Push Sticks

[Tony Bilello]

I dont like the long stick with a small foot. It looks like you have no lateral control, no downward presure in the front and also looks like a small board could come up and slap you in the face.
Then there is the other kind with many variations of a saw handle where you get a firm grip on the push stick. My main objection to this is that I dont want my hands wrapped around anything when a kick-back occurs. It may pull your hand where you dont want it to. Anyone that has ever experienced kick-back knows that everything happens in a flash.
These plain and simple designs are the ones I like best. With this style, you get all of the lateral control and downward pressure of the saw handle type except that in the eventually of a kick-back this thing just disappears from your hand and leaves you completely startled but your hand for some reason never moves. Which means you hand is still a safe distance from the blade.
And, yes, the amount of kick-backs can be reduced with proper safety procedures but still, no matter how much we try, kick-backs will still occur.
There are 2 kinds of woodworkers in this world....those that have experienced kick-backs and those that are about to.

What is your favorite push stick design and why?

Tony B

[Wade Lippman]

Like you say, push sticks do very little to control kickback. I have a couple, but only use them to control the cut off side.

What you want are push blocks; probably the saw handle things you referred to. They hold the wood down; I have never had any kickback while using a push block. Just be sure it is big enough so your hand never gets near the blade.

[Bill White]

Now I use a blade guard and Board Buddies whenever possible.
Your design is a good one.
Bill

[Brent Smith]

Hi Tony,

I made a few similar to yours and have a few store bought devises. My favorites of those are the Gripper and my jointer push pads. Like you say, there are two types of woodworkers...and I'm one of the former, so I really try to have as much control as possible over the lumber I'm pushing past a blade.

[Rick Gooden]

Grrripper. My most used and trusted tool for safety. Not affiliated with the company but appreciate it's functionality.

[Jim Becker]

My push "blocks" are very similar to what you show, Tony. I have never used nor will I use a push "stick"...they seem like an accident waiting to happen in my mind if the stick slips and your hand goes down towards the table.

[Peter Quadarella]

I hear this a lot about push sticks and I understand the reason. But surely for bandsaws they make sense, right? I use my pushstick on my bandsaw a good bit, and can't think of a better implement to keep my fingers safe in many situations on that tool.

[Daniel Thompson]

I second the recommendation for the Gripper push block. Long push sticks can be dangerous. I managed to break my thumb while using a long plastic push stick when I accidently let it touch the saw blade. The stick was ripped out of my hand and thrown across the garage. The accident was compounded because I had my thumb resting along the top edge of the stick instead of using a "handshake" grip.

You quickly acquire a better appreciation of the evolutionary advantages of having thumbs when you break the one on your dominant hand.

[Tony Bilello]

I find it hard to believe that the long push sticks are still manufactured and sold, but they are.

Bill White: What are Board Buddies?

Peter: I use the same push stick for the table saw on the band saw. I just lay it flat on the table as opposed to upright on the table saw.

Great responses, thanks.

Tony B

[Wade Lippman]

I hear this a lot about push sticks and I understand the reason. But surely for bandsaws they make sense, right? I use my pushstick on my bandsaw a good bit, and can't think of a better implement to keep my fingers safe in many situations on that tool.

For bandsaws I just use scraps of wood that I let push into the blade.
Pushsticks would work I suppose, but they wouldn't be as easy.

[Tom Esh]

I use jointer type push blocks (with the RT too) unless I'm within 6" or so of the blade, then it's one of these http://www.benchdog.com/pushloc.cfm

Good downforce control and the hand stays well away from the blade. For fence-right setups only though - no "lefty" model.

[Peter Quinn]

I use a push block, several different lengths and widths sit right near my TS at the ready for different cuts. All are shop made from drops and scraps. I am amazed that any of the commercially available gizmos sell even a single unit, but i guess for each his own. The smaller the work piece the greater my level of concern and precaution generally. i have never seen a piece of 10" wide, 8' long 8/4 kick back, but i have seen half sheets of plywood fly and small parts blow up too.

I also use a biesmeyer splitter for every cut conceivable. I have a tall fence (about 4.5"?) and my push blocks are made to just clear this fence so my hand rides it like a rail, keeping my hand from dropping into the blade in the event things go wrong. The whole system works together. i have a set of board buddies and find them of limited use with my fence in most situations. The ones DJ Marks uses from wood workers supply look like a better design but I have yet to make that purchase. i also have a power feed for batch cuts where it is necessary and useful.

