niki

Well, I can only be sorry for you my American friends.....why sorry ?

Because your OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) doesn't really care about amateurs, hobbyists, home owners etc...

And why I'm saying (declaring) so........because, I live in Europe and I see what the "EU OSHA" is doing....The EU OSHA is looking around, listening around and making new safety regulations accordingly...

Did you know that the Splitter + Anti-kickback pawls were dropped in EU at the 60th and the more safe and a simple riving knife replaced it....no more Anti-kickback pawl....just because the EU OSHA, heard and understood that most of the woodworkers just don't use them or remove them....

Same for the blade guard...."must be easily removed without tools"....and, it never *falls* on the workpiece but just hangs above...

A survey shown that many woodworkers have "short temper" and pushed the hand while the blade was on "run down" - new regulation - "the blade must stop within 10 seconds"...

What we are getting ? we got TS's that are more safe and easy for operation.

By the way, the sawstop has 2 riving knives one, that comes with Anti-kickback pawls and blade guard, and another one without pawls and guard but both of them are "Riving knives" that means that they go up/down/tilt with the blade and keep their position 3~8mm behind the blade an every blade height/angle.

As for "I like to see the blade cutting"...my blade guard is made of black plastic and I use it all the time -that means that I never see the blade cutting the wood and it never bothered me.....I also don't see the planer "planing" the wood and it never bothered me...

As for the riving knife becoming a low...."On the new designs from 2008" that means that the old desines will not have riving knife...and it's a UL law...not yet OSHA...

Best Regards to all of you
Work safe
niki

BobbyfromHouston

I chose to remove my guard because of photographic clarity.

Domer

I read several woodworking blogs and am constantly surprised at the number of people who seem to be proud of the fact that they don't use blade guards or splitters. The common refrain is that only inexperienced people should use them.

I belong to a local woodworkers guild and at our last meeting, we had two members during our show and tell, show us their wounds due to kick back. One was lucky not to be killed. Neither had a blade guard or splitter on their saw. If either one of them had had a splitter or riving knife, they would not have been injured. Even the blade guard would have slowed down the kick back. Both are long time wood workers with lots of experience.

I understand that most woodworkers cannot afford to buy a new saw just for the new safety devices. I also agree that I do not want the government to mandate the latest and greatest.

I do not understand the animosity to blade guards, riving knives, and Saw Stop. It seems that a lot of people do not want these on their saws even if they were free and did not get in the way.

It would seem to me that at least you would want to have a splitter on your saw.

Domer

Nate1778

Being the victim of kick back and table saw contact, I still haven't put my guard back on. Reason being is after I rip a piece I usually switch over to my Incra miter gauge with add on fence and it will not work. I am open for ideas but putting it on and taking it off seams like a lot of work. I do use push sticks and the like but it still doesn't add the protection of a guard. My miter saw won't touch my cross cuts accuracy wise compared to my mitre gauge.

moondawg

I'd really like to have a riving knife for my old Craftsman saw. As far as I can tell, there's no detriment to having a riving knife. You can leave it on for dados, it follows the blade during tilting, and it helps prevent kickback.

What would the drawback be?

Allthumbs27

threw my guard away with the directions.

The woodsman

I think in about 40 yrs plus I have had one on a saw for about a week or two and just try and be carefull.I do have some scars on the fingers,but the guards wouldn't have helped.I would like to make a few suggestions to the newbe's One, DO NOT stand in line with the blade,I have been hit so hard that I thought that I had been in the ring with Mike Tyson.Two, make sure you use push sticks,Three, keep a sharp blade on the saw,dull blades will bind up a lot easier.Last ,but most important is DO NOT go in that shop with a bad attitude,as it is a recipe for disaster.Hope these few tips save someone from getting hurt.

mmtools

Healthy Fear and Respect!!! Pay attention to what you are doing EVERY moment. Resist the urge to make "just one more quick cut".

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Vegetarians, and their Hezbollah-like splinter faction, the vegans ... are the enemy of everything good and decent in the human spirit. - Anthony Bourdain
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kjhart0133

Hello all,

I just set up a new Delta Unisaw and I, too, have hung my blade guard on the wall. I've used a number of table saws in the past - none of them mine - and have invariably found the blade guard more of an obstruction than protection.

My question is this: is there any way I can manufacture a riving knife, or something similar, out of appropriate materials and install it on my Unisaw?

I could probably cut something out and mount it where the original equipment splitter went, but it would not go up and down with the blade. This would be OK by me; I could remove it when I needed to dado or whatever.

Has anyone attempted this on their TS? I did see above that one fellow made a splitter out of an old hacksaw blade. I'd like to see pictures of that.

Well, thanks for listening. Any ideas along this line are greatly appreciated.

Kevin H.

mdlbldrmatt135

http://search.yahoo.com/search?ei=ut...%20knife&type=

johnv51

Like most here the guard is usually in the way of sight and accuracy. I've had a couple of kickbacks on the Griz but had plenty on the old Craftsman contractors saw. You learn the important habits. Never leave wood resting against a moving blade, Don't over cut and don't set up a binding situation. And use zero clearance inserts when you can. Too many more to list.

