table saw 101

Last January I bought a used table saw.  There was one posted on a for-sale fb page along with other tools. I actually first bought a rubber mallet from this guy and when we met for the exchange I asked him about the Craftsman Table Saw that he posted.  I told him that I was interested in it and that I had never used one before.  He said it was a good one and that he used it a lot.  It just had to go because he was losing his shop area.  I told him I would email him.  So I went home and talked to my roommate about it.  It was $150 for an item that was about $600 brand new.  I decided this was a deal I couldn't pass up.  I emailed him and arranged for the buy and the delivery.  It was housed in Manteno, I had no truck, nor the amount of muscle needed to go get it. He was nice enough to deliver it to my garage.  He delivered it along with the user's manual and said it needed a new blade.  I was all set.  Remember, this was January so it was cold and I had no desire to learn how to use the saw in the winter.  Anyway, the garage needed a good cleaning so the table saw could have a permanent spot along with our bicycles and cars, among other things.

Summer came and it was time to clean out that garage.  Things sure accumulate quickly in the garage over the winter.  Then with July being as hot as it was, this project was delayed.  I ended up cleaning half of the garage, then waited about a month to do the other half.  Since I don't have a large garage, I needed a moveable base for the table saw to live on.  I bought one at Sears and assembled it regardless of the instructions.  Then I got three people to lift the saw so I could maneuver it to receive the legs in the right spots.  Success!  The base was perfect.  It has two levers that raise it to roll it out for use.  Then it is lowered for secured use.

Now it was time to ask a friend to come over and teach me how to use the saw.  I have a couple of friends that offered to show me the ropes.  Duane used to work at Olivet years ago.  He brings in his little woodworking jobs to show the ladies in the office.  He makes trivets, boxes, lanterns, as well as larger items like a dining room table, dressers, and nightstands.  He brings in pictures of the larger items.  He is proud of his work.  He does a great job.  When he brings in pieces to show them off, I look at them closely and guess the wood that he used, look at the joints and talk about how he made the item.  It is a fun little game :)

Duane came over last Thursday night.  The first order of business was to change the blade.  Then we went through squaring the blade, angling the blade, and then making cuts.  Basic cross cuts and ripping are what we covered.  Really, just the basics.  I showed him the plans for my first big project, a queen sized headboard.  He looked through the plans and recommended poplar as the wood.  He agreed that it is a basic plan that is good to start with.  Oh, I almost forgot...we also talked about safety with the table saw.  I have safety goggles and ear plugs.  I am never to be in a rush when I am using the table saw.  I will always wait for the blade to stop all the way before I reach for the wood.  If I ever get in a hurry, I just need to stop, count my fingers and be thankful for each one of them.  Duane lost half of his pinky finger back in 2008.  You just can't get them back so there is no need to hurry...no matter what!

Here is a picture of my table saw.  I hope to bring you regular blogs of my DIY projects.  This
weekend I made a cushioned top for a dog crate, I added a shelf to my linen closet, and I made a scarf hanger.  My next blog will be the detail of those as well as the before and after pictures.  

Enjoy!