How To Use A Table Saw-Tips, Tricks, and Techniques

A table saw is a cutting machine containing a mighty motor, an arbor, and a circular saw blade. As a saw is placed on a table, it has been named so. Surprisingly, it’s capable of making different cuts, but the woodworkers mostly use it for ripping and crosscutting.

Bearing in mind that the manufacturers include a miter gauge and a rip fence with the machine for making the respective cuts easier.

However, now my main question is – do you know how to use a table saw? Listen, it’s not so difficult as it seems. Don’t be disappointed. In this article, we will show you some simple steps to use the machine with ease. Let’s have a look if you are interested.

How To Use A Table Saw

Precautions

Using a table saw is risky, so you must take some precautionary steps before starting the cutting session.

Wear Ear And Eye Protector

Cutting woods using a table saw creates dust and debris. Eventually, they may enter your eyes and create hazards. So it’s better to use safety glasses before.

Like eyes, ears are also sensitive and can get damaged if you work continuously amid the harsh sound created by the machine. In this regard, a pair of high-quality earmuffs can play a vital role in protecting your ears.

Protect Your Respiratory System

Dust can enter your respiratory system through your mouth and nose during the cutting session and irritate your throat and lungs later. If it happens continuously, respiratory diseases can be caused, so wearing a mask or face shield can play a vital role in getting rid of the problem.

The Cuts A Table Saw Can Make

This part is essential to discuss before talking about how to use a table saw because if you are not aware of the cuts, it will be difficult for you to handle the machine correctly. For making different shapes, you need to use the saw differently. Hence, the part carries colossal importance. However, Let’s look at them at a glance:

• Crosscut
• Rip
• Dado cut
• Compound angles
• And rabbet joints

Though a table saw allows you to make the above cuts, woodworkers mainly use it for crosscut and rip.

The Method Of Crosscutting

While crosscutting, you need not take the rip fence as a guide because you will get less space then, and also, it can cause a severe accident. Surprisingly, you can use a miter gauge instead. This guide fence will stabilize the materials you will cut and fit the bar into the groove tightly to make the cut easier.

Conveniently, it has an adjustable knob that can be used to choose the right angle by loosening or tightening the knob according to your wish.

• Firstly, make sure that the switch of the table saw is off, and then carefully attach the crosscut blade into the arbor.
• Now it is time to fix the protractor guide. You will get it on the miter gauge and then select whether you need mitered or straight crosscuts.
• In this step, you need to bring the wooden materials and place them in the front of the miter gauge’s edge. Also, using clamps to fix them can provide extra security.
• Now connect the plug into the electric socket to switch on the machine and wait a bit until the blade spins at full speed.
• The saw is ready to cut, so gently push the whole miter gauge along with the wooden materials towards the spinning blade. Now see! The machine is cutting them finely and with accuracy.

The Method of Ripping

Ripping is not so difficult as crosscutting as you get extra cutting benefits from the rip fence there. The fence helps you set the width according to your demand, so this time, getting your desired cut is more manageable than before. Now let’s see how to rip:

• Like crosscutting, firstly, you need to set the rip blade into the arbor perfectly; please, don’t forget to unplug the saw from the electric socket before. Here the height adjustment of the blade is essential. Be careful so that the top edge must not go more than ¼” up compared to the width of the wooden material you are going to slice.
• Now it’s time to set the rip fence. Set it in such a way that you can get an accurate cut from the table saw.
• Bring the wooden materials and keep them on the table. Then switch on the machine and place the material in a straight line. Now start cutting if the blade spins at full speed.

Conclusion

A table saw is so helpful in cutting wood. It allows you to make crosscut, rip, dado cut, compound angles, and rabbit joints. At the same time, operating a table saw is not troublesome at all. Even if you find it hard, please go through our methods of how to use a table saw correctly. Honestly, they will help you be an expert operator.