Foot Powered Table Saw

Left Side

The words “Foot Cut” can be found on the bottom of most of my products. This means I have made it using the PEDAL POWERED TABLE SAW, you see in the photograph. I have put a plain background behind it so it will show up the best. When people would see me using it they would ask, “Why are you peddling backwards?” I would tell them, “I’m not, the saw won’t cut if I go backwards, this is forward, for the saw”. I did find I could go at a more even speed going “backwards”, especially when using the scroll saw. Also I don’t have as much upper body movement, which when your cutting, you don’t want.
For every revolution of my feet the blade turns 30 times, so when I peddle at 40 rpm I am getting 1200 rpm’s on the blade

Right Side

I’m showing the table saw from both sides to show the details better. I did most of my making on it at shows, so I made a “Foot Powered” vacuum system to catch the fine dust that would drift around. I could catch 2 or 3 quarts of dust at a 4 day show. The tray on the right side of the table can be adjusted, so I have a level area when I have the table tilted as I do when beveling the pieces for the corners of lazy susans, octagon or ring boxes or the corners of the pedestal and tables. The table then has to be tilted to a 22 ½ or a 30 degree angle depending on which I am making.
For every revolution of my feet the blade turns 30 times, so when I peddle at 40 rpm I am getting 1200 rpm’s on the blade

Scroll saw

The only time I use the PEDAL POWERED SCROLL SAW is to cut out the drawers on the Jewelry Chests. I use the table saw on the rest of the Jewelry Chest. My brother and I made the power source for the table saw. When I started needing a scroll saw, I made one to fit onto the same power source as the table saw. I just unbolt the table saw and lift it off the power source and set the scroll saw in place, then bolt it on. I don’t use the vacuum with it.

Video of Foot Powered Table Saw

This is to show my Foot Powered Table saw in use. Now to some it might appear that I am peddling backwards, if I were on a bicycle that would be the case, but this is a table saw and to cut properly the blade has to turn toward you to cut. I have found one advantage to peddling in this manner is that I don’t have as much upper body movement as I have when I peddle as on a bicycle.

The main accessories of the table saw when I use it are the different jigs I made. I have 6 different jigs to cut the 6 different pieces I use in making my craft. I made them out of angle iron and bar stock. They are adjustable for each piece they are designed to cut so that they will cut to a tolerance of .005 when they are set up right.

You will always want to keep a sharp saw blade in this saw at all times or else you will run the risk of overheating the power supply and causing it to stop.

An untested theory on the safety of this saw is that if you hit your finger, your feet stop.

(For every revolution of my feet the blade turns 30 times, so when I peddle at 40 rpm I am getting 1200 rpm’s on the blade. It also has 50 pounds of flywheel to get you over the top and bottom of your peddle stroke.)

-- It’s not so much what we know that causes the trouble, it’s what we know that’s not so.