How many use a TS with zero safety features?

[Bobby O'Neal]

Hi Bobby, I owned a cabinet saw with an all metal guard, it was a General 650.

When I worked in industry, most of the machines had guards that you couldn't see through, who cares, there's nothing to see in that area.

When you are ripping, your eyes need to be on the fence/wood interaction, not on the saw blade. I guarantee that it's still cutting even if you don't watch it.

This isn't Schroedingers cat we're talking about, it's wood machinery.

When you are crosscutting, use a mitre gauge or sled with a flip stop for length, then watch the mitre gauge or sled and wood interaction, no point watching the cut, you don't need to see it.

Do yourself a favour and buy a splitter or riving knife, and a good overhead guard with dust collection. You deserve to be safe................Rod.

Great points, Rod. There's some great correction there. I don't watch the blade during rips anyway! As for my miter gauge (Osborne) and crosscut sled (home made) I do tend to watch the blade. Though, I agree, its not necessary. I tend to watch it because I have the work piece in my hands against the jig, so I dont worry about that particular relationship. I'll need to look in to accessories for this saw.

[Bill Petersen]

I'm one of those guys that uses zero safety equipment on my table saw. I should qualify that by saying that it's a Craftsman contractor saw and the only "safety" equipment it came with was a totally useless guard with splitter. My current safety equipment consists of a great respect for a spinning blade and the possibility of a kickback. If I start to saw a piece of wood that in any way seems to have internal stress and wants to pinch the blade I stop and take it to the bandsaw. I don't use the saw if I'm tired, upset, or angry. If I have a drink of alcohol I don't touch a piece of power equipment of any type until the next day. The only exception to this is using my computer to post to a blog after a drink and that is dangerous enough, I can tell you. If I had a saw with easily usable and functional safety equipment I would use it. I see a new Delta in my future.

[Doug Shepard]

The only thing I've got on my PM66 is a zero clearance insert which I always use unless I've got the dado stack on the saw. The guard is never on. I'm embarassed to say that I've had a MJ splitter for years but never got around to installing it on the ZC insert. I do have the saw dialed in very well with a TS Aligner with a few thou of clearance on the back end of the fence so there's no pinching/kickback issues. Gripper and/or pushsticks, and sometimes featherboards do get used regularly and I feel very safe and comfortable with this saw. My previous C-man contractor saw was a true kickback generating machine that scared the bejeezus out me. No way I could get that saw tuned in so that it didn't have issues.

[Bill Davis]

I'm in that boat. No. Probably not.

[Rod Sheridan]

Kent, glad I could provide some amusement on a Friday, feel free to use that line..............Rod.

[David Keller NC]

I have a early 2000's Unisaw. There's little arguing that the guard that came with the saw was non-functional, and I do use the saw without a blade guard. But I would never use it without a splitter, anti-kickback pawls and a featherboard. Also, I suspect that I'm more cautious than most - my hand and fingers never get within 18" of the blade - ever.

[ed vitanovec]

I use the riving knife and guard all the time, they come off for dado cuts only. I like zero clearance inserts, the slots on the original inserts were to wide and thin strips would get stuck at times. I used to cut without a guard in place and I would be careful, I brushed the blade once with my fingers and was very lucky I did not have to go to the hospital. No matter how careful you are, a slight kickback can push your hand into the blade....It is not worth the risk.

Regards!
Ed

[Alan Schwabacher]

I use a saw with a riving knife now, but I got my first saw used without any guard or splitter. I made a splitter from a piece of metal and mounted it to the bracket inside the saw before I ever used it. I made a set of various sized splitters to swap in and out so it would behave as a riving knife. I timed it once, and it took something like 23 seconds to change the splitter, including hanging up the wrench.

[Kent E. Matthew]

I have been on many job sites. I have not seen one table saw with a guard on them. My saw at home doesn't have a guard. I've had a couple of kick backs on the unisaw at work. I make it a habit to take a half step to the left so any kick back will go by without contact. I do make use of a home made push stick though.

[Bruce Page]

I don't use a guard but I always use my drop in splitter when ripping. I also use Grippers, push sticks, etc. To keep my fingers well away from the blade.

[Don Morris]

My father in law was a Swedish cabinet maker and another member of the family was a woodworker too. I forget the other members name but remember him because of the fact he had less than the correct number of fingers. Use the TS without ALL of the above safety devices...no way. There are guys who have lived maybe to a hundred smoking a pack of cigarets a day, but the odds aren't with you.

[Ryan Mooney]

Ryan, rather than scrapping out the lightweight saw, get a sanding disk for it to replace the blade and use it as a disk sander.

John

John, Thats one option under consideration and has the advantage that the table is useful as well (although I'd probably cut a chunk off of the "back" side to save the space.. and rebuild the cabinet and... heh). The other option under consideration is to use the motor to drive a homemade drum sander. Time will tell depending on how ambitious I end up feeling.

[Gene Howe]

I agree Rob. Sometimes safety issues, especially when lawyers and/or a government get involved, can result in what Schroedinger referred to as Verschränkung.
Keep it simple and use your noodle! The best safety tool in the shop is your ability to THINK.
To the OP's post, my saw has a splitter and a ZCI. I'd love a overhead mounted guard and dust collection chute combo.

[Bobby O'Neal]

I suppose if ZCIs count, I have made a few of those.

[Jim Foster]

What guard/saw?

The only time my guard comes off the table saw is when I am using my dado blade.

Pain in the butt? Yeah.....but I am used to it.