Anyone retro-fit a Euro bridge guard to a jointer?

[Phil Harding]

Having lost the tip of my left pinkie finger to a 8" jointer earlier this year I am especially interested in ideas for improving the safety of this machine. Looking back on how this accident occurred, it's painfully (no pun) obvious that the standard pork chop type guard on my jointer doesn't adequately cover the cutter head while edge jointing - especially if you are not paying absolute attention as I wasn't at the time.

I recall seeing some references in another thread here that many of you think the Euro type bridge guard is more effective. Hence my question - has anyone tried retro-fitting one of these guards to a jointer with a pork chop guard?

TIA

-- Phil

[Jim Becker]

Do keep in mind that the bridge does not cover the cutter head when you are edge jointing, at least for the thickness of the board from the fence. That said, I wouldn't give mine up--my MM J/P came with a pork-chop and both of them (yea, one broke) went in the trash once I got the Euro guard. It really shouldn't be all that difficult to retrofit for one...almost all of the bridge guards from come one particular manufacturer and it would only require drilling and tapping for two bolts on the front side of your outfeed table about a foot and a half forward of the cutter head location. My machine was pre-drilled, but cast iron is very easy to do this to.

[Phil Harding]

Do keep in mind that the bridge does not cover the cutter head when you are edge jointing, at least for the thickness of the board from the fence.

Yup, I haven't seen one of these in person, but that became clear from the photos I've seen and the threads on SMC. Even so, I'm sure I would still have that finger tip if I had had this type of guard at the time.

That said, I wouldn't give mine up--my MM J/P came with a pork-chop and both of them (yea, one broke) went in the trash once I got the Euro guard. It really shouldn't be all that difficult to retrofit for one...almost all of the bridge guards from come one particular manufacturer and it would only require drilling and tapping for two bolts on the front side of your outfeed table about a foot and a half forward of the cutter head location. My machine was pre-drilled, but cast iron is very easy to do this to.

Great suggestion, I'll check some of the Euro manufacturers to see if I can buy the parts. Drilling and tapping shouldn't be a big deal.

Thanks,

-- Phil

[John Thompson]

Do keep in mind that the bridge does not cover the cutter head when you are edge jointing, at least for the thickness of the board from the fence. That said, I wouldn't give mine up--my MM J/P came with a pork-chop and both of them (yea, one broke) went in the trash once I got the Euro guard. It really shouldn't be all that difficult to retrofit for one...almost all of the bridge guards from come one particular manufacturer and it would only require drilling and tapping for two bolts on the front side of your outfeed table about a foot and a half forward of the cutter head location. My machine was pre-drilled, but cast iron is very easy to do this to.

Did you get the bridge from MM, Jim?...

I use a home-made bridge guard to surface stock wider than 8" using a double pass, but would be interested in a stock Euro guard as I agee.. it should retro-fit easily enough. I would like to look a the guard as what I have may be just as efficient without the upgrade though. Maybe.. maybe not?

Thanks in advance...

Sarge..

[Jim Becker]

John, yes my guard was sourced from MiniMax. It's made by Mori and called the Bearn 300. It's pretty much the same one I've seen on a variety of Euro brands. The bridge, itself, could be cut down to fit a narrower machine. It's just and aluminum extrusion with plastic end-caps.

[John Thompson]

Thanks for the speedy reply, Jim. I'll just cruise over to the MM web-site and see if I can get a clear picture of it. If so... I can tell from that if it would be worth the pursuit as again, my home-made is not that bad but if an improvement could be made I will.

If not I can call Eric tomorrow and they can probably e-mail a picture or send a brochure with a good picture on it.

Again thanks and have a good evening...

Sarge..

[Phil Harding]

Thanks for the speedy reply, Jim. I'll just cruise over to the MM web-site and see if I can get a clear picture of it. If so... I can tell from that if it would be worth the pursuit as again, my home-made is not that bad but if an improvement could be made I will.

If not I can call Eric tomorrow and they can probably e-mail a picture or send a brochure with a good picture on it.

Again thanks and have a good evening...

Sarge..

Sarge, if you do get additional information (especially part numbers) I would appreciate it if you share it here.

Thanks,

-- Phil

[Jim Becker]

Here's a scan of the first page of the "manual" for mine...all in French and a poor photo, but...

bridge-guard.jpg

[Noel Hegan]

Phil, here's an old thread http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=24685 discussing the same issue (hi Jim).
Don't know how the picture of the Euro guard got replaced by drawers. Here a couple more from the Jet labelled Powermatic 54A:

[Jim Becker]

Noel, that seems like essentially the same guard I have on my MM FS350 J/P...the Bearn. Great pictures and exactly what John needed to see. Thanks for posting them!

[John Thompson]

Thanks again Jim for the link... Great pictures you found Noel...

I attempted to call Mini Max this morning Phil but 60 year olds forget things like they're not open on Saturday. Will call Monday to check the price for you.

As I suspected and Jim B. mentioned, I have a huanch that there are not manu-facturers of this particular guard set up on every corner. Jim's and the one in the picture are extremely similar (if not the same) as the Rojek and sevearal other Euro machines I have seen both physically and in person.

Basically a simple design that I could probably make myself as I do tinler a bit with metal and have access to some nice metal shop machinery. My BIL is a shop foreman at Delta Air Lines and he won't hestitate to devote a lunch break or two doing me favors with metal as I do for him with wood.

But... I may personally fore-go the manu-factured one as I have a home-made that takes about 20 minutes to build and can be done for $14.99 plus a few scraps laying around. Pictures are below and they are self explanatory.

I use the universal jig clamps from Rockler. Pictured is the 16/4 clearance set-up made with 5/4 stock and I use it fairly often. I have two more guards that are idenical except I glued an additional 6/4 on one to get a 2 1/2" clearance and a 10/4 on another to get a 1 1/2" clearance. The L rods on the end insert into the guard with in a 21/64 drilled hole.

BTW.. I made three of them to get the various clearances... before I realized that those L Rods screw out. I could have just got a couple of longer L rods to avoid the extra two guards. But... it took less than 50 minutes to build all three and they slip off the current and go on the one that will replace quicker than I can unscrew on Rod from the clamp and insert a longer. Those thread are about 4" long as the top bar on the clamp is thread all the way through.

Might give you and idea... might not... it just works well for me and I see no need to up-grade and drill the holes necessary to mount the Bearn 300. But... for anyone that is not into tinkering, the Bearn would be easy enout to retro-fit on my SC jointer simply by drilling two holes. I can't do hole in my fence as it is Black Granite and I don't have special diamond bits for that special drilling.

I will call Eric on Monday if you want to pursue the Bearn and check on the price... Good luck and thanks to all that contributed in helping make my personal decision...

Sarge..