Better Power Tool Maintenance Rules

We invest a lot in our power tools. Many of us really love them, but even with the best intentions, each of us could use a reminder about power tool maintenance. No matter how durable or high-performance our tools are, they require a certain level of up-keep to maintain their functionality. By remembering the following few maintenance practices, you’ll increase the life of your power tools and keep them performing better.

Get ready; your first Better Power Tool Maintenance Rule is a multi-parter.

1. Keep your power tools clean, dry and temperate; this includes eliminating dust and debris.

• A.) Don’t let your tools get wet and don’t expose them to extreme temperatures. To protect your tool from premature wear, corrosion and other damage, store and transport your tools cautiously (away from moisture, heat, cold and danger).

• B.) Wipe down your tools after each use.

  In it’s various forms, grease and gunk will bog down your tool. Wipe tools thoroughly after each use and periodically clean the inside of the tool, too. Breaking-down your tools to care for their individual components will ensure better performance and longevity. When wiping the tool, also check-on the fasteners that hold it together. Tighten anything that has come lose during operation.

• C.) Eliminate dust and debris.

  Using some form of compressed or canned air, blow-out your power tool’s vulnerable areas (i.e. the vents, the chuck, the trigger and etc). If unchecked, debris will collect and clog-up your tools; keeping them clear of this debris will keep the motor running smooth and allow your moving parts to keep moving freely.

2. Keep bits and blades clean and sharp.

Dull accessories deliver inferior performance and are much more likely to fudge a project than a clean, sharp accessory. Compensating for dull or gummy bits and blades can also overheat your tool’s motor. To ensure your safety, better results, and a healthier tool, keep your bits and blades wiped clean and sharpen or replace them when dull.

3. Oil your air tools.

Without lubricant in your air tools, components will break. Period. You must properly oil your air tools to ensure moving parts can move without excess friction. Over-oiling can also create a sludge within the tool that will slow it down. – Typically one drop of oil for every three-thousand shots is sufficient but please refer to your tool’s manual for precise oiling instructions.

 

4. Take care of your power cords and air hoses.

Improperly using, coiling and storing your power cords and air hoses makes them more susceptible to damage and much more prone to causing damage to you and others in your environment. Use your cords and hoses carefully and always store them properly. Inspect your power cords as you coil (and uncoil) them to ensure there are no breaks or other points of damage in the cord. Do not use a damaged power cord.

Rule 5 applies specifically to your air compressors:

5. Keep your compressor properly oiled and drained.

You must refill the oil in your compressor. Check the oil level based on use and on manufacturer guidelines to ensure your machine remains smooth. It’s also crucial to drain your compressor’s tank after every use. If you don’t drain the tank, rust will severely damage the tool.

 

6. Replace parts when they need to be replaced.

There’s a lot going on on the inside of your power tools. Thanks to heat, friction and regular wear-and-tear, the components in your tools wear out. Check-in on your parts condition and replace them when they’ve become too worn/damaged to function properly. This will give you better performance and more overall life from your tools.

And finally,

7. Keep and refer to your tool’s manual.

Your tool has a manual for a reason. Read it, keep it and let it be a resource for you throughout the life of the tool. When you need some direction while troubleshooting, diagnosing, maintaining or repairing your tools, the manual is always the best place to start.

The Big Sum-Up:

After long hours on the job, it can be easy to forget (or to not want) to take care of your power tools. The fact is, though, that these few practices take only moments of your time and add immeasurable value to your equipment. Keep up on your tools and they’ll do the same for you.

Work More Efficiently With the Right Tools Always in Reach

 

A tool belt is one of the most important pieces of a builder or tool user’s repertoire. A good tool belt keeps you safer and more productive on the job, it keeps your hands free when you need them and ensures you have easy access to a whole arsenal of tools, no matter where you are or when you need them. Whether you’re on the ladder, on the roof, or anywhere out of the shop, a tool belt promises you’ll have exactly what you need.

So tool belts are great, right? But what exactly do you stock them with? How do you find a balance between being prepared and being totally bogged down by odds and ends? The key is knowing the work you have ahead of you and being familiar with the functions of each of your hand tools and accessories. Foreseeing the future, though, is a lot easier said than done and, accordingly, I’ve put together a list of gadgets that together comprise the ideal, general purpose tool belt.

But first! Please allow me to provide a few tips about using, wearing and stocking your tool belt.

Tool Belt Tips

• Ensure you invest in a tool belt that is designed for your dominant hand. You shouldn’t have to reach around your body to grab your hammer with the hand that swings it.
• In your tool belt store your most commonly used tools on your dominant side and the tools you reach for less frequently on your secondary side.
• Keep fasteners (like screws and nails) on your secondary side so that your “helping-hand” can seamlessly feed fasteners to your dominant hand.
• When you need to bend or adjust your balance/load, try rotating your tool belt 180-degrees. This puts the weight behind you and keeps your tools from impeding your movement (especially in crouched or awkward positions).
• If your tool belt gets particularly bulky, invest in a pair of wide-band industrial suspenders. This will disperse the weight and save your back.
• Don’t put yourself in a corner with inferior equipment – invest in high-quality tools. You don’t have to break the bank to buy a good product and, if you have to sacrifice high-tech for high-quality, do it. There is nothing worse for your productivity or your budget than struggling with poorly fabricated tools.

And finally, here is a list of essential items for your tool belt with a brief explanation of why these tools are important and what to look for in a good one.

Essential Tools for Your Tool Belt

Pencil and Pen/Sharpie

In your tool belt, square carpenter’s pencils are preferred. Their shape prevents the pencil from rolling and increases their durability. Keep at least 2 pencils on-hand as you never know when a tip will break or when you’ll drop one from atop your ladder. Also carry a pen or permanent marker for marks that require a little extra distinguishing.

Hammer

While you may choose a hammer with a wood, steel or fiberglass handle, the most important thing to consider is the quality and balance of the hammer as a whole. Ensure the hammer is not too flimsy and not too heavy. You may also choose between a hammer with a rip claw and a curved claw. Though the curved claw is more traditional, the rip claw can double as a hatchet if you need to chop something (albeit roughly) in a pinch.

4-in-1 Screwdriver

A 4-in-1 screwdriver offers 2 common sizes of both Phillips head and flat-head tips. This eliminates the need to carry multiple screwdrivers.

 

Fasteners

If you don’t carry a pouch for your screws and nails, it can’t hurt to carry a handful of fasteners in your tool belt. You never know when you’ll need to replace a screw or hammer a few nails; accordingly, its also smart to carry various sizes.

Nail Sets (in the 3 most common sizes)

For setting nails (or driving them below a surface) or for poking a hole or two, there is nothing so helpful as a nail set. Keep multiple sizes on-hand and you’ll use them often.

30-Foot Tape Measure

Anything larger than a 30-foot tape may not fit exceptionally well (or at all) in a standard tool belt. Accordingly, invest a 30-foot or 25-foot measuring tape with a 1-inch blade (this will ensure better reach with less buckling). Durability is important as tapes often get knocked around and because you will use the thing constantly.

Rafter Square/Speed Square

Though there are many uses for a rafter square, you will most commonly use this for marking both straight and angled cuts on virtually every cutting material. Choose a square made of thick aluminum or thick plastic as the thinner models don’t hold up.

