If I am understanding you correctly then, with all due respect, there is a huge problem with your understanding of how a tablesaw works and the proper way to use it which could result in catastrophic results.
Are you actually saying that you fed the wood into the tablesaw from the back of the saw toward the front? I hope not because that could very likely result in the blade lifting your wood up and flinging it across the room or, in the worst case, grabbing the wood and pulling your hand into the blade faster than you can think about what is happening. The teeth on the blade are spinning at approximately 240 kph. If the blade guard and/or splitter are properly installed on the saw then doing this would be impossible.
Secondly, the fence should be adjusted so that it is PERFECTLY parallel to the blade. That is, the distance from the blade to the fence should be exactly the same at the front of the blade/fence as it is at the back of the blade/fence. The fence, when locked, should also be absolutely rigid with no side-to-side play whatsoever. The distance at the back of the fence should not be further away as you are suggesting. Not only will that result in a crooked rip cut but can also be very dangerous. However, it is a better scenario than the fence being closer to the blade at the back than the front because that will likely cause a serious kickback.
A tablesaw is a very powerful and potentially dangerous machine. Tablesaws seriously injure more people every year than probably all other woodworking machines combined. Not all aspects of using a tablesaw safely are obvious or intuitive. VHS has training requirements for a few of the machines at the hackspace before members are allowed to use them. I would suggest that the tablesaw should be one of those machines and that new users should be checked out by someone who has quite a bit of knowledge and experience about the proper, safe way to use one. In the classes I teach, the tablesaw instruction and user test is about 90 minutes long and, even then, the new users are not allowed to use the tablesaw without another trained student or instructor to spot them until the instructor is sure that the new user is confident (not over-confident) and no longer needs coaching or correction. This might sound over-the-top but you only need to witness one kickback or meet one person who has lost body parts to a tablesaw to fully understand.
You’re correct that I was using it incorrectly, though I luckily didn’t have any major problems, I’ve since troubleshooted and have been using it correctly on my large table project. As for the fence, you’re free to look at it youraelf, but it doesn’t keep both ends absolutely ridged, the back end has a millimeter or two of wiggle.
@Stevemopolis I want to thank you for your warning; I think its important to step back and think about safety; and every member should feel empowered to deter unsafe behavior.
Recently I got a lot of guff from a member that was put out when I enforced eye protection when doing some metal work; I still am glad I enforced the policy.
@Gibbtall, remember that @Stevemopolis’s response was out of concern for yourself and others; and I’m super happy you didn’t have any major problems.
I think it would be worthwhile for all of us to step back from things we use check with a buddy on if we’ve forgotten anything. Pilots who have flown 10,000 hours still have checklists for the most basic things; they consult their written buddy because it only takes one anomaly to cause injury/death.
I’m currently planning on signing up for the Roundhouse woodworking class to double-check the skills I think I have, and to expand the number of sources I’ve learned from. Most of my woodworking education comes from one person, my father, and supplemented by YouTube and fellow hackspace members. I have no idea, however, what bad practices my father instilled upon me, and I would like to welcome the criticism.
Now, for a call to action.
Would anyone be willing to teach a woodworking class and a metal working class? I’d happily join if I can, but I don’t feel confident enough yet to run it myself.
I would be happy to conduct tablesaw orientation and user check-out sessions every couple of months. The sessions would have to be limited to 4 people and would likely last about 2 hours. Someone would have to bottom-line the events as, despite what it says next to my name, I am no longer a keyholder. Someone would also have to provide some demo and practice wood for the sessions. The first of these sessions will have to wait until after the current silly-season has passed; perhaps in early January.
I will endeavour to drop by the hackspace on an open house evening and check out the fence on the saw to see if it can be adjusted so that there is no play on back end. Does anyone know if there is a crosscut sled for the saw?
I would also like to propose that use of the tablesaw be restricted to members who have successfully completed one of these sessions or who are able to demonstrate proper, safe usage of the tablesaw to myself or another experienced VHS woodworker.
