March 10, 2015

How to use a table saw safely

How to use a table saw safely.
How to use a table saw safely.

As with all power tools, reading and understanding the safety instructions included in your table saw’s owner's manual greatly reduces the chance of injury while using it. It is important to always remain aware of what you are doing to avoid a serious accident that can occur in just a moment of inattention.

  • Always wear eye and ear protection.

  • Never wear gloves, jewelry or loose clothing that could be caught in moving parts.

  • Never stand in line with the blade or the path of the cut.

  • Never cut a warped or twisted board, and make sure the edge of the wood in contact with the fence is straight.

  • Never reach over the blade.

  • Never use the rip fence and the miter gauge at the same time.

  • Always use a push stick when the fence is set under 3-inches to the blade.

  • Turn the saw off before clearing a jam between the fence and blade.

  • Always wait for the blade to stop before making adjustments or clearing debris.

Symptoms for table saws

Choose a symptom to see related table saw repairs.

Main causes: lack of power, broken on/off switch, bad motor overload, broken power cord, bad drive motor…

Main causes: dirty saw blade, dull or damaged saw blade, blade alignment needs adjustment…

Main causes: saw dust build up, blade elevating and tilting mechanisms need lubrication…

Main causes: worn motor brushes, faulty drive motor, using an improper extension cord…

Main causes: blade alignment needs adjustment, worn blade, bevel positive stops need adjustments, bevel pointer needs ad…

Main causes: worn motor brushes, bad drive motor, faulty overload switch, using an improper extension cord, binding saw …

Repair guides for table saws

These step-by-step repair guides will help you safely fix what’s broken on your table saw.

How to replace a table saw drive motor

How to replace a table saw drive motor

You can replace a table saw drive motor that is weak or won't run. Here’s how.…

Repair difficulty
Time required
 45 minutes or less
How to adjust a table saw blade

How to adjust a table saw blade

If the table saw isn’t cutting parallel to the miter gauge groove, adjust the cutting blade following the instructions i…

Repair difficulty
Time required
 30 minutes or less
How to replace a table saw motor brush set

How to replace a table saw motor brush set

Worn motor brushes can make the table saw motor run weak. Here’s how to replace them. …

Repair difficulty
Time required
 45 minutes or less

Articles and videos for table saws

Use the advice and tips in these articles to get the most out of your table saw.

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How to enjoy all the online benefits we offer on our Sears PartsDirect website

Learn about all the convenient features on our Sears PartsDirect website that make your parts purchases easier.…

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How to use a table saw safely

How to use a table saw safely

Learn some of the basic rules for safely operating a table saw.…