The push blocks are preferable and come in different sizes, again depending upon the size of material you are working with. The bottom line here is that your fingers are priceless, and as careful as you are, accidents do happen. We should all do what we can to avoid a bad situation. Safety does not end with the fingers. Protective eyewear is essential as well as hearing protection for the ears, and don t forget your dust mask or respirator for your lungs.
Most people take safety for granted until it s too late.
Let s avoid this happening to you. Another great and handy tool is a taper jig . It will allow you to make taper cuts on any tablesaw. It is made for either right or left hand use, and the grooved outer edges allows for adjustment of stop for shorter pieces. You can use a saw blade depth gauge that is simply a stepped piece of metal that is marked off in increments that will allow you to crank it to the correct height at which point the blade will touch the metal and you will be at the correct cutting height.