Just got my table saw a few days ago and find the blade guard to be a pain. My only experience with a table saw was a contractor’s who is working on my house. He bought his saw for $60 at an auction. The saw looks like it went thru every world war but it works, and, no blade guard. I’ve used this saw for a few weeks along with his unguarded chop saw so using a blade guard for the first time is, well, challenging.
In 95% of graphics I see in magazines, books, web, newsletters, etc, there is no blade guard, or even riving knife. Giving the graphic the benefit of the doubt by allowing for a better view of the cut, most of the photos often don’t have anything to do with the cut at all.
In many posts on various forums people admit that they don’t use a guard but the will START RIGHT NOW.
I don’t want to loose fingers or other body parts and realize that the guard is there to protect me but I find I have to restrain myself as the few cuts I’ve done without it were smooth and organic.
I’d like to hear honest answers to this question:
Do you use a blade guard all the time, some of the time, never.
Thanks for your patience,
Burt
Replies
Burt I use gaurds on everything but my table saw. I have a design idea for a riving knife but have yet found the time to build it and I want to buy a over arm blade gaurd.
Scott C. Frankland
Scott's WOODWORKING Website
"He who has the most tools may not win the race of life but he will sure make his wife look like a good catch when she goes to move on."
I've always used all the guards. For the past 8 years I've been using a Unisaw with overarm blade guard and removeable splitter. Works great, have all my fingers, never had a kickback. Before the Uniguard, I used the standard delta guard (on unisaw and contractor saw for 8 years before that). It was not the most elegant guard, but I adjusted to it and it worked.
My safety is worth whatever hassles it takes.
Mike
On my table saw I nearly always use the blade guard when ripping. I don't use it when using the panel cutting sled. I don't crosscut on the table saw anymore since I have a nice chop saw.
I recommend the anti-kickback blades for ripping. They really reduce the tendency to kick back substantially. Really squirrely rips are better done on a bandsaw.
Definitely make or buy some pushers of various styles. Featherboards are useful, too.
Kickback is a serious event. Most motors are at least 1 horsepower. Would you like to get kicked by a horse, even once?
When I bought my first saw, Mark Duginski, a former editor of FW, recommended a Delta Contractor's saw with a Biesmier fence. I bought the fence, over the top blade guard, and Biesmier's anti-kickback device which are removable. I use them all the time because they are so easy to use or not use, depending on the job. I think the price of the anti-kickback device is ridiculous and there may be similar ones for less money but the fence, over-the-top blade guard, and anti-kickback device are great and user friendly.
Don
Burt,
Go with a blade guard, it might take some getting used to, but you won't regret it! Try the overarm guard from Delta, the standard guard can be a bit of a pain with some milling and cutting jobs!
Those daring young men in their flying machines!
I'd like to hear honest answers to this question:
Do you use a blade guard all the time, some of the time, never.
Burt - All the time, all machines.
Period
Cheers,
eddie
Burt, you may find a number of professionals who don't use their blade guard and have survived for years without one. However, that doesn't mean it's a good idea. I generally wouldn't go to a contractor for any kind of safety advice (insert laughing here) -- I don't think most of them outgrew that teenage "I'm immortal" attitude.
OK, I've used a benchtop saw without a guard (hated it). I've used my Jet contractor saw both with and without the guard. I am sans guard right now because many months ago I installed a Merlin splitter, which necessitated removing the original guard. I hate being without the guard. When the saw takes control of a piece of wood or sheet stock, there is no time to think or react to protect the fingers. If you spend enough time in the archives here or at any other WWing forum, you'll find plenty of examples of both near misses and complete severence of digits. I get my new overhead blade guard this weekend when hubby brings it home from Oregon.
As a future upgrade to your saw I would recommend an overhead blade guard and a removeable splitter. They both make it much, much easier to use the items when it's possible, and remove them quickly when it isn't (dados, for instance). In the meantime -- what, specifically, is bugging you about your blade guard? Maybe there's a way to tweak it such that it's not so much of a PITA.......
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
I always use my blade guard. Period.
A freind of mine stupidly got in the habit of ripping a board half way then pulling the board back out (yikes!) and making the rest of the cut from the other end of the board. All of this without the benefit of a guard or the anti-kickback prawls that are on the splitter. One time a board he was cutting caught the side of the blade and sent it straight back into his...body (you do the math) and let us just say he was hurt very badly. So badly that he left the saw running, the lights on and the door open and crawled home to lay in bed for several days. He suffered permanent damage to his...body. All because of poor practice and unuseded safety guards.
el_papa,
strangely enough, the rip technique you describe is the way we are trained on a Euro style saw, with riving knife installed, when ripping (say) 3/8" strips.
But, training is paramount on this one and guards are definitely used.
Cheers,
eddie
edit: (trade cabinetmaker training)
Edited 10/7/2004 12:54 am ET by eddie (aust)
Fascinating. He claimed he did it because it was more accurate and he didn't have anybody to help him guide the offcut. I think I will stick to more traditional methods.
I understand your concern there ep,
without the riving knife, it's a recipe for disaster.
Cheers,
eddie
I have a MiniMax Combo saw with the riving knife. The blade guard mounts to the riving knife making using it a no-brainer.
It also has built in dust control._________________________________
Michael in San Jose
"In all affairs it's a healthy thing now and then to hang a question mark on the things you have long taken for granted." Bertrand Russell
Hi Michael,
I use a MiniMax saw at home and an SCM at work. (came across the combo unit second-hand at a price I couldn't refuse)
In Aust, all saws come with a riving knife, even the USD50- benchtop saws (such as GMC). The guard is almost always, as you said, attached to the riving knife.
While US-style dado heads can fit to this saw, I use a router for trenching/grooving, so there's no need to remove the blade guard.
Cheers,
eddie
I use the guard on my TS (10" Rockwell contractor's) with a shop-made splitter (a round-nosed piece of brass the width of my blade) and my jointer except when cutting a rabbet -- the older model jointer I have requires the guard to be removed to cut a rabbet.
Lately I've been using either my router or a rabbet plane, I'm more comfortable with it.
Shop made wooden push sticks for both.
