Do you always use your table saw guard?

If not, what percentage of the times would you estimate you do you use it?

 

My thoughts on this subject have changed over the years and I am wondering how others operate their saws.

I'm almost afraid to say that I NEVER use mine.

Rick

I haven't had mine on the saw since right after I got the saw. I do know where it is.

Not a good excuse, I just make so many changes that it is in the way. I use a panel sled on the saw a lot and can't used the guard with it.

I would love to have one of the suspended ones.

Very rarely, even at work for the School District. I'm amazed the School District doesn't makes us use guards but they don't and we had two fingers cut off over the years. Amazingly enough it was the same guy.

Never

I've been using my dad's Jet and I'm not sure where the guard is for that thing. When I was at school I always had the guys using the guard. About the only time we didn't use it was sometimes when doing dados or when ripping down big sheets of plywood or MDF. Actually in the 50 years before the shop was closed at school I don't think anyone had anything major happen on the tablesaw. My dad ran his thumb up on it once when he was teaching there, doing a demo and talking instead of watching close enough and ended up with some stitches.

Alright guys, I guess I am in the minority here. I always use my guard when possible. And with the type of guard I have, it is always possible unless I am cutting something tall. I have a Bies overarm, and the overarms IMHO are the best on the market hands down. I would encourage all you guys to research them and buy one.

Biesemeyer 78-960 T-Square Table Saw BladeGuard System for 50-Inch and 52-Inch Fences

The Bies is a bit pricey, I bought mine used for a couple hundred bucks, you can find other brands out there for a fraction of the price. But I am a big fan of anything Bies.

Hello Ron,

My table saw guard is put away for I don't use it as my work that I do can not be done with a saw guard on and the hassle of taking it off and putting it back on is not worth the time and effort. However, I and my workers all have a healthy respect for the blade and always think "what if!" before we proceed with any cut that might cause any form of kickback.

It's pretty hard to dodge a board or part of a board at 75 MPH, so prior to starting the motor we look for the what if's and work around them. To date, (knock on wood) we have not had any major incidents. Oh sure a little sawdust in the face once in a while but that is what goggles and or face shields are for. I won't run my lathe without my full face shield on.

Also I have a written rule that when we are not at the saw table the blade is lowered below the table top.

Ralph

Mine is in use every day. Under the bench as a paper weight.

This is always a great topic to bring up, going through our archives and I thought I'd revive this one, always a great discussion!

I have almost ZERO use for any of the safety gizmos. I think they are all gamey nonsense.

 

40 sumpin years ago I took my  riving knife and hung it on a nail only to be used when I know I'm ripping a lot ( not a little) of lumber that had tension in it.   Otherwise, when ripping a  few pieces of wood I'll just drop little wedges that I pick up off the floor  into the kerf,  just as sawyers of old used to do.

 

I don't use a over head guard at all.  I never have.  I prefer to see the cut closely quite often and guards are always in my way. I can't stand therm.

 

About riving knives and kickback:

You won't get a kick back if - - IF - - you maintain downward pressure on the work.

That's it. There is nothing more to it.

To kick the wood has to come up a tiny little bit  off the table  and engage the blade back there at the lee side of the cut in order to be accelerated back toward the operator. If the work does not rise when the stress collapses it on the blade or binding between a fence and blade or whatever is working to cause it to rise   - - - if it can't rise - - -  then it can't kick.

 

All kickbacks are precipitated by the work lifting off the table on the lee side of the cut, even by  an ever so slight lift of a lousy 20 or 30 thousandths of an inch.  Once the work is up in the air a littler bit the blade  can grab it and hurl it.

 

So I just keep downward pressure on the work.

 

I have had wood collapse on the blade plenty of times while ripping and even gotten burning from the squeezing, but I just push down and through the cut even harder the instant I  feel the squeeze.

 

I do use eye and ear protection

I will say since this first posted I now use one of the overhead dust collectors on my table saw, so the blade I'd covered most of the time now.

I didn't for 30+ years but stupid is what stupid does so I started using the guards when possible. I need to put it on my unisaw but will probably need help with a new one option or using the factory guard

When using cross cut sleds and such it comes off. After awhile I figured why bother.

...Depends upon what I'm doing.

My guard is always on unless it gets in the way, such as thin strip ripping etc.

I had an overarm guard that I loved, the only time they get in the way is for tall items which is rarely. Now I have a Shopsmith and keep its factory guard on most the time.

Here is my response a few years ago.

 

I know folks hate em, it's a mixed bag opinion at best, but a good guard does not hinder your operations, and you should have them on at all times, unless it's impossible to function with it on, such as Gunny's example of using a sled.

I would really like to encourage anyone to look up the overarm guard market, your complaints about the guard being in the way, are almost non existent with an overarm.

I've worked in a few industrial and commercial applications, accidents do happen, and they are ugly, since I've seen those accidents, I guess I am bit more cautious than the average hobbyist or home woodworker.

 

I also use "lock out tag out" procedures in my shop/garage, something I adopted from the commercial shops I worked in. You never know when you may have to leave in a hurry while cleaning or maintaining a machine, you don't want to leave anything open and live. By the way, has anyone ever seen a table saw start up all by itself? I have. Sawdust in the switch was the culprit. I don't expect folks to go as far as Lock Out Tag Out, but I do hope you all are eliminating the power source to your machines as you maintain and change blades.

Should I use it ? YES ! Do I use it ? NO.  I purchased my Jet contractor saw new and never installed the safety guard.  I did install a splitter. Didn't use it on my old Craftsman TS. Still have 10 fingers but will admit, over the years I have had some close calls.

For all through cuts, I use it.  I have had too many pieces to close on the back side of the blade and try to kick back.  If dadoing, it is in the way.  I know a man who was teaching a high school wood shop class.  He forgot to turn off the bandsaw, swung his hand around in an illustration and lost 4 fingers on one hand.  I love my digits, so I look at all the possibilities that I can see and think of.  I try to apply safety in all situations.  It's not because of laws or standards, it's that I love my fingers.  

My Shopsmiths haven't seen a guard or splitter since they entered my shop. Knock on wood...I haven't been bit since I bought my first one in 1975. 

Edited December 2, 20196 yr by Gene Howe

Never used the guard until fairly recently until installed a mini-split in the shop and realized that I needed to put dust collection on top of the table as well as underneath. I tried modifying the OEM guard by adding a nozzle, with limited success - I think I have it too far forward (towards me) and it would hang up on the material being cut. I spent the money for a Shark Guard and now try to use it whenever possible - can't use it for dadoes or other partial cuts such as grooving the edges of door rails and stiles for the internal panel - but it certainly helps keep the sawdust down.

 

For those that are using a sled, why not consider a dust collector similar to that shown in the photo attached. The guard can be modified with the addition of strips of FastCap Saw Stache   Sealing Strip  to provide better dust control, and the complete guard could be hinged to allow for lining up the blade with the cut line.

 

Edited December 3, 20196 yr by tomp
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