A push stick is a simple workshop safety tool that helps guide wood through a table saw while keeping hands away from the spinning blade. It gives the user a secure way to apply forward and downward force to a workpiece, especially when cutting narrow boards. This matters because table saw blades move at high speed and can cause severe injury in a fraction of a second.
A well shaped push stick improves both safety and cutting control.
Key Facts
- Use a push stick whenever the distance between the blade and fence is less than about 150 mm or 6 in.
- Forward force moves the board through the blade, while downward force helps keep it flat on the table.
- Friction force can be estimated by Ff = μN, where μ is the coefficient of friction and N is the normal force.
- Blade tip speed can be estimated by v = 2πrf, where r is blade radius and f is rotations per second.
- Kickback happens when the workpiece is thrown backward by the blade, often due to binding, twisting, or poor control.
- The push stick hook should catch the back edge of the board so the tool can push without slipping.
Vocabulary
- Push stick
- A handheld safety tool used to push a workpiece through a saw while keeping the user's hands away from the blade.
- Workpiece
- The material being cut, shaped, drilled, or otherwise worked on in a workshop.
- Table saw
- A workshop machine with a circular blade rising through a flat table surface to cut material.
- Kickback
- A dangerous event in which a saw blade catches the workpiece and throws it back toward the operator.
- Rip fence
- An adjustable guide on a table saw that keeps the workpiece aligned during a straight lengthwise cut.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using fingers instead of a push stick near the blade is wrong because it places hands inside the danger zone where a small slip can cause injury.
- Pushing only sideways against the fence is wrong because the board may lift, twist, or bind instead of moving smoothly through the cut.
- Using a push stick with no rear hook is wrong because it can slide over the board and fail to push the workpiece securely.
- Standing directly behind the blade is wrong because kickback can send the workpiece straight backward toward the operator.
Practice Questions
- 1 A table saw blade has a radius of 0.125 m and spins at 3600 rpm. Convert the rotation rate to revolutions per second and calculate the blade tip speed using v = 2πrf.
- 2 A push stick applies a downward force of 25 N on a board. If the coefficient of friction between the board and table is 0.30, estimate the friction force using Ff = μN.
- 3 A student is cutting a narrow strip and says a push stick is only needed for the final few centimeters of the cut. Explain why the push stick should be used throughout the dangerous part of the cut and how it helps reduce risk.