I agree with Peter Q (the other one:D) that push sticks are handy for the band saw where there is no danger of a kick back and do use them there. I have never taken one in the chin and hope not to, but i have seen a few sticks go whizzing by and have watched a few pieces dance with the back of the blade in an alarming manner. i do everything possible now to discourage that phenomenon.

[glenn bradley]

Those look good Tony. I use a variety (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=52623&d=1166302096). I find I make/buy different items as I do new things and find better/safer ways to do them. They all get used to some degree. Grr-Rippers the most by far.

[Greg Hines, MD]

I use a Grrripper too, and love it. I also use push pads, a Craftsman push block, and some of the style of the "Router Workshop" at the router table.

Frankly, I think that feather boards are as important as a good push block. I use them all the time.

Doc

[glenn bradley]

Frankly, I think that feather boards are as important as a good push block. I use them all the time.

Doc

I'll second that. I have a variety.

[John Thompson]

I'll go against the grain. I use home-made custom push sticks of various widths and lenghs (5 minutes to cut one out on a BS) and have for 37 years without a problem. But.. my stock is contained right by the fence and left with a spring-board so in essence I am merely pushing it through two fixed guides with my hand until I reach the last 8" of stock. Then the push stick gets picked up and used to get that last 8" through.

DoI worry about my push stick slipping and tossing my hand into the blade. Well... no. I don't do any cuts with the exception of box joints unless my blade is completely shielded and I don't put my hands closer than 8" to the blade as I stated.. There's no reason to with proper support.. gaurds and push sticks waiting to be used.

Sarge..

[Stan Smith]

Grrripper. My most used and trusted tool for safety. Not affiliated with the company but appreciate it's functionality.

Me too and I add a little 1/4" ply piece on the back for added control on small pieces. Easy to replace when it gets cut up.

[Bill White]

I find it hard to believe that the long push sticks are still manufactured and sold, but they are.

Bill White: What are Board Buddies?

Peter: I use the same push stick for the table saw on the band saw. I just lay it flat on the table as opposed to upright on the table saw.

Great responses, thanks.

Tony B


Hi Tony.
Board Buddies are the uni-directional pressure wheels that hold workpieces down on the saw table. Look 'em up. I use them on radial, table, and band saw applications. Available in clockwise and counterclockwise forms. I even have the omnidirectional one for use on a shaper.
Bill

[Nissim Avrahami]

I would not like to leave Sarge (John Thompson) alone "Against the grain".... :)

I'm using the same idea but with wheels that push the board not only to the fence but also, down to the table top.

I simple, but long (28") push stick is enough for me and keep my hands "Far, far and away" from the blade guard (as you can see on the pic).

Personally, I don't except any "safety device" that tells me to remove the blade guard or pass my hand close or over the blade, even if it's guarded...

The board on the pics is 6' long and 1¼" thick.

Regards
niki
97912979139791497915

[John Thompson]

[quote=Nissim Avrahami;938336]I would not like to leave Sarge (John Thompson) alone "Against the grain".... :)

I'm using the same idea but with wheels that push the board not only to the fence but also, down to the table top.

I simple, but long (28") push stick is enough for me and keep my hands "Far, far and away" from the blade guard (as you can see on the pic).

Personally, I don't except any "safety device" that tells me to remove the blade guard or pass my hand close or over the blade, even if it's guarded...

The board on the pics is 6' long and 1¼" thick.

Niki...

Does the roller attach bar flex at all Niki or is is stiff enough not too? I suspect it doesn't as I notice the tail of the stock leaves the first roller at a given point and rides exclusively on the remaining front. If I used that method instead of my spring-board which supports the stock all the way through... I think I would use a non-flex bar which I highly suspect you did!

Won't make cuts without shields... huh? I had a feeling you would chime in here with your thoughts as I know you are very safety concious as I am. I don't have the Euro machines as you in Poland (Europe in general) but I do have the Euro training which is... if you can't do it with a guard... don't do it and find another way. :)

Regards from the southern U.S.A....

Sarge..

[Nissim Avrahami]

Hi John

As you can see on the pic below, the unit is installed on the rail and becomes like one unit with the rail.

