Overhead guard.
Member
Overhead guard.
Member
I never used a guard on my saws till I got the shark guard I love it it stays on till I have a cut that it just wont work with...
Member
Always. Always. Always.....except for those few cuts where it can't be used. I made the one that Wood Magazine has on their web site with a custom Lexan cover...but I know those who never have and never will. Just a personal preference deal I suppose. I personally feel naked if the guard is not on the saw.
t
Last edited by Terry Hatfield; 02-24-2010 at 12:19 PM. Reason: can't spell
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Member
I use mine for the dust collection, not the safety improvements. Any cut I make that involves small pieces will see the grrripper come out
Member
[QUOTE=Eddie Darby;1354454]
I never stick my hand in any area near the blade to remove debris either, even if the blade is stopped. I use extremely thin sticks to push out/away the debris. The thin strips represent less of a flying object should for some reason they make contact with a spinning blade.
QUOTE]
This sounds like a good practice, if you don't do it when it is off you wont do it when it is on.
I don't use a blade gaurd. When I cut I focus only on cutting. I tell anyone who may be entering the shop to not talk to me while cutting. But like Tom Hammond above after 40 years, it just becomes so common place. I am at the 20 year mark. I would like to have something like Terry has, but no room right now.
Member
That's me, too.Originally Posted by Terry Hatfield
BUT ... I always wear a helmet, while on my motorcycle AND while on my bicycle.
For me, the risk:reward equation is pretty simple: the downside has to be pretty significant for me NOT to wear/use these safety devices.
In these three cases (motorcycle, bicycle, table saw), I think the downside to using them is next to nil.
My $0.02. YMMV.
Member
I always use mine for two reasons:
1. About 15 years ago I got my finger in the blade. It was a combo error - blade raised too high and no guard. Fortunately it was minor and didn't even require a stitch but it scared the bejeebers out of me.
2. Two years ago I severely injured the index finger on my left hand (with a hammer - I was swinging at 16d nail and missed the nail). Surgery and therapy was required and it still gives me trouble.
Given those two incidents, I will take every precaution I can including many of the ones already mentioned (jigs, push sticks, etc.) to make sure I don't have a hand injury.
Member
Guard is on unless non-thru cuts, hearing protection, featherboards, ANSI lenses, blah, blah. I use 'em all. Call me a fraidie cat if you will.
Bill
On the other hand, I still have five fingers.
Member
Dave, Don't feel lonesome oa ashamed. I have a brett guard. It's on for the kids and off for when I use the saw. I've never really felt the need for one for myself.
Member
Just got an email from Fine Woodworking. Mentions a study that reflects 31,400 ER visits for a recent year for TS accidents (I don't recall which year). 93% cuts and the remainder amputations. People are wondering why so many injuries in this era of mandated splitters, riving knives and guards on new machines. Perhaps it's because people take these devices off.
Member
Interesting number, I wonder how many accidents are directly related to someone going to the borg, picking up a saw to do some home improvement project, turning on the saw without any proper training and bam. I'm curious as to what price point saw causes the most injuries. Ive watched "professionals" stop a spinning blade with a wood scrap to save 5 seconds of time. No guard in the world will potect from stupidity.
Brian
Member
Yes, I installed the larger Brett-Guard over-arm set-up on my Unisaw. It's a huge improvement over the lousy guard that my '05 Uni came with. I still need to tweak the dust collection inside the guard a bit to see if some directional baffling will give even better results than the guard came with, or change the plastic dust hose to a smoother metal or plastic to improve air flow as well on top.
The guards anti-kickback pawls aren't much to speak of though. I suspect Sean H. could comment on this also as he posted the smaller, original B-G mounted on his Powermatic Contractor Saw. Kelly Mahler[spelling?] couldn't get them to really work for him either when he reviewed a bunch of saw guards a few years ago. Only real let-down of this guard I think.
Having worked around lots of machines of all types that were made from pre WW1 to anything current, I'll always work with a well thought out guard system anyday versus no guard at all. Accidents happen in a shop setting for all sorts of reasons. Guards go a long way in preventing them from being "life changing events".
Contributor
Spitter? Yes.
Blade guard? No.
Jason
Member
Can't argue with the prevalence of stupidity. I, too, am interested in knowing a bit more about the conditions surrounding the injuries, but alas, I doubt that the folks who gathered those data were close enough to the events to ask the right questions.
Were I to hazard a guess, I'd speculate that the vast majority of these injuries came from folks who either didn't have the safeguards installed or who managed to "override" them through techniques designed to enhance the gene pool.
I know that I'd have to work pretty hard to get a blade cut with this:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=133523
Of course, doing something stupid, now that's another thing entirely.
Member
Went back and looked at the study details. It was not for one year, it was a yearly average from 1990 to 2007. So, depending on whether they included data from 2007, that's either 496,000 or 527,000 TS injuries and that don't include professionals. Those data are kept separately.
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