Preventing Kickback; Protecting Yourself From Kickback - Shop fox W1837 Owner's Manual

Model W1837 (For Machines Mfd. Since 1/15)
Preventing.Kickback
Below are ways 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 support the
workpiece.
• Make sure the spreader or riving knife is
aligned with the blade. 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 using with
dado blade smaller than 10" in diameter.
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 performing
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 perform-
ing a non-through cut. Making a deep non-
through cut will greatly increase the chance of
kickback.
• Never move the workpiece backwards or
try to back it out of a cut while the blade
is moving. 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.
Protecting.Yourself.
From.Kickback
Even if you know how to prevent kickback, it
may still happen. Here are some ways to protect
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 parts of your body.
• Never, for any reason, place your hand behind
the blade. Should kickback occur, your hand
will 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.
Statistics. show. that. most. common. accidents.
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. operator.. In. addition. to. the.
danger. of. the. operator. 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.
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