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12.0 Safety devices Feather board
The feather board (Figure 42) should be made
of straight grain hardwood approximately 1" thick
and 4" to 8" wide depending on the size of t he
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 t apped holes
in the table top allow the use of wi ng nuts and
washers as a method of clamping. If this method
of fastening is used, provide slots i n the feat her
board for adjustment. (The illustratio n shows a
method of attaching and use of the feather
board as a vertical comb. The hori zontal
application is essentially the same except that
the attachment is to the table top.)
Figure 42
Filler piece
A filler piece (Figure 43) is neces sar y f or narrow
ripping and permits the blade guard to remain on
the machine. It also provides space for t he safe
use of a push stick.
Figure 43 – Filler Piece
Push stick & push block
The use of a push block or push stick provides
an added level of safety for the operator. A p ush
stick is included with your table saw, but you
may wish to make others personalized for
different cutting procedures. The templates in
Figures 44 and 45 offer construction details.
Figure 44 – Push Block Template