Dust hood hold down

A rip saw assembly comprising:

• a first dust hood at least partially enclosing a first saw blade therein;
• a second dust hood at least partially enclosing a second saw blade therein;
• a frame having at least one rail;
• a first mounting sled engaged with the at least one rail of the frame and carrying the first dust hood and the first saw blade thereon;
• and
• a second mounting sled engaged with the at least one rail of the frame and carrying the second dust hood and the second saw blade thereon;
• a first foot on the first dust hood;
• a second foot on the second dust hood;
• wherein the first and second feet are operable to secure a piece of wood while being cut;
• wherein the first and second dust hoods are vertically movable relative to the first and second saw blades;
• wherein the first dust hood is in a raised position wherein the first foot is not in contact with the piece of wood when the piece of wood is not being cut by the first saw blade and the second dust hood is in a raised position wherein the second foot is not in contact with the piece of wood when the piece of wood is not being cut by the second saw blade;
• wherein the first dust hood is moved to a lowered position wherein the first foot is in contact with a top surface of the piece of wood when the piece of wood is being cut by the first saw blade and the second dust hood is moved to a lowered position wherein the second foot is in contact with the top surface of the piece of wood when the piece of wood is being cut by the second saw blade;
• wherein the first dust hood is moved from the lowered position to the raised position when the piece of wood is no longer being cut by the first saw blade and the second dust hood is moved from the lowered position to the raised position when the piece of wood is no longer being cut by the second saw blade;
• and
• wherein a movement of the first and second dust hoods from the lowered positions to the raised positions triggers a signal to a skewing unit of the rip saw assembly to move a subsequent piece of wood to the first and second saw blades.