Need help with a table saw...

[rwsmith]

I've been learning to use a table saw. I've finished a few projects and really getting into carpentry. Next on my list is the router.

Here's my question:

Everything is all set up with the riving knife attached. When ripping any thing over a couple of feet long, I hold the wood down, push forward into the blade and exert some pressure on the wood toward the fence to keep the wood sliding right up against it. It cuts like butter for a foot or so then the saw starts to binds up. If I keep pushing it starts to smoke . Everything seems to be in good alignment. Can anybody tell me what I could do better???

PS: I just made myself a crosscut sled, too. I used the miter bar for the first time a couple of days ago and that was a trip trying to figure out how to cut quarter round to fit together. When you are mitering straight boards you cut 'em and they fit together easily but I had to cut from different directions to do the quarter round. I goofed a few times and went to check the fit and it was like trying to decipher a 3-d optical illusion.
Good thing I only needed a little quarter round!!!

 

[SMSgt]

I stopped using a table saw in junior high wood shop after a flying board almost killed a kid one day and I almost lost a thumb the next. After that, every time I tried to use one, anxiety struck, and I stopped.

 

[woodsltc]

Table saws and messing with electricity are two things I avoid ...... for my own preservation.

Don

 

[03hemi]

duplicate..............................

 

[nodpete]

SOMETHING is out of alingment ! I'm betting that your fence is not locking down evenly. Take a tri-square, lock the fence, then put the handle of the tri-square in the miter slot and extend the blade until it is snug against the fence. The slide the tri-square along the miter slot all the way down the fence. It should stay the same measurement all the way to the other end. The fence should have an adjustment on it if it needs it. Also, raise the blade all the way up and check the measurement from the blade to the fence on both the front and rear of the blade it has to be exact ! And make sure that the riving knife is installed properly. I'm still betting that your fence is not squared with the blade.

 

[03hemi]

Power tools just have to be respected like firearms, I built my built-in bookcase with my table saw and electric miter box.

 

[Nevada Ed]

Don't use Dull blades, they will smoke while forcing a cut.

Do not let the teeth of the blade "Pull" the wood into the cut.

Use the correct style blade and teeth number for the wood and cut to be made.

Good luck.

 

[arjay]

Make sure the blade and the fence are parallel to each other by measuring both ends of each to a cross cut groove.I think you’ll find one or both is off a bit

 

[phulklip]

Sounds like the top of your fence is moving a little. I always attach a clamp on the crossbar against the fence top to insure it doesn't move. You should also be using a blade with 24 to 30 teeth per inch. Hope this helps.

 

[chief38]

First I'd make sure the blade is a good quality and sharp. If you check both those boxes, then check to make sure your fence is straight. You could be feeding in the wood at an angle.

I still have many electric hand saws but the two vintage saws that I sold were a Rockwell table saw and a DeWalt radial arm saw. After getting slammed in the hand (broken thumb, bruised hand) by a flying board, that ended the use of them!

I still own a 12" DeWalt miter saw, 7 1/4" Milwaukee circular saw, a Milwaukee scroll - Jig saw, a Porter-Cable Tiger saw (like a Milwaukee Sawzall but more powerful) plus a plethora of hand saws - works for me.

 

[Hair Trigger]

I've been learning to use a table saw. I've finished a few projects and really getting into carpentry. Next on my list is the router.

Here's my question:

Everything is all set up with the riving knife attached. When ripping any thing over a couple of feet long, I hold the wood down, push forward into the blade and exert some pressure on the wood toward the fence to keep the wood sliding right up against it. It cuts like butter for a foot or so then the saw starts to binds up. If I keep pushing it starts to smoke . Everything seems to be in good alignment. Can anybody tell me what I could do better???

PS: I just made myself a crosscut sled, too. I used the miter bar for the first time a couple of days ago and that was a trip trying to figure out how to cut quarter round to fit together. When you are mitering straight boards you cut 'em and they fit together easily but I had to cut from different directions to do the quarter round. I goofed a few times and went to check the fit and it was like trying to decipher a 3-d optical illusion.
Good thing I only needed a little quarter round!!!

It sounds like your fence is not parallel to the blade and the workpiece is binding. When setting up for the rip cut, measure from the front of the blade to the fence, and then the rear of the blade to the fence, with the blade fully raised. The measurement needs to be as precise as you can get it, less than 1/64". Once that is set correctly, drop the blade until no more than 1/4" of the blade sticks up through the workpiece as you make the cut. If you hear the saw starting to labor and the workpiece shows resistance to your push at all, immediately back out of the cut or stop the saw. This is a prime setup for a kickback. Learn to use a push stick and do not stand directly behind the blade as you feed the workpiece. Then, if you do get a kickback, it will be an indirect blow or miss you completely. Never underestimate how hard a piece can fly back and hit you. Small pieces can penetrate, larger ones can break bones and leave severe bruises, even to the point of internal injury. If you think I'm trying to scare you, I am. I worked in furniture for quite a few years as a youth and saw some nasty stuff in the machine room where the wood frame pieces are cut to size. I've had kick backs doing my own home projects and they hurt. The table saw is probably the most dangerous power tool you'll own, and a router is a close second if you don't keep your hands away from the cutter.

 

[toad67]

If it were me, I'd first measure from the mitre groove to the front and back of the blade, making sure that you're measuring to the correct blade tooth(blades have both, left and right angled teeth).
Once you've confirmed that they are parallel, then when you're setting up your fence for your next cut, do the same measurement from the blade to the fence. Generally, when moving and locking down your fence, the end of the fence (away from the locking clamp) is about 1/16" off, which is very common.
If that doesn't solve the problem, remove the knife. They say that is a safety feature, but it's kinda like using a dull knife, the more you force it, the more you're likely to get hurt. My riving knife is in a cabinet somewhere.

