A valuable first project

[Mainemarc]

This seemed a more appropriate place to post this than the "Finished Projects" forum.

As the recent safety discussions attest, you can never be too careful around your tablesaw. I did have an old pushstick left over from my old benchtop saws, but I found myself occasionally working with very small pieces of wood that got my fingers very close to the saw blade. The way I needed to handle the wood and guide it past the blade just wasn't working with the long, notched pushstick I had.

That quietly nagging voice in the back of my head told me I was potentially working on borrowed time. These are the result of listening to that voice.

[GeekMom]

Great Marc! Now for a newbie question: are the holes in the long, narrow push block for decoration or do they serve a purpose?

[Pappy]

My guess would be for looks and to reduce the weight.

[monte]

They're there for reducing mass is my guess but they still lool mighty fine! Nice job Marc!

[crokett]

Marc,

Looks good. What is the grippy stuff on the push blocks? I used some 220 grit sandpaper on the one I made.

[Mainemarc]

quote:Originally posted by GeekMom

Great Marc! Now for a newbie question: are the holes in the long, narrow push block for decoration or do they serve a purpose?

While I'd like to use Monte and Pappy's justification that the holes reduce weight/mass, they serve no useful function that I can think of, other than possibly as hang holes.

Otherwise, it was what the Wood Magazine plans called for, and it was an excuse to use my largest hole saw.

Crockett: That stuff on the bottom of the push blocks is that grippy foam mesh drawer liner; the same stuff as the pricey router pads, but at a fraction of the price. After I made them, someone suggested recycling mousepads for this purpose, which I think is an even better idea.

PS: I agree the holes make the push stick look a little prettier. Something I wouldn't ordinarily think about for a shop fixture, except you never know when Rod Kirby might be looking.

[guycox]

Mouse pads make pretty good bottoms for push blocks. Now that all my mice are optical; I've got a ton of them sitting around. For some reason vendors still think mouse pads are a "hot item".