A step-by-step guide to making your first table saw cuts. TABLESAW BASICS. 

That's an interesting question. I think in the beginning, there's a safety learning curve where it's important to at least understand what can potentially happen and how to avoid injuries. With a solid base, you are probably hyper-aware of everything you do. Then as you get more time in, it's easy to get complacent. You might be right: that medium-experienced zone is probably the most dangerous time. That said, plenty of injuries happen to experienced woodworkers. We might be well aware of safe procedures and do everything right, but one moment of losing focus can lead to an injury. It's the very definition of an accident. Kind of like how you can drive a car for years but still space out and run a stop sign. I strongly believe in making dry-runs a habit. I honestly, seriously do this all the time. There have been procedures where I've made dry-runs and just didn't feel 100% confident. That's when I know I need to come up with a different strategy for making the cut. I'd love to hear what other people have to say about this question!

I think the more experienced get hurt more often. I know this from experience lol. I feel that the more wood working you do the more you get into "the zone" and start letting your guard down because it starts becoming like second nature. That's all it takes then, bam, you get hurt.

You can get injured regardless of your level of experience. When you're starting out, you make mistakes due to lack of knowledge. When you have some experience, you get complacent and lose focus for an instant and have an accident that way. Then you get lots of experience, you start to thing that the rules don't apply to you, and again... an accident.

I just got a table saw and from first cut to the last one i did i did a dry-run and i always will be. Thank you so much for making this video! I'd like to keep my fingers and hands!

@@vileguile4 Please do! I'm recovering from a very fortunate accident, where I lost focus and only required three stitches (and lost two fingernails!)

Same.

Yes!! Such good advice!

Still no guard........WHY,!!

The best way to do it! Yup!

Fundamentally changed how I work now. Priceless advice.

Careful! That's the first step!

Still no guard

hahaha thanks for the laugh

Go for it try some woodworking it’s very good feeling once you set out to build something and you finish go have fun and the possibilities are endless

LMFAO

Haha...well thanks Niklas!

I agree. I love his approach/attitude. He makes it enjoyable.

Greetings from the Maldives, Steve is a good actor and flawless woodworker

Still no guard!!!

3400 SKIL SAW BLADE NUT --LEFT OR RIGHT THREAD ?

That sounds great dude! how you getting on?

Well thank you. I really appreciate that!

100% agree! You’ve taken the mystery away and set some great guidelines for safety which is paramount of course.

Yes but Steve forgets one vital?? No guard......dear chap never replies to this comment....

@@johntaylor1359 I’ve found a guard more troublesome than helpful for accurate woodworking to be honest. I still use my riving knife, but I’ve cut off the top that attaches to the guard, so I can do rabbets and groves with it still in place.

Abso rubbish why no bloody guard Steve. Please answer

I had a similar experience about 8 years ago when I first started using a table saw... but that’s because no one taught me how to properly use it! Kickback is actually very easy to prevent, even without a riving knife (although that will certainly help). Some tips: 1) Make sure your blade is spinning at maximum rotation before you try to push material through. 2) For rip cuts, expect the blade to want to push material towards you. Your job is to provide resistance to that movement as you move the material against the spin. This is a very nuanced dance as pushing too much or too little can be dangerous. Kickback can sometimes occur when you try to push material through but you aren’t providing ample resistance with your right hand as you push. This takes a little practice because it’s kind of a “feel” thing. It is nerve racking the first few times, but as long as proper resistance is there, it will not kickback. 3) Make sure you are maintaining a steady pressure into the fence as you rip material. The material will not naturally travel through the blade in a straight line and if it wavers too much, the pieces can pinch the blade, causing kickback. The table saw will work with you but only when you keep your material locked into your fence. 4) Push material into the fence beneath the blade (closer to you). Avoid pushing material against the blade as this can also create a pinch that might cause kickback. 5). Never ever pivot material as it goes through the teeth of the blade. Always keep your material pushed up against your fence and as straight as possible. 6) This one is the least intuitive, but incredibly useful. Keep calm and (as long as your hands are clear from the blade) you can actually stop moving material while maintaining resistance in both directions (against the teeth and against the fence). You can hold material still as the blade spins in the middle of a cut and, if you are applying enough resistance, It should remain still. This is a great default if you are feeling overwhelmed mid cut. It should also enable you to turn off the power as the blade only kicks back if it’s meeting resistance. Keep watching table saw videos to get a better idea of how to position your body and learn technique. Good luck!

@@stephenschaffenberger6765 Thank you so much! Yes, I binge watch tool movies constantly and read many magazines. Thank you so much for your advice&

@Fist Bump Thank you so much for the tips!

Echoed - I'm doing my own floors for the first time and just sent a link to the video to my sister saying how helpful, useful, and well thought out it was. Especially the planning and doing a dry run. Thank you for your videos

All very chummy but still no guard

Oh that's awesome! Stay safe and have fun. You'll be making all kinds of things really soon! 😀

"Stay safe" how about using a guard Steve

For real dude! It's crazy. Lol

definitely

No kidding!

Must have a skin product channel too lol

Healthier for sure!

Miranda Cutler what make did you go for?

Fantastic! On Monday, you'll be imagining all the things you want to make! Stay safe and happy woodworking. 😀

Remember the dry-runs! When i did it for my first cut there were several potentially disastrous things i noticed! A habit im starting after watching stumpy nubs accident is to have my cell phone on a table so i can at least call emergency number. Not easy pulling a phone out of your pocket with two fingers while also bleeding...

