Types of Table Saw Accessories

Types of Table Saw Accessories

A table saw is one of the most essential and most used tools in a workshop. It basically consists of a saw with circular blade. The saw is connected to a table with the blade protruding out. The blade rotates at high speed and is used primarily to cut wooden material. Due to its simplicity and accuracy it is widely used. It requires some basic accessories to work efficiently and accurately. The basic accessories used by a table saw are –

1) Saw bench assembly2) Saw fence system (rip fence)3) Miter gauge4) In feed / out feed table5) Splitter6) Inserter7) Blade protectors8) Feather board9) Tenon jig etc

All these accessories are used to increase precision and come in various different specifications. We will go through them one by one and make the selection process easier. The bench assembly depends on the type of table saw. The different type of table saws are bench saw, contractor saw, cabinet saw and hybrid table saw. Choose one that fits easily in your workshop and that fulfills your sawing and cutting needs. A bench saw comprises of just a simple bench with the saw attached to an edge. The contractor and cabinet saw are somewhat bulky and have their own assembly. They are more handy in places where cleanliness is require as they do not make much mess and the saw dust is collected in a separate chamber. They are also more powerful. A hybrid saw is a combination of contractor and cabinet saw.

A fence or rip fence is used to feed the wood to the saw. A good fence provides accuracy and precision. Usually the default fence that comes with the saw is enough for normal work. But if extra precision is required there are a variety of fences available in the market that comes in various sizes. But a three to five mm fence proves enough for most of the work. A miter gauge is used to make cuts at ninety degree angles. Longer boards or sheets of wood can be difficult to cut. In feed or out feed tables are used in such cases to help cut longer sheets of wood. Table saws are prone to kickbacks where the material being cut is caught by the blade and thrown back. A splitter is used to avoid kickbacks. Inserters are used to adjust the clearance of the blade. There are a variety of inserters available for purchase. Select one according to your needs. A blade can get dirty if kept in the open and can loose its sharpness. Blade protectors are used to cover the blade when not in use. Feather boards are used to adjust the wooden material against the rip fence. Like a miter gauge that makes cuts at ninety degree angles a tenon jig is used for vertical cutting of material.

Apart from this a variety of safety accessories are available to make the cutting process safer. Feeding sticks, hand gloves, anti kickback devices are a must while using a table saw. Keeping an extra set of different sized blades also helps and comes in handy. Choosing the right set of accessories will make the cutting process simple, accurate and safe. A little bit of research can help you in choosing accessories and safe you a lot of time and money.