"Kent" wrote in message
...
I would like to know if what I am doing on a table saw is safe. I have
ripped a board to 4" in width. I then have a piece of 3/4" plywood
that is approximately 5" X 5" and I would like to cut this to 4" wide
to exactly match (in width) the first piece I ripped. I am sliding
the 5" X 5" plywood through by hand holding it tight to the fence.
Pushing it through with a push stick does not "feel" safe to me. There
is plenty of clearance for my fingers when I slide it through.
However, since the board is only 5" across, it also does not feel safe
to me to have the plywood fully behind the blade with nothing on eiter
side as I am sliding it through. Miter saw would liekly be safer,
however, I am trying to exactly match the first board I ripped.

Is what I am doing safe or not?

If it doesn't feel safe, don't do it. I personally feel comfortable with
much narrower rips. The fingers that have no room ride on the fence,
gripping it and guiding the rest of the hand. They're not going anywhere. I
know that the entire saw, blade, and fence are aligned, adjusted, and tuned.
Nothing's coming lose or going to jump out to bite me. All the same, the
danger comes when you lose your respect for the saw's power to maim.

Why is your guard not installed? It contains the chips and improves dust
collection, and would have negated your need to ask this question. Don't
hesitate to install it, if you've removed it, when there's any question at
all about safety. Better still, leave it installed.