__________________
Spilling wine on oak does not make it purpleheart!

BORKBOB

Hi Kevin,

It can be done. I have developed an aftermarket bolt on ripping knife (BORK) that fits a significant number of saws, including the Uni. It ain't pretty, but it works.



Here is a link to TWW, where I posted a current list: http://www.woodwhispererforum.com/showthread.php?t=1381

While the splitter will travel with the saw blade, they do so at different rates. This requires a rare manual height adjustment of the splitter blade. Here it is on my Grizzly:

__________________
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Bob Ross
walnutacrewoodworking.com

Mort Tenon

Interesting thread.

I just ordered a new Powermatic PM2000. I was down to that or the Model 66, and went to a Woodworker's source to see the differences. It tuns out the PM2000 has a riving knife, the 66 a splitter. That and some other differences convinced me to pop the extra bucks for the bigger PM2000.

I hate to see this "government interference" meme pop up here. The fault does not lie with the government, but with people who don't use common sense, don't work safely, and then sue the manufacturers for "negligence" or "poor design." I had taken the guards off my arm saw, and have several holes in my garage door to show for it. (I don't ever stand behind the board I'm ripping.) I understand the problem with seeing the cut, and I don't know yet whether I'll leave the plastic guard on the new saw or not, but it will only come off if it is impossible to get accuracy with it on.

woodnthings

Most of you already know that a structured wood like plywood or MDF or other manufactured sheet goods "generally speaking" will not close up behind the blade, the cause of most kickbacks, because they are stable. Natural woods with grain, like pine and oaks MAY close up the kerf behind the blade and pinch and kick back. Therefore, use a splitter or riving knife which ever works or fits when ripping lumber off trees and when sawing sheet goods it's not "necessary". Don't get me wrong I've had plywood kick back from operator error, but not from the above condition. I was looking at my "welders leather apron" the other day and thought what a great shop apron for table saw duty, especially ripping. It would provide more protection than cotton or poly, IF a kickback should occur. Ballistic nylon would be best, but the best policy is never stand directly behind a horse or a table saw when either is running!
I have NO spiltter on by sheet goods saw, a Craftsman 12" motorized, but I DO have a splitter on my 12", 5 HP Powermatic used for ripping exclusively. My first cut on that saw when it was new OOTB, was ripping a scrap of pine from a crate. (no splitter, right, you know how to rip. right?) The wood EXPLODED after it pinched the back side of the blade and shot all the way across the shop! No blood no tears, just a whole lot more RESPECT! I also use a zero clearance throat plate at all times. It helps resist the temptation to go down into the throat plate after a thin sliver gets stuck, while the blade is still spinning. I had a kickback a few days ago, and it actually loosened the blade off the arbor, so I jammed a scrap into in after I had turned the saw off.. WOW! That was scary. Kickback occured when ripping a narrow piece against the fence wasn't pushed completely thru and pushed down as it exited the blade...overarm dust collector in the way! No Blood, no tears, just a lesson learned. Move the collector out of the way, and a pressure hold down roller behind the blade might have helped. That's why I'm am passing on this rather wordy response. Bad advice is plentiful, Good advice...priceless. Off for now, Bill

Tony B

I have to evaluate the safety factor of the splitter/guard against the not being able to see my cut factor. Also I use a lot of dados in my furniture making and I gave up putting the guard/splitter on and off all day.

Also, as an American, I certainly dont need someone from Poland feeling sorry for me.

__________________
Tony B

http://www.thetexaswoodworks.com

GeorgeC

Has anyone seen my blade guard anywhere. I must be off on a trip somewhere because I have not seen it in many years. If you do see it please tell it to come home.

G

GeorgeC

I disagree with your comment "The fault does not lie with the government, but with people who don't use common sense, don't work safely, and then sue the manufacturers for "negligence" or "poor design"

Nobody forced the government to mandate these "safety" devices. It is not the governments job to protect me from all of my stupid mistakes. Just because people are stupid and careless does not mean government must interfer.

By the way, I am also against vehicle seat belt laws. Even though I was installing seat belts in my vehicles before they were universally offered by the manufacturers. Also nobody rode with me without wearing their belt.

G

brownjd2

Like everyone I didn't install my guard. Dropped a board on my 5HP Unisaw blade and was hit by the board. Eight weeks off work ,installed a tall splitter that snaps in and out. I use a pair of Grippers for small suff . I'm a true believer of some of the safety equipment on the table saws

niki

I was thinking: to reply or not....

Well, better not to reply because I'm a "Gaijin" (Japanese for Foreigner) and I cannot say that I'm sorry for my American friends that- in my opinion - OSHA is not doing enough to reduce the 60,000 Table saw accidents a year (as per Steve Gass)....

So.......no comment...

Jacktoo

As with any tool or driving Concentrate on what you are doing is still the safest way too avoid accidents and be prepared for the unexpected. I have visits from osha once a year and they have never ask me to put my guard on! It's always in plain sight and the blade is always down when not in use.