"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
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On Thu, 21 Oct 2010 15:38:20 -0500, Swingman wrote:

On 10/21/2010 1:17 PM, Larry Jaques wrote:
On Thu, 21 Oct 2010 10:59:27 -0500, wrote:

The Makita needs it because it is prone to kickbacks as it does not
have
a riving knife; and I think the Makita might also cut a bit past 45
degrees (48?), which, both of these issues combined, would make it a
necessity, IMO.

Why on Earth would a circular saw on a RAIL need a riving knife for
kickback protection? Especially when it's primarily used on panel
products which, by nature, don't get the urge to close up like
improperly dried hardwood lumber might.

In my estimation, and use of the saw, and because it's a PLUNGE saw, the
Festool riving knife mitigates the tendency of the saw to kickback
toward the operator upon a plunge cut away from the edges of a panel (a
cut I use quite often now that I have the ability to do it easily).

Do you seriously feel that it does any good whatsoever, Swingy? I
can't see how it could. Panel products don't have the internal
stresses that badly dried woods do.

Actually when cutting boards, not just sheet goods, it probably adds to
prevent kick back.


Doesn't sawdust mess with the sticky strips on the guide?

The friction strips are not sticky, work very similar to the friction pads
on the bottom of the Grippers push blocks, they don't slip snf don't attract
dust either.