Chalk Line

Use a chalk line to mark perfectly straight lines in a flash (or, more accurately, a “flick”). These are great for marking long cut lines or perimeters, but, as a cautionary tale, use only blue chalk on surfaces you want to keep clean (red chalk will stain).

Utility Knife

You will use a good utility knife to cut everything. You may choose a standard knife or an upgraded knife with a quick-change blade. In either case, invest in a higher-grade cutter to reduce blade wobble.

Cat’s Paw

A cat’s paw will help you pull or pry just about everything. Literally, these tools are ideal for nail pulling but can also contribute to light demolition, chiseling or scraping.

3/4-Inch Chisel (or set of 3: ½-Inch, ¾-Inch, 1-Inch)

A tough 3/4-inch chisel is ideal for a wide range applications from scraping, cutting and prying. You’ll likely reach for your chisel frequently so although a 3/4-inch should do everything you need it to, it’s good to have a few sizes on-hand.

1-Inch Putty Knife

For scraping, prying and applying stuff, a durable putty knife can be incredibly useful.

 

Needle Nose Pliers

With their long, skinny nose, strong gripping power and wire cutting capability, needle nose pliers are incredibly useful. You’ll use them for everything from reaching into tight spaces to gripping objects, to untying knots and bending and cutting wire.

Slip Joint Pliers

Because slip joint pliers can be adjusted to accommodate different sizes, you will use this tool for many tugging, pulling and twisting applications.

 

Electrical Tape

Electrical tape is a kind of insulating tape that is both weather and heat resistant. It’s durable yet stretchy, it’s typically made of vinyl and it’s most commonly used to insulate electrical wires. Because electrical tape can be torn by hand and because it generally removes cleanly from surfaces, it can be used like regular tape for taping/bonding, labeling, bandaging or etc.

Safety Gear (Dust Mask, Safety Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection)

Always remember your safety gear – your gloves, glasses, masks, earplugs and etc. Don’t be caught with debris in your eye or a blow-up ear drum when you can easily avoid injuries on the job. Be safe, smart and careful.

And that does it! Of course, the items you’ll need to keep in your tool belt will differ slightly from this list (and will differ slightly still from your neighbor’s list or your best friend’s list, and may differ again depending upon the job you’re doing) but these basics will get you well on your way to finding perfect bliss with your tool belt. – Good luck and happy crafting!

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Some of us use our biscuit joiner daily, others on a weekly or monthly basis, but, no matter your frequency of use, eventually, you will need to replace its blade. A sharp blade keeps your joiner fast, efficient and precise and when one’s power tools have these qualities, usually the crafter behind it does too. Fortunately for us crafters, then, replacing the blade on a Porter Cable biscuit joiner is a relatively simple process. Despite a slightly more complicated chip deflector and lock pin, changing your Porter Cable biscuit joiner blade requires little more than a few minutes, a screwdriver and an Allen wrench.

As with all power tool repair procedures, the first step in changing your joiner blade is disengaging and unplugging the tool. Next, simply flip the tool over and loosen the screws in the bottom plate. Your Porter Cable biscuit joiner should have four screws and because this tool also features tapered screw holes, you will not need to entirely remove the screws to remove the plate; instead you can simply slide the plate off (slide the plate towards the butt of the tool and lift to remove). This, of course, gives you access to the blade.

Wait! Before grabbing at the blade, though, you must depress the lock pin. The lock pin on Porter Cable biscuit joiners is at the top front of the tool (more-or-less) beneath the handle. Pressing this pin prevents the blade from spinning allowing users to safely remove it. The trick, though, is that the lock pin must be depressed constantly as you remove the blade and that the blade must be removed with an Allen wrench. So, while depressing the locking pin with your secondary hand, use your primary hand to insert your Allen wrench into the center of the blade bolt, loosen and remove it. Carefully remove the blade.

Directly beneath the blade, the Porter Cable biscuit joiner has an adjustable chip deflector. This mechanism allows the tool to accommodate both standard sized blades and smaller face-frame blades. Depending upon the size of the new blade you’ve put onto the joiner, you may now need to adjust the chip deflector. For standard sized blades, this swiveling mechanism should remain in the horizontal (left – right) position (or, more-or-less parallel to the directional arrow stamped above it). If, however, you installed a smaller blade, you will need to pull the engine forward to release it and shift the chip deflector to a vertical position (so that it now points to the front of the tool and crisscrosses with that directional arrow).

Next, you must install the new joiner blade. The blade will have a similar directional arrow printed on the surface. This arrow is designed to ensure users install the blade with its teeth facing the right direction. Install the blade so that its arrow points in the same direction as the directional arrow on the tool. Pop the blade into place and and replace the washer and bolt. While depressing the lock pin tighten the bolt over the blade.

After securing the blade, you need only slide the bottom plate back into place and tighten down the four screws that keep it there. And that is exactly that. Give yourself a pat on the back and know that your Porter Cable biscuit joiner is now as good to go as you are.

How To Use Pneumatic Tools Safely

 10 Tips to Keep You Safe and Smart

Nail guns and other pneumatic tools are incredibly useful, efficient machines. With intense power and precise firing capabilities, a good nail gun can save countless hours of work and innumerable sore thumbs, arms, hands and backs. With that intense power, though, and their trigger actuated, high-velocity firing, these air tools can also be extremely dangerous. Accordingly, and like other power tools (or even trigger-actuated weapons), properly operating pneumatic tools requires diligently following a few safety measures. Use caution, common sense and adhere to these few rules to ensure your pneumatic tools can be as harmless as they are helpful – keep these guidelines in the forefront of your brain, and you’ll surely enjoy the safest, most productive performance from your air tools.

1. Be Familiar With the Air Tool and its Manual

Before operating an air tool, familiarize yourself with its manual (which will be rich with tips and facts) and with the tool itself. Because nail loading and other functions differ between tool makes and models, it is important to understand the ins-and-outs of the particular nailer you’re about to engage.

Some nail guns fire only once per trigger depression, some guns offer a sequential firing mechanism which allows users to fire repeatedly when the trigger is continually depressed and the nose piece is simply “bumped” (this firing method is often referred to as “bump firing”). Additionally, some air tools can switch between these two modes. Know what kind of gun you are firing and, if you have the ability to select between  firing methods, always know which mode the tool is operating in.

2. Inspect the Air Tool, the Air Compressor and the Air Hose Before Each Use

Before engaging an air, give it a quick once over. Ensure everything looks as it should; ensure that the right fasteners are loaded and that the safety is working properly. Also check for punctures or weak spots in the air hose which may fail under pressure and cause damage to you or to the nail gun. Ensure the hose is properly secured between the tool and the compressor and, similarly, ensure the compressor is in good working order. Use only regulated compressed air and do not exceed the recommended air pressure capacity for each particular tool in use.

3. Protect Your Senses – Wear Safety Gear

Despite your speed, wit or strength, a sharpened steel projectile rocketed out of a pneumatic gun will not stop for your flesh, fingers or eyeballs. Where safety glasses during every minute you are operating or near an operating nail gun. Because brains and other body parts are similarly vulnerable to projectiles or debris and because ears and hearing are similarly susceptible to damage from the repeated high-decibel bursts of a nail shot, always wear a hard hat and adequate hearing protection when using (or when in the vicinity of active) pneumatic tools.

