Table Saw - Charnwood W650P

Manual

• A TABLE SAW IS OFTEN THE MOST DANGEROUS TOOL IN A WOODSHOP! It may look straightforward to use, but any deviation from correct procedure can result in an extremely nasty accident to yourself and/or somebody who happens to be nearby.

• THE TABLE SAW IS NOT A GENERAL PURPOSE SAW! It is designed to make specific types of cuts, and should only be used in that way. Check if we have a more suitable tool before using the table saw. The table saw should always be your last option for making a cut.

• Wood dust is hazardous! You must always ensure the dust extraction blast gate is open and the main dust extractor switched on! Empty the extractor bin when it's full.

• The table saw is loud! You must wear ear protection, and offer it to those around you before using the saw.

The table saw is for cutting seasoned dimensional timber, or timber-based sheet materials such as ply or MDF.

It must only be used to cut materials that can be held firmly against the bed and the rip or angle fence without risk of slipping during the cut. This means the materials must have regular flat sides.

You must NEVER use the table saw for:

• Non-wood materials, such as plastic, resin, or metal.
• Irregularly-shaped pieces of timber (eg: tree branches, lathe blanks) that can't be held firmly against both the bed and fence.
• Badly warped timber.
• Timber contain screws or nails.
• Fresh-cut, “green”, or unseasoned timber.
• Stuff that doesn't fit in the saw.

Table saws are primarily designed for making rip cuts. This is a cut along the length of a piece of timber (usually following the grain). The cut is guided guided by the fence.

Our saw is complete with a sliding table on the left hand side. This means the saw can also be used to make cross-cuts. Using this carriage is more fiddly and more dangerous than doing the same cut on the mitre saw, so your first choice for cross cutting should always be the mitre saw where possible.

You must NEVER attempt to use the table saw to make 'freehand' cuts or curved cuts!

When using the table saw:

• Wear hearing protection, and inviting others in the room to do the same.
• Wear eye protection.
• Always use the dust collection system.
• Tie back long hair, and remove any loose or dangly items (jewellery, baggy sleeves, hoody tassels, etc).
• NEVER reach across the saw while it is running.
• NEVER walk away from the saw while it is running.
• NEVER retrieve your material or waste from the saw while it is running.
• If you smell burning, see smoke, stop the saw and investigate.

Before using the saw, you must do the following:

• Inspect the machine for obvious defects or damage.
• Check the riving knife and blade guard (b) are present.
• Ensure your working area is clear of trip-hazards and obstacles.
• Ensure the outfeed area is clear of obstructions.

• Set the blade height and angle, as follows:
  1. Release the locking handle (h)
  2. Adjust the blade angle with the lever on the right hand side of the machine (k)
  3. Adjust the blade height with the lever on the front of the machine(i). The blade gullets should be just above the surface of your material See this video
  4. Engage the locking handle (h)

• Check that the dust collector is not full.
• Open the blast gate for the table saw and close the blast gates for any machines not currently in use.
• Switch on the dust collector.

Rip cutting must always be done with the aid of the rip fence (d).

NEVER attempt to rip cut freehand

• Lock the fence in the correct position for your cut, as follows:
  1. Loosen both the Main locking knob (p) and Micro adjustment knob (q)
  2. Move the rip fence (d) into roughly the correct position
  3. Tighten the Micro adjustment knob (q)
  4. Turn the Micro adjustment screw to position the fence exactly ( r )
  5. Tighten the Main locking knob (p)

• When cutting long boards or large sheets, use roller stands or an outfeed table to ensure they cannot tip or drop as the cut finishes.

• Switch on the saw
• Hold the workpiece firmly against the rip fence (d) and flat to the bed (a).
• Wherever possible, use push sticks or push blocks instead of your hands to hold your material. Many gruesome table saw accidents would have been prevented this way.
• Feed your material slowly through the saw.
• While pushing your material, never allow your hands to come anywhere close to the blade, or in line with the blade.

Here is a good example of the correct setup for a rip cut, with the rip fence set correctly and the board firmly against it.

With the aid of the sliding table (e) and angle fence (f), our table saw can be used for cross-cutting.

When cross cutting, your material must be firmly held to the angled fence on the sliding table, and the the sliding table is then used to guide the material through the saw blade.

NEVER attempt to cross cut freehand or with the aid of the rip fence

After cross cutting, the saw should be set back up for rip cutting.

• Move the rip fence well clear of your work, or remove it entirely from the table.
• Slot the angle fence (f) into the sliding table (e).
• Set it to the angle you want to cut (you can check the angle against the riving knife).
• Lock the angle fence (f) into position.
• Check that the angle fence will not come into contact with the blade during the cut

• Switch on the saw
• Hold the workpiece firmly against the angle fence (f) and flat to the sliding table (e).
• Slowly and smoothly push the sliding table (e) forwards, guiding your workpiece across the blade.
• Do not stop, twist or pull back part way through the cut.

Here is a good example of the correct setup for a cross cut with the board against the angle fence:

• You cannot crosscut materials longer than 550mm
• For repeat cuts, use the flip-over length stop on the crosscut fence. Never use the rip fence as a length stop.

• Always swich off the saw before collecting your material or clearing up waste.
• Switch off the extractor.
• Clean up the area once the saw is off.
• Log out of the machine to ensure others cannot use it without passing this induction.
• Return the push sticks and push blocks to their shadowboard.

Kickback is an incredibly dangerous and common phenomenon when using a table saw! Kickback occurs when the material is permitted to twist slightly, or lifts from the bed.

When this happens:

• The saw blade grabs the material and fires it back at the operator at very high speed.
• As the material twists, the operator's hand is drawn into the blade.

As part of this induction, you MUST watch the following video to fully understand the causes and dangers of kickback. (NB: This video is SFW. There is no gore.)

(The embedded video doesn't work in some browsers. Here's a link instead: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7sRrC2Jpp4)

Remember, to avoid kickback when using the table saw, you must always:

• Have the riving knife & blade guard assembly fitted.
• Have the rip or angle fence locked in the correct position for your cut.
• Have the blade height set correctly for the thickness of your material.
• Hold your material firmly against a fence and against the table at all times throughout the cut (Preferably with push sticks or push pads when rip cutting.)