Safety First

Before anything else, your safety should be of utmost concern. Make sure to review the following safety guidelines. Adhering to these guidelines will protect you from mistakes that can cause serious injury to yourself and others.

1.	Read and understand all the safety guidelines that come from the manufacturer of the power tools you use.
2.	Wear all recommended safety equipment. Of all the safety gear you wear the most important are eye and ear protection. So be sure to put on your safety glasses and ear plugs before each cut.
3.	Don't take short cuts! Use all guards and guides that come with your equipment. Not only will this keep your limbs out of harms way, but these pieces of equipment will assist you in producing a higher quality result.
4.	Make sure your work pieces are well supported as you make cuts. Unsupported or poorly supported pieces can lead to slips and serious injuries.
5.	Don't use equipment you're not familiar with! If you do not know how to use a certain tool, ask someone to demonstrate how to correctly operate it before you begin. Have some scrap wood available and take some time to practice the kinds of cuts you'll be making.