When I saw thin stock on the TS I use a piece of scrap the length of my rip fence clamped to it with just enough clearance for the stock to ride below it.Leon Jester
Roanoke VA
Burt,
On my prior Craftsman contractor saw I Used the gaurd ...... intermitenly at best. The gaurd and splitter were one piece so that ment most of the time I had neither on my saw. I do a lot of dados and every time I took off the splitter/ gaurd for this I would have to spend at least 30 minutes reattatching it! And it was flimsy and hard to keep alligned. Now I have a Unisaw with an over head gaurd. It is the greatest safety device for a TS. The cover is always there and the splitter is easily removed and replaced. I could never use another saw without an overhead gaurd now.
So.... I guess I agree with most of the others. You should use the gaurd. But it is mostly a "Do as I say, not as I do" thing. Look at the Merlin splitter set up. It is a lot better than the stock set up, but Im not sure if you can use a gaurd with it.
Mike
Mike, re: using a guard with the Merlin. I have it on my saw, and with some ingenuity and motivation, I probably could get the stock guard piece to attach to it. However, like you, I think the overhead guard is the way to go (ease of use, dust collection capability), so ordered the Penn State overhead guard. It should fit fine with the Merlin. forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Experienced some kick-back about 6 weeks ago. Not a very nice event. Put me out of sevice for several days and was in pain for about 3 weeks. A 1/4 in piece of plywood got squirley on me; came out of the saw and hit me twice...just above where no man wants to be hit. Long story short....spend some money and get at least some sort of spliter/anti-kick back devise. Just my two cents. 3hp motor equals about 20 mph of the blade!!!
Thin plywood seems to be especially dangerous, doesn't it? Maybe because it's so light that it lifts up in the back more easily?? Tips for beginners that may be reading this thread: Always be sure that any thin stock you're cutting doesn't have space to slip underneath your fence. If there's a gap underneath your fence, either fill it with something to block it up (I use a piece of Masonite), or clamp a board over your fence that sits flush with the top of the table.
Another thing that can help is to make a "channel" that the thin stock can ride in during cutting. I do this by clamping a board to my fence that leaves just enough room for the sheet stock beneath it. So, the sheet stock slides on the table, against the fence, with the board above it to keep it from crawling up the fence.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
I experienced kick back twice and it really spooked me good!
Once I was using one of those plastic push shoes while I was ripping this stock. The blade just barely caught on the edge of the shoe and it jolted my entire arm with the force of the blade. The shoe itself shattered and shot back at me and hit me in the shoulder. Then the stock kicked back and hit me in the stomach. It also destroyed my table saw motor..
The second time I was cross cutting some stock but I used the fence as a guide instead of the miter gage.. Very stupid! As soon as the stock shifted a fraction, it kicked back and shot into the wall behind me..
Both times, I was scared to go back to the table saw for weeks..
My advice is: use a blade splitter and "never" use those plastic push shoes.. Make a wooden push shoe instead. I made the one from the Woodsmith plans..
I will go you one better; never use a push shoe made out of solid wood, use plywood only. This was an old trick my late Father taught me. If the spinnig blade hits a solid wood push stick it can shatter and fly across the room just like an improperly fed board. But the balde will just slice through a plywood push stick so effortlessly you may not notice that it is happening. I cannot explain why this happens but experience has proven it out. Half-inch plywood works best.
Also; if you need a splitter for a saw, and none is available, buy a second blade guard and drill the rivets out that hold the clear guard pivot and prawl in place. Discard those pieces and you are left with a flat piece of metal that will work well as a splitter. I did this on my Bosch 4000 and it works very well. Bosch even sent me a free guard after I told them I was "concerned" that mine was a bit bent...they jumped at the chance to be helpful (turns out one of the rivets was actually crooked).
Actually the push shoe I made has a piece of 2x4 for a body. As you mention, many times I'm cutting right into it and don't realize it.. When it gets chewed up, I just replace it.. Here's the link to the plan for any one who is interested:
View Image
If you are willing to pay for safety then I would recommend the Micro Jig devices
I just installed the micro jig splitter and love it. For $24.00 it will help protect against kickback. I also just bought a couple of the Grippr system 200s. I really like those even if they are a little expensive at $69.00 each. I feel much more comfortable working with small stock and you are in control. I got two so I could keep one in contact with long stock as I feed it through the blade. I got mine from woodworking at home magazine and they included a free dvd on it's many uses. The DVD is 9.99 by itself. I have never paid that much for a safety device before (besides my motorcycle helmet), but it is worth it.
I also use the PSI overarm guard. At $149.00 its worth it. The only draw back is you cannot always use it i.e. cutting small stuff when using the Grippr system to feed it through the blade. Other than that it's great.
http://www.microjig.com/
Buy them or make them is up to you, but I would use them.
I know you love your Grippr system, bones, but you've hit on one of its weaknesses:"you cannot always use it [blade guard] i.e. cutting small stuff when using the Grippr system to feed it through the blade. "
There are other systems (GripTite, Board Buddies) that work effectively, don't require you to get near an exposed blade and don't require removal of the guard. I'm not trying to hassle you about the Grippr, just pointing out a couple of reservations about it. forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
I have a grip-tite and like it as well. It has it's place. However, I will say that the Grippr replaces the over arm guard when cutting small material. Where before the wood did not have full down pressure once it left the grip-tite, it does with the Grippr. I like the fact that the grippr applies even pressure to material on both sides of the blade and keeps it firmly against the fence to help avoid kickback. When used in combination with the splitter, it is very safe.
By the way FG, did you get your PSI yet? I was reading the documentation again and saw something disturbing. It says in bold letters that the PSI is not a guard, but a dust collection system. Very interesting! I wonder if that language is in there for legal reasons?
Hi Bones, the PSI guard is resting comfortably in Hubby's car as we speak. I'm at work, but just for you <g> I went out and opened up the box, took a look. The box label says "PSI Table Saw Dust Collection Guard" and "The ideal solution for table saw safety and dust control." However, the owner's guide has the disclaimer you not, very first in the list of instructions.
So...I opened up the interior box and took a look at the guard itself. Much more substantial than my stock Jet guard. My guess is, their insurance company made them change the language. Would be interesting to know if the original (Excalibur??) has the same disclaimer. PSI might have gotten sued by someone who screwed up. Wouldn't be surprised.
re: the GripTite's. Sounds like you don't have the full system with 2 GT's and the rollers? Glad you Grippr works for the small stuff!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Bones, you really need to have 2 grip-tites to have them work effectively. I position one before and after the blade and use a long push stick to push the piece through. I have the little spitter that I got with the GT system installed on a zero clearance insert. It doesn't look like much but it's saved me a few times when the material I was cutting started to bind up. Call me paranoid but I also use a featherboard when I can.
