Best place to stand when using a table saw?

[Travis Conner]

If you have a kickback where is the board going to go typically? Directly behind the blade or off to the side a bit?

[johnny means]

It's best to stand where you can comfortably and firmly control the cut. I tend to stand centerer directly behind the blade. It allows me to have my arms and hands on either side of the cut without reaching over the blade. I'm more likely to be maimed by absent mindedly putting my hand into the blade than by being hit by kickback.

[Travis Conner]

I never really gave it a thought until about a week ago when I stalled my saw and couldn't reach for the off switch. I'm thinking of staying towards the left now.

[michael dilday]

Only one time have I ever had a kick back that hit me with such force that I thought maybe I could get injured from it. It hurt but no apparent injury. I do stand to the side of the blade a little opposite side from the fence. Not so much for concern of kick back it's just where it seems most comfortable and gives me the best visibility.

[Warren Lake]

Dabbled in a few kick backs and even invented some new ways. Most important table saw safety device is an athletic cup.

[Travis Conner]

Why not take a 1/2" piece of plywood and cut it so it covers your stomach area, then string it around your neck😊 Basically making a shield.

[Travis Conner]

Or buy a bullet proof vest.

[Warren Lake]

For a while I wore a suit of armor, I found it kind of restrictive then my tool belt kept slipping down and it was just too hot in the summer. I might try goaly equipment next.

I did talk to a cop about a vest once for the shaper (using Serrated knives) and think at the time we decided it didnt go low enough.

[David Buchhauser]

I do stand to the side of the blade a little opposite side from the fence. Not so much for concern of kick back it's just where it seems most comfortable and gives me the best visibility.

+1 on that!
David

[Wayne Cannon]

Since most kickbacks (with unprotected blades and no splitter) occur when something causes the board to lift, get caught by the top of the blade, and send spinning Frisbee-style back and somewhat away from the fence, that's the location I avoid -- happened to me once, and I don't want it to happen again!. I tend to stand almost behind the blade with my left knee directly in front of my giant Power-OFF switch. I can't quite make my body control the wood as needed if I'm on the opposite (safe) side of the fence. I've only had straight-back kickbacks occur with very narrow pieces, and my push blocks are generally pretty solid for those.

By the way, I love this Reitech Easy-Off power switch (https://www.safetyonline.com/doc/easy-off-power-control-0001). They come in several flavors for simple on-off, control of magnetic switches, and with magnetic switch relay built in. It also has hardware for a variety of mounting positions -- mine sits only slightly behind the front rail on my table saw -- 6 or so inches proud of the front face of the saw cabinet -- using their hardware.

(https://www.safetyonline.com/doc/easy-off-power-control-0001)

[David Buchhauser]

I always use a splitter or riving knife with the blade protected on my table saws for ripping and cross cuts. I've never experienced a kickback, but I did have a 1/2 sheet of plywood pinch the blade once. I hit the Off switch right away.
David

[michael dilday]

Since most kickbacks (with unprotected blades and no splitter) occur when something causes the board to lift, get caught by the top of the blade, and send spinning Frisbee-style back and somewhat away from the fence, that's the location I avoid -- happened to me once, and I don't want it to happen again!.

(https://www.safetyonline.com/doc/easy-off-power-control-0001)

Sounds like keeping the wood flat on the TS table is very important to avoid the wood getting on top of the blade.

[Ron Selzer]

One thing I really appreciate on the ICS SawStop is the position of the off switch.
I have trained myself to turn it off with my leg.
Don't let anyone tell you you can't drag the 5hp motor down when ripping and the wood decides to twist, that leg operated switch was very automatic and handy that time.
2? tooth sharp Forrest blade full height in 5/4 x 7"+ popular on edge resawing for width

[Bill Dufour]

I stand to the blade side of the fence so my hands can come down unobstructed to the wood for most cuts. If I stood on the fence side of the blade my hands would have to come over the fence and then down in what may be a awkward manner with less control of the wood.
No reason not to add more off switches to a tool. I have an off switch on the back end my planner. On my tablesaw I extended the stop/start station about 10" forward so it is easy to turn off with my knee. It also moved it far enough out that I can see the switch when standing in front of the saw.
Bill D

[Bill Dufour]

I never really gave it a thought until about a week ago when I stalled my saw and couldn't reach for the off switch. I'm thinking of staying towards the left now.


Where is your switch and right or left handed?
Bil lD

[Bill Dufour]

When doing little cutoff pieces of small stuff, that may even get blown by the blades wind, I put a short 6x6 in front of the blade to catch anything.
Bil lD

[Jacob Reverb]

Far enough to the left of the blade that you don't get a "liver shish-kebob" when that narrow strip comes back at you like a 180mph atlatl.

If it'll go through a pickup truck tailgate, I figure my liver is no match...

[Travis Conner]

Switch is on the left and I'm left handed. I think the switch needs to be moved to the right so I can hit it with my knee when I'm cutting smaller pieces with a push stick. This saw is 5hp so it's probably best just to let go and get out of the way vs trying to hold it if it decides to bind up or something.

[Erik Loza]

As Beyonce says, "To the left, to the left..."

Erik

[Travis Conner]

I cut my finger years ago and it took months to heal, so I typically just avoid small cuts that require a push stick. If I need to cut a small piece I'll cut a small piece off a bigger board if I need to cut a small piece.

