When a cut is finished on the table saw, its standard safe practice to turn off the saw and wait until the blade comes to a complete stop before leaning over the table to pick up the board. This is fine for cutting one board, but when there are several boards to cut, stopping and restarting the saw over and over can be time-consuming. Here are some solutions to this problem.

A power feeder guides the board through a cut. It is not necessary to stand on one side of the saw to push the blade because the power feeder accomplishes this task. All that is needed is to meet the board at the outfeed side of the table and pick it up right away. Since it is no longer necessary to lean over the blade to pick up the board the saw can continue running which improves efficiency. A power feeder also ensures that the board remains tight against the fence throughout the cut, increasing the accuracy of the cut.

Three rubber wheels located on the underside of the tool roll the board along the table. The speed of the power feeder is adjustable for use with four different materials. The feeder also has a forward and reverse switch so that it can be used with other tools, such as a jointer or shaper.

A power feeder clamps to the table with a bracket and can be removed when not in use. When you mount the power feeder to the table, make sure to set it up at the proper height. When cutting a 3/4 inch board, set the tool just below 3/4 inches to keep the wheels tight against the board. It also needs to be set at the proper distance from the blade. A third important factor is the angle of the tool toward the fence. The power feeder should be angled about 1/4 inch from the fence to keep the board snug against the fence.