A power feeder holds stock securely in place, feeds at a steady rate, and allows the operator to steer clear of kickback
Losing fingers to a tablesaw has got to be just about every carpenter's nightmare, and too many can call it more of a bad memory. There are a lot of reasons why people cut themselves with tablesaws, but it usually boils down to having your hands somewhere near the blade when something goes awry. Some tablesaw manufacturers have devised flesh-sensing technology to protect the operator from ever losing a finger or worse.
This video from James Hamilton (@StumpyNubs) offers a simpler and cheaper solution: a small power feeder that allows you to walk away from the tablesaw while it cuts. If your hands are three feet away from the blade, it is very unlikely you'll cut them off.
Video transcript:
Table saws are dangerous tools. You can get hurt in a hurry, either from your hand coming in contact with the blade or from a board kicking back at you. I know some people argue that only dumb people get hurt and you just have to respect the tool and keep your hands away from the blade, but humans make mistakes. I've met a lot of very smart, very experienced woodworkers over the years who've had serious accidents.
Some saws have flesh-sensing technology that keeps the blade from cutting hot dogs—and presumably your flesh—but what if you don't have an extra two, three, four, or five thousand dollars to buy one of those?
A more affordable safety alternative
Today, I'm going to let you in on a little secret that the fancy high-tech saw manufacturers usually don't tell you. It's a much less expensive alternative to flesh-sensing technology that will make your old saw as safe—or perhaps even safer—than any new saw on the market, as well as your router table, your band saw, and other machines that aren't even available with that type of technology.
But before I show you, I want to be clear that this is not sponsored. I bought the one I'm about to show you myself. In fact, I've been using this idea off and on in my shop for years. You may have caught a glimpse of it in some past videos if you paid close attention.
The power feeder solution
It's an electric power feeder attachment. Now, before you dismiss this as something only production shops use on big tools like shapers, hear me out. This idea can change your shop in ways you may never have considered. Again, not sponsored—I'm speaking from personal experience here.
Take the table saw, for example. A power feeder almost totally automates the process. Your hands don't get cut because they never come anywhere near the blade. You're far less likely to be hit by a kickback because the nature of the power feeder dramatically diminishes the chance of one occurring, and your body won't be behind the workpiece should anything go wrong.
Power feeders can be used on multiple tools
You can use the same feeder on other tools as well. Imagine automating your router table for much safer and more consistent operation. Consider consistency—it’s a big reason to use a power feeder. Because the speed is constant, there are no blade marks left behind from the slight pauses or changes in feed rate that are so common with hand feeding. This really makes a difference when routing profiles or making raised panels, and it's a total game-changer when you're resawing at the band saw.
I haven't tried it yet because I haven't quite figured out how to rig it, but if you position a power feeder over the outfeed side of your jointer, it will save you a lot of energy that would otherwise be burned walking the boards across the top of the cutter. You'll get consistent downward force exactly where it needs to be for flattening the boards in fewer passes.
Benefits beyond safety
So, it will keep your hands away from the cutters without push sticks or paddles. It will keep your body safe from kickback. It will make your cuts more consistent and your work faster. And it does all this not just for your table saw, but also for other machines such as a router, a band saw, a shaper, and even a jointer.
So why don't more people use power feeders in their shops? Partly because of the cost. It may cost a lot less than a new high-tech saw, but it's still not cheap, and it takes a little effort to set up. So, you aren't likely to use it for just one quick cut. But there are many times when you'll find a power feeder to be a tremendous upgrade in your shop.
Choosing the right power feeder
Mine is perhaps the most popular one out there. It's made by Grizzly, which—again—is not sponsored. I paid full price for it. This is actually the second one we've had in the shop, which is why it looks pretty new. It's the smallest one they make—I think it's called their Mini Feeder. It's an eighth of a horsepower, so it does have some limitations, but I think it's perfect for a lot of shops because it's light and easily portable. So, you can move it from one machine to another.
Of course, that means I have to keep it portable. I can't permanently bolt it to the top of a machine like some folks do. Instead, I bolted mine to a plywood panel that can be clamped on both sides of the table saw, the router table, or whatever you put it on.
Mounting with switchable magnets
I figured, though, it would be a lot easier to set up if I used those switchable magnets. The problem is this thing produces a lot of torque, especially if you're feeding large, heavy materials. Mag switches are rated for their pull strength. It takes much less effort to slide them on a metal surface, and that's the worry with a power feeder—securing it with enough force to keep it from twisting out of alignment, which could cause the blade to contact and damage your feed rollers.
They make a magnet set specifically for power feeders, but they're over $800. So, I decided to experiment with four standard 150 lb magnets. I think it's a bit of a pain to create mounting holes for mag switches with a Forstner bit, so I was excited to find a router template at TayTools.com that makes it easy to cut perfectly shaped holes. But I also like to make my own modifications to the template, which make it easier to use.
Making modifications for a better setup
You're supposed to use double-sided tape to stick it down, and there are layout lines in the surface to help you position it a set distance from an edge. But I don't use tape. Instead, I use a countersink bit to taper the holes so I can secure the template to the workpiece with a couple of screws. Those screw holes will then align with the mounting holes on the magnets, so they perform double duty. By countersinking the screws, the heads won't obstruct the router base as I cut holes with a bearing-guided template bit. It only takes a minute to get a perfectly fitting hole for my mag switch.
Another problem with these magnets is they're designed for 3/4-inch thick material, and most plywood is slightly under that, so the magnet protrudes below the bottom surface, and that can cause mounting problems. The template comes with some die-cut shims to correct that problem. I used two of them, and my mag switch was then flush with the underside.
Testing the setup
These are just a few more great ideas from Taylor Toolworks. It's a small family business I've partnered with for years. I'll link to it below this video. If you use mag switches, you're definitely going to want to check this out.
Now, once I had four magnets installed, I ran some tests, and guess what? My power feeder didn't move. I even tried some medium-sized plywood panels and some relatively large and heavy hardwood—the four magnets seemed to be enough.
Now, keep in mind, I'm using the Mini Power Feeder. It's only an eighth horsepower, and if you're running really, really heavy boards through, you might have some other issues. So, I'd recommend doing some testing on your own rather than taking my word for it.
I do plan on doing a few more tests, maybe using a smaller panel so it's easier to mount in more places. That would mean placing my magnets closer together, and that could affect things as well. So, we'll see what happens.
Anyway, we've used power feeders from time to time in my shop over the years, but if I can make it even more convenient to mount and adjust, I might start using mine even more. Because it can make my cuts faster and more consistent. And because my hands aren't anywhere near the blades and cutters, it can make my saw, my router table, a shaper, a band saw, and even a jointer much safer to use.