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.

 

Here is the reply with the attachment - Sorry about that, the original is in .wdp format and I had a little trouble converting it to .pdf so that I could post. It was in color but I had to print (B&W printer) and then scan as .pdf.

Nope... I don't use it and I wont use it.

I had a guard vibrate off a 5 hp saw and bounce on the table

a few times before it landed right on top of the spinning blade.

I was very lucky that it missed me . I don't think I would have

survived the hit. Steel on steel is a little different than wood on 

steel.