Table Saws for Dummy Woodworkers

rip fence (gold) on table saw

One of our staffers was reading a classic science fiction book (Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon) when she ran across a passage that pretty much sums up our mantra at the Antisocial Network:

"I think it's clear... that if you are ignorant of a particular subject, that your opinion is worthless. If I'm sick, I don't ask a plumber for advice. I go to a doctor."

Way to go, Neal: that's what we've been saying all along! Just like we say that if you want information about table saws, you don't go to some bozo with a design degree. Nonetheless, Patrick Nelson (a designer) wrote "How to Troubleshoot a Craftsman Table Saw"¹ for eHow.com (now HomeSteady.com); and his ignorance showed.

Nelson, it seems, did little more than reword a Craftsman table saw manual he found online. To establish a little cred, Patrick started by telling us what a table saw does. As if someone troubleshooting one didn't already know...:

"Craftsman table saws can be used to perform rip cuts, crosscuts, grooves, freehand cuts, simultaneous bevel and miter cuts -- called compound cuts -- and more."

Oh, sure: freehand cuts... yup, the average DIYer who doesn't know how to troubleshoot his or her table saw routinely does freehand cuts with one. And compound bevels? there's a common usage... in other words, Patrick has immediately established himself as someone with only vicarious knowledge of table saws.

Nelson continues to demonstrate limited familiarity with the tool with such comments as If the saw starts, but won't come up to speed, check that the extension cord isn't too long. Replace the cord with a shorter one and try the saw again. Adjust the miter gauge if the 45 degree and 90 degree crosscuts are out of whack. Tighten the Craftsman's miter angle knob if the material gets kicked back from the blade, and align the splitter on the blade guard if the lumber binds.

To which we reply to Patrick,

1. You should also ensure that the extension cord gauge meets specifications. A 16/2 cord is fine for christmas lights, but for heavy-duty power tools? Not so much.
2. Adjust the miter gauge? How do you do that, Patrick? 
3. WTF does a "miter angle knob" have to do with kickback? The troubleshooting guide Patrick was using is a lot more concerned with the rip fence -- which Patrick never mentioned -- when there is binding or kickback.

In reading through Nelson's "instructions," it becomes quite clear that he has – at the most – very limited exposure to table saws, Craftsman or otherwise. Yet he cobbled together some rubbish, rubbish that might be dangerous,  just to pick up a few bucks. Yet some people wonder why we hand out this Dumbass of the Day award...

¹ The original has been deleted by Leaf Group, but can still be accessed using the Wayback machine at archive.org. Its URL was   ehow.com/how_8076989_troubleshoot-craftsman-table-saw.html

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