Do you really have a guard on your table saw?

[Dave Lehnert]

I use the guard on my Jet all the time. I never did understand why most don't.
Yes! PITA to take off and on but so is cutting your hand off.

[David G Baker]

I have an old Craftsman that was used when I bought it from an old carpenter that built houses. The first thing he did was toss the blade guard after buying the saw so it didn't come with a guard. After reading a few horror stories, if I buy a new saw it will have all of the safety equipment.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

Nope.
SMC says that "nope" was too short a message so you are being afflicted with this.

[Rick Gifford]

I will be honest. I do not. I use push sticks and anything else I can think of like crazy though. I need the guard back on there and plan to do that. But... I usually take them off and hang the on the wall.

Shame on me for that.

[Rich Dorffer]

My father (70+ years young) working as a carpenter his entire life (both his profession and his hobby), I hate to think how many hours he has spent building and working in his shop. Never had a guard on his table saw....ever. He saw and heard all the horror stories of his peers, friends who cut off their hands, fingers, etc.

This month, he cut himself on his table saw for the first time ever. He was cutting some Plexiglas and was watching it on the fence side not minding his hands and he cut into the edge of his middle finger. The cut was pretty bad in that it sliced off the edge of his finger to the second knuckle and with all the silly cholesterol drugs they make him take (despite never having an issue with his cholesterol but I digress), he bleeds like a stuck pig any time he cuts himself.

I have a new Bosch 4100, I will always use the riving knife and will try to use the guard but old habits die hard, I learned on a saw that never had a guard.

Regards,

Rich

[Mike Marcade]

Splitter ... yes, Guard ... no (currently in the attic storage area)

[Frank Caponi]

I build doors and some of the time a Blade Guard is a genuine pain in the ... - When I do have to use one I like my HTC Brett Guard - It just floats above the work - I can see thru it without a problem (after I clean it - lol) Since it is over my work and mounted on the port side of the saw with no parts making contact with my table it serves me well - I never have to rip sheet goods so it is not an issue - But - It does unmount quickly if I ever need to


http://www.htcproductsinc.com/bgom.html

[Brian Penning]

Mine is still in it's original package.

[Christopher Pine]

Nope I think I know where it is though

[RickT Harding]

Got a shark guard a few months ago and using the TS is much more enjoyable. I think the key is getting a guard that's not a pita to use. Makes a huge difference.

[Dave Cav]

I have a Grizzly 1023 and I never installed the guard. I use a zero clearence insert, so I had to make a splitter that would work with it, and I always use the splitter unless I'm making a non-full depth cut. We have a Unisaw at work with an overarm guard and I always make the students use it, but I frequently move it out of the way when I am doing a demonstration so they can see what is going on. We always have plenty of big push sticks available, too, and when I am having the kids set the saw up I make a point to check (or have them check) to make sure there is room for the push stick next to the guard.

We have ordered 10" Safe Stop saws for all of our high school shops and I am REALLY looking forward to getting mine and getting rid of the Unisaw.

[David Tiell]

I bought my cabinet saw used, and they didn't give me the correct guard for it, so I ordered a shark guard from Lee. It got here a couple weeks ago, and while I have not installed the guard yet, I have at least installed the splitter. The guard will be installed this week.

[Brian Clevenger]

I've been using a Shark Guard for a couple of years now. I originally bought it for my Sears 22124 saw, then Lee swapped out the splitters to move it to my Powermatic 66.

[Robert Waddell]

I've got two TS's and no guard installed. I wish I could use one. 95% of the cuts I make won't allow guards. I rip small width pieces using a thin kerf blade on one saw. The other saw is set-up with a sled for crosscuts. I think if I was doing furniture or cabinets a guard would be in place.
rob

[Mike Henderson]

I don't use a blade guard on my table saw. I've been taking woodworking classes at Cerritos and they don't have blade guards on their saws either. They're very strict about using a splitter, however.

Mike