Overarm Guard for TS (where to buy?)

[Rob Will]

Hey all,
I've been out of touch with you woodworkers this summer....it's good to be back online.

Anyway, I want to buy an overarm blade guard for my TS that automatically pushes up and back when stock pushes against it. A swing away feature would also be helpful.

So, where are some places that have overarm guards in stock?
Who currently sells the Excalibur?

Thanks!
Rob

[Dave Sweeney]

Here's the Penn State version of one.

[Doug Mason]

I bought the Exalibur; but replaced it w/one I built--which I like much better. For me it wasn't a build/buy scenario--the custom version suited my needs better (although it ain't as pretty as the Excaliber!). It was only after the fact that I realized this.

[glenn bradley]

I have the PennState and it is very acceptable, especially for the price. I do wish the hose was 4" all the way to the head piece but for a fraction the cost of others, I am very happy.

[Jesse Cloud]

I got the Exaktor thru Rockler. I'm happy (but not ecstatic) with it. It performs either at about 90% or 0%. When it works, it works very well - four inch pipe all through. It works great for rips and that makes it worth the money. For crosscuts, I usually use a sled, which gets in the way of the mechanism. Its easy to move it out of the way, but then it doesn't do anything. Bottom line is at the end of the day, there's still a pile of dust at the edge of the saw.

I suspect my complaints would be applicable to any overhead device though...

[Samuel Velleca]

I have a Shark guard, it does a good job and doesn't break the bank. Only problem, I had to wait three weeks for it as Lee is a one man operation.

[Jim Kountz]

Do some serious thinking about this before you buy. I had the excalibur then built my own and both of them drive me nuts. They seem to be more in the way than not. And I believe they add an element of danger. When you have an overarm guard you naturally want to use the darn thing. Trouble is when ripping narrow stock it really is uncomfortable. Its just such tight quarters there with the guard your fingers and the fence. Using a push stick helps but you're still in there trying to clear the guard and watch the cut and all. Nerve racking to say the least. When you use a sled the thing is useless, tenon jig its useless, tapering jig guess what......useless. Mine just sits there hovering above most of the time now. In a word............Mostly useless. (ok that was two words!! LOL)

[Rob Will]

Do some serious thinking about this before you buy. I had the excalibur then built my own and both of them drive me nuts. They seem to be more in the way than not. And I believe they add an element of danger. When you have an overarm guard you naturally want to use the darn thing. Trouble is when ripping narrow stock it really is uncomfortable. Its just such tight quarters there with the guard your fingers and the fence. Using a push stick helps but you're still in there trying to clear the guard and watch the cut and all. Nerve racking to say the least. When you use a sled the thing is useless, tenon jig its useless, tapering jig guess what......useless. Mine just sits there hovering above most of the time now. In a word............Mostly useless. (ok that was two words!! LOL)

Thanks for the direct talk Jim, I see what you mean.
Regardless of what I end up with here's one of the problems that I'm trying to deal with:

I have a PM 74A 14" TS equipped with a Woodworker II blade. For some reason, this saw throws a massive amount of dust right in your face. Maybe it's no worse than my old Craftsman saw....except now I have 7.5hp and the volume of chips is greater.

Thanks for this and any other suggestions.
BTW: who sells the new model Excalibur? Woodcraft does not show it on their website nor does Amazon.

Rob

[Jeff Norri]

I have the Shark Gaurd. It was easy to set up, works well and not too hard on the pocket book.

the 4" dust collectionon it works great.

I just hang it on hook when not in use. But I find I use it more often then not as it is easy to setup and its nice to not have chips all over the place


I would recomend this tool to anyone.

[Dan Lautner]

See if you can retro fit one of theses babies from martin.

Dan

[Rob Will]

See if you can retro fit one of theses babies from martin.

Dan

Just as soon as I get my Ferrari F50 paid off...........

Rob

[Kyle Stiefel]

Do some serious thinking about this before you buy. I had the excalibur then built my own and both of them drive me nuts. They seem to be more in the way than not. And I believe they add an element of danger. When you have an overarm guard you naturally want to use the darn thing. Trouble is when ripping narrow stock it really is uncomfortable. Its just such tight quarters there with the guard your fingers and the fence. Using a push stick helps but you're still in there trying to clear the guard and watch the cut and all. Nerve racking to say the least. When you use a sled the thing is useless, tenon jig its useless, tapering jig guess what......useless. Mine just sits there hovering above most of the time now. In a word............Mostly useless. (ok that was two words!! LOL)

Jim,

I found my Excalibur to be about as useful as you did. It is funny because the main reason I bought it for was for safety and after using it for while I found that I felt more at risk trying to work around it. I had mine over the saw for 4 months (mainly trying to justify the money I spent). It has been in the attic for the past 10 months. If anybody is in SE Alaska, desires an Excalibur TS guard and is taking the ferry or shipping freight via the barge lines back to OCONUS I will give you a very fair price.

Kyle

[Jim Kountz]

Jim,

I found my Excalibur to be about as useful as you did. It is funny because the main reason I bought it for was for safety and after using it for while I found that I felt more at risk trying to work around it. .

Kyle

Exactly Kyle! Thats what I was trying to say but you said it much better. Somtimes I cant say what I need the way Id like!
I think the main reason is having to reach around the thing behind the blade. You push a piece through and either do it one handed which doesnt lend much control, or you have to reach around the guard to assist the other hand which is very awkward and feels downright UNSAFE!!

[Chris Parks]

So what if the guard was only slightly wider than the blade, after all that is what we are trying to isolate with a guard so why make it hugely wider? The reason they are so wide I guess is to accomodate the dust control line. That can be accommodated in other ways.

[Chris Rosenberger]

I have been using the Biesemeyer for several years & have been very happy with it.