4. Know When to Disengage an Air Tool

Disengage an air tool every time it is not in use. Even if you simply need to eat a sandwich or use the “powder room,” always disengage a nail gun that is not in use. Similarly, disengage an air tool before loading it, while adjusting it, while clearing jams and etc. If a nail gun jams or otherwise malfunctions, the fastener will be waiting to eject it when that problem is fixed. To avoid that nail rocketing into your leg or your coworker, disengage the tool before servicing it.

5. Know How to Disengage an Air Tool

Because an air tool becomes so pressurized during use, it is important to remain cautious while disengaging the tool. First, turn on the gun’s safety and/or turn off the tool. Disengage the compressor and disconnect the air hose. Because the depressurization of the tool may eject debris from the nail gun, do not aim the tool at anything or anyone, and do not point the gun toward yourself; debris can be ejected at staggering velocities. Please use caution.

6. Use Only the Proper Fasteners

Always use the fastener size your air tool was designed for. Using incorrect fasteners will cause jams and misfires, can cause serious damage to the tool, and can cause very painful injury to you or others in your work area.

7. Be Aware of Your “Blast Radius” and Surroundings

Before you fire an air tool, be aware of every body (animate and inanimate) in your work area. Always know what is on the opposite side of your nail gun and what is behind the material your fastening. Because you can’t see through the wall you’re sheathing, know what’s behind it and warn others of your work area.

It’s also important to inspect the material your fastening. Imperfections in wood like splits, knots, difficult grain structures or existing fasteners can cause a nail to shift or behave unpredictably; a fastener may deflect off of a nailing surface or pass entirely through that surface embedding in whatever is on the other side. Accordingly, be cautious of each point of entry; avoid firing fasteners tool close the edge of your material, never fire a fastener on top of another fastener, never fire a nail gun at an angle and never fire a fastener into something you (or someone else) is holding. As a rule of thumb, you should maintain a distance of at least twice the length of your fastener from the point of fastener entry.

8. Don’t Fiddle With the Trigger (or Nose Piece)

Never touch the trigger of an air tool unless you are entirely prepared to discharge it.

Do not touch the nose piece of an air tool to anything you do not intend to shoot.

Be aware of how you handle, hand-over, and set-down an air tool. Ensure the nose piece touches nothing but the surface you intend to fire into. When the gun is resting, ensure it is secure and not susceptible to jostling; bumping a nail gun may result in unintentional firing.

Never pull the trigger of air tool twice at the same point of entry. After depressing the trigger, immediately release it and remove your finger from the trigger. Firing twice will result in two nails shot which is both wasteful and terrifically dangerous.

9. Properly and Maintain Air Tools and Air Compressors

Properly and regularly maintaining your air tools and air compressors is an integral part of using these tools safely and efficiently. Keep your tools clean and inspect them routinely. Oil your nail gun each time you use it and, because water will accumulates inside your compressor during operation (and will subsequently cause rust and water damage), drain your air compressor after each use.

10. Don’t Be Ridiculous

And by ridiculous, of course, I mean dumb. Don’t be dumb. This is perhaps the most important rule of safety when operating air tools (and, perhaps, more generally speaking as well). Don’t be dumb. Use your common sense and always operate machinery with great caution. Don’t ever point an air tool at something you don’t intend to shoot. Always be in control of your nail gun. Your nail gun is not a toy nor a hammer. And seriously, never tape or otherwise force down the trigger or nose piece of an air tool; that is stupid and unforgivably dangerous. Don’t be reckless, always be accurate and, again, please for the sake of all our hands, fingers, shoulders and knees, don’t be ridiculous – be careful.

And, for the most part, those rules should keep you safe while operating air tools. Be smart and expect those around you to act smart, too. Being always aware is the best way to keep yourself in one happy piece and the best way to yield the best performance from your air tools. Best of luck and happy firing!

How To Rip Cut Using a Table Saw,

Cabinet Saw or Contractor Saw

 

Rip cutting is a popular wood cutting method in which a workpiece is cut with or along its grain. While this is a common and generally clean wood cutting technique, rip cutting still requires a few particular steps. Firstly, we’ll lay down the most basic basics. All rip cuts must be performed with a rip saw blade and a rip fence. The ripping bade ensures smooth, accurate cuts and the rip fence helps support and guide each workpiece as it passes through the saw. As with all through cuts, you should also use your blade guard while rip cutting and although the miter gauge is required for some techniques (like cross cutting workpieces), it should not be used while making rip cuts.

Through Rip Cuts

Before beginning each rip cut, make sure your table saw’s motor is off and that the saw blade has completely stopped spinning. Next, set the blade to the required tilt angle and adjust the blade’s elevation to approximately 1/8-inch above the workpiece. After the blade has been properly adjusted, position the rip fence for your rip width and lock it into place.

NOTE: Keep in mind that serious injuries may occur when ripping operations are attempted freehand or improperly: if you are unsure about the functionality or mechanics of your rip fence, please refer to its manual. It will be rich with facts, tips, instructions or any other info you might be searching for (with regard to your rip fence, at least).

Next, position your workpiece so that the grain faces the saw blade head-on and runs parallel to the rip fence. Ensure the workpiece is flat against the table top and flush against the side of the fence. Engage the saw and, using both hands, smoothly, steadily push the workpiece towards the blade. When pushing a workpiece through the blade, you must always maintain at least 6-inches (in every direction) between your hands and the saw blade. Any closer is simply too close.

To avoid positioning your hands too close to a spinning blade, there are a few other positions or methods you can employ. First, if your hand that is furthest from the fence approaches the 6-inch zone, you may either remove that hand entirely and continue the cut with one hand, or you may reposition this hand near your other hand for added support. If both of your hands approach the 6-inch zone, remove both hands and use a push stick (this is often included with your table saw). If your specific cut requires that the rip fence be positioned too close to the blade to use a push stick (this might occur where board lengths are very narrow), you may use an auxiliary fence and push block to make the cut.

NOTE: At the end of this article you will also find instructions for constructing and using a push stick, auxiliary fence and push block.

Continue pushing your workpiece toward the rear of the saw until it clears the blade. Disengage the saw and wait until the blade has come to a complete stop before retrieving the cut-off portion of your workpiece. When rip cutting workpieces that are longer than approximately 4-feet, use rollers, an out-feed table or a similar support system to keep your workpiece from falling off the back of the table.

Non-Through Rip Cuts

When making non-through rip cuts, or cuts that don’t extend through an entire workpiece, the rip cutting process is slightly different. Though most of the above instructions still apply, for non-through cuts, you must remove the blade guard and spreader, and install a riving knife (for Dado cuts, the riving knife is not necessary). Additionally, one or more featherboards should be employed to hold-down the workpiece and to help prevent kickback. Do not use the miter gauge when cutting with featherboards. Clamp the featherboard to the rip fence or to an extender board that is similarly clamped to the rip fence. Additional featherboards may be clamped to the top of the table and against the left side of the workpiece to keep the board snug. Though featherboards can be purchased for this purpose, for instructions on making your own, please see the so titled section at the end of this article.

After securely positing your blade, fence, featherboards and any etceteras that might be required for your specific cut, begin and finish the cut as outlined above. Here, however, stop pushing the workpiece when you have reached the end of your cut-line (rather than the end of your workpiece).