I find the GT's offer a great degree of safety when 2 are used.
later,
Bones,
I too recently installed the Micro Jig splitter in my Zero clearance insert. It is great, can be removed in a second when necessary, and can be used with as many inserts as you want. just pop out and pop in.
By the way, rockler is selling them in line for a time at $14.99.
Bill
Forestgirl - That's a neat solution to the dreaded 'rising' plywood panel problem. I've had this a few times & tried to solve it with a home made push stick but ccouldn't make long enough.
Burt - I had problems with my guard, I had to remove it and modify it, I did a few cuts without it (Cross not rip) and felt uneasy all the time it was not there.
I always use my overhead blade guard (and the removable splitter for through cuts). Before I got the overhead blade guard I always used the stock guard for all through cuts. I have removed the "anti-kick back" pawls though. They got in the way for my crosscut sled and can trap thin cut-off pieces. I always use feather boards which I find safer than the pawls and the feather boards don't markup my boards.
Be safe and have fun,
--Rob
Burt, I took the guard off of my Unisaw because it was a pain. But not as painful as when I stupidly cut 3 fingers. I was quickly reaching to move some cutoffs out of the way. I can still remember the instant "DING" sound. Cut the index to the bone. I was afraid to even look at my hand. For all I knew, fingers were on the floor. It happened that quick. But I feel lucky, after a trip to the hospital and a bandage that made it look like my hand had been severed(overkill). A scary experience.
Keeping fingers away from a spinning blade is pretty basic. My solution was to make a crosscut sled with plexi across the top. I found it in some woodworking magazine, can't remember where. I'm sure there are designs thru the FWW archives. I have thought about one of those Excalibur overhead guard/exhaust arms, a little pricey right now for me. I know there are many out there who will work without a guard, I'm not one of them. Don't take safety for granted
I've been doing woodworking for 30 years, I considered myself a hobby or beginner woodworker. I've used the Tablesaw with and without a bladeguard with no problems until this spring. I was ripping a long board without proper outfeed support and in no time lost control and my hand went into the blade. This happened because I was lazy. I had purchased a new saw a few months earlier and was good about using the bladeguard but changed to a Dado and then back to a ripping balde and just didn't bother with the blade guard.
I was lucky and now have almost full function back in my fingers, however, I am still working my way back to being comfortable cutting on the tablesaw. I know saws and I WAS comfortable using them, but will not use one without a bladeguard now. Yes, it's inconvenient, but the injuries will be much more convenient.
Seatbelts are a royal pain. They're too confining... BUT a full body cast is more confining. Bike helmets are a pain, elbow and knee guards are a pain, a goalie's face mask is a pain etc, etc... Yea, guards are a pain in the ***. I'll bet you can't find a doctor who can sew your fingers back on and guarantee to have them work 'as good as new' without months, if not years of rehab. Go see several different types of guards in use and get the one that is most comfortable for you to use. Look at the Brett Guard. It takes a bit of getting used to but it really works. Insurance companies do not like to pay huge hospital bills. If their lawyer starts with... 'the safety guard was taken off and not used at the time of the accident or at any other time...' you know you're going to have a rough time. (It's called contributary negligence). Use the one that came with the saw until you find one that suits your needs better, but USE IT! SawdustSteve (with all 10 fingers)
Honestly, I never use a guard. It interferes with production.
I know many folks here may scold me, but I've had a few years of experience, including kickback. The only time I'll use a splitter is when ripping oak, which has the unfortunate tendancy to bind up, as its often case-hardened. But while I was learning, I always used all guards, full face shields, ear protection, the works.
Burt,
I'll throw in my two cents for what its worth. I still don't use my TS guard as much as I should (Delta contractor's) but an experience with kickback has made my better about using it or using my bandsaw instead.
I was ripping a board without the guard. It kicked back. Instinctively, I pushed back hard against the board. I ended up actually bending over the blade with the board which stopped the saw. But for dumb luck, I would have shoved my own hands into the blade and wrecked them instead of a board and a blade.
I still use my table saw a lot but I'm much more likely now to use my bandsaw or chop saw for cuts adequately done with them.
Matt
Unfortunately, most blade guards seem like an after thought. The inexpensive ones can cause problems of their own. Ones that rely on the material pushing them up are the worst. Small off pieces can get trapped against the guard causing binding or kick back. Many just toss these guards and go unprotected. This is a bad idea.
Although expensive, the over arm type seem to be the best. There are several manufacturers, some with dust collection. Some, like the Delta, have two separate sides so you can flip one side up when cutting up close to the fence. You will have to add a splitter separately with some. There are also other anti-kickback safety accessories that you can use to fit the situation. Wheels, feather boards and power feeders are a few types. The only riving knife I have seen is from Felder and I don't know if they are easy to alter for US type saws. There is no substitute for having a correctly tuned saw and a knowledgeable operator. A visit to your local Orthopedic surgeon is much more expensive than a good safety set up that is usable.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
Aside from the safety a blade guard affords you, it also keeps the sawdust from flying all over the place.
My guard/splitter/rivving knives are all one piece and a pain to remove and replace.. but I always go to the trouble.. primarily because of the dust.
I even hesitate to use my crosscut sled because of the dust spray.
>I'd like to hear honest answers to this question:
>Do you use a blade guard all the time, some of the time, never.
I guess the best answer to that is: How much are your fingers worth? Mine cost me (and the insurance company) a little over $15,000.
I always used the blade guard on the tablesaw. Except that once...
I now have severe nerve and muscle damage to an index finger, no middle joint in my middle finger (when they reattached the finger, they found the blade had cut right through the joint) along with muscle and nerve damage. Additonal muscle damage to my ring finger. I have a reasonable range of motion after intense therapy for almost 6 months. A year after the accident I still don't have anything like full range of motion back. My grip in that hand is maybe half what it was, and I can't grab onto anything smaller than a fat pencil with any degree of confidence. I can't hold a coffee cup in that hand either. Oh, and by the way, they almost always hurt. Worse in the morning or after a few hours manual labor.
I use them (guards) all the time now. The cost of not doing so just once is incredibly high. I know that many people work for years with no accidents, but I can't help but wonder when their time will come.
I thought I was a very careful worker -- but kickback is too powerful to be stopped by a simple pushstick.
