.
- Motor:
- 1100w (1.5hp)
- No-load blade speed: 4700RPM
- Blades:
- Diameter: 200mm
- Bore: 30mm
- Blade Tilt: Up to 45 degrees
- Max cutting depth at 90 degrees: 60mm
- Max cutting depth at 45 degrees: 47mm
- Capacity:
- Main table size: 530mm x 1000mm
- Maximum ripping width using fence: 730mm
- Crosscut table size: 400mm x 180mm
- Table height: 880mm
- T-slot width: 15/19mm
- T-slot depth: 7mm
- The blade will continue spinning for a significant amount of time after the machine has been switched off.
- As a rough guide, the blade should only be raised far enough that the teeth protrude ~5mm above the top surface of the work. This prevents excess danger of unnecessary amounts of blade sticking out.
- Sometimes when rip cutting solid wood, internal tension in the wood can be released, causing the cut to pinch onto the blade. This can be very dangerous as the board can be kicked back towards you. If you notice the cut becoming significantly more difficult, switch off the saw without retracting the board, then assess the situation before continuing.
Before any cut, run through the movement of pushing the material over the saw with the blade fully retracted. This will alert you to any difficult movements, or lack of space for the material.
A rip cut is when a board is cut along its long dimension, using the fence to guide the board through the blade.
- Ensure that the faces touching the table and fence are flat. This will prevent the board from shifting part-way through the cut, causing the blade to bind and the board to be kicked back towards you.
- Keep a small amount of pressure pressing the board into the fence throughout the cut. If the board wanders away from the fence, then it can catch the blade and kick back towards you.
- At the end of the cut, push the board all the way past the blade using a push-stick. There are push-sticks available, usually close to the saw.
- Turn the saw off, and wait for the blade to stop before reaching over the blade to collect the board and offcut.
- Always push the material between the blade and the fence. A loose board between the blade and fence can catch the blade and be kicked back towards you. (Are you seeing a theme here?)
A cross cut is when a board is cut along its short dimensions, using a sled, carriage or mitre-gauge to guide the board through the blade.
- This table saw is fitted with a crosscut carriage with an adjustable fence. This allows boards to be positioned and clamped securely for a very safe cut.
- The carriage fence has a stop-block which can be used to position boards repeatably, giving identical parts.
- Is using the rip fence as a stop-block, ensure that the offcut will not be left touching both the blade and the fence once the cut is complete, as this could result in the offcut being kicked back towards you.
- To prevent this, a small piece of wood can be clamped against the rip fence, far back from the blade. This allows for the position to be accurately repeated without pinching the offcut between the blade and the fence.
- If repeating cuts, it should be fine to allow each new cut to push the previous cut along the table. If the offcuts are becoming bunched up or are encroaching on the blade, then switch off the saw and clear the table.
- Be aware that the back surface of the board can splinter outwards as the teeth leave the cut. This can be prevented by having a sacrificial board behind the workpiece to support the back surface as the blade leaves the cut.
Users should not need to change blades, please talk to the room lead if you find that you need to.