How to Make a Push Stick

A push stick is a very useful safety tool that is relatively simple to construct. Given a good hunk of sturdy and non-conductive material (like a wood scrap or simple plywood), you can build one with only a few cuts and measurements. Begin with a scrap or board that is about a 1/2-inch to 3/4-inches thick and about 9-inches by 16-inches. The push stick itself should be the thickness of that scrap, about 4-inches wide at its middle and widest point, and about 15-inches in total length. Altogether, the shape of the thing should generally resemble a butcher knife with a notch taken from its point. This notch, of course, is designed to grab and better hold a workpieces it pushes. The first 8-inches (the tool’s business end) should begin with a squared notch that is about 1-1/2-inches long (horizontal when the tool is poised to work) and about a 1/2-inch wide (vertical). Both ends of the notch should taper upwards (on about a 1/2-inch slope) until the shape (which would be the blade portion of our butcher knife comparison) has about 4-inches between its top and bottom. The top of the push stick should continue this slope while the bottom of the puss stick should indent about 1-inch, losing enough width to form a comfortable, functional handle. Typically, the handle is about 7-inches long and tapers from about 2-1/2 to 1-1/2-inches wide. The push stick should then culminate at a 1-1/2-inch round forming the butt of the handle. Draw this shape and cut it out of your material. Smooth any rough edges and drill a through hole near the end of the handle allowing you to store the stick on a nail or peg board when not in use.

How to Make an Auxiliary Fence

To make an auxiliary fence, you will need a 3/4-inch thick piece of plywood that is approximately 6-inches by 27-inches, and a 1/2-inch thick piece that is approximately 9-inches by 27-inches. From the 3/4-inch plywood, cut piece A, a rectangular piece that is 2-inches by 24-inches. From the 1/2-inch plywood, cut piece B, a rectangular piece that is 5-1/2-inches by 24-inches. Position a 24-inch length of piece A atop a 24-inch length piece B (forming a right angle) and join them using wood glue and counter-sunk wood screws.

How to Make a Push Block

To make a push block you will need to measure, draw and cut three separate pieces (A, B and C) from two different pieces of plywood. This will require a piece of 3/4-inch plywood that is about 9-inches by 7-inches and a piece of 1/2-inch plywood that is about 8-inches by 9-inches. From the 3/4-inch section, cut piece A, a ‘C’ shaped piece that will become the handle of your push block. The length or “grip” portion of this piece should be 9-inches long and 1-1/2-inches wide. The legs, so to speak, of the handle should be 3-1/2-inches (5-inches total when including the grip section) by 2-inches wide (this renders the underside of the grip 5-inches long. You may choose to round the corners of the grip, but do leave the bottoms of the legs flat and square.

Additionally, although for functionality’s sake cutting-out the handle makes a much more effective push block, you may also choose to leave this a piece complete allowing it to simply be a hump about 5-inches high and 9-inches long.

From the 1/2-inch plywood, you will cut pieces B and C. Piece B will be a simple rectangular shape with a notch in one corner. Cut a piece that is 5-1/4-inches by 9-inches. Cut a 1/2-inch by 7-inch notch from one of the 9-inch lengths leaving one side of the piece now 4-3/4-inches (rather than 5-1/4-inches). From the scrap of that notch (or from the remaining 1/2-inch plywood, cut piece C, a small 1/2-inch by 2-inch rectangular shape. Using wood glue and counter-sunk wood screws, attach piece A (long-wise) to the center of piece B (also long wise) so that piece A, the handle, protrudes upright from piece B and the two form a contraption quite like an iron (yes, an iron; like the iron you’d use to iron your t-shirts). Lastly, using wood glue only, attach piece C to the bottom of the 2-inch hangover on piece B so that its 2-inch length sits flush with piece B’s 2-inch jut.

Rip Cutting With an Auxiliary Fence and Push Block

While following the same rip cutting steps outlined above, to use an auxiliary fence in conjunction with your rip fence, place the auxiliary fence flat on the saw table (piece B down) and about 2-inches back from the front edge of the table. Position and clamp the fence (piece A) against the left side of the rip fence. Next, position and lock the rip fence so that the space between the blade and the left edge of the auxiliary fence is identical to the width you need to cut. Using the auxiliary fence as a guide, slide the workpiece through the saw. If your hands approach the 6-inch zone, use the push block to complete the cut.

How to Make a Featherboard

When building a featherboard, high quality wood without knots or other such weaknesses must be used. A typical featherboard should begin with a 24-inch by 7-1/4-inch rectangle of high quality, 3/4-inch wood. For simplicity’s sake, we will label the corners of the board 1, 2, 3, and 4 moving 0in a clockwise rotation. Next, from corner 3, make a 60-degree through cut towards corner 2. This cut will clip-off corner 1 creating a new, obtuse corner 1, it will give the board a dog-ear kind of shape, and will render the distance between corners 1 and 2 about 4-1/2-inches shorter, or, 19-1/2-inches in total length; this shorter end will now be referred to as Side A. The longer, still 24-inch end, will be referred to as Side B. From obtuse corner 1, measure 4-inches towards corner 2 and mark that spot on your board. From that spot, draw a straight line down from Side A to Side B. That line should stop about 8-1/5-inches from the (now acute) corner 3. Using that straight line as your stopping point, cut small leaf cuts into the dog ear toward your straight line. The leaf cuts, which are most easily made with a bandsaw, can also be cut with your table saw. They should remove strips of material 1/8-inch in width between 1/4-inch sections of board. This feathering technique is where the apparatus gets its name. The leaf cuts should taper in length from about 4-inches (at side A) to 8.5-inches (at side B).

How To Replace a Miter Saw Blade

 

A miter saw is one of the most commonly owned and commonly used power tools in the industry. Accordingly, miter saw blade changes are one of the most common tool maintenance applications. Fortunately, for tool users of all skill levels, changing the blade on a miter saw is easier than you might think. In fact, whether your saw has a blade lock feature or not, changing your miter saw blade requires only a few minutes, a screw driver, an Allen wrench and, in some cases, a hunk of scrap wood.

As with all repair and maintenance procedures, the first step in replacing your miter saw blade is embracing a few safety precautions. Disengage the saw and unplug it; never work on a power tool that has the potential to turn on. You might also throw on your safety glasses because they make everyone look smarter and absolutely stay focused. Handling a blade is always dangerous and particularly so if you’re rushed or distracted. So, keep your eyes on the prize.

The next step is bypassing the blade guard. Slide the guard up slightly. This will reveal the screw that holds the guard to the miter saw. Loosen that screw so that you can slide the blade guard further backward. Slide it back as far as it will go positioning it about 170-degrees behind its usual position. This gives you access to the saw’s locking pin and blade bolt.

Depress the saw’s locking pin (in the very center of the blade) and spin the saw blade until it locks. If your saw does not have a locking pin, wedge your scrap wood (ideally a piece of 2×4) in front of the blade to prevent it from moving. Next, using an Allen wrench (or an open-ended wrench), remove the blade bolt. Though many saws have a reverse threaded blade bolt, the thread pattern is not universal to all miter saws. Accordingly, you should look for an indicator on the tool of which way to loosen the bolt or review your tool’s manual before going to town on it. Remove the flange and finally, remove the blade.

