# TS Blade Guard - is it on?



## new2woodwrk (Mar 16, 2015)

While I have my Rife and my Anti-Kickback Pawl always on, I seldom have my Blade guard on.

I think once I get the guard set up for dust control, it will be on all the time.

So, is your guard on all the time? Be honest please.


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## sanchez (Feb 18, 2010)

It's on unless I'm making non-through cuts, like dadoes or grooves, or when I'm ripping very narrow strips so I can keep pressure down on the workpiece.


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## Terry Q (Jul 28, 2016)

Any time it can be on, it is.

My table saw is a little older so it takes a wrench and a minute or so to install, but if I hurt myself because I didn’t take the extra minute to put it back on I’d kick myself for a being an idiot. It isn’t worth the risk. Even experienced users can have a moment where they loose concentration, especially when making lots of repetitive cuts. Recently someone posted a video where one of the regular YouTube contributors just cut the ends of two fingers, and he didn’t think it would ever happen to him. 


In woodworking there is always more then one way to accomplish something.


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## BigJim (Sep 2, 2008)

Never had a guard on any of my table saws. The only time I got cut on a table saw was on an old home made table saw my dad built.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*not always, not a yes or no issue.*

I have experimented with blade guards or covers for 40 plus years. I've made some that incorporate a dust collector, others that don't. My latest is just a 3 piece sandwich made from 1/4" thick plywood with an 1/8" in the center so it will pivot on the splitter bolt. It's a friction fit, so I can angle up and out of the way or press it down right on top of the work piece. There is enough room under it for all but 3" thick stock to pass through.

The first rule of table saw safety is ....
Never place your feeding hand in direct line with the blade.... unless you are 12" or so away then change to a push block. The Red Zone on the throat plate means "Keep Your Fingers Out". :|

The second rule is:
Feed using downward, forward and lateral pressure inwards towards the fence.

The third rule is:
Always have your splitter or riving knife installed unless the operation will not permit. This is to prevent the workpiece from coming away from the fence at the rear and causing a kickback.

The forth rule is:
Do Not Violate the first three rules! :smile3:


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

A lot depends on the skill level and experience of the saw operator. A novice shouldn't operate a saw without a guard unless he is being instructed on how to safely operate the saw without it. Myself I didn't use a table saw very much before taking woodworking up professionally. The first shop I went to work for the guy spent a great deal of time showing me how to avoid an accident. 

It was about 18 years ago the last time I bought a new saw. The guard that came with it is still in the factory packaging up on a shelf. It's never been on the saw.


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

I taught junior high and high school woodshop for a few years so safety is very ingrained in me. But the type of work I do on the TS, I would spend most of my time taking safeties on and off. I don’t keep a safety on my table saw.


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

I do spend a lot of time taking the safeties on and off, and I am trying to figure out why. Simply put, I always use the guard, the riving knife, and the anti-kickback pawls EXCEPT: 

(1) When making non-through cuts, such as dados and rabbets.

(2) When I use the GRRR-Ripper push blocks, which straddle the blade. In that case, I can leave the riving knife in the half-raised position, but I can't use the blade guard or anti-kickback pawls.

It is the second case that gives me the most trouble. There are times when the GRRR-Ripper push blocks are the best, safest solution, but often they don't seem right for a given cut, so I put the blade guard, riving knife, and anti-kickback pawls back on. It seems that I spend a lot of time putting them on and taking them off, depending on whether I use the GRRR-Rippers. I don't mind trading time for safety, but I wonder if there is a better way.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

No.

George


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*We could ALL say NO, like George did here.*



GeorgeC said:


> No. George


QUOTE:
So, is your guard on *all the time*? Be honest please.

All the time? NO. and that's the issue with the question. Unless, you get specific as to why and under what circumstances is it "OFF" or is it never "ON" .... it's a one word reply.

If you really want to get to the bottom, of this issue, start a POLL:
Is your table saw safety guard ON?

Always ON
Always ON, except for rare operations.
Usually ON
Seldom ON
Rarely ON
Never ON
Don't have one.


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## grnspot (Feb 5, 2017)

Only off for non through cuts!


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## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

SawStop ....yes
Unisaw.......No
Powermatic 77.....No
Powermatic slider.....No
Altendorf WA8.....Yes

The Sawstop and Altendorf always have the guard on at work when I use them, but the Unisaw at home does not. I cant use guards when making patterns either..


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Look at it this way .......*

Assume you are using your blade guard. Suddenly, you find you hand/fingers bumping the guard. Why did that happen in the first place?:surprise2: Your hands/fingers were in the wrong place to start with.... :frown2:

Now, assume the blade guard is not ON in the same instance, proper hand/finger placement would prevent any blade contact. This means keeping them away from the "red zone" on the throat plate at all times.
It also means using proper push blocks/shoes/stick and knowing when to use each type. Each type applies forces in a very different way, and those forces are necessary to feed the workpiece ALL the way through and past the end of the blade. Those forces also need to keep the workpiece pressed against the fence for the entire cutting operation. WHY? :nerd2:

Kickback occurs when the far end of the workpiece loses contact with the fence at the rear and rotates up and over the spinning blade, sending it back towards the operator. I've had it happen more time than it should, so I know now what causes it. It mostly occured on plywood panels, and careless feeding techniques. The use of a splitter will prevent most if not all of these issues.

