"Z3Driver" wrote

by the
kickback genie. I was trimming 4 short (5"x5") boards for a project,
taking 3/4" off one of the sides. I trimmed the first three against the
rip fence without a problem. When I use the TS, I never stand directly
in front of the blade. On this cut, I was on the right side of the
blade, feeding the work by hand. On cut number 4,I must have turned the
board a fraction and the blade kicked that sucker back on an angle and
it caught me right in the heart. Scared the crap out of me.

I have a rule for avoiding this type of problem, that I teach my students...
Might be good for you, too.

With the blade set at the right minimum height, measure the distance along
the blade that is above the table. Let's say 5 inches is what that
measures. I say that the board being cut has to be the length of the blade
plus half of that distance added back on, so 5 plus 1/2 (2.5), so the wood
needs to be 7.5 inches long, against the fence. The fence also must not be
set much further from the blade than the length of the board.

Use the miter gauge if it does not fit the above conditions, and of course,
never use the rip fence and the miter gauge at the same time.

-- Jim in NC