Use the guards. If they are too difficult to take on and off then look around and purchase ones that aren't. I won't tell you how long it took to type this response, but I used to go about 50 words per minute (I do a lot of office work at a keyboard) I might make 20 now...
take care,
Frank
Burt, Ive been using tablesaws since the early eighties, and I have never used one with the guard on it. In fact , when I finally got up enough cash to buy a Unisaw, the first thing I did was to throw away the blade guard. Is it safe or even good to do so? Probably not, But, every cabinet shop or millwork shop that I ever worked in, never had a blade guard on any of their saws. This is the way I was taught and I'm afraid old habits are hard to break. I still have all of my fingers, although I have had 2 accidents, one that wouldn't have mattered had the guard been in place the other just out of reckless behavior. I do not have any fear of the table saw, however, I do have great respect for it's power and I find that experience on how to use the saw is the best defense. Experience and a cautious respect are the key to reaping the benefits of one the greatest woodworking tools ever invented. Buck
My table saw is wide-open. No guard or riving knife. I use the guard on my jointer.
Heck, thats nothing; I quit using a fence. Was a real pain in the but to move it back and forth. Now I just eyeball the cut, sometimes I draw a line with a pencil for accuracy. Just be carefull cutting curves!!
;-) Mikeplease excuse my spelling.
Mike, I'm going to encourage you to keep your free-handing style on the tablesaw a secret. It's a real bad thing to encourage people to do. Pretty much the most dangerous thing I can think of on the tablesaw.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
FG,
Come on girl! surley you know I was kidding. I was poking fun at MLB for not using a gaurd or splitter. I am a stickler for safety, comes from managing employees on remodeling jobsites. One day ask me about the idiot who cut his hand off with a CMS.
Mikeplease excuse my spelling.
Sorry, mike, I musta got you mixed up with someone else. Some post the other day, about cutting freehand.
I think I'd rather not know any details about the idiot, thanks! Uuuugh.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Burt-
I always use the guard. I don't like staring at that spinning blade..maybe it's psychological, but if it puts me ill-at-ease, then my attention may be drawn from the job at hand. I must admit it is a pain when I have to take it off when I am not doing a through-cut (my Jet guard incorporates a splitter). That's why I just bought the Penn State overarm. Before I use it though I will need to make a zero clearance with a splitting pin (one came with my grip-tite's). From what I have read here and elsewhere, a splitter is essential. The grip-tite's are wonderful.
Stay safe for another day of woodworking..
Johnny
I don't use a guard, at first because of ignorance and "it can't happen to me" but more recently because how I use a table saw has changed significantly. A feather board is a really important peice of safety equipment that I used religously early on as well as a push stick. The feather boards I make and how I use one provides useful kickback resistance. I also used a splitter on some kinds of wood.
Today I use a bandsaw for much of my ripping, and a compound miter for most crosscut work. If I need more width control than I can get with the bandsaw/joiner, I will still do an initial rip with the bandsaw, and take a finish rip cut on the table saw which effectively also edge joins it. This takes kickback out of the picture, particularly using a feather board. For cross cutting, if I really want more precision that with the miter, I use a sled on the table saw.
Guard... What guard??? You mean that thing in a box in the corner collecting dust??
I still to this day do not use a blade guard. Probably due to the fact that 25 years ago there wasn't a decent one out on the market. The old ones were a hinderence. Now, I'm one of those creatures of habit.
I have a General 350 and the guard and splitter that came with it were bulky, heavy, and got in the way.
I replaced the guard with an Excalibur overarm guard/dust collector, which works OK, but I only have a low powered Delta dust collector. It is easy to take off when I want to use the table extension part of my saw's router table.
I replaced the splitter with the smal Beisemeyer splitter. It required some adjustments to get the right alignment, but works good.
I always use both when I rip and cross cut, unless I am using my crosscut sled.
"Close call report"
Ran into a WW'ing friend this morning, who reported that one of his WWing friends ended up at the doc's office worried she had ruptured her spleen. Was ripping a 2x4 without a splitter/kickback pawls. A short one that shot like a missle right into her abdomen. She has tons of experience, remodeling her home etc.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Shortly after starting this thread I cut a number of 1/4" spacers. Initially, I ripped a 1/4" strip from a 1 1/2" x 24" piece of fir. I then cross cut 4" pieces. Each piece shot back. Fortunately for me, after reading thru the posts about kickback I was way to the left of the blade and just watched in amazement at the kickback. I tried to hold down the cut pieces with a long stick but as soon as I let it go it still shot back. This, with the guard, splitter and pawls on. I cut about 12 pieces this way, each one shooting back. What would you have done?
"What would you have done?" Hmph, maybe the same thing you did, LOL!
Often with small pieces my guard will actually hold them still, but I did have one take off once and actually shatter the right front edge of the guard. Sounds to me like something was nudging the off-cut into the blade.
Just giving it a quick think, I'd probably put the auxillary fence on my miter gauge and see if that didn't help. It goes all the way across the blade, with a zero-clearance slot for the blade to go through. I'd push the gauge all the way to the back of the blade each time, to get the cut-off past the blade. Might have to raise the guard for that approach, but when I have my hands anchored on the miter gauge fence, I don't worry too much about drifting into the blade.
I've got some thin stuff layin' around, will give it a try and see what happens. forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Burt are using a short-style rip fence? For short pieces, it's extremely helpful to prevent kickback.
I use a short fence (a scrap clamped to my rip fence) that does not extend past the leading edge of my blade. I've got a short piece of plywood mounted to the head of my mitre gauge that clears my guard. Leaves room to the right of the blade so the offcut doesn't bind.
The only piece I've had kick back did so when my original splitter failed to keep the kerf separated and fortunately was caught by the pawls on the guard.
That's when I made a splitter out of a piece of brass stock that's a tad wider than the kerf of my blade. (Can't recall exactly, but I believe it's 0.130" thick.)Leon Jester, Roanoke VA
Q: How do you know when a politician is lying?
A: His lips are moving.
The guard on my old craftsman 1960's saw was lame, at best. I haven't a clue where it is now - I only used it a few times, then tossed it.
My new Jet saw has a more modern guard with antikickback pawls and it hinges out of the way. In the interest of safety, I'm using it; all of this forums voices convinced me.
But, it must be removed if I'm not thru cutting and it takes four bolts to remove and reattach. A ROYAL pain.
Please, manufacturers, make a guard that goes on and off really easily and remounts in precise alignment with the blade.
