Woodstock SHOP FOX W1824 - Manual (Page 10)

Df[\cN(/)+('?pYi`[KXYc\JXn
-8-
J8
=
<
K
P
Additional Safety for Table Saws
HAND POSITIONING. Touching a spinning
saw blade will cause serious laceration or
amputation injuries. Never purposely touch
a saw blade during operation. Always keep
hands/fingers out of the blade path; place
them where they cannot slip into the blade
accidentally. Never reach around, behind, or
over the blade.
BLADE GUARD. Operating the saw with the
blade guard removed greatly increases the risk
of severe laceration or amputation injuries
from accidental blade contact. Use the
blade guard for all “through cuts”. A through
cut is an operation where the blade cuts
completely through the top of the workpiece.
Make sure the blade guard is installed and
adjusted correctly; promptly repair or replace
it if damaged. Always re-install blade guard
immediately after operations that require its
removal.
RIVING KNIFE. The riving knife keeps the kerf
open behind the blade, which reduces the
risk of kickback. Use the riving knife for all
“non-through cuts”. A non-through cut is
an operation where the blade does not cut
through the top of the workpiece. Make sure
the riving knife is aligned and positioned
correctly; and promptly repair or replace it
if damaged. Using the riving knife incorrectly
will increase the risk of kickback or accidental
blade contact.
KICKBACK. Kickback occurs when the saw
blade ejects the workpiece back toward the
operator. Know how to reduce the risk of
kickback, and learn how to protect yourself if
it does occur.
FENCE. Using or adjusting the fence incorrectly
will increase risk of kickback. Make sure the
fence remains properly adjusted and parallel
with the blade. Always lock the fence in place
before operation.
FEEDING WORKPIECE. Feeding the workpiece
incorrectly will increase risk of kickback. Never
start the saw with a workpiece touching the
blade; allow the blade to reach full speed
before cutting. Only feed the workpiece against
the direction of blade rotation. Always use
some type of guide (fence, miter gauge, sliding
table or sled, etc.) to feed the workpiece in
a straight line. Never back a workpiece out of
a cut or try to move it backwards or sideways
after starting a cut. Feed cuts all the way
through to completion. Never perform any
operation “freehand” (making a cut without
using a fence, miter gauge, or other guide).
PUSH STICKS/BLOCKS. Use push sticks or push
blocks whenever possible to keep your hands
farther away from the blade while cutting. In
the event of an accident, these devices will
often take damage that would have happened
to hands/fingers.
CUT-OFF PIECES. Never use your hands to move
cut-offs away from the blade while the saw is
running. If a cut-off becomes trapped between
the blade and table insert, turn the saw OFF
and allow the blade to completely stop before
removing it.
BLADE ADJUSTMENTS. Adjusting the blade
height or tilt during operation increases the
risk of crashing the blade and sending metal
fragments flying with deadly force at the
operator or bystanders. Only adjust the blade
height and tilt when the saw is turned OFF and
the blade is completely stopped.
DAMAGED SAW BLADES. Never use blades that
have been dropped or otherwise damaged.
Damaged blades can fly apart and strike the
operator with shards of metal.
DADO AND RABBET OPERATIONS. DO NOT
attempt dado or rabbeting operations without
first reading those sections in this manual.
Dado and rabbeting operations require special
attention because they must be performed
with the blade guard removed.