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

[Mark Bolton]

1 - I'm not doing much repetitive work. People who do, often let their attention wander and that's when passive safety devices pay off most.

Thats the million dollar statement right there.

[Max Neu]

Thats funny Max, I have a miserable time sometimes ripping with the feeder if I dont use a knife (not that you said yours even had the knife or not). If I dont run the riving knife on hardwoods I will have a lot of stalls even if the material is super clean and straight. Just that little bit of pinch in the rip will stall the feeder especially when the wheels get dirty/dusty. Western Roller was telling me about some anti-static brushes that would be handy to fit to ride against the wheels and the chips supposedly just fall off but I have never tried it.

The stalls foul me up because I am usually walking to or from my wood storage bay and not even at the saw if it stalls. With the knife I just shove a board in and head for the next one while its running through.

I don't have any problems with stalls,although occasionaly it will groan a little bit if I run a piece through that twists from probably not being dried properly.I am running a 5h.p. powermatic with a 1 h.p. feeder,along with the super grip wheels(the blue wheels) from western roller,and a very aggresive 20 tooth Amana rip blade.I would probably try a riving knife if I had one,but I don't remember if it came with one or not,I bought the saw new probably 17 yrs. ago,too long for me to remember.If it did come with one,it probably got pitched a long time ago after a cleaning frenzy.Does your riving knife ever get in the way of the wheels?My blade just misses the wheels,the back 2 wheels straddle the blade with no extra room.I would consider putting a knife on if I knew it wouldn't get in the way.

[glenn bradley]

On a day to day basis, say "most of the time", which way do you work for ripping lumber:
1. Do you operate your tablesaw without a guard and without a splitter/riving knife?

Never when ripping.

2. Do you operate it using only a splitter/riving knife?

When making cuts that cause the guard to be more a danger than a safety.

3. Do you operate it with BOTH a guard and splitter/riving knife?

Whenever possible.

4. Other.

My only 'others' come into play for operations other than ripping.

Don't step back from safety just because someone who's been "doin' this since forever" says they never use a guard or whatever other irresponsible things one might hear. The contractor saw guards of yesteryear that offered more danger than safety setup a generation of woodworkers who don't use guards. Twenty years ago the products that we have for the home / amateur shop today were not available. Use your most valuable safety device; your brain. I have a sign in my shop that says "None of these machines have a brain, You'll have to use yours".

Guards, push blocks, feather boards, proper speeds, proper cutters for the task and all sorts of things are available without undue trouble or inconvenience. You want inconvenience, try opening your beer with only your ring finger and a pinky. ;-)

[Dave Zellers]

Don't step back from safety just because someone who's been "doin' this for 40 years" says they never use a guard or whatever other irresponsible things one might hear.

Agree completely.

[Mark Bolton]

I don't have any problems with stalls,although occasionaly it will groan a little bit if I run a piece through that twists from probably not being dried properly.I am running a 5h.p. powermatic with a 1 h.p. feeder,along with the super grip wheels(the blue wheels) from western roller,and a very aggresive 20 tooth Amana rip blade.I would probably try a riving knife if I had one,but I don't remember if it came with one or not,I bought the saw new probably 17 yrs. ago,too long for me to remember.If it did come with one,it probably got pitched a long time ago after a cleaning frenzy.Does your riving knife ever get in the way of the wheels?My blade just misses the wheels,the back 2 wheels straddle the blade with no extra room.I would consider putting a knife on if I knew it wouldn't get in the way.

Im running about the same specs, 5hp w/1hp feeder (3 wheel) and the yellow wester roller wheels. I run a 24T full kerf rip (its a 23 cause one is blown and last go my sharpener didnt braze a new one on). I have three different knives for my saw and with the smaller of the three and a 10" blade I can still straddle with the knife and the blade between 2 and 3 but its close. I just run a tooth an a half through the work.

Its really no matter if your not having problems. Im usually running #1 common or better and my supplier is the drier and they seem to do a pretty good job but I still get the occasional pinch/spread. I wish I'd gotten the blue wheels but I went with their recommendation.

[Frederick Skelly]

Thanks guys. This has been illuminating for me.

As of post #64, looks like we have this breakdown:
* About 23 of us said #3 - use both a guard and splitter/riving knife when possible
* About 15 of us said #1 - use niether (includes me, today)
* About 15 of us said #2 - use a splitter/riving knife
* And a couple of us seemed to vote for #4 - other.

This doesnt add to 64 because some people had multiple posts, didnt seem to vote, etc.

Fred

[Patrick McCarthy]

On the Wadkin PK i still use all of its 70 years old guards. I find there well made and conceived and never in the way. i do love the true riving knife and i don't think i would enjoy operating a 18" saw with out the crown or knife.





the only time i move the crown is to do a tenon cut and the crown does this very easily with a rotating base.


the PK also has the sliding rip plate fence so i can pull it back to do the tenon or narrow strip ripping so even with the crown off the saw still has the riving knife and sliding rip plate fence to pull back and stop wood from be trapped in the rising teeth at the back of the blade the main cause of kick back.

cut with out a crown for tenons

Jack, CUT IT OUT! Your tool porn is KILLING me. Every time I see those pictures I have lust in my heart . . . . . Guess I'm getting old, as I would rather look at your machines than scantily clad young "ladies". I never knew what I was missing until I started watching your videos. Any chance you need a shop assistant to polish those Wadkins?

[Alan Bienlein]

No guard and no splitter. To date the only thing I have been considering adding is some sort of over head dust collection but haven't pursued it yet as any mounting system to hold it just gets in the way.

[Ole Anderson]

#3, I use a Shark Guard whenever the rip allows it. I get nervous whenever I have a narrow rip and I have to remove the SharkGuard. I do have a splitter for those situations. I got bonked in the gut once, and that is enough. And I use a long hold down, never a push "stick".

Get a SharkGuard and you will never look back. Very easy to take on and off. Unless you tilt the blade 45 degrees on a G1023. Which I almost never do.

[jack forsberg]

all the guys that say the crown is in the way can you tell me whats its in the way of? your hand?





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[Mark Bolton]

Jack, CUT IT OUT! Your tool porn is KILLING me

Yeah, the guy is just a wet blanket every time he posts. But gosh,.. gives you something to strive for. Even if its a video Ive seen before its just too iirresistible not to click it one-more-time.. heh

[Yonak Hawkins]

I got bonked in the gut once, and that is enough

.

Wow !! That's some "bonk".

[Lewis Justis]

3. MJ splitter and Excalibur overarm guard on my Unisaw except for dados. Used none for 35 years but finally got tired of sawdust in my face.

[David Kumm]

That Wadkin guard is way harder to find than the saw. Wish someone would make the bracket and pipe assembly with a newer style head with DC ( but have some design to it ). Don't know if there is enough market because it would cost money. Dave

[Keith Weber]

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.