Install the new blade in the same way the former blade was removed. Replace the flange and the blade bolt ensuring the blade bolt is securely tightened.

Slide the blade guard forward and tighten the screw that fastens it to the saw. Replace the guard to its normal working position and, after reengaging the saw and again embracing the safety precautions of miter saw operation, make a few cuts to ensure the saw is in perfect working order.

Lastly, pat yourself on the back for a job well done.

As you can see, replacing the blade on a miter saw is a fairly fast and simple process. Just remember to be careful while doing it. Also keep in mind the necessity of having a sharp, maintained blade: it will enhance both your results and your safety on the job; so, to those who balk at blade changing, do it for the well-being of your projects and for the overall safety of your shop or jobsite.

 

How to Clean Glue and Gunk

From Your Woodworking Tools and Equipment

 

Any one of us that has spent more than a minute or two in the woodshop has certainly made a mess. For better or for worse, these messes often involve glues, adhesives, or other such goopy, gummy gunk. Of course, it is the nature of these substances to stick and, more often than not, to stick to a handful of surfaces aside from the one they’re intended for.  Accordingly, we craftsmen require an arsenal of solutions to eliminate this gunk and to keep our hand tools and woodworking equipment in good, clean, working order. Fortunately, that arsenal is easy to find and easy to use; simply employ the below information to maximaize your shop and the equipment in it.

First, because keeping your tools and working environment clean is an integral characteristic of producing quality craftsmanship, one should always keep a liberal quantity of one or a few of the following (generally mild) solutions in the shop: WD-40, lacquer thinner, turpentine or denatured alcohol. Denatured alcohol is also known as methylated spirits and is essentially ethanol with chemical additives that make it, more or less, extremely poisonous. So, although I hope there is little temptation to consume any of these solvents, don’t drink it. All of these chemicals can be highly dangerous and are extremely flammable. Accordingly, although incredibly helpful to have about the shop, be very cautious with using and storing these solutions; chemical solvents can injure or kill when abused or used foolishly or improperly.

Because they are often used as multipurpose cleaners, these solvents are relatively easy to come by; in fact, you may purchase them at any home improvement or hardware store and usually from your local supermarket as well. These solvents can quickly dissolve wood glue and other industrial adhesives and, in effect, keep your equipment shining clean. (Note: speaking of multipurpose cleaners, you may also use the “green” or organic multipurpose cleaning solutions you’d find on your grocery store’s cleaning isle; they are effective, economical, and you can use them in the house as well as in the shop.)

To attack a gluey or gunky mess, simply arm yourself with one of these solvents, a pair of latex gloves and a clean shop rag. While wearing these latex gloves, apply an appropriate amount of solution to a clean shop rag and commence assault on your problem areas; in other words, simply scrub the gunk away and repeat this process until you have satisfactorily cleaned your equipment. I would also recommend that you employ this practice a little more frequently than just for messy clean-ups; in fact, you should thoroughly rub/wipe down your tools after every use. Also, it is important that you wash/rinse your tools (and rags) after treating them with chemicals.

Although the aforementioned solvents should manage most gunks, if your mess requires something a little more intense than lacquer thinner or denatured alcohol can deliver, you have a few other cleaning options in the form of mineral spirits and acetone. Because these solutions are more dangerous, though,  you must understand and respect these chemicals before you employ them, they are seriously hazardous and extremely flammable – handle them with care and caution.

As for their application, though, use and apply the solutions in the same manner as expressed above. Absolutely wear gloves (you might also wear a mask), apply to a clean shop rag and rub away residual gunk. Thoroughly wash your tools, rags and hands after employing both mineral spirits and acetone and properly store these solvents when you’re finished using them.

And that is just about that. It is good practice to keep your tools clean and to clean them regularly. Clean tools build better project and altogether produce better result and deliver a better working experience.

How to Produce a Better Biscuit Joint:

 

10 Tips for More Effective Biscuit Joinery

 

Because it produces a flush and surprisingly strong joint, biscuit joinery is becoming one of the most common methods of wood joinery in the woodworking industry. Despite the relative simplicity of the process, though, there are a few trade tricks that will ensure your joinery process and subsequent biscuit joints are more efficient and professional. Incorporate the following ten tips and fast become a better biscuit joiner.

Better Biscuit Joinery Begins With These 10 Tips:

 

1. Before You Cut, Test-Cut

Of course, practice makes every performance more polished and while it’s good to accumulate experience, it is also important to remain humble in the face of your project; it is important to practice and analyze a cut before pouncing directly upon your workpiece. Accordingly, you should perform a test-cut in a scrap section of your working material. This allows you to gather a better feeling for your workpiece and presents an opportunity to plop a biscuit in that practice slot. This ensures you won’t encounter any surprises, jaw-droppers or knee-slappers when you engage the actual workpiece.

2. Dig a Little Deeper

To allow a little room for your biscuit to grow on and to ensure your workpieces can come together perfectly flush, cut your biscuit slots approximately 1/32nds of an inch deeper than half of the width of their corresponding biscuit. Do this on both workpieces to ensure a clean fit, a clean joint, and a spot of extra space for your biscuit to swell in.

3. Bigger Biscuits are Better

As a rule, where a joint has greater gluing surface area, the stronger that joint will be. Accordingly, when determining which biscuit size you should employ for your project, the largest biscuit that will fit is usually the best biscuit to use. Incorporating the most biscuit unfailingly results in a stronger wood joint. Despite that fact, though, it is important to appropriately down-size your biscuit when working more narrow or more delicate projects.

4. One is the Loneliest Number

If the workpieces being joined are or are greater than one-inch in thickness, use two biscuits (rather than one single biscuit) at each slot. This enhances the strength of the joint allowing it to better withstand the force of the workpieces being joined; preserve the resilience of the joint with a companion biscuit.

5. Biscuit Bandages:

Despite both experience and perfectionism, some mistakes are inevitable. Accordingly, there are a few impending errors looming in any crafter’s biscuit joinery future. Don’t fear these blunders, though, because a biscuit can also be a bandage. If you mis-cut a slot, simply glue in a biscuit, allow it to set, and trim it flush with the edge of your workpiece. This allows you a second chance (or even a third or fourth chance) to get that slot in the right place.

6. Facial Recognition

When cutting slots into adjoining boards, it is crucial that you cut each piece with the same face facing you. In other words, to ensure your slots will align and that your workpieces will come together flush, if you cut slots in one piece with the front face facing towards you, you must also cut the second piece with its front face facing towards you. Otherwise, you’ll almost certainly encounter a sciwompus joint.

7. Dump the Dust

Empty your dust bag often; this ensures a happier tool and cleaner, more accurate cuts. Of course, your dust collection system should always be engaged while cutting and you should always keep yourself protected with safety glasses and a face mask. Dust collection and a clean work environment are key elements to a high-functioning tool and an efficient work shop.

8. Trial Run

Before you go ahead and squeeze your own weight in glue onto your project, it is a good idea to put all the pieces together dry. Pre-assembling your joints (before applying any wood glue) allows you to ensure that all points are matching up as they should. Assemble the joints dry before gluing them down to establish that all edges are flush and that all slots are aligned.

