WoodShop Basic Table Saw Class

Overview

In this class (currently in development, not yet offered), you will learn:

1. Safety
2. Care & Cleaning
3. Setup & Teardown
4. Rip Cuts
5. Dados
6. Crosscuts
7. Bevel Cuts
8. Miter Cuts

The end result is an open top box that can be used for organizing things, but also acts as the bottom portion of an arcade control. A series of classes in different disciplines will complete the rest of the arcade control.

Safety

• Think through the cut every time.
  • Failure to do so is the #1 cause of injuries among properly trained users.
  • Can you reach the kill switch with your knee?
  • Where are your hands?
  • Where is the blade?
  • Where will the material go when the cut completes?
• Blade guard pros & cons.
• Move smoothly through the cut.
• Stop if things sound or look wrong.
• Hit the kill switch with your knee if anything seems unsafe.
• Wood and saws are cheap compared to fingers.

Saw Maintenance

• Verify the blade is parallel to the miter slots.
  • Is this done using shims or other?
• Verify the rip fence is parallel to the miter slots.
  • Adjust squareness.
• does the miter gauge have stops? Verify stops are true to their angle.
  • Adjust stops.

Setup & Teardown

Setup

• Use outdoors only.
• Do not leave unattended (theft risk).
  • Plan accordingly, use bathroom, bring what you need.
  • Bring a dust brush.
• Roll gently over bumps, be aware of feet.
• Use an appropriate extension cord (or plug in directly).
• Open the stand.

Teardown

• Brush off the sawdust.
• Stow the miter gauge and push stick.
• Wrap the power cord.
• Wrap the extension cord.
• Close the stand.
• Roll gently over bumps, be aware of feet.
• Vacuum out the sawdust.

Project

Final Product

13.5" x 7.5" x 3" box with bottom

Cut List

• 1/2" OSB
  • 2@ 7.5" x 3" with 45 degree bevels, rough side in, and a .14 x .14 dado .125 from the bottom edge
  • 2@ 13.5" x 3" with 45 degree bevels, rough side in, and a .14 x .14 dado .125 from the bottom edge
• 1/8" hardboard
  • 1@ 6.75" x 12.75"

Ripping

• Material max size 2' x 4'.
• Set the blade 90 degrees to the table.
• Set the width of cut.
• Set the depth of cut.
• Install blade guard.
• Put the push stick where you can reach it.
• Think through the cut every time.
• Start the saw.
• Keep the material square to the fence and flat on the table.
• Move the material through the blade steadily, listening and watching for changes.
• When the cut completes, hit the kill switch.

Mitering

I haven't figured out how to shoehorn a miter cut into this project, but we'll do one anyway, so you know how to use the miter gauge.