Burt,
I like to think of myself as the world's safest woodworker. Always using guards, push sticks, hold downs, etc. In so doing, I've managed to poke several holes in the walls of a shop through kick back that somehow missed the pawls and me (can't seem to recreate it so I consider it the Universe telling me to be alert). I've also got an odd shaped index finger cuticle from just sticking the tip of my finger in the tablesaw blade when a push stick slipped and hit the just emerging blade. (No permanent damage but the adrenaline rush was certainly impressive.) That's in 20+ years of amateur woodworking.
It only takes a split second for attention to be diverted or focus to be lost. While the blade guard won't always save you, it certainly reduces the chances for more serious injury.
A seat belt won't always save your life but it seems to me that every crash reported in the newspaper where the occupant died, they weren't wearing it. That's good enough statistical evidence for me.
Blade guards? Every time! If the operation requires removal, time to look for an alternative method.
Kell - still playing guitar despite making sawdust.
There seem to be a number of posts in this thread where people got hit in the gut (or lower) by kicked back boards. From day 1, I was always told to stand off to the side of whatever I was cutting to prevent taking a shot in the nether regions. It's not quite as easy or comfortable, but it is guaranteed.
For the record, I always have a splitter on my saw but do not have a blade guard. If the cut doesn't seem safe, I find another way.
Fortunately for me, I am brand new to this hobby and have no notions of a comfortable position or stance at the table. Reading thru these posts have convinced me to stand aside and so far this has prevented getting shot. While it is not the most comfortable or intuitive stance, I find standing behind a running blade akin to looking down the barrel of a loaded 44 magnum with my finger on the trigger.
With all the wood dodging, wood working is more sport then hobby.
I like Burt's analogy:
"I find standing behind a running blade akin to looking down the barrel of a loaded 44 magnum with my finger on the trigger."
I would extend that analogy: to me, relying on a blade guard is like relying on the safety on that 44 mag. You would never point a gun at something you don't intend to shoot (loaded or not, safety or not), so why point a loaded table saw at yourself?
Safety, with guns or tools, is determined mostly by your practices, rather than the technology of the tool. Long ago, when I first got a table saw, I read somewhere the advice to stand off to one side. So when kickback happened that first time, I had a clear view of the hardwood missile going by and burying itself in the garage door... pretty well hardened my safety instincts. Likewise, I almost never feed stock in with my fingers - I always use two pushsticks, one in each hand, long enough so my fingers are never within 6 inches of the blade. I can't use the kind shown in a previous post (made from a 2x4), because I can't bear the thought of my fingers that close to the blade. Only time I use my hands is when ripping wide pieces - then I stand to the right of the fence and keep my thumbs riding on the fence; because I'm pulling the stock into the fence, even if something slips I'm not shoving fingers toward the blade, but away from it.
Every time I make a cut, I consider what would happen if it slips/binds/whatever, and make sure that I am NEVER pushing fleshy bits toward the blade. That way, when something does go wrong, it's the woody bits that suffer damage, not the fleshy bits. It's just like gun safety - you always think about what would happen if the gun went off accidentally, where would the bullet go? This kind of thinking was drilled into me very strongly by my father, when I was about 6, so it has become deeply ingrained.
I approach a TS as an intrinsically dangerous machine (just like a gun), so it is my methods that ensure my safety. I pretty much expect kickback, binding, etc. and plan accordingly. Even if I had a guard on it, I'd still operate that way, so my level of safety would be much higher. Unfortunately the one that came with my DeWalt 745 was (literally) worse than useless; it tended to cause kickback rather than prevent it. I'll have to take a look at those Penn State overamrs and see if they would work for me. Extra DC capability would be good too - sawdust in the eyes does not enhance safety...
Couple of other notes: I agree with the recommendation to make push sticks out of plywood rather than solid wood. I have one made of 1/4" ply that I use in my left hand, and a 3/4" thick one in my right. When they get chewed up, I re-cut the notches to make sure they have enough bite. Where possible, I also use the Grip-Tite magnetic featherboards, and agree with FG about using two of them. My old saw had a steel fence, so I could use the roller; I need to put a steel face on my DW fence."Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler." A. Einstein
http://www.albionworks.net
Albionwood,
I agree with you that method (practises) are the key to safety. I might add a couple that I have not read here yet.
When pushing lumber through the TS (with or without a push-stick) be careful to not put your weight into the cut. Should something slip, you are much more likely to fall into the saw rather than maintain your position. Should something slip; I have much greater control of my arm and it won't lurch forward toward the blade.
Like you and FG; when pushing a piece through by hand; I drape one or more fingers over the edge of the fence. Again this reduces the chance of an errant move towards the blade.
Outfeed tables or supports can be critical. I have had long peices go out of control when not using one. Those were the scariest moments for me.
Keep your blade-height as low as possible for the cut. No need to expose more whirling teeth than necessary.
It bears repeating what you said that antipating the potential mishaps is a great way to avoid injury. Of course I am not suggesting that we can predict when things will go wrong. The key here is to consider ahead of time the various modes of failure and then plan your motions ahead of time.
I used to spend a lot of time on my Triumph 650 Bonneville (motorcycle). I used this same approach of anticipation MANY times. Everytime I aproached a traffic situation, I would briefly analyze the flow of cars; who might hit me; who doesn't see me; who see's me but doesn't care; and to where will I steer in a crisis. On more than one occasion I had to initiate evasive maneuvers to avoid an accident. I am glad I had them in waiting.
Another point; be awake and un-hurried!
I can see myself using a good TS guard someday should I buy a new saw. For now; I will rely upon judgement and bodily control.
Standing to the side is very important -- leave a tunnel formed by your side and your arm. However, keep in mind if you cutting a piece of sheet goods, if it gets away it's likely to spin over the blade, cutting an arc-shaped gouge in the bottom of the stock. When that happens, the corner of the piece (if it's the right size) can catch you. What's worse, though, is that the spinning plywood can pull your hand over the blade.
I have a piece that has the scar on it. Should take a pic and post it.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Hello Burt
I have been using a table saw for about 10 years. For the past five years I have been using GRIP-TITE feather boards. Woodworking is a hobby and a way for me to effectively restore my 1920's craftsman bungalow.
My fingers are very import to me.
I made a concsoius decision five years ago to find a way to reduce the amount of times that my fingers have to pass near the saw blade.
I have achieved this with GRIP-TITE's feather board system.
Using the grip-tite system, my fingers are never near the saw blade when ripping material.
Do some research online about this system............grip-tite.com
Not only will the grip-tites save your fingers, they will also increase the accuracy of ripping material.
