Safety poll: Do you use the guard on your tablesaw?

[John Sanford]

#3. Delta Uniguard (overarm guard) & Splitter on my Delta Contractor Saw

[Dennis Aspö]

I have a riving knife and overheard guard on a boom arm. I keep the overhead guard quite far up though because I find it gets in the way too much. I'd never use a saw without a riving knife though.

The guard however is too big and bulky, all sheet metal industrial stuff. I am planning to make a much narrower one with transparent sides, so I can get the push sticks in and also see what I do.

[Max Neu]

Guards only really get in the way when they're poorly-designed.

I was a #1 when I still had my old Grizzly cabinet saw. Now, with the Altendorf, I'm definitely a #3.

I feel so much safer with the slider and a proper riving knife and overhead guard.

That's the way I am,I use both the splitter and guard on my slider because it's not in the way at all,plus the guard helps alot with dust collection.Years ago,my tablesaw was used day in,and day out.Over the years,things have changed,I now have a slider,2 bandsaws,and I buy 90% of my lumber already s4s,so my tablesaw rarely gets used.

[Clint Baxter]

I would have to say that I'm running between 2 and 3 myself. I have a PM2000 so it has the riving knife. I never use the saw without the riving knife, but used to leave the guard off unless doing a lot of ripping. Picked up a shark guard recently for the dust collection and it has pretty much stayed on the saw since.

Clint

[Ken Frohnert]

I use a aftermarket overarm guard and a sharkguard spliter

[Joe Calhoon]

That's the way I am,I use both the splitter and guard on my slider because it's not in the way at all,plus the guard helps alot with dust collection.Years ago,my tablesaw was used day in,and day out.Over the years,things have changed,I now have a slider,2 bandsaws,and I buy 90% of my lumber already s4s,so my tablesaw rarely gets used.

So true, it is all in the quality and design of the guards. See this for safety devices that work.
http://www.panhans.de/pan_en/index.p...logue-download

We use the slider as a joinery saw in our shop and # 3 most of the time unless doing a special operation. When not using the overhead guard we have clamps and other devices like the Fritz Franz jig to keep fingers away from the blade. We have a straight line saw for ripping. If I had to rip on a table saw I would want it fitted with a good overhead, splitter and the sliding, turntable Euro fence.
joe

[Frederick Skelly]

Im sitting here looking at Jack's Wadkin tablesaw, and that old movie Crocodile Dundee came to mind. You know the line Im thinking of, right? And yah, I just gotta say it because it seems so appropriate when I compare my 10" contractor saw with that Wadkin -

"That aint a tablesaw. THIS is a tablesaw!"

Jack, we LOVE seeing the tools you sell.

Fred

[Dennis Aspö]

My saw has a very similar overhead guard as the Wadkin you mention, it's the one I find too big and clumsy to use. Something like the sharkguard would fine more use for me.

[Daniel O'Neill]

No guard. When I was a child my dad split his thumb because he couldn't see the saw blade. (His hand probably shouldn't have been so close in my guess but I was little) So he never used a guard on the table saws we had. I get uncomfortable not seeing the blade but as I grow my tool collection I would like to get guards & safety stuff in place. So right now #1 in the future #3

[David Gutierrez]

Number 3 except of dados.

[David Weaver]

No 2. I don't use a TS much, though. One of my first experiences with a TS was a friend who goes Norm on the TS, a 5 hp PM 66. I got to play wide receiver for a kicback - fortunately a piece of thinner paneling, but it still hurt.

A riving knife is plenty for me. I never had much tolerance for any other contraptions.

[Thomas O Jones Jr]

I have a Saw Stop and still use the blade guard. I like my fingers/hand. TOJ

[Justin Ludwig]

Nothing. Zero clearance insert. Solid lumber I use a short rip fence. I have an over-arm DC that aids in keeping hands away. Jigs for cuts that require odd angles.

[Kevin Jenness]

I work in a shop with five woodworkers, two powermatic 66's and a Martin slider. The tablesaws have Biesemeyer snap-in splitters and overhead guards, the slider has a riving knife and Excalibur overhead guard. Personal practice varies on the overhead guards,, but the splitters and riving knife are always in place for through cuts because everyone realizes the safety benefits and they are easy to remove and replace, and offer no obstacle in normal ripping use. Guards will not be used if they are perceived as inconvenient, thus the combined splitter/guards of old are to be found, if at all, on the shelf.

Personally, I use the overhead guard for ripping down to about 1" width, which allows me to use a 1/2" baltic birch push stick without fouling the guard. Other people like to "see what's happening at the blade", so they move the guard aside, especially for narrow rips. I am more interested in how the stock is following the fence, so I keep the guard in place more often, for dust collection and to remind me not to put my fingers there. Regardless, it is the splitter/riving knife that offers the most protection against kickback and is most critical to keep in place as much as possible.

[Ray Newman]

#3 here.

I run a circa 1987 Unisaw that is equipped with old style disappearing splitter and Uni-guard.

Also when ripping narrow cuts, I will flip the Uni-fence down to its lower position to allow more room for my hand and push sticks.

Will also attach a set of Board Buddies or feather boards for some cuts.