New table saws

[niki]

Mike
In Europe, the Splitter was dropped at the 60th and the Riving knife took its place.

I don't know the exact time that it became a safety regulation.

SARGE
You are correct, even with the riving knife, we only reduce the kickback possibility...

I would like to show you a reply to my e-mail to Metabo Engineering department asking about the "Short Fence"

Did you know that all the solid woods are "alive" and only the "man-made boards" are "Dead wood" ....well, at least that the way that the Germans put it...



Dear customer,

thank you for your email regarding the setting possibilities of the rip fence.

Reactive woods (not dead woods) can move to the side just after cutting. Thatīs why there might be the risk of a kick back if the rip fence is set in the long position.
In order to minimize this it is recommended to set the end of the rip fence to the saw blade centre (short position).

For sawing dead wood like chipboards it is recomended to set the rip fence in the long position in order to achieve the maximum guiding length.

The riving knife is absolutely necessary and the correct position of the rip fence has to be chosen according to the wood!

If you have further questions please feel free to contact me.
Furthermore enjoy woodworking!

With best regards

-------------------------------------------
Florian Fischer
Produktmanager Holzbearbeitung
Product Manager Woodworking

Phone: +49 (0) 70 22-72-2529
Fax: +49 (0) 70 22-72-2074
Email: ffischer@metabo.de

metabo
work. don't play.

[cabinetman]

I vote for the riving knife also. The saws I've used that were dated back to the 60's and 70's had a splitter that was part of the blade guard. For those operators that didn't use the guard, didn't have the protection afforded by that item. The guards, with whatever anti-kickback mechanism for the brand did provide some deflection in the cut material flying upward off the table.
.

[mikel]

New Unisaw's are getting a riving knife too...

I have always had big cabinet saws and now in my little shop the 3100 was perfect since it has one...

...mikel

[SARGE..g-47]

Well Niki... you have your "dead-wood" and you have your "live-wood" regardless of where you park your hat obviously. That was an interesting response you got.

I had a piece of maple a week or so ago that was perfectly flat and behaved since I brought it home from the mill. Until... I ripped it to get some drawer runners and guides for a coffee table drawer. At the half-way point of a 4' lenght it opened wider than the Red Sea for Moses. I was using the half fence so no real problem but... I hit the kill switch with my knee and let the blade stop spinning.

I just removed it from the saw once stopped and tossed it as any piece with that that kind of reaction when I severed it with a rip cut is un-suitable to use a drawer guide IMO. Not stable now.. not likely going to correct the fault nature dealt it.

It might have made a good bow as in arrow.

Regards...

Sarge..

[jackellis]

I vote for a riving knife and a guard and a short fence. All three are important safety items. I use all three all the time. Don't forget safety goggles.

Although I do not really have the space for two saws, I kept my BT after buying a Jet cabinet saw. The Jet is used for through cuts because removing and installing the splitter is a pain, and the BT is used for dado cuts. At some point, I will get an aftermarket splitter or RK for the Jet that is easier to remove and reinstall.