Woodstock SHOP FOX W1824 - Manual (Page 33)

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Riving Knife
The riving knife works in the same manner as the
spreader on the blade guard assembly. It is a metal plate
that prevents the newly cut workpiece from pinching the
backside of the blade and causing kickback.
The key difference between the spreader and the riving
knife is that the riving knife mounts below the blade's
highest point of rotation, as shown in Figure 43.
The height difference between the riving knife and the
blade allows the workpiece to pass over the blade during
non-through cuts (those in which the blade does not cut
all the way through the thickness of the workpiece).
The riving knife acts as a barrier behind the blade to
reduce the risk of hands being pulled into the blade if a
kickback occurs.
The riving knife must be spaced away from the blade, as
shown in Figure 44.
Riving Knife Installation
The riving knife is installed in a similar manner to the
blade guard and spreader. Refer to Blade Guard Assembly
on Page 28 for installation instructions.
When to Use the Riving Knife
Use the riving knife for all non-through cuts made with a
standard table saw blade (i.e., dadoes or rabbet cuts, and
when using a tenoning jig), or when using a 10" diameter
dado blade.
Also, use the riving knife for those special operations
where the blade guard or its components get in the way
of safe operation, such as with very narrow cuts.
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Figure 43. Height difference between the
riving knife and blade.
When Not to Use the Riving Knife
Do not use the riving knife with a dado
blade that has a diameter smaller than 10"
in diameter. Otherwise, the riving knife
height will exceed the blade height and
the workpiece will hit the riving knife
during the cut, forcing the operator into
a dangerous situation of trying to turn the
saw off with the workpiece stuck halfway
through the cut.
In addition, although it is possible to
use the riving knife for through-cutting
operations, the blade guard assembly offers
much more injury protection and risk
reduction than the riving knife. Therefore,
we strongly recommend that you use the
blade guard assembly instead of the riving
knife when making through cuts.
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Figure 44. Allowable distance ranges
between the riving knife and blade.