Potpourri - July, Aug, Sept 2010

[pennview]

Originally posted by: mickyd

Anything technically wrong with fence on the left? I'm finding that's my preference, pushstick feeding with my right hand, body/head to the left of the fence (anticipating the kickback I've heard so much about yet have yet to experienced ).

Mike, the typical method for a right-handed person ripping on the table saw is to place the fence to the right of the saw blade, use the right hand to feed the wood through the saw blade, and the left hand to hold the stock against the fence. A lefty would put the fence on the left side, feed with the left, and use the right to hold the wood against the fence. I believe this gives the best control of the stock and the best view of what's going on with the cutting. I wouldn't feel safe using your method, but maybe that's because I didn't start out ripping that way. In the end, I'd guess it comes down to what you're comfortable with.

Using a push stick vs. a push shoe is another issue mentioned by Paul M/Shipwright and I'd agree with him that the shoe gives much better control and that's what I typically use, although I have a narrow push stick that I use occasionally, but only when ripping thin strips from relatively long boards. With short boards, it's too easy to lose control of the stock when using a push stick and then have something bad happen.

Art

[charlese]

Anything technically wrong with fence on the left? I'm finding that's my preference, pushstick feeding with my right hand, body/head to the left of the fence (anticipating the kickback I've heard so much about yet have yet to experienced ).

No, nothing technically wrong with fence to the left. When ripping narrower boards that'll work. However, when ripping boards wide enough so the fence will not work on the left of the blade without a perfectly aligned floating or axillary table, I've found it a whole lot easier to use the right (larger) part of the table. When ripping bevels it becomes mandatory!

Anyway, I've learned to use the right side of the blade for most sawing. It fits the table better. And- Yes! I'm left handed. Actually it is a good practice to learn to saw both left and right handed, just like it is good to learn to use lathe tools both right and left handed. This left and right brained stuff when learned, and practiced, comes in very handy on occasion.

[burkhome]

No, nothing technically wrong with fence to the left. When ripping narrower boards that'll work. However, when ripping boards wide enough so the fence will not work on the left of the blade without a perfectly aligned floating or axillary table, I've found it a whole lot easier to use the right (larger) part of the table. When ripping bevels it becomes mandatory!

Anyway, I've learned to use the right side of the blade for most sawing. It fits the table better. And- Yes! I'm left handed. Actually it is a good practice to learn to saw both left and right handed, just like it is good to learn to use lathe tools both right and left handed. This left and right brained stuff when learned, and practiced, comes in very handy on occasion.

What's the old addage? There are a few thousand perfect people out there: the rest are right handed.

[pennview]

Originally posted by mickyd

Anything technically wrong with fence on the left? I'm finding that's my preference, pushstick feeding with my right hand, body/head to the left of the fence (anticipating the kickback I've heard so much about yet have yet to experienced ).

Mike, another thing I should have mentioned earlier was that when using your technique you need to consider how to keep control of the stock and how to keep it against the fence. A push stick doesn't give much control. I guess one could use feather boards, but they get cumbersome if you have to keep adjusting them to varying size stock. If you're right handed and still a bit apprehensive, keeping the fence to the right of the blade and using both hands to control the stock, with the right hand pushing the wood is best. Of course, you should use a push shoe when the stock is too narrow to push the stock through with your bare hand. However you cut wood, be safe.

Also, kickback is something you don't want to experience.

Here are a couple of photos showing a push shoe that uses a replaceable strip of hardboard that hooks behind the stock and another showing a safer way to use your hand when ripping stock (just hook a couple of fingers over the fence when pushing the wood past the blade). Also there is a picture of a narrow shoe and a push stick (with the black handle). The latter is rarely used, simply because it doesn't give much control.

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[JPG]

Mike, another thing I should have mentioned earlier was that when using your technique you need to consider how to keep control of the stock and how to keep it against the fence. A push stick doesn't give much control. I guess one could use feather boards, but they get cumbersome if you have to keep adjusting them to varying size stock. If you're right handed and still a bit apprehensive, keeping the fence to the right of the blade and using both hands to control the stock, with the right hand pushing the wood is best. Of course, you should use a push shoe when the stock is too narrow to push the stock through with your bare hand. However you cut wood, be safe.

Also, kickback is something you don't want to experience.

Here are a couple of photos showing a push shoe that uses a replaceable strip of hardboard that hooks behind the stock and another showing a safer way to use your hand when ripping stock (just hook a couple of fingers over the fence when pushing the wood past the blade). Also there is a picture of a narrow shoe and a push stick (with the black handle). The latter is rarely used, simply because it doesn't give much control.

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It seems Paul has a kindred spirit!

[shipwright]

It seems Paul has a kindred spirit!

Couldn't have said it better. The only difference is that since only use a shoe when I'm too close to use my hand (inside a couple of inches) I tend to favor throw away ones that can go right over the blade. But I'm in agreement on pretty much everything else. I always have two or three fingers over the fence.

Right on pennview!

Paul M

[robinson46176]

How did we end up with so much Shopsmith woodworking content in a potpourri thread in the Community section?
This is supposed to be for off topic stuff like a picture of this horse I accidentally bought Saturday...
http://picasaweb.google.com/robinson46176/OurHorses#5513666063508747266

[burkhome]

How did we end up with so much Shopsmith woodworking content in a potpourri thread in the Community section?
This is supposed to be for off topic stuff like a picture of this horse I accidentally bought Saturday...
http://picasaweb.google.com/robinson46176/OurHorses#5513666063508747266

Don't know anything about horses but this ones real purdy.

[horologist]

I don't know much about horses either but was wondering how you buy one accidentally. Especially as we already have one and I have been trying to keep it this way.

Did you scratch your nose at an auction?
Buy a horse trailer that was supposed to be empty?

Troy

[mickyd]

She's a beauty farmer. Never saw markings like that before. What kind is she.....