Unleash the Beast

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OK - after last night's philosophical reflections, it's back to practicalities, the workshop, and dangerous machine-tools. Pictured is my little table saw, much modified from its original form [blog posts passim], and a six by one inch piece of rough-sawn tanalised timber, which after much hacking about will form part of the off-the-wall reconstruction of the semi-rotten wood-shed door, which I posted about a short while ago.

I need to rip this piece down its length to form one of the side pieces of the door, but it's a rather long and heavy piece of lumber, which will need support at both ends, as it passes across the table-saw to be sliced by the fearsome blade you can see in the photo. Considering that the thing rotates at 10,000 rpm and with a great deal of torque behind it as well, it demands a severe amount of respect from the operator, i.e. me. And respect it I do, having experienced a kickback from the beast once before.

The stand holding up the tail of the lumber in the photo I've jury-rigged from an old clothes rail and a couple of heavy-duty mannequin stands. I've just got to fashion its opposite number for the outfeed end of the table and then I'll be nearly good to go. One thing more, though, will be some feather-boarding to make sure the lumber doesn't wander during the [initial part of] the cut, which could result in a large hole in the workshop wall or roof and even personal injury to your humble narrator, which I would almost certainly regret. I'll keep you posted...

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