Power Saws Save a Great Deal of Time and Labor When Used Correctly

Power saws save a great deal of time and labor when used correctly. They can be used by professional woodworkers, or the weekend hobbyist, to create anything from furniture to toys to house trim. The key to using a power saw safely is to read the safety instructions before you make the first cut on wood, and to develop a safety checklist to run through before starting the tool. Use the Correct Saw and Blade If you saw with your right hand, use a saw with a blade on the left and vice versa. You must be able to see the blade to make a straight cut, and leaning over the blade to see the cut is dangerous as the saw could slip and hit you in the face. Know which jobs you can do with particular saws and blades. Not using the correct saw or blade can cause the saw to jam or bind into the wood and kick back into you. Unplug the saw before you change the blade, and check that the blade is securely seated before you plug the saw back in. Proper Protection Use your safety glasses, earplugs and a respirator if you plan to create a lot of sawdust. It is easy to get a flying piece of wood in your eye . Even the smallest shard could cause serious damage and infection. Hearing can be damaged by the loud sound a saw makes cutting through wood. Sawdust will irritate respiratory ailments such as asthma, bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, so use the respirator to keep yourself comfortable and breathing freely. Safety Tools Power saws usually have blade guards, but many people tie the blade guards up and out of the way. Do not rely on a blade guard to save your fingers. These guards can also hang up during the cutting process, leaving the blade exposed near your hands. Clamp a 2 by 4 guide rail onto your cutting table to ensure straight cuts while protecting your hands. Use a piece of T-shaped plastic to push the last few inches of the wood being cut against the guide rail and into the blade. While Sawing Use a designated space to place your saw while it is not in use, and be sure to point the blade away from you. Keep your finger off the power switch while plugging in and unplugging the saw. Take your finger off the power switch a second before coming to the end of cutting a piece of wood. Let the blade stop. Then lift it out of the wood. Have a take-up reel installed on your saw. Use it to prevent yourself from stepping on the saw cord while sawing and having the saw jerk out of the wood and kick back at you. Only use sawhorses to cut off ends; cutting the middle of a piece of wood on two saw horses can cause the wood to sag or drop unexpectedly, leaving you with a saw blade in your foot. Never saw backwards. The saw could bind into the wood and kick the blade back at you, causing a nasty cut. Source: ehow.com