 

[TIMETRIPPER]

Double check the alignment of your fence with the saw blade out at the end of the fence. A little off at the saw is multiplied further out. Lay a straight edge along the saw that is long enough to measure the distance between the saw and fence all along the line of cut to the fence. A little increased distance at the far end of the fence isn't bad. But if it narrows then you will have problems ripping longer stock.
Also, does your rive knife match the saw kerf? It should be the same or slightly wider.

John

 

[walter o]

A few things could be wrong . the blade & fence may be our off alignment.I always clamp the far end of the fence aS WELL AS HE locking the front of the fence ,the blade arbor might be thrusting sideways . I always use a feather board to keep constant light pressure in the board pressed against the fence (Google feather board) Don't know the quality of your table saw,some are not solidly constructed and wont be as solid as a cabnet saw

 

[30-30remchester]

Have worked with every kind of dangerous power tools for 60 years. Many were more dangerous than table saws with little thought. But every time I turn on my table saw shivers run down my spine. I can just feel body parts falling off.

 

[DWalt]

Almost certainly blade-fence misalignment. I don’t need to do much wood cutting, but I do have a metal table that a portable electric circular saw attaches to and makes a table saw. It works very well for my limited needs.

 

[Kinman]

I've been drawn to power equipment since I could remember. Safety first...Safety in my opinion starts with eye protection, I have learned to use hearing protection due to near deafness and using hearing aids as a result of unprotected firearm use, etc.
First thing I remove on any table saw I am expected to use is the damned blade protector, more people are messed up trying to get around them than actually hurt by the open, singing blade. Sharp blades are a must and using the correct pitch is also important, there are compromise blades but you get out what you put in. I use running saw blades to round off corners on pieces that are not over long. I also believe in using a portable roller to support your pieces that extend beyond the table top more than a couple inches. A friend of mine is trying to make some money in his wood shop and purchased one of those new fangled blade stops that will not cut a hotdog. Its OK but is another thing that gets in my way. There are cardinal rules to follow, most of them are common sense.
The most unforgiving piece of woodshop equipment is an edge planer, I don't really know why but the more serious cuts I've received in the shop were knuckle cuts from getting too small a piece of wood through the planer, where a push stick just wouldn't do. If you feel contact with a spinning planer blade it is never good. Another issue is clothing and hair or long beards, roll up them sleeves and secure them, tie that hair back and if you have to braid that beard. Never mess around with anything if you have had a few drinks or smoked a bit of weed.
Couple years ago I was trying to figure out a way to turn the armature on my Model A starter on my large drill press. I had been smoking a bit of good weed which probably started the idea. I got it chucked up in the arbor no problem, made a wooden support for the lower end and had it clamped down solid, started up the motor, things are going real well, I get a nice clean file out and lay it up against the commutator and man does it cut fine, I needed to bring it up just an BIT to get the very bottom of the copper, reach up and adjust for height and bang she slips out of the base and this full length armature is spinning at 500rpm or better, the drill press is rocking and ready to go over into other equipment, I have backed off to survey the situation and carefully set my foot down on the base to steady it while I then reached up and over the spinning death whirler and shut the thing down. End result, bent armature and a serious wobble in my drill press requiring replacement of the spindle.

 

[Walkin Horse]

I am also one that has taken the guard off. I’m assuming the rive knife is what I have always referred to as the splitter. I paid $2000 for a Powermatic back in the early 90s and was never completely satisfied with the fence on it. I looked at some cheap bench saws at Lowe’s and I can only imagine what a fight those fence’s would be. Like has been said,measure between the blade and the fence with maybe a slightly wider gap for a relief on the backside. Make sure and pay attention to the pitch of the tooth you measure to. Maybe even mark the tooth and measure off the same tooth. That may tell you if the blade or arbor is slightly bent. Another tip I’ve learned is to keep the blade raised up. The lower the blade the more straight back it will kick the wood. The higher the blade the more down force the blade will have. Either way, high or low, if you stick your fingers on the blade it’s gonna hurt. Drill presses will also catch unclamped material and sling it out of control catching your fingers between the material and the column. I used to subscribe to Fine Woodworking magazine. Great articles on setting up machines and building projects and shop layout. Be careful, always think about what you’re doing and don’t let your mind wander.

 

[rwsmith]

Thanks.....

SOMETHING is out of alingment ! I'm betting that your fence is not locking down evenly. Take a tri-square, lock the fence, then put the handle of the tri-square in the miter slot and extend the blade until it is snug against the fence. The slide the tri-square along the miter slot all the way down the fence. It should stay the same measurement all the way to the other end. The fence should have an adjustment on it if it needs it. Also, raise the blade all the way up and check the measurement from the blade to the fence on both the front and rear of the blade it has to be exact ! And make sure that the riving knife is installed properly. I'm still betting that your fence is not squared with the blade.

I'll check it just as you described.

 

[Huskerguy]

I didn't read all the responses so this has likely been covered.

I had the same issue a while back. I thought, just for grins and giggles I would check to make certain my fence was square to may blade and the slots. Turns out it was not. I made some adjustments and measured and measured some more and now it cuts very nicely. I spent the money and purchased a Freud combination blade. Boy howdy did all that make the difference. The other thing I would like to get but haven't found the right one and that is a feather board. You should not need it for long stuff though.