@@vileguile4 i always have my phone where i could easy pick it up just in case.

Ditto Miranda! I feel so relieved to have this video

The first thing I built with my table saw was a crosscut sled. The second thing I built was a 45-degree sled. (FWIW: I used plans from the website Family Handyman.)

I agree. Those were great. And, I bought one.

I've been think that for the last couple of videos!

I chuckled at the knowing smile on Steve's face!

I came to the comments section to say the same thing!

Steve, you've got to make the Micro Jig ads again, we love them!

Janine Lew great to hear you’ve bought your first table saw. What make did you go for ?

O.G.B Woodwork It’s a Dewalt DWE7485.

Janine Lew very nice. I love dewalt tools. That’ll be extremely precise. 😁👍

@@o.g.bwoodwork I watched a lot of reviews before I made my decision. I already had a Dewalt miter saw and scroll saw and I like them as well.

Janine Lew I’ve only got an impact driver and drill made by dewalt, but i can’t wait to grow my collection. Wow, you’ve got quite the collection. Have you made any videos with them yet?

Thanks Austyn! I really appreciate that! 👍😀

11:06

@@Asmuk Not the same, I want an OG micro-jig ad, while Steve is in mid-sentence :)

"This video is _not_ sponsored by---" "THE GRRRRRIPPER, FROM MICRO-JIG!..." 😎

Nor is it sponsored by hospital.......NO GUARD

Good luck I hope everything works out for you!

I find when cutting melamine, the higher the blade the less chipout that I seem to get. Though a piece of masking or painters tape usually reduces it.

the only reason for having a high blade is trying to get a cut close to 90 degrees, but in that case, you might want to use a jigsaw or bandsaw

one tooth above the cut. alot of excess blade seems to reduce accuracy. also depends of the blade and what your cutting for combo blade and real wood i find it gives less tearout and burns.

I was told that the gullet should just clear the thickness of the wood

I've often heard that you want the blade one tooth width higher than the wood. You get a smooth cut and the chips can clear the blade. However, in harder woods this can lead to burning because the teeth spend more time in the kerf. If your work is getting burn marks, try raising the blade a bit and see if you get better results.

I'm left handed as well. I don't have a table saw yet. I'm close buying one (already for years). From time to time I use an upside-down mounted circular saw but as Steve says, it's far from ideal. I still don't know if I should try to learn to use a table saw (when I finally will have one) as a left-hander or as a right hander. I'm 100% left handed. With my right hand I'm not able to write, open jars, use a knife or any one-hand-operated handtools such as a hammer, screw-driver, wrench or whatsoever.

@@hansdegroot8549 Same here. I was reading that moving the fence to the other side of the blade can help. Since I share the table saw with right handed folks this really isn't an easy option. Oh well, something will work out. Have a good one

@@hansdegroot8549 Probably should learn to use it the way he uses it in the video. Unless you don't like your balls, or thighs..

Depending on your saw, you may have the option to mount the Rip Fence on the left and use the Mitre on the right (although, from what I've seen, most saws that allow the fence on the left have less rip-width available compared to the right)... this may allow you to use your saw comfortably and safely without right-handed conventions...

@@hansdegroot8549 try moving the fence to the other side of the blade also there are some right tilt saws out there

It really depends, I'm shorter so sometimes I kick my foot up there for shut-off.

@@tessabuesgens5831 okay so anything other than your hands sounds like it should work

Being able to turn off the saw without removing your hands from the workpiece is a great advantage. Should the saw start bogging down or the piece behaves oddly, you can quickly turn off the saw with your leg or knee and hopefully avoid an accident. Having to move your hands to turn off the saw can be dangerous and result in an accident

@@KellyConcepts I'd tell you what I use to turn mine off but it wouldn't be very appropriate lol

@@MC-zr7hl Hahahaha I think I see where you're going with this

I thought he did have a riving knife.

You’re lucky to be able to write that warning. There’s nasty videos of that

@@DennisMathias The op in the video did, I think "GMOOH" is just telling everyone who watches this video/reads his comment.

Most of us have been there! I keep the block of wood (grenade) that was supposed to be "just one quick cut" near my saw as a reminder. My ribs thank me.

Get Me Out of Here why do some people take it off in the first place? Is their a certain cut that requires you take it off? But damn that sounds terrifying. The power they have took me a while to get used to. I can’t imagine that throwing something at you.

Good point. Keep it pressed toward the fence in front of the blade so you aren't pushing against the blade.

You can only push whilst holding stick?? No fingers no hold......NO GUARD

Hi Steve. Why do you not use a guard.......and why do you not comment on my multiple comments regarding ' no guard

I miss them too. I imagine there are a lot of us that do.

😂

"Should I touch the blade will spinning to see if it is sharp?"

If I cannot get the saw to turn off, should I use it to cut its own cord❓ (That happened. Not a stuck switch, but did not see where the cord was. Good thing I had a spare cord on hand)

"Should I lick the blade while moving to clean it?"

Should I use my table saw to make exactly sized French fries, and if so, which is better for a push stick, a stalk of celery or a carrot? I ask because slicing bologna on the miter saw had some issues. FYI, bologna in a dust collector, well let's just say...........

Yeah, just got a used one... can't get it to cut straight... no idea what to do...

Square the blade to the mitre slots?

@George Glass Being a weeb is good, better than being an ass.

@George Glass Still marginally better than any lifeless loser tries to provoke random stranger.

Now now gents. Less of weeb talk.....how about. Chatting reference no guard

Sorry Steve forget to tell you no guard no fingers