Woodchips Woodworking Club Foreman Re-qualification Training

January 2012

Every foreman has been chosen and approved by the Woodchips Board based on their leadership and woodworking skills, and their demonstration of safety and responsibility while working in the Shop. This appointment is a privilege granted by the Board with the understanding that each Foreman's Qualifications will be maintained by participating in periodic and personal training. The information contained in this document, combined with shop training sessions, will assist you in maintaining your Qualifications.

Also, refer to the Woodchips Shop Manual, Operational Procedures, for more information on foreman and Shop responsibilities.

1.                 The primary duty of all foremen is to promote a safe operating environment in the Shop.  Member safety is the top priority, followed by machine and equipment safety.

Each foreman will be assigned several days each year to act as Shop Foreman. The Shop Foreman is the supervisor and final authority on all activities in the Shop on the assigned day and will act as necessary to ensure Shop safety. Do not allow the assisting of members to interfere with your primary duty of supervising members working in the Shop, especially non-foremen.

The Shop Foreman must not work on any personal or Shop project while on duty while any non-foremen is working in the shop.

In addition to the Shop Foreman, any foreman working in the Shop always has the responsibility and authority to intercede as necessary to ensure Shop safety.    

2.    All Foremen should:

·         Know and follow all recommended safety rules as outlined in the SCA Woodchips Shop Manual.  Read the Operational Procedures and all Safety sections, as well as Foreman and Monitor duties.  Foremen should also be familiar with the general safety items in each cluster.  Cluster training is mostly safety training, whereas, specific tips and techniques on the use of the machine are advanced training. (A member can ask for specific training on any machine he/she wants to gain more proficiency on)

·         Know and understand each machine’s capabilities.

·         Wear safety glasses when operating power tools and machines.

·         Remove jackets, loose jewelry and gloves, and the fabric from sleeves and sweatshirts should be above the elbows or tight around the wrists prior to operating power machines.

·         Understand that any member can re-take any cluster any time they desire a review on the tools/machines in that cluster. 

·         Ensure all Shop Projects are removed from the Shop on member days to avoid the interference with general members' project work space.

·         Know, in the case of an emergency, the number to call on the shop phone is: 911.  No “7” prefix is required for an outside line.   

3.    The Shop Foreman should maintain good situational awareness to ensure each member’s methods are properly set up and executed. If there is any doubt, the Shop Foreman will stop the operation. If time permits, the Shop Foreman can offer suggestions, however, if a member requires assistance that will detract from the  Shop Foreman’s primary shop safety responsibilities, the Shop Foreman should ask the member to request assistance from another member in the Shop or seek specific training from an instructor or mentor.  Keep in mind, there is usually more than one way to accomplish the same task.  Unless the task is in direct conflict with a safety directive, ensure all suggestions about how to accomplish the task are designated as “techniques.”

4.  Ensure all tools and equipment are operated in accordance with all manufactures' recommendations to promote safety and so as not to cause excessive wear or abuse that could lead to tool damage.  Being in a hurry is the primary cause of many accidents and machine/tool abuse.

5.     When conditions permit, assist in some advanced operations, such as: 

·         Setting up the dado blades and changing the SawStop cartridge.   

·      Changing and setting the band saw blades.

·         Changing sander belts and discs on the small table sanders and the 43”  sander.     

·         Using available jigs.    

6. Specific Instruction for Foremen Refresher:

   - The instructor will discuss:

·         The operation of the sawdust collection, high/low-pressure air systems  in the Shop.

·         Location and use of the Emergency Power Shut-Off Switches.

·         The requirement that the following tools/machines require foreman supervision to operate: installation of the spindle on the Shaper, use of the wide-belt sander, and the removal of the motor unit and the changing of the cutting bit on the Domino Joiner.

    - Table Saw, Planer, Jointer and the Compound Miter Saw.  Each foreman will discuss/observe/practice proper dado blade and cartridge changes, set-up and adjustment techniques for the table and miter saw, planer and jointer as well as fence adjustment and wood feed techniques.  Discuss the use of the sled and stop blocks.

   - Shaper, Band Saw and Drill Press. (A foremen must install the spindle on the Shaper)  Discuss/observe/practice proper shaper spindle installation and the proper tensions for the band saws.  Accomplish a review of the various drill bits, including plug cutting, brad point, forstner, spade and countersink bits, along with their associated uses, drilling techniques and applicable drill speeds.  

