Table Saw

This activity is listed as:

To start the process, please:

1. Check below to see that your use falls within guidelines
2. Develop a safety plan MIT Making at Home Safety Plan
3. Contact us to discuss your plan and use mit-making-at-home@mit.edu

Minimum required PPE and precautions (more may be required based on circumstance)

Most important safety considerations (issues, resources, advice, warnings)

• Tool specific:

  • Know where the emergency stop for saw is before cutting.

  • Saw should have a blade guard with a riving knife installed behind the blade.

  • Use a push stick with small rips

  • Do not cut stock that has screws, nails, or other items embedded in the stock. 

  • Make sure to push wood completely past the saw blade to avoid the potential of kickback

  • Do not use the miter gauge and the rip fence at the same time. In some instances stop blocks may be used as an additional fence but must be placed and end in front of the blade

  • Do not attempt to cut anything that is more than twice as wide as it is long without a crosscut sled

• General:

  • Woodworking machines and tools shall not be used without the proper machine-specific training

  • Safety glasses must be worn, hearing protection should be worn with most power tool use.

  • No loose fitting and untucked clothes.  Tassels should be tied or tucked in.

  • Hair and beards should be tied back.

  • Do not wear gloves if the machine or tool has moving parts.

  • Use of powered machines and tools requires a buddy

  • Never use tools other than for their stated intention

  • Use care when operating machines or tools with high velocity and/or sharp parts

  • Never cut towards your own body. Your hand is a part of your body.

  • All appropriate guards that allow you to perform the desired action must be in place 

  • Ensure your setup has adequate dust collection

  • Unplug and control all cord powered tools before changing blades, or making adjustments to cutting tooling

  • Use water based finishes whenever possible. 

  • Always dispose of finishing implements properly by laying them flat on non-combustible surfaces to dry before disposal

Most important considerations in the use of the tool/technology (issues, resources, advice, warnings)

• Measure thrice, cut twice

Links or info about video/images and complementary or alternative tools/tech to consider

• Adhesives

• Paper/foam/cardboard

• Painting

• Interesting woodworker videos

  • https://www.youtube.com/user/6488jesse
    

Forms and contact information required to obtain approval to use this technology/tools

• MIT Making at Home Safety Plan (link)
• Q&A and Discussion (email)