Method of work

[Edward Weber]

Let's take crosscutting on a TS.
If we taught people why we do it the way we do, not just tell them how, there would be less problems.

Why would I move the fence? it has a rule on it, I set it to 6" long, that's what I need. Now let me get my miter gauge...
Without knowing about the potential dangers we get what's in the original photo.

And again, I have no idea who is in the photo, it could be someone from WWJ (I doubt) or a contributor. It could be that someone in graphics simply used the photo, not knowing.
I prefer not to guess

[mike stenson]

Let's take crosscutting on a TS.
Why would I move the fence? it has a rule on it, I set it to 6" long, that's what I need. Now let me get my miter gauge...

This is why European style fences are so nice to use

[Doug Garson]

I wonder if this is just a coincidence or if he is monitoring this thread? Just got a link to this page in my email today. https://kmtools.com/blogs/news/quick...iffc%3D.TY7F5N

[Doug Garson]

I have done a lot of operations with various degrees of danger, Some woodworkers would find the way I work quite okay, others would want me put in jail. It depends on their point of view. I never had a blade guard on a table saw or a jointer, 18" saw blade 5-1/2" of blade above the table, 7.5hp motor, 24" jointer, jointed tens of thousands of bf lumber mostly using my hands, even jointed /Micro honed the blades with the machine running. I understand the risks, and my skills and make decisions on how to do an operation based on how many I have to do vs setup time, the probability of success, and where my fingers would be in case of failure. They are my rules. I don't have set rules like never get your fingers within 4", 6" 12" to a blade etc... or always use pushsticks etc. I don't have many blanket rules, I work on a case by case evaluation.
There are certain things that I do by instinct, safety glasses, dust masks, earplugs, roll up sleeves, , analyze the procedure plan the operation, mental run-through of the operation, commit to task and have the focus, control and discipline to see it through.

I personally would not do what that guy did in the photo. The fence has no advantage but increases the danger level considerably. My conclusion is the guy doesn't know what he is doing and will get hurt.

But it is no point me telling you how to do woodwork, because most woodworkers will say that I am dangerous and have a reckless disregard for safety, in their opinion.... couldn't be further from the truth in my opinion.

Most of what I see done in magazines and Youtube I disagree with, most of the Youtube Gurus, including the ones mentioned have had accidents on tables saws and jointers, even though they have all of safety guards, grippers and pushsticks.
Lots of people make excuses and say anyone can have an accident, which of course is true, but most accidents are caused by the person, are predictable and preventable. Most accidents that I have seen were not due to the operation being "too dangerous" just that the operator did not possess the level of ability to do it.

Personal Safety is personal, I work within my comfort zone. If i feel that I have better control feeding the wood by hand, then that is what I do. If i feel that i need a pushstick, then that is what I use. You have to evaluate each job.

Don't disagree with anything you just said.

[Michael Burnside]

This is why European style fences are so nice to use

Meh, my SawStop Biesemeyer that I swapped with an aluminum extrusion can be "European" if I want, but its easier to just measure with the fence, move it out of the way and place a Magswitch 165 abutted to the measured stock and cut away.

[mike stenson]

Meh, my SawStop Biesemeyer that I swapped with an aluminum extrusion can be "European" if I want, but its easier to just measure with the fence, move it out of the way and place a Magswitch 165 abutted to the measured stock and cut away.

but, but.. then you gotta measure


(flipping the fence face down is more useful)

[Marc Rochkind]

When I have to make repetitive cuts, I sometimes put a block against the fence (maybe 4 - 5 inches long), and measure from there. Then I clamp the block to the end of the fence, well in front of the blade. I put the work against the bock, and also against the miter gauge. As I move the miter gauge forward, the work clears the block.

Unlike in the photo, this is completely safe. But, what is happening in the photo is very wrong. The fence adds nothing but hazard.

[Derek Cohen]

I am just puzzled why the fence was there at all. It did not offer any assistance as the workpiece was directed by the mitre guide.

The whole thing looked like a hastily-rigged publicity photo, taken without much thought.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Edwin Santos]

I am just puzzled why the fence was there at all.

Regards from Perth

Derek

My guess is he was using the fence and the fence scale as a way of quickly measuring his cut dimension.

I was taught the safer way to do this is to keep a 1" reference block of wood sitting on top of the fence or in some other nearby location, set your fence location 1" further than you need with the block in place. Set workpiece, remove block, make cut. The 1" of space you've allowed prevents any binding.

Personally I prefer a sled with a stop block. But I do dream of a sliding table one day.

[Warren Lake]

On a sled and cutting solid you dont have to spin the work to cut to length. On the generals I had a excalibur each side to get around that. Cross cut square left then slide to the right one and cut to length. Now with the SCM slider im back to spinning the work again. Perfect world id have a slider with a sliding table on each side of the blade. The concept worked great just those were first generation and not the best.