Best Regards
And Good Luck
Jeremy Czanstke
I know that every time I go to use the saw for something such as crosscutting with a crosscut sled or making tenons with a tenoning jig I have to remove the guard, so eventually I just kept the guard off period. But removing my guard usually meant removing the splitter as well. Well one day I found out that removing the guard isn't so bad, but I would advise keeping the splitter on. It does prevent kickback. On this particular occasion the wood was being ripped with a thin kerf blade and of course it started to bind and boom, there she goes across the room. Not only does this risk injury but the binding of the blade could also damage your arbor. I would recommend having a couple homemade inserts readily available. One without the splitter for crosscutting and tenons and one with for ripping. Kelly Mehler had a good example of one in his book. As far as the guard goes, it doesn't do anything only act as a reminder that the blade is running, if the wood kicks back and your hand goes towards the blade, I would like to see a guard stop your hand from getting nicked. If you can't see the blade running at 3-5000 rpm and be reminded to keep your hands away then you shouldn't be doing woodworking as a hobby or a career. As Norm Abram always says-"Before you use any power tools, lets talk about shop safety. Be sure to read and follow all safety rules that come with your power tools................
Edited 10/13/2004 11:48 am ET by donnybongo
I have never once used the blade gaurd. I honestly don't see how it protects me. I think that a push stick and feather boards do more to insure your safty. With a featherboard you don't exert pressure with your hand to hold the board to the fence during a rip cut and if you use a push stick your hands never get involved. For cross cuts again I don't see what the blade guard does (not even sure you can use it). The only thing I want it for is if I can attach my dust collection hose to it however it's too costly for me now.
Ok. I agree that push sticks will help keep the board positioned well and avoid problems, but if you have to use a 'push' stick how does that keep your hands away from the blade? Unless you have a verrry long push stick, you will be pushing the board past the blade and your hand can slip into the blade. This is exactly what happened to me. In my case, I didn't have sufficient outfeed support, the board slipped and my hand went with it. It is certainly possible to slip without the board causing it since you're applying pressure to the pushstick.
I understand those that don't choose to use the blade-guard and I was one of them and I always want to understand how to use my tools more safely,
Almost forgot to reply to Bill's question:
"if you have to use a 'push' stick how does that keep your hands away from the blade? Unless you have a verrry long push stick,"
My right-hand stick is about a foot long, and the left-hand stick is even longer. As I said earlier, I won't use the kind that puts your fingers near the blade - they look unsafe to me.
" you will be pushing the board past the blade and your hand can slip into the blade."
Somebody else pointed out the importance of staying balanced on your feet, not leaning into the cut. Basically, assume that you are going to slip, and orient yourself so that you won't go into the blade when it happens. When ripping narrow strips, you do have to basically push right into the blade, so I do three things: raise the blade only enough to make the cut, don't push so hard that you can't control yourself when you slip, and... use two Grip-Tite featherboards.
" This is exactly what happened to me. In my case, I didn't have sufficient outfeed support, the board slipped and my hand went with it. "
Sorry to hear that! Others have pointed out the importance of providing outfeed support. As you discovered, without it, you have to push down really hard just at the moment when you are most vulnerable... so a slip is catastrophic. It sounds like a blade guard actually would have saved you in that instance. So would the Grip-Tites, as they do the holding-down part for you."Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler." A. Einstein
http://www.albionworks.net
Never used them but I can see most peoples aversion to not using them. I think that the most important part of a table saw is ample space infront of the table saw and a sound and level catch table behind the saw.
I have been at woodworking for twenty plus years and have only had one accident where a piece of wood shot back at me and left a nasty bruise on my stomach. The real reason for the accident was that I wasn't paying attention.
I have tried to work with blade gaurds and have found that most of the time they get in the way and I end up doing things that leave my digits more exposed or the wood ina position where kick back is inevitable. I use push sticks and PAY ATTENTION. There is a 10" sharp blade spinning faster than light that can remove a finger in a nano second. Your best guard is your mind and not to do stupid things. And GET OUT OF THE WAY when a board is shot at you.
Remember always away from the carpenter.
I was doing some Web surfing today looking for downloadable project plans when I followed a link to <sawstop.com>. I had read a number of items over the last couple of years about this technology but had never gotten any specifics. The site included a number of videos demonstrating the technology at work. The main one shows what happens when a hot dog is pushed into the cutting path of a table saw. The result was amazing! In no more than 5 milliseconds (0.005 seconds) the blade stops and drops below the table's surface leaving the hot dog with nothing more than a barely detectable nick - if on a finger, rather than a hot dog, a small bandaid would easily have covered it. I am an attorney working in intellectual property law and I must say I have never seen a better, more effective solution to a real-life problem in my entire career. Apparently, the technolgy can be adapted to almost any cutting tool and can add not much more than $50 to the cost of a table saw. I am going to buy a cabinet saw within the next six months and I am certainly going to do everything I can to make sure this technology is installed. It is my understanding from my previous reading that the inventor of this technology tried unseccessfully to establish a relationship with a saw manufacturer that would result in the adoption of this technology as a standard feature. Speaking as an attorney (although not a personal injury attorney) I would go so far as to say that any saw manufacturer who does not offer this technology on its products would run the risk of assuming liability for any injuries suffered by users of its products. Given the cost/benefit balance of this technology, I can't see not using it. Blade guards would be just unnecessary. If you find this hard to believe, check out the demonstration videos on the Web site. I've never seen anything like it.
If you do an Advanced Search here at Knots, matching the phrase "Saw Stop" you should find several threads discussing the mechanism and members' opinions as to whether it should be required on saws sold in the US.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Thanks very much for your tip. It led me to some very interesting reading. I would have to agree in general that the prospect of retofitting existing saws is too daunting, for expense and other reasons, to ever come to pass. However, I think that my major point here is that, if the Saw Stop people are accurate, the cost of fitting a new machine with this technology is low enough to not be a real barrier to adoption of the technology. I don't really understand why saw manufacturers have been reluctant to embrace this technology. I had a close call about a year ago from a kickback incident where I was probably a millimeter or less from losing a good chunk of my dominant hand's thumb. I have also been a high school teacher and seen firsthand the damage suffered by both students and teachers from saw accidents in shop classes. The bottom line is that I would like to see the major saw manufacturers offer this as an option on new saw models. I am planning on spending up to $1500 on a new table saw (the last one I will ever buy, I hope) in the next six months and I would certainly not be adverse to spending an additional $100 or so to insure this level of safety. However, that is my decision and I don't presume to make it for anyone else. We don't need a government mandate, however well-intentioned. But, please, let's do what we can to make this type of technology available without having to go through hoops.
