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Preventing Kickback
Take the precautions below to avoid the most
common causes of kickback:
•
Only cut workpieces with at least one smooth
and straight edge. DO NOT cut warped,
cupped or twisted wood.
•
Keep the blade guard installed and working
correctly for all through cuts.
•
Never attempt freehand cuts. If the workpiece
is not fed parallel with the blade, kickback will
likely occur. Always use the rip fence or miter
gauge to guide the workpiece.
•
Make sure the spreader or riving knife is
aligned with the blade and secured tightly. A
misaligned spreader or riving knife can cause
the workpiece to catch or bind, increasing the
chance of kickback.
•
Take the time to check and adjust the rip
fence parallel with the blade; otherwise, the
chances of kickback are extreme.
•
The spreader or riving knife maintains the
kerf in the workpiece, reducing the chance of
kickback. Always use the riving knife for all
non-through operations, unless a dado blade
is installed. Always use the spreader with the
blade guard for all through cuts.
•
Feed cuts through to completion. Anytime
you stop feeding a workpiece in the middle
of a cut, the chance of kickback is greatly
increased.
•
Keep the blade guard installed and in good
working order. Only remove it when per-
forming non-through cuts and immediately
re-install the blade guard when finished.
Remember, always use the riving knife for all
non-through operations, unless a dado blade
is installed.
•
Make multiple, shallow passes when per-
forming a non-through cut. Making a deep
non-through cut will greatly increase the
chance of kickback.
-12-
•
Never move the workpiece backwards or try
to back it out of a cut while the blade is mov-
ing. If you cannot complete a cut for some
reason, stop the saw motor and allow the
blade to completely stop before backing the
workpiece out. Promptly fix the condition that
prevented you from completing the cut before
starting the saw again.
Statistics show that most common acci-
dents among table saw users can be
linked to kickback. Kickback is typically
defined as the high-speed expulsion of
stock from the table saw toward its opera-
tor. In addition to the danger of the opera-
tor or others in the area being struck by
the flying stock, it is often the case that
the operator's hands are pulled into the
blade during kickback.
Protecting Yourself
from Kickback
Even if you know how to prevent kickback, it
may still happen. Here are some ways to pro-
tect yourself if kickback DOES occur:
•
Stand to the side of the blade during every cut.
If kickback does occur, the thrown workpiece
usually travels directly in front of the blade.
•
Wear safety glasses or a face shield. In the
event of kickback, your eyes and face are the
most vulnerable part of your body.
•
Never, for any reason, place your hand behind
the blade or under blade guard. Should kick-
back occur, your hand could be pulled into the
blade, which could cause amputation.
•
Use a push stick to keep your hands farther
away from the moving blade. If kickback
occurs, the push stick will most likely take the
damage your hand would have received.
•
Use featherboards or anti-kickback devices
to assist with feeding and prevent or slow
down kickback.
Model G1023RL Series (Mfd. Since 02/21)
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