use a shaper or a router table for this task. In recent years, European-style sliding table saws have had a small following in North America. They are usually either imported from European manufacturers such as Felder and its subsidiaries, Altendorf and Robland, Taiwanese companies such as Grizzly Industrial, or sold directly by U.S. based-companies such as Powermatic. History In the United States, perhaps the first recorded patent for the circular saw was issued in 1777 to an Englishman, Samuel Miller; it refers to a circular saw that was created in Holland in the 16th or 17th century. The 1885 catalog of the W.F. & John Barnes Co., Rockford, Il. clearly shows a classic table saw and it is labeled as a "Hand [Powered] Circular Rip Saw". Safety Table saws are especially dangerous tools because the operator holds the material being cut, instead of the saw, making it easy to accidentally move hands into the spinning blade. When using other types of circular saws, the material remains stationary, as the operator guides the saw into the material. But a push stick, riving knife, and protective cover over the spinning saw can reduce the chances of accident. Kickback Kickback is the term for when a piece of wood is ripped, and either pinches the blade, or turns outward against the blade of the spinning saw and is propelled back towards the operator at a high speed. The two main injuries that occur from kickback are caused by wood striking the head, chest, or torso of the operator, or the wood moving so quickly that the operator's hands stay on the wood and get pulled across the saw blade. Dust extractor A dust extractor should be fitted if sawdust is prone to build up under the cutting blade. Through friction the spinning blade will quickly ignite the accumulated dust, and the smoke can be mistaken for an overheated blade. The extractor also reduces the risk of a dust explosion and facilitates a healthier working environment. Magnetic featherboard The magnetic feather board was developed in 1990. The patented Grip-Tite is held to a cast iron table top or steel sub fence by high strength permanent magnets. The advantage of a magnetic feather board is the fast setup time on any cast iron tool deck or steel faced fence. When used in conjunction with a steel faced rip fence, they are used to hold down