Table of Contents

General Woodworking Clearance

Members who are already proficient in the subject matter may apply to receive a clearance by demonstrating a core set of skills and knowledge that allow them to safely and effectively use the equipment.

Most tools in the shop require clearance before solo use. Each tool is different and most are expensive and/or delicate.

During a Proficiency Based Clearance Instructors will provide Protohaven specific customs and rules for the equipment but will not provide technical instruction on the operation of the hardware, or software.

If a member needs to gain additional knowledge or skill they should take a Basic Skills Class to learn the required skills.

The items that will need to be demonstrated to gain the Proficiency Based Clearance are:

General Shop Rules

Be safe

  • Understands safety clearances are required as bare minimum.
  • Understands equipment must never be left unattended.
  • Understands why equipment must be reset after use.

Take care of the tools

  • Will not alter or use equipment beyond limits.
  • Will notify when maintenance is needed.

Keep the shop clean

  • Understands importance of cleaning up after oneself.
  • Will return borrowed tools to original location.
  • Understands anything left outside of your paid monthly or overnight storage may be removed and disposed.

Personal Protective Equipment

  • Knows whether synthetic materials may be worn during use.
  • Knows whether long sleeves can be worn beyond elbows during operation of equipment.
  • Knows whether loose clothing & hair may be worn down.
  • Knows whether open-toed shoes may be worn.
  • Knows whether safety glasses and hearing protection are required during operation.
  • Knows whether safety glasses are required when near someone else operating equipment in the workshop.
  • Knows whether additional PPE is required (e.g. apron, face shield…)

Area Specific Instruction

Identify & mitigate common hazards

  • Sharp things - cutting tools, chips, splinters
  • Tangling hazard - no loose articles on the body, sleeves, gloves, or hand decorations (e.g. bracelets/rings)
  • Heat - hot wood can cause burns, start fires
  • Sound - hearing protection for louder operations
  • Pinching/crushing and kickback hazard if wood not properly held or fed into the tool

Allowable Materials

  • Can name which tools are acceptable for cutting plastic
  • Knows at least 2 materials which are prohibited (hint: any metal, and any composite that could cause a respiratory hazard)

Dust Collector

Point out the following tool features

Competencies

Drill Press

Point out the following tool features

  • Maintenance tag
  • Power switch
  • Feed handle
  • Depth stop adjust
  • Table lock
  • Table vertical adjust crank
  • Motor tension locks & lever
  • Speed change belts
  • Speed settings chart & diagram

Safe Setup/Operation/Cleanup

  • Demonstrate setting the speed and loading a drill bit
  • Demonstrate proper material workholding and table adjustment
  • Demonstrate drilling a hole in the stock material

Knowledge and Technique

  • Shows good technique when feeding the drill bit into the part
  • Knows when the bed should be adjusted to prevent damage to the machine

Belt Sander

Point out the following tool features

  • Maintenance tag
  • Power switch
  • Sanding belt
  • Sanding disk
  • Rotation indicators
  • Dust gate
  • Table angle locks & gauges
  • Belt tracking knobs
  • Belt cleaning eraser

Safe Setup/Operation/Cleanup

  • Demonstrate running the sander and sanding a part on both the belt and the disk
  • Demonstrate cleaning the belt and disk with the rubber eraser

Knowledge and Technique

  • Acknowledges that the tables should not be used as a resting spot for material or tools while the sander is running
  • Knows how to properly hold and orient stock to prevent binding and kickback

Spindle Sander

Point out the following tool features

  • Maintenance tag
  • Power switch
  • Throat plates
  • Spindles
  • Spindle washers
  • Spindle change thumbscrew

Safe Setup/Operation/Cleanup

  • Demonstrate changing the spindle diameter
  • Demonstrate sanding a piece of stock

Knowledge and Technique

  • N/A

Scroll Saw

Point out the following tool features

  • Maintenance tag
  • Power switch
  • Blade holder/tensioner
  • Presser foot
  • air assist
  • Plate angle adjust knob & gauge

Safe Setup/Operation/Cleanup

  • Demonstrate loading a blade
  • Demonstrate setting the foot
  • Demonstrate adjusting the table
  • Demonstrate cutting a piece of wood

Knowledge and Technique

  • N/A

Miter Saw

Point out the following tool features

  • Maintenance tag
  • Power switch
  • Dust gate
  • Horizontal slide lock lever
  • Blade down locking pin
  • Depth stop adjust
  • Miter angle detent lock/trigger
  • Miter angle cam lock/lever
  • Bevel angle lock/lever
  • Bevel angle 90 degree stop/dual-bevel mode
  • Hold down clamp
  • Keep out zone

Safe Setup/Operation/Cleanup

  • Demonstrate proper stock clamping and positioning of the blade for a straight cut
  • Demonstrate performing a straight cut
  • Demonstrate adjusting both angles of the chopsaw and making a cut
  • Demonstrate locking and unlocking the horizontal slide
  • Demonstrate proper technique when using the horizontal slide

Knowledge and Technique

  • Acknowledges the keep-out zone of the saw must be observed
  • Acknowledges some stock may be too small to cut on the miter saw

Bandsaw

Point out the following tool features

  • Maintenance tag
  • Dust gate
  • Power switch
  • Top and bottom blade guides
  • Blade guide height lock knob
  • Table tilt knobs
  • Blade tension adjust

Safe Setup/Operation/Cleanup

  • Demonstrate adjusting the blade tracking
  • Demonstrate adjusting the blade guides
  • Demonstrate adjusting the blade guard height
  • Demonstrate cutting a piece of stock

Knowledge and Technique

  • Shows proper cutting technique to prevent the blade from binding/torquing
  • Understands what a 'relief cut' is
  • Knows the dangers of cutting round stock and how to mitigate

Table Saw

Point out the following tool features

  • Maintenance tag
  • Dust gates
  • Main power switches
  • Power switches
  • Paddle start/stop switch
  • Fence (and locking lever)
  • Riving knife
  • Blade height adjust wheel
  • Blade angle adjust
  • Bypass mode turnkey
  • Throat plate
  • Riving knife lock lever
  • Blade change wrenches
  • Sleds

Safe Setup/Operation/Cleanup

  • Demonstrate loading/changing the blade and switching between the riving knife and the plastic guard
  • Demonstrate setting the blade height for a specific piece of stock
  • Demonstrate using the fence and push blocks how to rip a piece of stock
  • Demonstrate using the miter gauge how to cross-cut a piece of stock

Knowledge and Technique

  • Knows when to use the sled vs the fence
  • Acknowledges that one should never use more than one guiding tool when operating the saw (kickback/binding risk)
  • Knows what bypass mode is, the process to enable it, and the increased risk of injury/kickback by operating in this mode
  • Knows to watch for excessive sawdust generation, indicating a clogged dust port
  • Accepts financial responsibility for replacing a triggered brake