Table saw - setup and use

[Pyromaniac]

Ok - I have just refurbished my fathers old table saw, old but barely used. I found it as a complete top with motor and saw attached, and the stand and fence rails as a pile of parts.

I would guess it was a 'cheap' diy type one - not a woodworking workshop model.

It is a Power Performance 1800W ( FMTC 1800ST )

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I have removed the guards, riving knife and blade, cleaned out all the old sawdust and put it back together with a brand new blade.

I have rebuilt the stand and put it all back together.

It took a fair while to figure out how to attach the fence rails and how they worked.

Below is rebuilt - less the fence rails being attached and less the blade being swapped for a new one.

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I have yet to figure out how the switch was attached.

Not used it to cut anything yet, but it has been powered up, starts up instantly and seems to be braked as stops in a few seconds.

I have some questions though - being new to table saws and their use.

1. The riving knife is currently set very high like in the picture - and is set about 10mm away from the blade. What is it's ideal setting? above - level with the top - below ?

2. I want to resize some 6 x 2 boards - to make 3 x 1 (or nearest allowing for cutting waste)

Guessing here that removing the guard and doing this as one pass then flipping over the board and doing it again from the other side is a no no as this machine is not big or heavy enough and has no appropriate fences and guides? There is an extension piece that fits on the wing nuts to the left in the pic - adding 3 feet of extra bed length.

3. As above - can I safely do the above but by ripping the boards down the middle first - then cutting the resulting 3 x 2 into 3 x 1?

The label appears to say 4" depth is ok - but what should I be looking out for, or doing, to cut timber like this as it will be on its narrow edge and close to the blade.

I found the original push stick - 8 inches of plastic and binned it - and will be making one around 18" long instead!

I know about kickback - and staying out of the way of behind the timber where possible.

Yes - the floor is now clear of crap too.....

Any advice welcome.

Many Thanks

Gerry

 

[Deleted member 174758]

1. Riving knife needs to be about 2 to 4mm from the blade. A rivingbknife which Carrie's the crown guards pretty much always sits above the blade meaning that without removing (a dangerous option) it you cannot rip deeper than the blade projection above the table top

2. It's up to you what you do, but removing the crown guards and riving knife then using any table saw is downright dangerous. With 4in depth of cut you could always consider sawing 6 x 2 to 6 x 1in then reducing 6 x 1 to 3 x 1 as you say, though. Note that if the timber is longer than about 400mm you will need to.set up a run off table at the rear of the saw to support the work as you feed it through (unless you find yourself a helper who can resist the temptation to pull work through and who will support the work as you feed it through). Remember that you'll need one or better a pair of birdsmouth push sticks to finish the cut off (NOT one of those dreadful American-style ⁷push sticks which allows your hand to run past or over the blade - they are downright dangerous and are rightly banned from professional workshop or site use). Try to cut timber on the flat face as opposed edge wherever possible and always keep your hands at least 400mm or 16in away from the blade

 

[Pyromaniac]

Thanks for the riving knife information, I have no intention whatsoever of removing the riving knife to use the saw - my original post says I removed it and the blade to clean everything out - then put it all back together with a new blade. I might not have been too clear though.

With the extension piece added, the table to the rear that the timber is pushed onto will give around 4.5 feet from the blade to the rear.

The push sticks I have in mind will be a home made something - similar to this https://www.scosarg.com/aigner-magnetic-push-stick but longer. Not one of those with a lip at the back which sits on top of the wood.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

With a 4.5 foot run off table you can rip 8 to 9ft on your own. Longer than that and you need a helper or a roller stand

That was the type of push stick I was referring to.

I'd recommend you go off and read WIS16 on the HSE web site as it is full of useful info on safe saw set up and usage

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Sorry, WIS16 Circular Saw Benches - Safe Working Practices. A good read without being all "nanny state"

 

[big-all]

your nvr/stop switch will go in the top lh corner on the front face
so you will probably have an extra hole in the grey top to accommodate it where it connects to the leg or even a bit lower but always on the lh side to allow you to stand off to the side off the blade and stop easily in an emergency from a position off safety