Comment by jimnotgym

I'm in the UK, I used a tablesaw professionally for some years, often in very basic circumstances. I have never ever come close to an accident with a tablesaw. The reason:

1) UK tablesaws all come with a top-guard and a riving-knife fitted. The riving knife stops the timber from closing on the back of the blade, causing a kick back. In many designs it also holds the top guard up.

2) During my apprenticeship training there was a mandatory table saw course. We were taught how to set the guards and safely use the machine.

3) a riving knife based guard gets in the way of cutting grooves and rebates. If you take it off to do this then you replace it with a guard or jig to keep it safe. Then you put it straight back on.

4) I sometimes watch American 'makers' on YouTube and they terrify me with their working practice. My hands never went closer than the edge of the saw table. I used push sticks and jigs to handle everything close to the blade

5) I have never seen a sawstop over here, and it looks like a stupid hitech solution to a problem better solved by guards.