9. Make the Most of Your Wiggle Room

Because the biscuit slot is a bit larger than the biscuit itself, after you’ve glued and assembled a joint (but before the glue sets the joint), you should have a bit of wiggle room. As such, this joining technique is one of life’s only methods that grants a little leeway; use it to your advantage. If your joint isn’t sitting exactly flush or is in one small way or another misaligned, push it around a little bit. The additional elbow room should allow you to maneuver and clamp the joint into a more desirable position.

10. Respect the Blade

The circular saw blade in your biscuit or plate joiner does a lot of work. Carving biscuit slots is a dirty enterprise and, accordingly, this blade can get a little dirty, too. To ensure the smoothest slot cutting and a longer life for your blade, keep the blade clean. Carefully and frequently wipe the blade and treat it to a little WD-40 after a long day. Additionally, although I want to promote a good, lasting relationship between you and your blade, if it becomes too warn to perform or begins to burn your workpieces, you should invest in a new one.

Altogether, and especially with these few tips, biscuit joinery is a rewarding practice that allows woodworkers to easily produce a strong, accurate wood joint. Apply these tips to your joining process and you’ll create a better joint for it.

How to Know Which Router Bit You Need:

Everything You Need to Know About Router Bits

  

WHAT IS A ROUTER BIT?

A router bit is a cutting tool used with a router to rout out (or hollow out) spaces in the surface of a generally hard workpiece. Although routers and router bits are more commonly used in woodworking applications like cabinetry and carpentry, these cutting tools can also perform in metals, plastics and various other materials. Essentially, though, these cutters are used to create joinery aids (like a dovetail joint) or to embellish work pieces with decorative or ornate effects (like formed edges, intricate inlays or surface work). With the right router bit, users can cut, trim, and shape workpieces with staggering versatility; these bits are available in numerous profiles and can be custom fabricated to create virtually any profile conceivable.

TYPES OF ROUTER BIT

Of course, there are many different types of router bit and although they all serve the same general purpose, they each do different things and achieve different results. A good router bit, though, should be sharp, should retain its sharp edge, and should be well balanced; this produces a bit that will last longer and will “chatter” or vibrate less during use. Conversely, bits of lesser quality tend to wear faster, chip easier, and chatter more aggressively. The following, then, is a basic breakdown of how router bits are most commonly categorized and their respective routing applications.

Cutter Type:

For the most part, router bits can be divided into three major types: fluted cutters, profile cutters and helical cutters. Fluted cutters are used for edging and trimming, profile cutters are used for trimming and shaping, and helical cutters, while mostly used in more easily machined (softer) materials, are designed for trimming, shaping and drilling. Of course, within these three groups, bits can be (and are) more specifically categorized – this will be reflected in greater detail below.

Construction:

Similarly, drill bits are usually fabricated with one of three compositions: solid high-speed steel (HSS), carbide tips, or solid carbide. HSS bits are the least expensive; they dull more quickly and, accordingly, are used primarily to trim laminate or for work in softer workpieces. Carbide tipped bits are the most universal bit type as they are more durable and perform (at least) reasonably well in all applications. Of course, these are more expensive than HSS bits, but they are equip to manage harder materials and they retain their sharp edges for longer periods. Solid carbide bits, as one would assume, are the most expensive and highest-performing bit type. While some might argue that their solid carbide construction is superfluous, they are durable and deliver beautiful results. Because of their cost, though, solid carbide bits are generally used by only the most practiced woodworkers.

Router bits can also be classified as edge bits, non-edge bits, or anti-kickback bits. Edge bits include a small wheel bearing which acts as a fence against each workpiece; these wheel bearings can be changed to alter the diameter of the cutting edge. Non-edge bits do not have this wheel bearing and therefore a fence (either attached to the workpiece, the router itself or to the router table) must be used with these bits. Anti-kickback bits, on another hand, feature non-cutting material surrounding the bit’s “shoulders.” This additional girth around the bit limits the material feed rate which, in turn, protects the workpiece from over-eager bit progress. This reduces the risk of kickback which occurs when a bit bites and catches the material it’s cutting. This is usually the result of material feeding too quickly. The girth of ant-kickback bits also allows the bit to stay cooler which reduces the likelihood of burnishing and allows the bit to better retain its sharpness.

Shank:

Router bits are also differentiated by the diameter of their shank or the portion of the bit that fits into the router collet. Shank sizes commonly range from about 1/2” to about 3/8.” Although 1/2” shank bits are typically more expensive, they are also the most popular as the thickness of their shank lends durability (in their stiffness) and also less vibration during use. Bits of a smaller shank diameter tend to be less durable and more chattery. Altogether, a 1/2” shank bit will usually deliver the smoothest cuts and due to their greater rigidity, many larger profile bits are only available with this 1/2” shank. Similarly, some smaller or more specialized bits are only available with a 1/4” shank.

The shank of a router bit and a router collet must have the same diameter to be used together. Of course, collets of different diameters are available for purchase and are frequently included with the router itself. Adapters may also be purchased to help different bit shank sizes fit more comfortably.

Speed:

In order to cut, trim, and shape efficiently, router bits spin at very high speeds (ranging from approximately 8,000 RPM to 30,000 RPM). Because router bits are shaped and sized differently, though, all router bits can not / should not spin at the same speeds. For example, because larger bits have more girth and weight spinning about, they also have a much greater potential to vibrate or be, in some other capacity, out of control. Larger bits, then, should be used at lower speeds. Similarly, bits that spin too slowly can burnish and damage your materials. Accordingly, manufacturer guidelines should always be reviewed and implemented before engaging a bit.

Although, as a generality, faster speeds are more advantageous while working with router bits (they ordinarily yield a much smoother cut), speed isn’t the only factor that contributes to the quality of your cutting results. The sharpness and composition of any given bit, the material being cut, the type of router being used, feed rate, and various other factors play into the results produced by your bits. Accordingly, it will behoove you to run bits at appropriate speeds before assuming the faster you spin them the smoother your results will be.

ROUTER BIT PROFILES AND APPLICATIONS:

As aforementioned, there are numerous bit designs and, according to that profile, each bit has a different specialization. The following, then, briefly sums-up (in alphabetical order) the most common bit types and the things those bits do best.

Ball End Router Bits:

As the name indicates, ball end bits have a ball or sphere shaped formation at their bottom which routs out channels for pipes and cables.

Bullnose Router Bits:

Bullnose bits are designed to create a (convex) rounded edge on the front edge of a workpiece.

 

Chamfering Router Bits:

Chamfering bits produce a clean angled bevel cut. These are commonly used in joinery for concealed joints and beveled edges in constructions with multiple sides. Chamfer bits are also used to create a decorative (albeit plain) angled edge.

Combination Router Bits:

Combination bits are primarily used in trimming to trim softer materials and, particularly, veneers.

Core Box or Round Nose Router Bits:

Core box or round nose bits produce a half-round groove or a groove or cove with a rounded bottom. They are commonly used for fluting and reeding.

Corner Round Router Bits:

Corner round bits are designed to create a rounded corner on a workpiece (usually furniture).

 

Drawer Lip Router Bits:

Drawer lip bits are used to create the the acting pull-handle on the fronts of pull-handle drawers and cabinets.

