Danger, Will Robinson, Danger

[Bruce Seidner]

I just bought an old but very capable 6" Craftsman jointer. It seems to have been a 1979 model and Sears does not have the blade guard replacement that I need. I have not yet looked for compatible stand ins or other replacements.

My question is this. Would someone have removed it because they didn't like or feel the need for it? Basically, I think a guard would be nice but just how dangerous is this to run without the guard, on a scale from 1-10?

[Mitchell Andrus]

Basically, I think a guard would be nice but just how dangerous is this to run without the guard, on a scale from 1-10?

9. I put the jointer right up there with the TS, even with the guard.
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[glenn bradley]

My dad's very old Rockwell has had a shop-made pork chop since I was a little feller. Not hard to make. Sam Maloof's shop has a shop-made segmented pork chop so it doesn't swing way out in the way I guess. I would be leery of running a jointer without a guard. That's part of the reason I built a planer sled; I didn't like running the too-wide board across the jointer without the guard for doing boards that are wider than your jointer.

P.s. Sorry. Talkative. The coffee musta kicked in ;-)

[Van Huskey]

1-10 I dunno maybe 8. Jointers are a scary lot even with the guard, though worse the wider they are. I would rather run a TS without a guard...

[Andrew Nemeth]

10. There's nothing left to re-attach if you run into a jointer. I actually am quite a bit mote comfortable on a wider jointer becuase they often have longer beds and I don't have to use as much down pressure to properly joint a face. You should be able to make a reasonable guard from wood.

[David Dockstader]

On a scale of 1 - 10, a joiner without a guard needs a bigger scale! I still have a scar on my left pinky where I got careless with a push stick AND a guard. I'll run my table saw without a guard. I have to if I'm doing dadoes. But never a joiner.

[Mike Cruz]

Well, I'm gonna take the other side...kinda.

First of all, you hands should NEVER be directly over the blades...with or without a guard.

Secondly, the fence moves so that you can expose as much or as little blade as you want.

Third, even with a guard, the guard won't protect you from "lagging finger tips" that are absentmindly pushing the wood through.

THAT SAID.... I think that the jointer demands as much if not more respect than any of your big equipment. As my old boss used to say, "You can't make potatos out of potato chips..." That has stuck in my head like glue!

And by all means, I'm not suggesting that you not use a guard. Find one if you can. But a jointer without a guard is not "throw away" material. IMO

[Joey Jarrard]

I would not do it myself. In a shop there is way to much that can go wrong why help out the odds.

[John Mark Lane]

Third, even with a guard, the guard won't protect you from "lagging finger tips" that are absentmindly pushing the wood through.

Preacher, can I give witness!?

For many years, I have hated blade guards. I religiously removed them from every tool I bought, and I judged a tool in part by how easy it was to remove the guard.

About 25 years ago, I was running a small-ish plank through my little 4 inch Rockwell jointer, sans guard. As I walked the board up and positioned myself closer to the outfeed table, I moved my right hand back to hold the pressure on the last few inches of the board.

The doctors were not amused at the prospect of having to remove tissue from my thigh to try to patch up my right forefinger. Nor have I ever quite gotten over the sound of the bone as it hit the spinning blade. Kind of a liquid sounding phhhhhzzzzzzzzzzzzzT. I had to hold my bandaged hand up in the air for something like six weeks. People kept thinking I was waving.

The good news is, the shape of my new forefinger is great for picking your nose (not yours, mine). You know how, when you're trying to get in there and get that deeeeep bugger, and the fat on the end of your finger won't quite let your fingernail get a good grip? Well, I don't have that problem. With my pointy fingertip, I can get even the deeeeepest buggers! I've often explained this at parties or dinners. For some reason, every time I start of the topic my wife groans and runs out of the room.

[Mike Cruz]

Thanks for the visual!

Please let me explain my "third" comment. It was not "anti-guard" it was pro-don't-put-your-fingers-there-even-with-a-guard.

Honestly, John, I am very sorry to hear of your accident. I'm glad you can make light of a horrible situation...

[Lee Schierer]

I have to agree with the pro guard enthusiasts, put a guard on that jointer. Take a look at Ebay and do a search for jointer guards. There are several choices, that I found though none specifically for a craftsman, but it shouldn't be hard to adapt one or make your own.

[Rod Sheridan]

Don't use a jointer without a guard, period.

This is the ideal time for you to make a bridge type guard for your jointer, in my opinion they are much better than the old pork chop type guard.

The bridge guard could be made out of wood, nothing fancy is required.

It would have to be able to move straight up and down, perhaps a simple vertical stick, and it would have to move left to right to allow for edge jointing so a simple slot with a knob to lock it in place.

Regards, Rod.

[Trace Beard]

The guy I purchased my first jointer from lost his finger because he removed the guard. I did get a great deal though :-)

[John Pratt]

Scale of 1-10? 10, but there has been occasion when I have used my Jointer without the guard. When I use the rabating ledge I have to remove the guard, but I am very methodical about how I do it.

[Matt Day]

I thoroughly respect my jointer and know what it can doto me if I'm careless. Same with my table saw. I'm not promoting it, but I don't run blade guards on either of them. On the jointer I move the fence to only expose the blade I need to use, and am meticulous and focused when I use the machine.

If you're not comfortable using it without a blade guard (and I think you are by posting this), you should have a blade guard and STILL be extremely careful.