Burt,
For 30+ years I have worked without a blade guard and without incident. Recently I upgrade to a cabinet saw and make an overhead blade guard/dust collector, not so much for safety but for dust collection. Interesting how one can prioritize health/safety issues. The overhead guard is a PITA when ripping any boards less than 2" wide since the guard impedes the use of a pusher stick unless the guard is raised high enough to accommodate the pusher. At this point the guard and dust collector become ineffective for either purpose and can be a distraction.
Since I installed the guard I have had two near misses due to carelessness that I attribute to a false sense of security. When I worked without the guard I was ALWAYS aware of were my body parts were relative to a spinning blade and the piece being cut; I can't say that is true any more.
I'm still looking for that perfect guard/splitter/dust collector that requires no adjustment or removal except for the rare cut. I have found a european model that looks like it meets all of these criteria but they never answered my inquiry regarding adaption on my saw.
Doug
"The overhead guard is a PITA when ripping any boards less than 2" wide since the guard impedes the use of a pusher stick unless the guard is raised high enough to accommodate the pusher."
This is one of the reasons I like the Grip Tite featherboard system. Instead of using a large push stick to feed the stock through, you use the stock you are cutting (if you're doing several pieces) or a piece of scrap the same size. I suppose there might be some interference with the guard on very narrow pieces (I'll find out when I get my new OHG installed), but it seems the solution could be to rest the lower edge of the dust guard on the Grip Tite, which is attached magnetically to the fence. The Grip Tites (used in pairs on the fence, fore and aft of the blade) actually provide protection by forming a barrier in front of the blade when the space between the fence and blade is less than ~1.5"forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
I'm not familiar with the product but I think you will find that the OHG is very restrictive with all but wide ripping or cross-cutting. I really have mixed emotions about continuing to use it. If you are using zero tolerance throat plates a dust collector is almost mandatory so I may go back to the stock throat plate and scrap the OHG. The OHG itself work really well and since I made it from plans off the Internet, I only have about $60 into it so I feel less invested in whether or not it stays. I will however, check out the Grip Tite system. Thanks for the recommendation.
Doug
"The overhead guard is a PITA when ripping any boards less than 2" wide since the guard impedes the use of a pusher stick..."
Doug,
A while back I posted design/plans for an auxillary fence that is used in exactly the situation that you've described. The fence design allows the blade to be fully covered by the over arm guard, and allows a push block to easily be used through the full cut.
http://forums.taunton.com/tp-knots/messages?msg=15035.18
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask!Dan Kornfeld, Owner/President - Odyssey Wood Design, Inc.
Dan,
Perfect solution and I will make the setup this weekend. One question: why would you not extend the aux fence so the push block will completely clear the blade rather than 2" past center? As usual, you are a fountain of knowledge. Thank you.
Doug
Edited 10/22/2004 10:39 am ET by Doug
"One question: why would you not extend the aux fence so the push block will completely clear the blade rather than 2" past center?"
Doug,
The shortened aux. rip fence helps prevent pinching, binding, and burning of the wood being cut, especially when ripping thin strips.Dan Kornfeld, Owner/President - Odyssey Wood Design, Inc.
Dan,
Thanks and I'll try it your way.
Doug
Burt,
You need to use the guard that came with your saw, or buy better aftermarket equipment. That's my recommendation because I don't want to you to get hurt and come looking for me.
Here's what I did (not recommended for you): The guard/splitter that came on my Delta Contractor Saw was flimsy, awkward, and a serious timewaster to install and remove (as is often needed). After a couple cycles it came off for good.
Please don’t take this thread as an objective survey to establish the percent of people who use blade guards. People who use blade guards fall into two camps. #1 they believe so strongly in the importance of using guards that they will endure the great annoyance and inconvenience of using the one that came with their saw. #2 they have purchased and installed (often at considerable expense) convenient aftermarket devices. Both groups are much more likely to post in a thread like this than people who don’t use guards. How many guards do you see in woodworking magazine articles? Don’t believe for a minute that they took the guard off for photographic clarity and put it right back on afterward. Many of the few guards that you do see are in magazines that pose pictures with models. Pictures taken in real shops of real woodworkers rarely have guards. Few admit to not using guards for fear of being dunned by those who use them, and possibly being proven fingerless idiots should their cavalier style result in injury. I suspect that guards are in regular use on somewhere between 1% and 10% of the saws in this country. Pure order-of-magnitude seat-of-the-pants guess.
Stock issue guards don’t really guard the saw operator. They guard the company that may be located thousands of miles away. Court cases have clearly established that these horrendously poorly engineered and cheaply built guards are effective at keeping saw companies from losing lawsuits whether located on the saw or in a corner of the shop. The manufacturers have no personal interest or financial motivation in improving these devices. Quite the opposite, in fact. Making a better guard might open them to liability for the many saws they already sold with shabby guards. It would also increase their costs in what has become a razor thin margin business.
I hope to take delivery of a SawStop cabinet saw by year’s end. I got a close look at one @ IWF 2004 in . Finally, a manufacturer who has taken a serious look at safety. It has the blade brake, of course, but they have included plenty of other safety features: true riving knife (European style), guard that is unusually easy to see through and can remain on the saw for rips as narrow as 5/8”, anti-kickback pawls, key switch, magnetic starter, and large hip-friendly shutoff paddle. Whether SawStop survives or not, I hope that the public and other saw manufacturers are taking notes. At least one manufacturer is – Delta has a SawStop cabinet saw on order.
Regards,
Dave
Edited 10/22/2004 10:32 am ET by dwright
Edited 10/22/2004 10:33 am ET by dwright
Edited 10/22/2004 10:34 am ET by dwright
Edited 10/22/2004 10:35 am ET by dwright
Burt,
I strongly encourage you to find a school with a reputable woodworking program and enroll in their beginning woodworking class, if for no other reason than to take advantage of the safety training.
I literally shove my hands in my pockets and shudder when I remember some of the stupid things I did when I was teaching myself woodworking (the hard way) thirty-odd years ago. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have sustained only one serious injury in the bad old days: I clipped the end off of my left thumb at the tablesaw in a split second - an injury that cost big bucks and took several months to heal.
