12.0 Safety devices
Feather board
Feather boards can be purchased at most tool stores, or made by the operator to suit particular applications. The feather board (Figure 44) should be made of straight grain hardwood approximately 1" thick and 4" to 8" wide depending on the size of the machine. The length is developed in accordance with intended use.
Feather boards can be fastened to the table or rip |
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fence by use of |
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tapped holes in the table top allow the use of wing |
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nuts and washers as a method of clamping. If this |
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method of fastening is used, provide slots in the |
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feather board for adjustment. (The illustration |
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shows a method of attaching and use of the |
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feather board as a vertical comb. The horizontal |
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application is essentially the same except that the |
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attachment is to the table top.) | Figure 45 – Filler Piece |
Push stick and push block
The use of a push block or push stick provides an added level of safety for the operator. A push stick is included with your table saw, but you may wish to make others personalized for different cutting procedures. The templates in Figures 46 and 47 offer construction details.
Figure 46 – Push Block Template
Figure 44
Filler piece
A filler piece (Figure 45) is necessary for narrow ripping and permits the blade guard to remain on the machine. It also provides space for the safe use of a push stick.
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