It can move only left/right (toward the fence or opposite) to adjust it to the board width.

Every wheel is actually, a separate "spring" that works (springs) without any connection to the other wheel.

To adjust it to the board width, I push (with my fat belly) the upper (sliding) section to the board till I get a "Belly" of 1/4" or so of the iron bar and lock it with the two upper knobs (the two lower ones are locking the unit to the rail).

When the board passes the aft wheel, the front wheel remains "spring loaded" and continue to press the board till 1" or so before entering the blade. (maybe you can see on the second picture how the iron bar is not parallel to the miter slot).

About the "Shield"...the HSE (OSHA) states..."Riving knife and blade guard must be installed for any operation on the TS"...And I'm saying; if you have to remove the guard for any operation it means that, you are not using the correct machine for the correct job...

Just the fact that I don't see the blade in front of my eyes (and I love to use "High blade") makes me to feel so safe and relaxed when working on this "Meat and bon slicer"...yes, also wood :)

Regards from Poland
niki
9792397924

[John Thompson]

Thanks for the explanation. I use high blade also as the teeth pointed down more drastically will push the front end of the stock down. I find less chance of burn that way either.

I was inspired by the lengh of your push-stick. I think I will make a new 20" push-stick to-night between glue-ups of components on a coffee table. I currently run 15" but I like the idea of one longer as yours. I may take a couple of attempts as I always add a pistol grip so to speak and I want to make an anlge so my hand is level yet the forward portion is angled down to the stock about 30 degrees. I should be able to come up with the proper balance in 30 minutes or so.

Take care Niki...

Sarge..

[Ben Davis]

Nissim, Excellent idea for the lateral support/pressure rollers. Do you also employ downward pressure rollers to support the stock after the blade?

[Nissim Avrahami]

Thank you Ben

At the times that I was still using "Long fence"......and also nowadays when I cut wide MDF, Plywood or Chipboard that I cannot use the "Feather rollers", I'm using the "Hold down wheels" (pic below) to help me to control the boards better.

If you'll look on the pics above, you will see that for ripping solid wood, I'm using "Short fence" so actually, after passing the center of the blade, there is no any fence to hold the board to, the board is free to "spring-out" to the right in case of released internal stresses after the it was severed.

Regards
niki
97959

[Bob Vaughan]

Here's an option I saw in some publication in the mid 70's. Its been my mainstay ever since. Vary the length and width for what you need.

http://i142.photobucket.com/albums/r118/rmvaughan/Gen%20Workshop/pushsticks.jpg

[John Thompson]

During a moment of inspiiration from you and a few dead minutes during a glue-up... I took about 30 minutes to build a "long push stick, Niki. Building took about 10 minutes but finding the angle I wanted took 20 and three proto-types from a piece of scrap ply.

But.. I found an angle that put my hand up above my shield... and a lenght (21" in this case) that put the handle behind my "red line which is 8" from the blade. The balance is right with the angle and I absolutely am glad I took the time to make the "long boy". Perfect....

I clamped it on the half fence to show you the lenght and handle height with the angle.

Thanks...

Sarge..

[Nissim Avrahami]

Hey John

That's a beautiful push stick....and what's the shiny new table saw...

Now I remember, that my TS came with a push stick exactly like that (and it goes into a "pocket" on the right hand side of the cabinet) but I never used it because IMO it's too short.

I assume that I can easily copy the angle although, the correct angle depend on the operator height (and I'm low...) but I'll try...

I run down to the garage and took a picture...something is written on it in German but I cannot understand...I assume that it's "Idiot, keep your hand out of the blade area" or something like that :)

Sorry about the "metric"....43cm = 17" but the hand is at 13" or so.

I glue an Anti-skid tape on the "mouth" for better grip of the workpiece

Regards
niki
97972

[John Thompson]

I made this one 21" and used it quite a bit this afternoon. Again... I absolutely love the extra lenght.

Regards...

Sarge..

[Jules Dominguez]

I have a variety of homemade push sticks for different situations. I bought a pair of Grippers about a year ago and they're my favorites now when I can use them.

A nice feature of the Gripper is that it allows the handle to be set at an angle which facilitates pushing the workpiece both forward and towards the fence. with no extra effort required.

If I ever have the need to make another homemade one for the tablesaw it will definitely incorporate that feature.