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Among the many tools found in a workshop, the table saw is one of the most vital for many projects. In fact, it’s considered one of the essential woodworking tools for home renovation. When cutting down a larger piece of wood, like an 8 by 4-foot plywood sheet, a table saw enables straight and accurate performance. It’s design also makes it ideal for carpenters building furniture and joining different wood pieces using dado cuts.

The trouble is that that upturned blade makes the table saw one of the most nerve-racking tools for even pros to use. Fortunately, advances in technology are working to make things less dangerous. Take the SawStop system, for example, which includes a mechanism that activates when your hand gets close to the blade preventing it from spinning. However, this technology isn’t available on every saw and is pretty expensive.

One alternative that won’t break the bank, is something like the GRR-RIPPER 2GO, which you can find at Home Depot for under $30. This tool goes in between your hand and the wood you’re cutting on a table saw. It features a handle on top, a gripping surface on the bottom, and channels that the blade travels through during cuts. The product comes with a color-coded sticker that can adhere to your tool’s rip fence scale. When configured properly, this prevents the blade from contacting the GRR-RIPPER 2GO, and ensures it remains in the open channels as you slide the wood across the table.

Table saw safety is more than just keeping your fingers and hands away from the blade but also providing control and preventing kick-back. In addition to push blocks, there are also push sticks, which are just a few of the accessories you need to stay safe while woodworking. Examples like the POWERTEC Deluxe Push Stick 2PK available on Amazon can be yours for less than $18. Push sticks come in several different designs, with some allowing your hand to be above and behind the lumber, pushing it forward with the use of a notched end. What these low-tech tools share in common, is their ability to create consistent and accurate pressure on the wood as it’s cut, while also keeping you at a safer distance.

As a piece of lumber slides across the surface of a table saw, it’s crucial to apply forward, downward and inward (toward the fence) pressure. This ensures an accurate cut and helps prevent kickback. Kickback can essentially send the piece of wood you’re cutting backwards (toward you) at high speed. This can happen for a number of reasons including the wood binding the blade or getting caught on the backside of the blade. Controlling the movement of the lumber being cut goes a long way toward making the table saw safer. Regardless of which option you choose, a push block, push stick, or some combination, it’s worth it.