Preventing Kickback; Protecting Yourself From Kickback - Grizzly G0623X Owner's Manual

Preventing Kickback

Below are tips to avoid the most common
causes of kickback:
• Only cut workpieces with at least one smooth
and straight edge. DO NOT cut excessively
warped, cupped or twisted wood. If the
workpiece warpage is questionable, always
choose another workpiece.
• Never attempt freehand cuts. If the workpiece
is not fed parallel with the blade, a kickback
will likely occur. Always use the rip fence or
cross cut fence to support the workpiece.
• Make sure the riving knife is aligned with the
blade. A misaligned riving knife can cause
the workpiece to catch or bind, increasing the
chance of kickback. If you think that your riv-
ing knife is not aligned with the blade, check
it immediately!
• Ensure that your table slides parallel with the
blade; otherwise, the chances of kickback are
greatly increased. Take the time to check and
adjust the sliding table.
• Do not remove the riving knife. The riving
knife maintains the kerf in the workpiece,
reducing the chance of kickback.
• Keep the blade guard installed and in good
working order.
• Feed cuts through to completion. Anytime
you stop feeding a workpiece in the middle
of a cut, the chance of kickback is greatly
increased.
G0623X/G0623X3 10" Sliding Table Saw
Statistics show that most common acci-
dents among table saw users can be linked
to kickback. Kickback is typically defined as
the high-speed expulsion of stock from the
table saw toward its operator. In addition to
the danger of the operator or others in the
area being struck by the flying stock, it is
often the case that the operator's hands are
pulled into the blade during the kickback.
Protecting Yourself
From Kickback
Even if you know how to prevent kickback, it
may still happen. Here are some tips to pro-
tect yourself if kickback DOES occur:
• Stand to the side of the blade during every
cut. If a kickback does occur, the thrown
workpiece usually travels directly in front of
the blade.
• Wear safety glasses or a face shield. In the
event of a kickback, your eyes and face are
the most vulnerable part of your body.
• Never, for any reason, place your hand
behind the blade. Should kickback occur,
your hand will be pulled into the blade.
• Use a push stick to keep your hands farther
away from the moving blade. If a kickback
occurs, the push stick will most likely take
the damage that your hand would have
received.
• Use featherboards or anti-kickback devices
to prevent or slow down kickback.
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