Table Saw

Image:Bench_table_saw.jpg|thumbnail|Bosch Model 4000-46 10"ican style cabinet saws differ in design from European style cabinet saws. American style saws generally follow the model of the Delta Unisaw, a design that has evolved since 1937. Saws of this general type are made in the USA, Canada and China. These saws are characterized by a cast iron top on a full-length steel base, square in section, with radiused corners. Two 3/8" deep by 3/4" wide miter slots are located parallel to the blade, one to the left of the blade and one to the right. The most common type of rip fence mounted to this type of saw is characterized by the standard model made by Biesmeyer. This very sturdy, steel T-type fence mounts to a steel rail at the front of the saw. It has replacable laminate faces. American cabinet saws are normally designed to accept a 13/16" wide stacked dado blade in addition to a standard saw blade. The most common size of blade capacity is 10" in diameter. The blade arbor has a diameter of 5/8". American saws normally include an anti-kickback device that incorporates a splitter, toothed anti-kickback pawls and a clear plastic blade cover. American style saws have an easily replaceable insert around the blade in the table top. This allows the use of zero-clearance inserts, which greatly reduce tearout on the bottom of the workpiece. It is common for this type of saw to be equipped with a table extension that increases ripping capacity for sheet goods. American style table saws are commonly available with the option of left or right tilt blade capability. While relatively simple in design, these saws are highly evolved and capable of efficient and precision work.

European style cabinet saws are often more complex and modern in design compared to American types. They often are equipped with a sliding table to make cross cuts easier and safer than by the use of an American style miter gauge. Unless modified for the American market, European table saws are not equipped to allow the use of a stacked dado blade set (this is due to safety laws in European markets). Rip fences on European saws tend to be of lighter construction and less smooth in operation compared to American cabinet saws. European cabinet saws are often available in multi-purpose tool configurations that can offer jointer, planer, shaper or boring features. The blade arbor typically has a diameter of 30mm, though for the American market a 5/8" arbor is commonly available as an option. Note that American woodworkers are likely to use a stacked dado blade to cut dados (square sectioned groves) where European woodworkers might use a shaper or other tool for this task. European cabinet saws often incorporate a riving knife to prevent kickback. Riving knives differ from American style splitters in that they rise and fall with the blade (splitters are fixed in place without regard for the height that the blade is adjusted to). European cabinet saws often offer as an option a scoring blade, which is a second, smaller diameter blade mounted in front of the regular saw blade. The scoring blade helps reduce splintering in certain types of stock, especially laminated stock.

Hybrid table saws

Hybrid table saws are designed to compete in the market with high-end contractor table saws. They offer some of the advantages of cabinet saws at a lower price than traditional cabinet saws. Hybrid saws on the market today offer an enclosed cabinet to help improve dust collection. The cabinet can either be similar to a cabinet saw with a full enclosure from the table top to the floor or a shorter cabinet on legs. Some hybrid saws have cabinet-mounted trunions and some have table-mounted trunions. Hybrid saws tend to be heavier than contractor saws and lighter than cabinet saws. Some hybrid saws offer a sliding table as an option to improve cross cutting capability. Hybrid saw drive mechanisms vary more than contractor saws and cabinet saws. Drive mechanisms can be a single v-belt, a serpentine belt or multiple v-belts.

Additional accessories

Rip fence: Table saws nearly always have a fence (guide) running from the front of the table (the side nearest the operator) to the back, parallel to the cutting plane of the blade. The distance of the fence from the blade can be adjusted, which determines where on the workpiece the cut is made. The fence is commonly called a "rip fence" be fully present and alert as this piece of equipment causes more serious injuries than anything else in the shop. Many experienced woodworkers know someone who has lost a finger.

Keep the blade guard in place whenever possible. If you do not like the guard that came with the saw, it is possible to purchase aftermarket guards of various configurations. Note that one of the main functions of a typical blade guard is to act as a splitter, which helps prevent the cut in the wood from closing and pinching the back of the blade and kicking back.

Wood being cut can be violently "kicked back"ften do not recognize the importance of using a clean and sharp blade. Pitch buildup on a blade greatly increases friction and decreases the quality of the cut, causing burning. Pitch also increases the probability of kickback.

Saw must be aligned. The blade must be adjusted so that it is parallel with the miter grooves and the rip fence. If the blade is out of parallel, it is possible for the workpiece to be pinched between the blade and the rip fence, which will cause violent kickback.

Use the blade guard when possible. The blade guard on typical American market saws incorporates a spreader, which helps prevent the cut from closing on the back of the saw blade. Natural tension can exist in wood that causes the cut to close. Some blade guards have anti-kickback devices that allow only forward travel past the blade.

Push the workpiece past the blade. Do not release a workpiece until it is past the blade and removed from the saw. Turn the saw off before removing small cut off pieces.

Always maintain control. Do not execute a cut where you do not have complete control of the situation. Make sure there are no obstructions. Do not cut a workpiece that is too large to handle.

Do not use the rip fence as a guide during crosscuts. If you need to make a series of equal length crosscuts, use a stop block in front of the blade so the workpiece is not in contact with the rip fence during the cut. It is easy for the workpiece to twist out of perpendicular at the end of the cut and thus get caught by the blade and thrown.

Be careful about flaws in the wood. Cutting through a loose knot can be dangerous. Cutting a warped or twisted board along the rip fence is dangerous because is can get pinched between the fence and blade.


