Table Saw
General Safety Wear your safety glasses at all times Take off all jewelry Do not wear loose clothing Make sure you are the only person in the safety zone when operating the table saw.
General Safety continued Do the entire operation yourself Never pass your hands over the blade to remove scrap material Never pass your hands over the blade Always have one hand or the push-stick on the material Never back out of a cut The guard must be in place at all times
Components of the Table Saw Arbor Miter Gauge Fence Support Arm Guard Splitter
Components of the Table Saw Push Sticks Front Hand Wheel Side Hand Wheel
Set-up of the Table Saw One face and one edge must be flat to use the table saw. The blade must be 1/8” to 1/4” above the material being cut. OR One Tooth Do not lower the support arm or raise the guard unless you have special permission from the teacher and are being monitored by the teacher.
Operations of the Table Saw Ripping Cross cutting Bevel Miter Groove Dado Rabbet
Arbor
Miter Gauge
Fence
Support Arm
Guard
Splitter
Push Sticks
Front Hand Wheel
Side Hand Wheel
Ripping Ripping is defined as cutting along the material’s length OR Cutting with the grain
Cross cutting Cross cutting is defined as cutting the material’s length OR Cutting across the grain
Bevel A Bevel is defined as cutting along the material’s length at an angle. OR Cutting with the grain at an angle
Miter A miter is defined as cutting the material’s length at an angle OR Cutting across the grain at an angle
Groove A Groove is defined as cutting a “slot” along the material’s length but not through the full thickness of the material OR Cutting a “slot” with the grain but not through the full thickness of the material
Dado A Dado is defined as cutting a “slot” across the material’s width but not through the full thickness of the material OR Cutting a “slot” across the grain but not through the full thickness of the material
Rabbet A Rabbet is defined as cutting a square edge or end across or with the grain but not through the full thickness of the material.
Ripping
Cross cutting
Bevel
Miter
Groove
Dado
Rabbet
Operation Procedure 1 (Ripping) 1. Raise the Splitter.
Raising the Splitter
Operation Procedure 2 (Ripping) 2. Raise the blade to its maximum height. Using a try-square, square the blade to the table.
Squaring the Blade
Operation Procedure 3 (Ripping) 3. Adjust the blade height. One tooth above the material.
Adjust the blade height
Operation Procedure 4 (Ripping) 4. Determine the width of your material that will be cut and set the fence. If the material is 5” in width or less, push sticks are required. The material you are going to be using always goes between the fence and the blade.
Setting the Fence
Operation Procedure 5 (Ripping) 5. Lower the guard. Keep the material tight against the fence. Be sure the material is not in contact with the blade when the machine is turned on. Stand to the left of the blade path.
Lowering the Guard
Tight against the Fence
Operation Procedure 6 (Ripping) 6. Turn the machine on. Slide the material against the fence and through the blade. Push the material all the way off the table.
Ripping operation. Material more than 5” in width. No push sticks required.
Ripping operation. Material less than 5” in width. Push sticks required.
Operation Procedure 1 (Cross cutting) 1. Slide the splitter down
Splitter down
Operation Procedure 2 (Cross cutting) 2. Set the miter gauge in the left groove on the table.
Miter gauge placement
Operation Procedure 3 (Cross cutting) Raise the blade to it’s maximum height. Using a try-square, square the miter gauge.
Squaring the Miter Gauge
Operation Procedure 4 (Cross cutting) 4. Adjust the blade height. One tooth above the material. Keep the material tight against the miter gauge. Be sure the material is not in contact with the blade when the machine is turned on. Stand to the left of the blade path.
Tight against the Miter Gauge
Operation Procedure 5 (Cross cutting) 5. Line up the end of your material to take off approximately 1/8” (or a blade width) to square one side of your material. Lower the guard. Turn the machine on. Slide the material through the blade cutting the 1/8” off the material
Line up the Material
Cross cutting Operation
Operation Procedure 6 (Cross cutting) 6. Check for the end to be square to the edge
Checking for Square
Operation Procedure 7 (Cross cutting) 7. If the edge to end is square you may move on. If not, repeat steps 1-6 until and end to edge is square. Jump the miter gauge to the groove in the right of the table
New Miter Gauge Placement
Operation Procedure 8 (Cross cutting) 8. Set the fence to the specified length. Set the material’s end on the fence and edge on the miter gauge.
Material Placement
Operation Procedure 9 (Cross cutting) 9. Holding your material in place against the miter gauge, MOVE THE FENCE OUT OF THE WAY! The fence is used only for measuring purposes when cross cutting.
Moving the fence
Operation Procedure 10 (Cross cutting) 10. Turn the machine on. Slide the material all the way through the blade.
Final Cross Cut