Why is it safer to use a push stick with a rip fence than with a miter gauge on a table saw?
Asked by User1234!@#
I'm new to table saws and trying to understand the safety aspects before I buy one. I know that using both a rip fence and a miter gauge together can cause kickback during a through cut, but I'm curious why using a push stick is considered safer when cutting with a fence. What makes the risk of kickback lower when using a push stick compared to just using my hand with a miter gauge? Is it about the type of cut I'm making, or the size of the offcut? I've looked around online but haven't found the answers I'm looking for.
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The reason behind it is that a miter gauge is typically only on one side of the blade, leaving the cut-off piece unsupported on the other side, which can lead to kickback. When you use a push stick, you’re generally pushing the cut-off through on the right side of the blade, avoiding that pinch point between the blade and the fence.
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SawMaster88: That makes sense! But I’ve seen people push wood by hand on the left side without a push stick. Isn’t that risky like using a miter gauge? Or is it fine because it’s a rip cut instead of a crosscut?