On Wed, 28 Sep 2005 02:02:20 GMT, "BobS" wrote:



You evidently had a problem with kickback at one time and now won't make a
long rip on a wide board now.

SNIP

Bob:

Appreciate the advice and time you took to post it.

Yep, I had a nasty kick back this past weekend ripping 4" off a 24X48
hunk of 3/4 ply. Luckily I recognized the symptoms as I was running
the cut and got the heck out of the way. Only harm was a lovely
semi-circular gash through the leading end of the board where the top
of the blade caught it. I was almost across the room by then (little
guys learn early how to run real fast).

Yes, I know what caused it. Long story cut short. I had dismounted the
UHDP side panels on the fence (it's a Jet Xacta) to smooth them up a
couple of weeks ago. When I remounted them I put the panel that's
normally on the right side (not normally used side) of the fence onto
the left, or normal board guiding side. I had not tuned the saw with
it on that side. Lo and behold, when I checked it after the excitement
the dial indicator showed that the side panel pinched in at the far
(out-feed) end by almost .035. The correct panel slants a tiny bit out
(~.004) at the out feed - tuned it that way on purpose. Second mistake
was that I had failed to snap the splitter back in (after market Bies)
before making the cut - don't ask me why. So 2 goofs gave me a gotcha.

Your practice the cut idea is "spot on". Had I done so, I would have
immediately noticed the lack of a splitter. I might not have noticed
the pinch-in, but with the splitter the odds of a bad kick back would
have been less.

So fraidy cat or no, I'll learn, hopefully more from listening to you
guys than from my own dumb-ass mistakes.

Regards.

BTW - the "bad" panel went through the planer, was remounted and
checked out OK. Also both panels are now permanently engraved with
their "Left" "Right" titles in bright red on the top edge.