[Erik Loza]

I cut my finger years ago and it took months to heal, so I typically just avoid small cuts that require a push stick. If I need to cut a small piece I'll cut a small piece off a bigger board if I need to cut a small piece.

Travis, have you used a Gripper before?...

https://www.microjig.com/products/grr-ripper

[Pat Barry]

Switch is on the left and I'm left handed. I think the switch needs to be moved to the right so I can hit it with my knee when I'm cutting smaller pieces with a push stick. This saw is 5hp so it's probably best just to let go and get out of the way vs trying to hold it if it decides to bind up or something.

Probably dont habe much of a chance to get out of the way if a 5 HP saw is going to kickback a workpiece.

[Mark Hockenberg]

Travis,

In my experience, kickback occurs the way Wayne described it above - The workpiece is sent back and slightly away (to the left) from the fence.

I don't have a hard and fast rule abut where to stand. That's because it depends on the operation being performed. If I am ripping a smaller piece that may be prone to kickback, I'll stand to the right of blade in order to stay out of the path.

However there are many operations that are much less prone to generating kickback (crosscut with a miter gauge or sled where the fence doesn't bind the work, breaking down sheet goods, dados, etc). For these operations, I stand where it's most comfortable and I can balance my body to keep the workpiece where it needs to be.

I recently added an aftermarket splitter back to my Unisaw (I unfortunately pitched the OEM splitter). I now use the splitter and blade guard whenever possible.

The best advise is preparation and prevention before starting the cut. Take as long as you need to think about what might happen before every cut. Use a splitter or riving knife for through cuts. Use a push stick long enough to keep your fingers clear/Or a Gripper. Think about investing in the Jessem clear cut stock guide (pricey, but should give you cleaner cuts and add safety). Keep your blades sharp. Wear a full face shield. I keep my face shield hanging at the saw and put in on for every cut. I had a piece come back once and hit the face shield right between my eyes. I've also had a skinny piece that I thought dropped into the saw come out and hit me in the chest. Don't work when you're tired. Keep the floor clean so that you don't slip on accumulated sawdust.

Cheers,
Mark

[Thomas L Carpenter]

I'm left handed and stand to the right of the blade on my General contractor style saw. I installed a paddle type off switch on the right side just about where my knee is located.

[jeff norris 2011]

It depends on what you are cutting and the cut you are making. But in general I stand left of the blade. I have had kick back hit me in the gut. It hurt, big bruise, but nothing too serious. It did scare the hell out of and remind me to be safe.

[Stephen Bandirola]

I experienced a kick back below the belt that actually caused a hernia.
Not to happy about that.

[Rod Sheridan]

Sounds like keeping the wood flat on the TS table is very important to avoid the wood getting on top of the blade.
Yes it is, even more important is keeping the blade guard on the saw to prevent the work from touching the top of the blade........Rod.

[John Goodin]

Being left handed I stand to the right. This thread makes me think I should move the switch to be closer — instead of on the left.

The only kickback I remember was a short 2x4 sized piece to the forehead. Not sure what I did wrong but it certainly was above my usual level of stupidity. I worked for about three more minutes and decided it was not a good day for shop time. Not long after that a saw with a riving knife appeared in my garage.

[Mark Carlson]

To the left of the blade so I can push the wood forward and against the fence at the same time. This also allows me to shutoff the saw with my hip.

[Prashun Patel]

Stand where you need to be able to guide the piece through properly aligned to the fence. For most right handers, that means to the left of the blade for thin rip cuts.

However, for ripping plywood, more than 12", I have to stand to the right of the blade.

If the piece has a substantial enough off cut, then I might have to stand in front of the blade to able to guide it through with two hands.

For cross cuts, I almost always stand to the left, on the same side where my miter gauge is. Occasionally I have an odd bevel that requires me to cross cut from the right slot.

I would think in terms of maximizing control and support.

[Stan Calow]

I am surprised to find there is not agreement on the safest position. I thought this was "settled science" and only I was uncertain. Very interesting.

[Travis Conner]

So the right hand pushes forward and down and the left hand pushes at an angle against the fence? with push sticks of course. Now that I think about it for bigger pieces I stay to the right and slide my hands along the top of the fence when freezing the board through. Then of course wider than that then you're already far enough to the right of the blade

[Tom Bender]

This works for me, the vfd slows it down and the foot switch gives me much better control.

[Stan Calow]

So the right hand pushes forward and down and the left hand pushes at an angle against the fence? with push sticks of course.
IME, sometimes when you do this, it introduces a late curve into the cut, as the portion of the workpiece that is against the fence gets smaller.

[Jacob Reverb]

IME, sometimes when you do this, it introduces a late curve into the cut, as the portion of the workpiece that is against the fence gets smaller.

So long as the error introduced isn't more than, say, half of a tenth (.00005") per furlong, everything should be fine. :D

[bill epstein]

Depends on what's being cut. Sheet goods on a big set up you want to be able to push the work piece forward and against the fence but still be able to control a large off cut at the end of the pass so it doesn't wander left and leave a frenzl on the work piece. You stand wherever you can best accomplish that, usually between the fence and the blade.

Ripping typical planks, ditto.

The only time I got the high hard one was at the end of a long day of making parts for store display shadow boxes and used the fence for the umpteenth time to cut a piece about 24"x 8" into two 12"x 8". Regardless of where you stand, don't rip a 24"x8" at the end of a long, hard day. Got me right in the bread basket. It smarts. But not until 20 minutes later when you're able to breathe again, so there's that.