Jointer guards: Pork chop vs. Euro style

[Anthony Whitesell]

Two questions:

1) Anyone have a link to a video on how the euro style guard works on a jointer?

2) Has any converted their jointer from a pork chop to euro style guard, specifically interested in converting a G0490?

TIA

[Jim Becker]

My MiniMax FS350 J/P came with a big, orange pork chop and I replaced it with a Euro guard as soon as I could source one. I much prefer the Euro guard, personally, and since I almost never edge joint, the cutters are pretty much never exposed while the machine is running. Most of the time, I'm flattening stock and the bridge (Euro) guard works great for me.

[Anthony Whitesell]

My MiniMax FS350 J/P came with a big, orange pork chop and I replaced it with a Euro guard as soon as I could source one. I much prefer the Euro guard, personally, and since I almost never edge joint, the cutters are pretty much never exposed while the machine is running. Most of the time, I'm flattening stock and the bridge (Euro) guard works great for me.

Jim, do you recall which guard and where you got it from?

I have been trying to find some videos (mostly youtube). It seems to me like there are two flavors, a spring loaded version and a variable/fixed height (it is adjusted to the height and does not spring closed to recover the knives afterward). Am I on target?

[Alan Lightstone]

Funny, I much prefer the porkchop guard, but my Laguna machine came stock with a Euro guard, so, obviously, I make do.

[Rick Lizek]

I'm amazed at how many people don't know how to search. Been using the Internet for 22 years and asked a question on a so called pro forum and the answers were so stupid. I never asked another question. I just go to the answers.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ft6MFmjmzhc
10 seconds.
Euro guard is a no brainier. Your hands are always guarded.

[John TenEyck]

I don't consider it a no brainer. I had a Euro guard on my Inca for 25+ years. The blades are completely exposed the thickness of your board when edge jointing. And if you are face jointing a really thick board there is a lot of air under the guard before and after the board goes over the blades. With the pork chop guard, like on my MiniMax FS35, the blades are exposed at various times, too, especially when jointing really wide stock. Neither guard is 100% safe. I've had the pork chop guard less than a year but, overall, I like it better. You never have to adjust it; you just use it.

John

[Anthony Whitesell]

I'm amazed at how many people don't know how to search. Been using the Internet for 22 years and asked a question on a so called pro forum and the answers were so stupid. I never asked another question. I just go to the answers.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ft6MFmjmzhc
10 seconds.
Euro guard is a no brainier. Your hands are always guarded.

I absolutely agree. Thank you for posting the most popular link that came up in my searches. My hope was to find more (possibly obscure) links than the two manufacturers or styles (not sure if they are only of two manufacturers) of euro guards I found.

[Jesse Busenitz]

I had an old Yates American 8" jointer that was a pork chop but with a hinge so the board could go underneath on 1"- stock or so but also worked standard for edge jointing. Google Yates J-180.

[Anthony Whitesell]

I don't consider it a no brainer. I had a Euro guard on my Inca for 25+ years. The blades are completely exposed the thickness of your board when edge jointing. And if you are face jointing a really thick board there is a lot of air under the guard before and after the board goes over the blades. With the pork chop guard, like on my MiniMax FS35, the blades are exposed at various times, too, especially when jointing really wide stock. Neither guard is 100% safe. I've had the pork chop guard less than a year but, overall, I like it better. You never have to adjust it; you just use it.

John

From the videos I found, edge jointing seems to be a wash between the spring loaded guards (euro or pork chop). I do agree than opening the "extra" space under the euro guard versus the pork chop is a consideration. One thing that I can see happening (if you having a really bad day) is that you have a push stick or finger on the front edge/side of the board. With the euro guard, it won't allow it to pass over the knives whereas the pork chop (isn't there a better name?) will open and allow the push stick or finger to pass though. If low enough the pork chop guard will open and allow it to pass into the knives.

I should note here that I am looking for the safer guard. I am looking for a different actuation of the guard. A euro style guard than opens vertically opposed to the pork chop opening in an arc. I am adding a power feeder to the jointer (the test rig worked really well last week). The pork chop swing open action forces the feeder to be further from the knives than I would like. The euro guard would allow the feeder to be closer to the start of the outfeed table and knives.

[Anthony Whitesell]

I had an old Yates American 8" jointer that was a pork chop but with a hinge so the board could go underneath on 1"- stock or so but also worked standard for edge jointing. Google Yates J-180.

Jesse, I googled "Yates J-180" but could only find planers.

[David Kumm]

SUVA makes guards but they cost about as much as a jointer. The type of guard becomes more of an issue when exceeding 16" in width. Not much of an issue with 8". Dave

[Anthony Whitesell]

SUVA makes guards but they cost about as much as a jointer. The type of guard becomes more of an issue when exceeding 16" in width. Not much of an issue with 8". Dave

I thought it was my imagination when I converted from english pounds to US dollars!

Any links to the Mori Bearn 300 guard in action? Is it similar to the Jet JJP-12? I found this link of the Jet JJP-12 in action (first 5 seconds), I don't care for the fact it does not spring closed. The way the suvamatic works (springing closed in both the face and edge jointing) is what I was expecting. Are there any other options similar to the Suva at a respectable price?

[Bill Orbine]

Try googling "Yates American J-138" (or J-136).

[David Kumm]

The old Yates #1 was their heavy jointer. The 131 and 138 8" models were their lighter J line. Dave

[Rick Lizek]

Just look for jointers with euroguards and find something close to the size of your jointer. A 12" could modified to work on an 8". I could easily make one from scratch.