Operator's Manual

13
How to Mount a Featherboard
WARNING
Do not locate the featherboard to
the rear of the workpiece. If posi-
tioned improperly, kickback can result from the
featherboard pinching the workpiece and binding
the blade in the saw kerf. Failure to heed this
warning can result in serious personal injury.
Completely lower the saw blade. Position the rip
fence to the desired adjustment for the cut to be
performed and lock. Place the workpiece against
the fence and over the saw blade area. Adjust the
featherboard to apply resistance to the workpiece
just forward of the blade. Attach C-clamps to further
secure the featherboard to the edge of the saw table.
Clamps
Featherboard
Push stick
and block
WARNING
Always make sure the riving knife
with blade guard and anti-kickback
pawls are in place and working properly when
making these cuts to avoid possible injury.
Always use a push stick with small pieces of
long narrow piece of wood, to prevent your hands
from getting close to the blade.
Types of Cuts
There are six basic cuts: the cross cut, the rip cut,
the mitre cut, the bevel cross cut, the bevel rip cut,
and the compound (bevel) mitre cut. All other cuts
are combinations of these basic six. Operating pro-
cedures for making each kind of cut are given later
in this section.
Cross Cut - Straight, 90° cuts
made across the grain of the
workpiece. The wood is fed
into the cut at a 90° angle to
the blade, and the blade is
vertical.
Rip Cut - Cuts made with the
grain of the wood. To avoid
kickback while making a rip
cut, make sure one side of the
rip fence.
Mitre Cut - Cuts made with
the wood at any angle to the
blade other than 90°. The
blade is vertical. Mitre cuts
tend to “creep” during cut-
ting. This can be controlled
by holding the workpiece
securely against the mitre
gauge.
Bevel Cross Cut - Cuts made
with an angled blade. Bevel
cross cuts are across the
wood grain, and bevel rip cuts
are with the grain.
Bevel Rip Cut - Cuts made
with an angled blade. Bevel
cross cuts are across the
wood grain, and bevel rip cuts
are with the grain.
Compound (Bevel) Mitre Cut
- Cuts made with an angled
blade on wood that is angled
to the blade. Be thoroughly fa-
miliar with making cross cuts,
rip cuts, bevel cuts, and mitre
cuts before trying a compound
mitre cut.