7. The following may be reviewed during Foreman re-qualification training and are examples of operations a foreman should be sensitive to while observing a member operating a power machine. Understand that cluster training is required before any member is allowed to use any tool in that cluster.  Cluster numbers are listed on the bulletin board behind the monitor, and in the Shop Manual, available on our website.

THE TABLE SAW

• Position yourself to observe the member if you are unfamiliar with their skill level.
• In most cases the longest side is always placed against the fence.
• The blade angle should be checked to ensure cut accuracy.
• The use of feather boards is recommended to keep hands away from the blade.
• Offer assistance when cutting large stock.
• Ensure members close the vacuum gate before replacing the table insert.                                                                                                              

THE JOINTER

• Check the fence setup angle. The fence is the surface that squares the edge to the surface of the board, therefore the stock should be held firmly against the fence.
• The minimum stock length is 12” because the jointer wants to kick the front end down and back end up on short wood (under 12”) therefore the member does not have the mechanical advantage to hold it down (leverage).
• Understand the dangers of jointing a thin piece of wood without push sticks.
• The availability and use of push sticks is important to keep hands from passing near the spiral cutters.  
• Surface jointing is an advanced procedure.  Suggest using the planer if possible.

THE PLANER

• Ensure the member sets up each cut correctly and does not attempt to remove excessive material on subsequent passes.
• Consider the use of a “sled” for short pieces.

THE ROUTER TABLE

• Discuss proper setup of the cutting heads and fence.
• The use of feather boards and push sticks is recommended to keep  hands away from the cutter head.
• Do not adjust the cutter head while the machine is running.
• When using the hand router, ensure that proper board support, depth of cut and the support (non-rocking) of the router is established.

THE BAND SAW   

• Focus on hand position and finger placement. Fingers should be held firmly on the edges of the wood and, whenever possible, outside the “Danger Zone.”
• Emphasize the use of a push-stick whenever possible.

THE DRILL PRESS

• The bigger the drill bit (Spade bit, hole saw), the more torque or force it will transmit to the work piece, making it more difficult to control.
• Determine when the work should be clamped to a jig or the table rather than hand held.
• Check that the drill, when lowered fully, won’t contact the table.

DOMINO JOINER  (A foreman must set up the cutter on the Domino Joiner)  

·                     Domino Joiner may be used as a substitute for cutting mortise and tenon joints.

·                     Conduct an overview of the switches and operation.

SHAPER (A foremen must install the spindle on the Shaper)

·                     Discuss key features, switches and operation.

·                     Discuss/demonstrate/practice spindle installation.

·                     Be sure to unlock the spindle before closing the door and starting the machine.

·                     POWER FEEDER

o        Briefly discuss the switches, adjustments, use and operation.

THE WIDE BELT SANDER ( A foreman must supervise the use of the 43”      sander)

ñ      The Shop Foreman should ask the assistance of another foreman if the Shop Foreman's duties preclude personally supervising the use of the Wide Belt Sander by a non-foreman.

• Check the paper grit size for the job requirement.
• Check setup before the first cut to ensure the cut would not be too aggressive.
• Review use of the digital gauge/hand wheel for additional cuts.
• Be sure to stay within the machines operational parameters, which is 50% or less than maximum load.
• Fully shut down the machine after use, and turn off the digital set gauge.
• If a finer grit paper was used during the operation, it must be replaced by the standard grit paper when the job is complete.

THE MITER SAW & COMPOUND MITER SAW

• Review the switches and levers on the miter saw.
• When crosscutting a short a piece of wood, the same problem of having the wood kick into the blade because of little or no mechanical advantage can happen as on the jointer. Keep hands 8” to 12” away based on manufactures recommendations.
• On the Sliding Compound Miter saw the cut should be made pushing toward the fence (always work against the cut).

THE VERTICAL BELT SANDER

• Ensure the operator positions the work flat on the table of the machine while sanding.
• The operator should never lift the work off the table of the machine as in rounding a corner.
• Watch for good hand position to keep hands clear of the sanding belt.

THE BRAD NAILER

• Be aware that nails can “blow-out” of the side of the board where the user may have their hands while trying to secure their work. Keep fingers away from that area.

FESTOOL SAW

·         Discuss the use of the saw and setting up the rails prior to a cut.

·         Ensure proper board support and cutting depth to avoid penetration of the cutting table.

WOOD LATHE

·         Ensure proper safety equipment is worn.  Face safety shields or glasses are required.

PANEL SAW and ROUTER

·         Discuss the set up and operation of the panel saw and router.