On Wed, 07 May 2014 14:01:03 +0000, Puckdropper wrote:

Let's say you notice a cut starting to "go bad." What should you be
looking for in order to safely stop the cut/saw? Is it ever safe to
completely let go of the workpiece while the blade is still in it?

Anytime I'm ripping I use the wheeled hold-downs and anti-kickback
devices. While it's still not the safest thing to do, I can usually let
go of the wood and the wheels will hold it down and against the fence.
Then I can turn off the saw and fix the problem. Here's a link to the
ones I use:

http://woodworker.com/anti-kickback-...p?search=table
%20saw%20accessories&searchmode=2