Safety Devices; Feather Board; Push Stick And Push Block - Powermatic PM3000B Operating Instructions And Parts Manual

9.6 Dado cutting
Dadoing is cutting a wide groove into a workpiece
or cutting a rabbet along the edge of a workpiece.
A dado insert (optional accessory, shown in Figure
9-12) is necessary for this type of operation.
Do not use the standard table
insert for dadoing operations.
Figure 9-12
The process of cutting 1/8" to 13/16" grooves in
workpieces is accomplished by the use of a
stacked dado blade set or an adjustable type blade
mounted on the saw arbor. By using various
combinations of stacked dado blades, or properly
setting the dial on an adjustable blade, an accurate
width dado can be made. This is very useful for
shelving, making joints, tenoning, etc.
The guard, riving knife, and anti-kickback pawls
supplied with the saw should be used for all cutting
operations where they can be used.
When performing operations where the guard
cannot be used, as in some dadoing operations,
alternative safety precautions should be taken.
These include push sticks, feather boards, filler
pieces, fixtures, jigs and any other appropriate
device that can be utilized to keep operators'
hands away from the blade.
Upon completion of the operation requiring removal
of the guard, the entire guard assembly must be
placed back on the machine in its proper working
order.
Never use a dado head in a
tilted position. Never operate the saw without
the blade guard, riving knife and anti-kickback
pawls for operations where they can be used.

10.0 Safety devices

10.1 Feather board

Feather boards, or "combs," can be purchased at
most tool stores, or made by the operator to suit
particular applications. The feather board (Figure
9-13) should be made of straight grain hardwood
approximately 1" thick and 4" to 8" wide depending
on the size of the machine. The length is
developed in accordance with intended use.
Feather boards can be fastened to the table or rip
fence by use of C-clamps. Alternatively, drilled and
tapped holes in the table top allow the use of wing
nuts and washers as a method of clamping. If this
method of fastening is used, provide slots in the
feather board for adjustment. (The illustration
shows a method of attaching and use of the
feather board as a vertical comb. The horizontal
application is essentially the same except that the
attachment is to the table top.)
Figure 9-13: feather board

10.2 Push stick and push block

The use of a push block or push stick provides an
added level of safety for the operator. A push stick
is included with your table saw, but you may wish
to make others personalized for different cutting
procedures. The templates in Figures 9-15 and 9-
15 offer construction details.
Figure 9-14: push block template
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