With all the wood I've sawn on my table saws, it was only once during first my use of one that I had a workpiece kickback towards me. I wasn't hit but it scared the s#!h out of me so I scolded myself and forced myself to do my homework. What I learned and it has worked for me well is that it is always a lack on the operator's side that causes accidents so all that is really necessary to stay safe is to do your homework, think through the task at hand, and do not use your cellphone while using your saw ... in other words stay focused.
The TS I brought back to life actually has a blade guard, a riving knife and those anti kickback things but I'm did not put them because I feel they would just get in my way and I am sincerely worried these might just contribute toward causing an accident. I figure the less things near the spinning blade the less likelihood of something going wrong.
How do you guys feel?
Re: How important really are TS safety features?
fortunate for me since I haven't a kick-back from the ts yet(knock on wood :)). I try to make my luck I guess, before I had a ts, I imagined I would have one that I like, then I watched youtube videos, there are lots of information about anything nowadays, read thru international sites about them and the accidents it caused and how they happen. for short I studied as much as I could before I even tried one (which was Jay's, he did not even know that that was the first time I tried one). and yes FOCUS always when using any tool especially powertools since they often can rip you easy...
as for the ts safety features, well I do use them. the riving knife/splitter is always ON, the blade guard often removed bec it doesn't control dust, but i do use what I made for blade guard. anti-kickback pawls I hardly use nowadays since I change from one set-up to another every time I use the ts...
anything that can distract me during ts use, I keep distant. and keeping the place organized helps a lot. but tru to Louis's words Stay as focused as you can, concentrating on what is at hand is key to safety...
btw, I am studying now on bandsaws... lol
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