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Posted to rec.woodworking
George E. Cawthon
 
Posts: n/a
Default pushing or pulling a RAS?

Toller wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...

Toller wrote:

I am using my new RAS for real work for the first time today?
I am cutting lap joints with a dado set.

The instructions say to always pull the saw through the work, never push
it.
But I can see the work much better if I push it; pulling it puts the
blade
in the way when I position the material.

I have tried it both ways and it seems pretty much action either way.
What
is the big deal about pulling rather than pushing?


You _will_ pull the material up off of the table someday if you push
through. By pulling through, the blade rotation forces the material
dwon at the intersecting point of the table and fence. Optimum.

My problem with a dado on a RAS is that the saw wants to climb over the
top of the material and I'm constantly fighting that. I'm still
convinced that there's nothing faster for cross dados and half lap
joints.


What you (and others) say about pulling the material up when pushing makes
sense; but what is this about climbing? I can see that the blade pushs the
material down, and if it does that it must be pushing the saw up, but can it
really do that? Isn't the saw sufficiently solid to prevent any movement,
or are you talking about something else.

I did find that pulling the saw makes it want to shoot out and it takes a
bit to control that. Is that what you are referring to?
It is almost enough to make me use the motorized controller that is on the
saw! It only allows the motor to come back gradually as the motor releases
it. It seems like a nuisance, but if injury is a possible consequence of
ignoring it...


Well use it some more and you will see what
climbing is, especially if you have a dull saw or
the saw is somewhat underpowered like mine. Mine
will will climb up on the board and stall.

Back to your original problem. What you need is a
new fence. Simple since they are just a board
clamped in the table. Put the board in pull the
saw forward and cut through it. Put the board
where you want to cut where the fence cut is.
That is where it cuts. Eventually the cut in the
fence widens, so just make another fence.