Edge Forming Router Bits:

Edge forming bits (like an edge beading bit) are used primarily to create a decorative edge on a workpiece. These bits often include a pilot bearing for guidance and are ordinarily used to create a final decorative feature. Because these bits are almost singularly used for embellishment and can take-on virtually any profile conceivable, there are many different types available. To name a few of the most common edge forming bit types, one will commonly encounter edge beading bits, cove bits, ogee (or Roman ogee) bits and round over bits.

        - Bead and Double Bead Router Bits:

Bead bits create a decorative quarter-round convex profile. Double bead bits do this twice with one quarter-round running directly below the other.

       

        - Cove Router Bits:

Cove bits are used to create a concave (or indented) quarter-round into the edge of a material.

       

 

        - Edge Beading Router Bits:

Edge beading bits are used to cut decorative half-round profiles called “beads” into the edge or corner of a workpiece. This edge typically features a small lip or fillet at the top and bottom of the convex half-circle cut.

        - Ogee Router Bits:

Ogee bits have an “S” shaped profile and produce an “S” shaped edge on a workpiece. These decorative edges have one convex hump and one concave cove (like an “S”) and usually have a small fillet at the top and bottom of the cut. This delivers a more traditional or “antique” finish.

        - Round Over Router Bits:

Round over bits produce a perfectly rounded edge on a workpiece. These are commonly used in cabinet and furniture making.

 

Finger Grip Router Bits:

Finger grip bits shape the drawer pull handles on the front edges of some drawers and cabinets.

Flush Trim Router Bits:

As the name implies, flush trim router bits are used to trim the edge of one material to be flush with the edge of another material. They are often used to flush veneers or to produce identical shapes in multiple workpieces. These bits are used with a pilot bearing that may be positioned at the top of the bit or at the base of the cutting edge.

Fluting Router Bits:

Fluting bits are used to carve flutes (or a concave profile) into a workpiece (usually molding).

 

Joinery Router Bits:

Joinery bits are used to produce a specialized type of groove for a precision joint. These, then, are used in virtually all types of construction where one workpiece must be joined to another. The most popular joinery bits are dovetail bits, drawer lock bits, finger joint bits, lock miter bits and tongue-and-groove bits.

        - Dovetail Router Bits:

Dovetail bits are used to create a strong joint between materials and are ordinarily used in cabinetry, frames and shelving. They are available in a huge variety of angles and involve carving interlocking mortises and tenons (usually fan-shaped) into an adjoining workpiece.

        - Drawer Lock Router Bits:

Drawer lock bits are designed specifically for the joining of perpendicular pieces (like the joining of drawer sides to drawer fronts) and should always be used with a router table. They create a wedge-shaped tenon.

        - Finger Joint Router Bits:

Finger joint bits have a series of thin horizontal cutters that protrude from the bit (like fingers). When this profile is cut into two separate pieces, the grooves/extensions interlock to create a strong end or edge joint with a greater gluing surface area. Some finger joint bits feature adjustable cutters.

        - Lock Miter Router Bits:

Lock miter bits have a reputation for being difficult to use but create durable and (when used properly) perfectly aligned miter joints with a large surface area for gluing.

       

        - Tongue-and-Groove Router Bits:

Tongue-and-groove bits are used in pairs to create a tongue-and-groove joint in a workpiece. This joins workpieces together edge-to-edge (where one piece has a thin, deep ridge (tongue) and the other has a slot (groove); these pieces are pushed tightly together to form the joint).

Keyhole Router Bits or Keyhole Slotters:

Keyhole bits are used to cut the keyhole shaped slots found on the backs of hanging workpieces like picture frames. These slots, of course, aide in the hanging of these pieces.

Molding Router Bits:

Molding bits are used to create complex ornamental profiles in architectural and furniture moldings and are usually much larger than a typical edge forming bit. They can incorporate multiple profiles onto one bit and produce ornate edging for molding pieces. As these bits are more substantial, they are almost always used with a router table.

Mortise Router Bits:

Mortise bits are used to carve mortises (or square shaped slots). These are used for joinery and for carving spaces for hardware such as hinges and lock sets.

Rabbeting Router Bit:

Rabbeting bits are used to create rabbets or notches in the edge of a material. These cuts/notches are vertically and horizontally straight and create a step shaped profile. Rabbeting bits utilize a pilot bearing which is positioned at the top of the bit and guides it along the edge of a workpiece. Using pilot bearings of different diameters allows one rabbeting bit to produce cuts (rabbets) in multiple sizes.

Raised Panel Router Bit:

Raised panel bits are available in both vertical and horizontal configurations and are typically used (with a stile and rail bit – see below) to create profiled, decorative edges on a panel (i.e doors). Horizontal raised panel bits cut profiles while the panel being cut is flat (horizontal) on a work table. Vertical raised panel bits cut profiles into a panel while said panel is on its edge, and, because their radius is much smaller, are usually considered safer and simpler to operate.

Spiral Router Bits:

Spiral router bits are designed quite like a spiral drill bit with flutes ground around the body of the bit to form a sharp spiral profile. They are available in up-cut and down-cut configurations and, while ideal for plunge cutting, they are also used for edge forming, cutting, and trimming in a variety of materials.

Stile and Rail Router Bits:

In frame and panel construction, stile and rail bits are designed to create ornamental edges and panel slots in the edge of a workpiece (most commonly in raised panel doors and custom cabinets). These ordinarily come in sets of two matched bits but are also available singularly.

Straight Router Bits:

Straight bits come in a variety of cutting diameters and are designed to make straight cuts into a material to hollow-out an area or to produce a grove or dado in a workpiece (usually for a mortise or inlay). Straight bits are very common and may also be used for dado joining and for general material cutting.

V-Groove Router Bits:

V-groove bits are used to carve a “V” shaped groove into a workpiece. While ideal for miter folds, these bits are commonly used in lettering and sign-making.

Veining Router Bits:

Veining bits are designed to create decorative cut-in designs. They are commonly used for free-hand work and lettering.

TIPS FOR OPTIMIZING YOUR ROUTER BITS:

 

To conclude this journey through router bit basics, the following are a few tips to help you optimize your router bits and your experience with them.

First, you should always store your router bits separately from one another (perhaps even in their own individual cubbies). Because router bits are both heavy and fragile, you want to minimize their contact with anything they are not presently cutting. Don’t allow your bits to roll about bumping and knocking into other objects under which circumstance they will most certainly chip.

Second, keep your router bits sharp. Dull bits can damage your materials and will produce generally poor cuts. Like many other cutters, router bits can be sharpened to keep their edge.

Third, be cautious of how you handle your router. Both forcing a bit and moving one too slowly can cause overheating in both the bit and the router. An overheated bit can damage workpieces and can lose temper (which diminishes the integrity of the bit) and an overheated tool can result in internal and sometime irreparable damage. The sound your tool makes as you cut is usually a fairly good indicator of whether or not you are properly paced.

Everything You Need to Know About Table Saw Kickback

and Kickback Prevention

 

What is Table Saw Kickback?

 

Table saw kickback is, plainly and simply, gnarly; its frightening, dangerous, damaging and surprisingly common. Kickback occurs during a cut when, for one of a few reasons, a piece of wood stock is violently flung from a table saw and back towards its operator. The stock is propelled by the force and momentum of the saw’s engaged blade and catapulted back at the user at speeds that can reach (or exceed) one-hundred miles per hour. Accordingly, it is not unheard of for a piece of material to lodge itself into a wall, to damage other shop equipment, or to cause serious injury (and, although less commonly, death) to the user behind the machine. In short, table saw kickback can be pretty terrifying.

