OPERATION
CROSSCUTTING
Crosscutting requires the use of the miter gauge to position and guide
the work. Place the work against the miter gauge and advance both the
miter gauge and work toward the saw blade, as shown in Fig. 10. The
miter gauge may be used in either table slot, however, most operators
prefer the left groove for average work. When bevel cutting (blade tilted),
use the table groove that does not cause interference of your hand or
miter gauge with the saw blade guard.
Start the cut slowly and hold the work firmly against the miter gauge and
the table. One of the rules in running a saw is that you never hang onto
or touch a free piece of work. Hold the supported piece, not the free piece
that is cut off. The feed in crosscutting continues until the work is cut in
two, then the miter gauge and work are pulled back to the starting point.
Before pulling the work back it is good practice to give the work a little
sideways shift to move the work slightly away from the saw blade.
Never pick up any short length of free work from the table while the saw
is running. A smart operator never touches a cut-off piece unless it is at
least a foot long. Never use the fence as a cut-off gauge when cross
cutting.
For added safety and convenience the miter gauge can be fitted with an
auxiliary wood-facing that should be at least 1 inch higher than the
maximum depth of cut, and should extend 12 inches or more on either
side of the blade. This auxiliary wood facing can be fastened to the front
of the miter gauge by using two wood screws through the holes provided
in the miter gauge body and into the wood-facing.
RIPPING
Ripping is the operation of making a lengthwise cut through a board, as
shown in Fig. 11, and the rip fence is used to position and guide the work.
One edge of the work rides against the rip fence while the flat side of the
board rest on the table. Since the work is pushed along the fence, it must
have a straight edge and make solid contact with the table. The saw
guard must be used. The guard has anti-kickback fingers and a splitter
to prevent the saw kerf from closing.
Start the motor and advance the work holding it down and against the
fence. Never, stand in the line of the saw cut when ripping. Hold the work
with both hands and push it along the fence and into the saw blade as
shown in Fig. 11. The work can then be fed through the saw blade with
one or two hands.
When this is done the work will either stay on the table, tilt up slightly and
be caught by the rear end of the guard or slide off the table to the floor.
Alternately, the feed can continue to the end of the table, after which the
work is lifted and brought back along the outside edge of the fence. The
waste stock remains on the table and is not touched with the hands until
the saw is stopped unless it is a large piece allowing safe removal.
FIGURE 10
FIGURE 11
