Safety tips before you saw or drill:

If you're experienced in this area, you know that safety is the most important consideration for using any saw or drill. If you feel nervous about doing this without relying entirely on your sight, or you have minimal experience in this area, you should have someone with you with the appropriate experience. Share the following information with them so they are aware of any adaptations you may need to make. Use this information, and their expertise, to guide you through each step until you feel safe doing these tasks entirely on your own.

• You should always wear eye protection.
• Remember where the power cord is located before and during the time you are cutting or drilling. One solution is to have the tool on an extension cord and keep the cord up over your shoulder and behind you.
• Be sure you know how to immediately turn your machine "on" and "off" prior to plugging it in, and attempting to use it.

(Click on photo to enlarge in new window)	Saw and drill guides, for use with either hand or electric equipment, can be purchased from popular stores such as Lowes, Home Depot or Sears. In preparation for cutting or drilling, make a tactual mark or line. For example, you can use an awl or ice pick to make a small, neat hole at the place where you want to drill or nail. Similarly, you can scribe a tactual line with either an awl, nail, or ice pick.? You can then place your saw or drill in this niche. If you don't begin this way, the saw or drill will have nothing to catch on to and may "jump" around until it catches.
? (Click on photo to enlarge in new window)	For sawing a line:? If scratching a line with the awl will not work on the material to be cut, you may need to build a cutting guide for the saw. This could be another piece of wood clamped into place or an adjustable metal saw guide that would be sold to partner with your specific saw. Remember to keep your fingers well away from the blade.
? (Click on photo to enlarge in new window)	If you are using a table saw, set the fence to the distance to be cut and use a jig or pusher to push the wood along the table. This photo was taken from an article on the InTheWoodShop.org web site about how to make such a jig[link opens in new window] .