Owner: Damian Axford

Maintainer: Damian Axford

Model: DeWalt DW780 The table saw requires induction prior to use.

To identify an inductor go to / join Inductions chat group on Telegram and use command "/inducted_on Table Saw"

The table saw is used for long, straight cuts to wood typically referred to as ripping, and hard plastics (with care). It requires dust extraction using the portable dust extractor.

Layout

Manual

You will need access to the Makerspace Google Drive to access this. English starts on Page 32.

Manual (PDF)

Consumables

Blades, if we have spares they will be in the blue box labelled "spares" in the workshop. N.B. Blades should be changed by Maintainer.

Basic Safety

Safety glasses and hearing protection are highly recommended for use with this machine. Long hair should be tied back, loose clothing and jewellery should be rolled up / removed as they may catch in the blade.

Move the machine so that you have room to catch your entire piece of wood off the back of the machine, use trestle support for long pieces if alone. If it’s a large board do not operate alone.

Do not lean over blade when it is running or stand directly behind blade when cutting as if “kick back” occurs workpiece can strike you.

Do not push work piece near the blade with your hands, use a push stick. Use of the blade guard is highly recommended.

Avoid cutting very short pieces – pieces at least 250mm/10 inch long is manufacturer recommendation.

Never use machine without riving knife installed as it’s a key safety device.

In the event of a problem with the machine report it on telegram and if it’s a safety issue clearly mark the machine as do not use.

Use

Position machine so there is sufficient room to safely move around, attach the dust extractor to the vent on the rear of the saw.

Make sure you are familiar with control layout, particular on/off switch. Check fence scale is set to the default one and that bevel angle has been returned to square.

Check material, particularly recycled wood, carefully for any metal e.g. nails / staples that might damage blade.

Adjust the cut width by unlocking the lever on the right-hand side, moving the fence using the dial on the front (not by hand!), and relocking the lever. The fence has two possible settings make sure you are using the correct scale – yellow scale is the default.

Use the large wheel on the front to change the blade height to be just taller than the material to be cut (a tooth showing).

If required the whole blade can be angled by unlocking the lever behind the wheel and pushing the lever, tilt the blade until the required bevel angle is set, relock when done.

Make sure you have a push stick available to push your workpiece past the blade.

Feed the work into the blade keeping it against the fence and downwards on the table, use push stick once rear edge of work is over the table to avoid tipping the work above the blade. Don’t force workpiece allow the blade to cut it.

Push your entire work piece past the blade, so that it is no longer touching the blade, before turning off.

Do not stand in front of the machine with loose pieces of wood right of the blade, as the spinning blade may fire them into you.

Jigs

There are a couple of jigs that have been made to increase flexibility of saw.

Cross cut sled.Although a table saw is primarily used for ripping this allows cross cutting simply and more accurately. Its basically a fence at right angles to the standard fence with a guide that runs in the mitre (gauge) slot. When using this DO NOT have the workpiece in contact with the sled and and table fence simultaneously when cutting as it can cause kick back as the cut piece, to the right of the blade, can jam between blade and table saw fence. Have the workpiece against the cross cut sled only as it feeds past the blade. To make accurate, repetitive cuts use a spacer between the table fence and workpiece before the blade to set the size, then as you feed the sled past the blade the workpiece is clear from the table fence. Be sure to place your hands well away from where the blade exits back of jig.

Straight Edge Used to create a straight edge on a board - typically after thicknessing. There are 2 versions, one that runs in the mitre slot which is particularly suitable for recycled pallet wood and a more general purpose one, for wider boards, that uses the table saw fence for more width adjustment. For either jig simply clamp the board to the jig using the inbuilt clamps with the board just proud of the edge and run through the saw make sure saw is stopped before moving jig. Once you have one straight edge the board can be ripped to width using the table fence as normal.

Return to Default state

Unplug and wrap power cable onto machine, disconnect extractor hose.

Brush off any sawdust on saw and bench its mounted on. Check If there are any small pieces of wood not picked up by extractor in saw well. Remove yellow insert plate (check machine unplugged first) and remove pieces – may be necessary to push out of vent with long screwdriver.

Blade should be vertical, reset fence to standard if you have used alternate scale.

Blade should be retracted under bed i.e. no teeth proud of table top.

Fence should be wound in so that it is central over the bed (minimum width for storage). Return machine to its storage place.

Workshop Cleanliness

Put any hand tools used back in the rack.

Brush down any machines you have used and store appropriately. Sweep workshop floor – doesn’t need to be spotless but clean and tidy – a good aim is cleaner than you found it 😊

Check if dust extractor needs emptying, if so empty into a black bin bag, stocks found under kitchen sink, or workshop bin if room. Please take full bags/bins to the skip or one of the other bins on Biz Space site.