How is Kickback Caused?

 

Table Saw Limitations:

The kickback phenomenon is the result of a variety of defects existing with or caused by the saw, the blade, the stock and, of course, by the operator. In fact, the majority of table saw kickback accidents are the result of operator error. To begin, however, with machinery limitations, kickback commonly occurs where lower power machines are asked to perform tasks that are too aggressive. When confronted with a catch, a bind or some other anomaly that slows the blade during a cut, where a more powerful saw can cut through the catch, a smaller saw can’t maintain momentum, its blade catches the workpiece and forces the stock to kickback at the operator. The actual girth of a machine also contributes to the momentum it is capable of producing; if a saw’s arbor and the motor’s rotor are heavy, this will usually generate enough force to push the blade through an abrupt obstruction. 

Improper Blade Use:

Like a machinery limitation, defects in a table saw’s blade are also notable agitators in the kickback movement. In certain circumstances, anything from a dull blade to a dirty blade can spit your workpiece back at you. In fact, dull, dirty, broken, bent or warped blades can cause kickback. Each of these cosmetic defects forces too much contact between wood and blade, generates too much friction heat, and grossly increases the chances that your blade will bite into your stock and fire back at you.

Using a blade that is not designed for the application being performed is another precursor to kickback. The most frequent errors in this camp involve operators using blades that are too fine or two small. Where a blade is too small (or doesn’t reach (on average) 1” to 1-1/2” above the stock being cut), the only downward pressure applied to the blade is manual and usually not sufficient. Eventually, the forward movement of the stock forces the piece upward with the forward edge of the blade; this, of course, will fling a workpiece in the direction the blade is spinning (which happens to be directly at the user). Additionally, where too-small blades are being used, more saw teeth are inside a workpiece at any given time and each saw tooth passes through a greater amount of material before exiting the stock. This generates excess heat, friction, and drag on the motor causing the motor to perform much closer to its stall level and encouraging a little (or a lot of) kickback.

Quite like a blade that is too small, a blade that is too fine does not provide enough downward force on a workpiece and similarly encourages lift-off. Accordingly, for your personal safety and for the integrity of your results, always use a saw blade that is designed for the task you’re performing. This will enhance the performance of your saw and the outcome of your work. You must also ensure your blades are clean, sharp, straight and intact; otherwise, you’ll end up with less-than-perfect results and possibly a piece of stock in your thigh.

Wood and Workpieces:

Kickback can also be caused by the wood or stock that’s being cut. In fact, under a few circumstances your workpiece itself might be the the biggest contributor to kickback. Stock with a twisting, knotted or locked grain, one with internal pressure, or wood that is wet or pitchy (sappy) will commonly result in kickback. These characteristics in a workpiece will introduce obstructions and obstacles between the blade and the stock and will produce too much friction during the cut. As aforementioned, this can forced the saw blade to bite and spit. Where pieces of sheet stock are thin, kickback can also occur if the stock is flexible enough to curl with the rotation of the blade (or if the sheet happens to be curled already). Accordingly, it is important to ensure your sheet stock is not allowed to lift off the saw table. Where sheet stock is wider than it is long, it is also crucial to ensure that that workpiece is not allowed to twist with the saw blade’s rotation (it is recommended that users employ a miter gauge to hold large pieces square). If lift or rotation occurs, a saw tooth (usually nearer the rear) will catch the piece and launch it forward; this causes the blade to dig rather than cut and produces, of course, kickback.

Operator Error:

To address those few human-error instances where kickback is, really, an eventuality – if your table saw’s fence is positioned with even the slightest skew towards the blade, you will experience kickback. If there is insufficient downward pressure on the workpiece as it is fed into the saw, you will experience kickback. If you force a workpiece too quickly into a machine, if you force a machine to perform a task it cannot perform, if you use blades that are not designed for the task being performed, if you release a workpiece before is has entirely passed through the blade, if you attempt to cut a workpiece freehand, if you tilt the blade so that traps a workpiece between itself and the fence as it is fed through the saw, or if a workpiece is allowed or forced to move upward or sideways during a cut, you will experience kickback. In short, there a quite a few things that can elicit a kickback reaction. The best prevention, then, is focus and thoughtfulness in the shop. Don’t lose sight of the present and remember that if a saw blade is not cutting stock, it’s forcing it backward.

To explain with a trifle more depth, though, and to begin with your fence – as stock is fed into a machine with the aforementioned imperfect setup (skewed towards the blade), it will become pinched between the blade and the fence. Quite like trying to force a large peg into a smaller hole, the stock will not continue to feed into an opening that is not at least as wide as itself. As the pinching pressure grows too great, the stock will be pushed (by the fence) into the back of the blade and forced back out of the machine towards the operator.

To ensure your fence is not the maniac behind a kickback attack, users must ensure that their table saw’s fence is either exactly parallel to the blade or, better yet, ever-so-slightly (perhaps the width of a piece of paper or card stock) skewed away from the blade. This ensures your stock has a clean, clear path through the blade and out the saw. Essentially, users must never allow the fence to be closer to the rear of the blade than the front.

As for keeping your grip, one should never let go of a workpiece in action. Despite staring horrified into the face of an impending kickback, do not let go of your stock. Your steadfastness might even prevent the kickback from occurring. Although there are certainly some circumstances that require an operator to abandon ship, for the most part, holding your ground is the safer alternative. Do not release a workpiece until it is past the blade and been removed from the saw.

In the event of imperfect initial stock placement (stock must be placed with the edge exactly butted against the fence) or a lack of downward pressure upon the workpiece as it’s fed, a “scewing” in the stock will occur that will trap a workpiece between the blade and the fence. Accordingly, one must always use the rip fence to guide stock while ripping and always keep downward pressure on the stock as it feeds. Additionally, not only does freehand cutting result in poor, crooked cuts, it can similarly trap stock and kick it back.

Riving Knives:

And finally, at the risk of now writing far too many words, kickback can also be caused by your riving knife. “What?!” You might exclaim, “my riving knife?!” And the answer will be “yes,” even your riving knife, that brilliant little device designed to prevent kickback from occurring can sometimes be the instrument behind it. Although having and properly using a riving knife will exponentially reduce the occurrence of table saw kickback, when used sloppily it can also throw a little wrench into your system. If your riving knife, who’s purpose is (in a very small nutshell) to keep a cut separated as a workpiece feeds through a table saw and to eliminate pressure on the blade from that workpiece as it feeds, is the same thickness as the kerf of your blade (the kerf being, simply, the width of the cut it produces or, of the cutting teeth themselves) it should be aligned with the blade. If the riving knife is thinner than the kerf of the blade, it should be aligned with the edge of the kerf that is closest to the fence. This should eliminate the riving knife from pinching or pushing and keep operators far more kickback free.

Conclusion:

So, in brief, use your saw and its corresponding accessories cautiously and correctly. Be conscious of the act you are performing, of the condition of your saw, and of the stock you are manipulating. This, although certainly a brain-full of information, should keep you running smooth and keep kickback at bay.