Built a jig for my table saw after a close call in the garage

Was cutting some oak boards for a bookshelf last Saturday and the blade grabbed the wood. Threw it back at my stomach. Missed me by maybe two inches. So I spent Sunday building a proper crosscut sled with measuring tape and a stop block. Has anyone else had a kickback scare that made you change your whole workflow?

3 comments

3 Comments

hayden14426d ago

Missed me by maybe two inches" - that's basically what my shop apron does for me on a good day, just with more sawdust. I had a similar thing happen with a cheap miter gauge and a piece of poplar. Took a chunk out of my garage door and convinced me to finally build a decent sled. Now I also keep a push stick on a magnet right on the saw stand so I can't forget it. That close call feeling sticks with you, but at least the jig makes everything more accurate now.

williams.jenny26d ago

@hayden144 - The chunk in the garage door sounds familiar, that's how I learned too. One thing though, a crosscut sled won't help with miter gauge kickback on the table saw if you're cutting angles. I still use my old miter gauge for that, but I added a long wood handle that keeps my hands way back.

ivan_mason26d ago

I read somewhere that some guys swap their miter gauge for a custom one with an aluminum extrusion fence that locks down tight. That long handle idea sounds smart too, keeping your hands back is half the battle. I remember a YouTube video where a guy showed how he drilled a hole in his miter gauge bar and tapped it for a setscrew to eliminate slop in the slot. Made a huge difference for him with angled cuts. I might try that on my old gauge before I go building a whole new setup.