Home Articles Construction Tools Woodworking Store Tools Furniture Bathroom Flooring	Table Saw Image:Bench_table_saw.jpg\|thumbnail\|Bosch Model 4000-46 10"ican style cabinet saws differ in design from European style cabinet saws. American style saws generally follow the model of the Delta Unisaw, a design that has evolved since 1937. Saws of this general type are made in the USA, Canada and China. These saws are characterized by a cast iron top on a full-length steel base, square in section, with radiused corners. Two 3/8" deep by 3/4" wide miter slots are located parallel to the blade, one to the left of the blade and one to the right. The most common type of rip fence mounted to this type of saw is characterized by the standard model made by Biesmeyer. This very sturdy, steel T-type fence mounts to a steel rail at the front of the saw. It has replacable laminate faces. American cabinet saws are normally designed to accept a 13/16" wide stacked dado blade in addition to a standard saw blade. The most common size of blade capacity is 10" in diameter. The blade arbor has a diameter of 5/8". American saws normally include an anti-kickback device that incorporates a splitter, toothed anti-kickback pawls and a clear plastic blade cover. American style saws have an easily replaceable insert around the blade in the table top. This allows the use of zero-clearance inserts, which greatly reduce tearout on the bottom of the workpiece. It is common for this type of saw to be equipped with a table extension that increases ripping capacity for sheet goods. American style table saws are commonly available with the option of left or right tilt blade capability. While relatively simple in design, these saws are highly evolved and capable of efficient and precision work. European style cabinet saws are often more complex and modern in design compared to American types. They often are equipped with a sliding table to make cross cuts easier and safer than by the use of an American style miter gauge. Unless modified for the American market, European table saws are not equipped to allow the use of a stacked dado blade set (this is due to safety laws in European markets). Rip fences on European saws tend to be of lighter construction and less smooth in operation compared to American cabinet saws. European cabinet saws are often available in multi-purpose tool configurations that can offer jointer, planer, shaper or boring features. The blade arbor typically has a diameter of 30mm, though for the American market a 5/8" arbor is commonly available as an option. Note that American woodworkers are likely to use a stacked dado blade to cut dados (square sectioned groves) where European woodworkers might use a shaper or other tool for this task. European cabinet saws often incorporate a riving knife to prevent kickback. Riving knives differ from American style splitters in that they rise and fall with the blade (splitters are fixed in place without regard for the height that the blade is adjusted to). European cabinet saws often offer as an option a scoring blade, which is a second, smaller diameter blade mounted in front of the regular saw blade. The scoring blade helps reduce splintering in certain types of stock, especially laminated stock. Hybrid table saws Hybrid table saws are designed to compete in the market with high-end contractor table saws. They offer some of the advantages of cabinet saws at a lower price than traditional cabinet saws. Hybrid saws on the market today offer an enclosed cabinet to help improve dust collection. The cabinet can either be similar to a cabinet saw with a full enclosure from the table top to the floor or a shorter cabinet on legs. Some hybrid saws have cabinet-mounted trunions and some have table-mounted trunions. Hybrid saws tend to be heavier than contractor saws and lighter than cabinet saws. Some hybrid saws offer a sliding table as an option to improve cross cutting capability. Hybrid saw drive mechanisms vary more than contractor saws and cabinet saws. Drive mechanisms can be a single v-belt, a serpentine belt or multiple v-belts. Additional accessories Rip fence: Table saws nearly always have a fence (guide) running from the front of the table (the side nearest the operator) to the back, parallel to the cutting plane of the blade. The distance of the fence from the blade can be adjusted, which determines where on the workpiece the cut is made. The fence is commonly called a "rip fence" be fully present and alert as this piece of equipment causes more serious injuries than anything else in the shop. Many experienced woodworkers know someone who has lost a finger. Keep the blade guard in place whenever possible. If you do not like the guard that came with the saw, it is possible to purchase aftermarket guards of various configurations. Note that one of the main functions of a typical blade guard is to act as a splitter, which helps prevent the cut in the wood from closing and pinching the back of the blade and kicking back. Wood being cut can be violently "kicked back"ften do not recognize the importance of using a clean and sharp blade. Pitch buildup on a blade greatly increases friction and decreases the quality of the cut, causing burning. Pitch also increases the probability of kickback. Saw must be aligned. The blade must be adjusted so that it is parallel with the miter grooves and the rip fence. If the blade is out of parallel, it is possible for the workpiece to be pinched between the blade and the rip fence, which will cause violent kickback. Use the blade guard when possible. The blade guard on typical American market saws incorporates a spreader, which helps prevent the cut from closing on the back of the saw blade. Natural tension can exist in wood that causes the cut to close. Some blade guards have anti-kickback devices that allow only forward travel past the blade. Push the workpiece past the blade. Do not release a workpiece until it is past the blade and removed from the saw. Turn the saw off before removing small cut off pieces. Always maintain control. Do not execute a cut where you do not have complete control of the situation. Make sure there are no obstructions. Do not cut a workpiece that is too large to handle. Do not use the rip fence as a guide during crosscuts. If you need to make a series of equal length crosscuts, use a stop block in front of the blade so the workpiece is not in contact with the rip fence during the cut. It is easy for the workpiece to twist out of perpendicular at the end of the cut and thus get caught by the blade and thrown. Be careful about flaws in the wood. Cutting through a loose knot can be dangerous. Cutting a warped or twisted board along the rip fence is dangerous because is can get pinched between the fence and blade.
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