At our school part of my job is safety training, and the most dangerous category of students is, in my opinion, self-taught woodworkers; the complete novices have enough fear to encourage their undivided attention to the safety training we provide, while the "experienced" woodworkers, especially those who haven't been injured yet, have enough hubris to be dangerous to not only themselves, but those around them.
The most effective safety training comes from learning to consistently use tried & true habits that are best developed under the watchful eye of someone who can see, and anticipate, potential accidents before most students are even aware of what they're doing wrong. The best equipement in the world is no substitute for thoughtfully developed, and consistently applied work habits.
There are only two times a woodworker hurries: just before, and imediately after, the accident.
Good luck,
-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
Thoughtfully developed, and consistently applied work habits are, indeed, the greatest advantage of classroom and lab instruction provided by educated and experienced professionals. The school of hard knocks is seldom the best way to learn inherently dangerous tasks - like operating a tablesaw.
When I took my first class at Palomar College, I was amazed to learn how much I didn't know - and that was after about three decades of self-taught woodworking!
The number of subtle, yet important, details we include in our safety training make a huge difference in the safety disciplines we impart to our woodworking students.
Thanks for validating the points I attempted to make in my earlier post,
-Jazzdogg-
Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.
No
Burt, I feel somewhat qualified to give a response to your question and concern. First a little back ground. I've been doing some type of woodworking (carpentry, cabinetry, furniture, etc) for well over twenty years. And have worked with every hand and power tool associated with the trade. About twelve years ago I nearly cut off the first three fingers of my right hand using a table saw and it had no guard.
I was plowing a groove in a drawer guide using a dado blade. I did not have the guard on the saw. However, I can testify that the accident was not because of the guard not being in place (it probably would have happened anyway) but the fact I was not using a push stick. Fingers too close to the blade. I am not making excuses not to use a guard but on a table saw they very quickly become a nuisance. When you move the fence for a narrow cut, say a quarter inch, it becomes a real problem. I do however, believe in guards. As for as the mitre saw without a guard, I would refuse to use it. That is an accident surely waiting to happen soon. Way too much blade is exposed.
I'm sure someone will disagree with me about the guard but I believe the best way to reduce the possibility of an accident is to have your hands as far away from the blade as possible but still have the ability to control the piece being cut. Keep all loose material ( clothing, hair, etc) out of the area of the blade. Also, don't raise the blade too high when cutting through material. About 3/4" above the material should be fine is most cases. Also you can purchase push sticks but I find making my own is easier and not near as expensive becuase you will cut the stick if used religously.
Many of the photos you have seen, the guard is removed for clarity. I have watched several woodworking programs on TV and neither of them had guards on their saws. They both had experience and knowledge about the use of the table saw and chose to operate without it in front of who knows how many watchers.
No, I do not use a guard on the table saw but do use extreme caution. With time and experience using the saw you'll find that it comes a little less nerve racking to make a cut. Just use some good saftey sense. Hope this helps out! Good luck with your new saw. It's always fun getting and using new equipment!!
While I don't like my guard and pawls, I have not removed them. Hopefully, I will never reach a stage where I take a spinning blade for granted.
As a recreational shooter, I fully understand the importance of safety. Often, I will leave a range when I view shooters engaging in unsafe practices. A shooting mishap can lead to death. With that in mind, I view my table saw as a similarly lethal device. A cardinal rule of shooting is to never point a gun at something you don't want to destroy. To me, standing behind a running saw blade is the same.
Recently, I tried to crosscut a sheet 30x92x3/4. I could not get the piece into a position that was both secure and accurate. I lugged the piece back into the garage and cut it with the jigged circular saw.
I don't make cuts when I am not 100%. Fortunately for me, this is a big-fun hobby. I don't HAVE to make a cut when I'm "somewhere else."
I appreciate and value the sharing.
Burt
Balde Guard ? that got threw out years ago. BUT if your not carful the saw will bite when you least expect it. I had my worst accident 25 years ago when I had less experience, I was just starting to rip some oak boards about 36" X 6" to 8" W and needed to move the roller stand further from the back of the saw , to accommodate the longer board . And I reached over the saw , with it still running and touched to blade with the right hand. Only cut two fingers,which are still attached to my hand by the grace of god, and the Doctor that worked on me. Opened the right fore finger to the joint, without cutting a nerve or tendon and took the middle finger nail off the end of that finger. Took over a year to get the full movement in the fore finger,and to this day I haven't had any problems with those fingers. This has not slowed me down or stopped me from woodworking.
I'm now a self employed furniture builder, But have had other accidents with other power tool nicking fingers with roughters, band saws and Chisels. But it's like falling of a horse ,you just get back on and keep going. But watch and think about each cut before you start the motor and think about the potential danger that cut could cause.
So use your own judgment, and go home with 10 fingers every day.
And yes I still have all 10 fingers, with a lot of scares.
Grandson will get introduced to the table saw soon. After 30 years and 3 saws I feel it's time for a guard (always used a splitter). My saw is a 52" unisaw and after looking at what's available in overarm guards I bought a Delta Uniguard.
Went down to the shop last night at about 9 PM. Opened the cardboard and was surprised to fine a nice wooden crate inside. I was impressed - this is a solid, well designed piece of equipment. Laid out the parts, read the instructions, and was finished in about 45 minutes. Nothing like adding an accessory which is designed specifically for the saw - all the threaded holes were there and all the bolts fit. Only one hole to drill in the back table angle. No changes to my outfeed table - it fits above the Uniguard tube.
Now I just have to get used to having a guard. The first few cuts have been no problem. I find the tool tray and holders on the arm handy - push stick, tape measure, and pencil always handy - the splitter slot is great when the splitter has to come out.
Later I will move the switch up to the arm. At the same time I will install a floor level kick bar using a normally closed limit switch so I can shut down with a kick of my foot.
"...a floor level kick bar using a normally closed limit switch so I can shut down with a kick of my foot." Corners, when you get that done, would you be willing to share the design?? forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Sure will - I used to work in automation and this is a simple one.
I won't get to rewiring my saw for a week or two - but if you refer to FWW #139 - Methods of Work page 18 you'll see a kick switch similar to what I have in mind.
I'll check that article out, but also watch for your post. Won't be making anything like that until after the holidays. Thanks!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
You can't spend too much money on safety. Buy the best overarm blade guard money will buy, crosscut jigs, the whole nine yards.
There's nothing macho about a bare blade and/or missing fingers.
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled