Itchy Brother

I did'nt put the clear plastic guard with the two serated -not a splitter but the other one-on my saw when I put it together.I suppose most peeps dont either.The plastic guard isnt easy to see thru for accurate cuts but I guess ya take yur chances then lol!Anyone do the same here?
Itchy/Gary

Geoguy

Itchy, I put mine back on for a few days recently when I loaned the shop to a local boy scout working on his eagle scout project. But I must admit, it came back off when he was finished and gone. The guys will probably kick me out of the forum because I don't use the blade guard and splitter. But it seems like I'm always making shallow cuts/dados that require removing and reinstalling it. I just try to be extra careful.

firehawkmph

Geo,
Most saw owners take off the guards and they never go back on again, myself included. I tried leaving the guard on my dewalt jobsite portable saw. It was ok for awhile. But I still had to tape over the teeth on the anti-kickback pawls or they would scratch the prefinished cabinet fillers I was always ripping. Most guards are a pain to take on and off. I just read in one of the magazines that the industry giants have gotten together and are all working in common on a better guard assembly and new saws coming out next year will have the new style guards. The guards will be made to come off and go back on easily without tools and quickly. Also the plastic guard will be in two halves so they will act independent of each other. The big news is the new saws will have separate riving knives that will stay in place even when the guard is taken off. One of the saws I saw in a tool as the other day already has this setup. Looks like it will actually work like they say.
Mike Hawkins

bradnailer

Mine's hanging on the pegboard. Haven't had it on in years. I don't have much problem with kickback but I do occasionally have problems with outfeed wood pinching with I'm cutting dimensional wood.

Itchy Brother

I cut a lid off a box I made and cut all the way thru all the way around and my brother said I was real lucky it didnt throw it back at me.The next box I made I cut it 90% thru then finished it with a utility knife.He probably saved me from injury.I can see where it could have pinched the blade real easy!

JackC

I went to the Rikon scratch and dent sale 2 weeks ago. The new Rikon table saws will all have a riving knife. I was told it's now a law that all ts made after 11/01/08 must have riving knives.

Rikon is also working on a variation of the saw stop technology for both their table and band saws.

red

I've never even installed the guard on my last two table saws. Only once did I ever have a piece kickback and go flying (after it bounced off me). I'm one for working with push sticks and having the blade just high enough to do the job. Red

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Woodchuck1957

If it keeps going the way it's going, a stinkin plastic jobsite saw will cost $1000 or more. Seems like a bad move in this economy. Anyway, I bought my saw new in 1995, the blade guard, spliter, and pawls are still in the box.

Itchy Brother

Thanks for all the honesty.I'm doing what Red is-Blade about 1/4 " or less above the wood and a push stick for anything that closer than 6"to the blade Itchy/Gary

Domer

I agree that most table saw guards are awful. They are awkward to use and often times get in the way.

I recently attended a workshop with Kelly Mehler who is on the UL Board for table saw safety. He strongly urges not using a table saw without either a splitter or a riving knife.

I am like most of you that I took my guard off years ago. But after listening to Kelly, I dug out my blade guard and bought a splitter for my zero clearance insert.

Like one of the earlier posts, it is also my understanding that new saws will have to have riving knives.

Rigid's new table saw, the R4511 I think is the model number, advertises that the splitter moves with the blade. They don't say anything about a riving knife but the saws are not in the stores as yet but they look like a pretty good saw.

Saw Stop's contractor saw's splitter is shaped just like a riving knife and also moves with the blade. It also has a true riving knife as well. The beauty of it is that you do not need any tools to change out the splitter.

I have done some research and think the Saw Stop has the safest contractor's saw on the market and in addition is an awfully good saw as well.

It is a lot more expensive than virtually any other contractor's saw but I am seriously considering replacing my 10 year old Delta contractor's saw with the Saw Stop contractor's saw. I don't think the performance will be that much greater but think I will be safer.

Everything I read says that table saw manufacturers are either being forced to consider safety as more of an issue or woodworkers are becoming more safety conscious or perhaps a combination of the two. That is the good news but like a previous post said, it will most likely raise the price as well.

Domer

steve mackay

My name is Steve and I don't install blade gaurds. It goes straight to the over head. Although my work is all to small to even find it up under a blade gaurd, I've always found that as long as I've "aged" my stock well nothing binds. I also go to lengths to adjust my fence and blade "just right" so theres no binding or burning. IMHO blade gaurds are for the homeowner running out to the garage for a couple quick cuts on the weekend. But then, I've gotten cocky with the years.

Handyman

I have 3 table saws and I could not even tell you were the blade guards are. I think I left one in the box the saw came in. The box went to the trash. I believe if you had all the safeties in place and you wore all the safety gear you are suppose to ware, it would inhibit you so much that you wouldnt be safe at all. Yes The blade guard is a good idea. But I think common since goes a lot farther than any safety device that comes with a tool. The manufactures have to add at the junk to cover their butts. And I don't blame them. Any one of us, that has had an injury, from using a tool will tell you, They messed up, it was their fault. Thus human error. With that being said, If you get hurt with all the safeties in place, maybe you should purse a different hobby, like painting or collecting butter flies.

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Collector of Old Tools
Fixer of all things broke
Expert = Drip under pressure

TheRecklessOne

I just bought a Delta Contractor's Saw and I didn't even install mine. Our table saw in high school didn't have one, my grandpa's didn't have one, and my dad's didn't have one. Guess I'm still trying to be like dad...ha but really though I don't think I've ever used one even once in my life.

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djonesax

I have always wanted to post this very question but was afraid of the backlash... I took mine off too after the first week. I experienced my first kickback a couple weeks ago, that the guard and knives would have caught. I was cutting a 4.5" by 4.5" piece of plywood. It shot me in the stomach and drew a little blood. Hurt like hell. Been thinking about putting it back on but havent yet.

42Hickorysouth

After I lost my hand.. just teasing. I don't have a guard on my grizzly either. Working with small stuff at times is a night mare with the guards on. I guess I could build a jig for every different project, but who has that much time? Yes, use your brain and you will keep at least most of your digits. :-)

clarionflyer

I was helping a friend cut some stock... he always uses the guard (I don't).
I came closer to cutting my fingers with the guard, than I did without.

If you use common sense, a good push stick, and tune your saw correctly, I think you are safer without the guard. Norm even claims that not using the guard is for the camera's, but (just my guess), he probably doesn't like them either.

For the folks who know saws and understand the consequences... seeing the blade cut and knowing where your fingers are at, is safer than those cheesy guards.

For everyone else... use the guards. This isn't supposed to be condescending. If you're not sure, use the guards.

skymaster

UH OH!!!!!!! I use mine :{ I am in trouble now. What I did tho is tear off the anti kick back pawls, they scratch the crap outta the wood and since I use alot of pre finished Maple Ply they gone.

swampHENcalls

took mine off as soon as i got it (used from my dad) he used it mainly for ripping big unfinished pieces. i do alot of small pieces (under 3" stock) so the safty garb made it next to impossible to even cut anything. ive had 2 kickbacks in 4 years ,one hit me in the shoulder ,one missed. i still say im safer without the guards because i use jigs and push sticks to control the wood.

WDChew

Ditto on all of the above (push sticks, extra care, stand off-center of the blade, etc.)
I only use mine (Delta Contractor's saw) when I'm ripping long pieces that might twist or pinch. I do use an splitter stuck in my zero clearance insert more often. I don't use it for plywood since it is stable.
I always wear a leather shop apron though. I've been hit by a small piece and it does prevent the blood spatters. Still bloody hurts.

Knot Home

The blade guard has never been on my General hybrid. I did replace the thing with a stout splitter made from a small piece from a very large industrial hacksaw blade. It's just a hair thinner than my thin-kerf blade. I have to loosen two nuts to remove it for dado's and the like, but I keep a dedicated wrench for this hanging right on the saw, so it's very little hassle to remove it when I need to.

I only saw flat stock (I run everything across the jointer beforehand) and I keep my saw well tuned to minimize the chances for kickback.