Usually, the blade guard is attached to the splitter as it was on my Craftsman saws. It often got in the way of the push shoe when ripping narrow stock, it was totally frustrating. So, I drilled out the rivets that secured the plastic blade cover and the anti-kick back pawls which also impeded certain ripping operations, so they were GONE! That left just the vertical splitter plate remaining and that's all I use now, except for the pivoting plywood cover I mentioned above.


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## Pineknot_86 (Feb 19, 2016)

I'll have to find it first. It's buried in the mess somewhere. I got my first kickback a few months ago- first in 40 years. Got a small skinned pack on my forearm. Nothing major. The blade guard wouldn't work as the piece of wood was too high for it. It was too short for the riving knife. I figure I'll be 110 when I get my next kickback.
It's interesting- I sold custom and factory cabinetry. The custom shop got a black mark by the state inspector when the business was sold. The guys never used the blade guard or riving knife. Most of them had worked there for years and were aware of what they could do and not do. The shop also had to put in a small water heater as they didn't have hot water in the restroom. The shop was in business for over 35 years.


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## Catpower (Jan 11, 2016)

I never did use them,then had the bad kickback then I started using them but it got to be such a PITA I quit

I plan on making a better splitter, but the guard that came with my Unisaw is pretty hard to use for a lot of cuts


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Can you .....*



Catpower said:


> I never did use them,then had the bad kickback then I started using them but it got to be such a PITA I quit
> 
> I plan on making a better splitter, but the guard that came with my Unisaw is pretty hard to use for a lot of cuts


Maybe you can keep the splitter portion and remove the blade guard? If I remember, it's a bar type linkage kind of affair? Like this?


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## Catpower (Jan 11, 2016)

woodnthings said:


> Maybe you can keep the splitter portion and remove the blade guard? If I remember, it's a bar type linkage kind of affair? Like this?


The one that came with it is pretty much a POS,it is plastic, and if you cut anything less than about 1 1/4 you have to take it off, or hold up the plastic with your third hand

I am going to draw up a slitter/riving knife and cut it out on my CNC plasma cutter


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

Never used a guard on any table saw I have ever owned, however that was my decision, so when I moved and downsized my shop I passed my contractor saw on to a young friend of the family "with a guard installed". Now it is his decision.


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## canarywood1 (Jun 9, 2016)

Never had the guard on any saw i owned, and it's been 55 years now.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Found a similar thread*

I found this thread which asks the same question. There are some better photos of my experimental dust collection/blade cover here:

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f7/how-many-actually-use-guard-table-saw-20201/

This shop made guard/blade cover is dirt simple. It fits on the splitter on my older Craftsman table saws. I realize the newer saws do not have splitters in some cases, so it may not work for yours. It is made from 2 identical pieces of 1/4" plywood, but it could be Lexan also. In between is a layer of 1/8" thick material, or at least as thick as your splitter plate. It's bolted on at the rear such that the friction keeps it in any position you choose. You want it down right on the workpiece, then just lower it down. You want it up and out of the way, then swing it fully upward. There is still enough clearance under it for all but the thickest rips.


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

I work with computer keyboards and play piano. That is why I bought the Bosch REAXX table saw, which explosively drops the blade the instant you touch it, similar to a SawStop. Besides, I can't count higher than nine. 

Even though I have a "safe" saw, I always use all the guards whenever I can - blade guard, riving knife, and anti-kickback pawls. 

What scares me the most is the bandsaw, because it does not have a guard or other finger protection. It is so tempting to put my thumb on the cut line when I am re-sawing boards. If I use a push stick, it is harder to control the board. I am still working on the best, safest approach that works for me, which will allow me to keep control of boards during a re-saw. Yeah, I've watched the YouTube videos, but there is no consistency, and I believe that some people (who should know better) are not operating their bandsaws in a safe manner. I understand that experienced people can know when it is safe to break the rules, but some of their actions look unsafe to me. 

I just went to the local Rockler for a table saw demo on Saturday. The demo person did a great job explaining how to use the table saw safely. He stated them as a set of rules to follow. Things like, "Always keep the waste part of a cut on the left side of the blade." Afterwards, I observed that he broke most of those rules at one time or another while demonstrating various cuts on the saw as he made parts for a storage cabinet. None of the rule-breaking actions were particularly unsafe. A few moves were riskier than I would have done, but within the range of "okay for experienced people." Another customer was a young man who was shopping for a table saw. I would have preferred that the demo person had not made the risky moves, to avoid setting a bad example.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*The bandsaw can be intimidating ...*

With 8" to 12" of exposed blade running at 4000 FPS, it can be scary....
until you get your cut started and the blade is contained within the material. :surprise2:

As I used the bandsaw more and more, when I got to the end of the cut, where my fingers were definitely in the blade's cutting path, I switched to a push block resting on the table, not unsupported half way up. Another tip I learned is to pull the last 1" or so through from the back side of the saw. Be certain to stand behind the saw and NOT in front, reaching around the blade, because when the blade break through it will jump forward since there is no longer any resistance. Finally, a tall fence will stabilize the material when resawing way better than the stock fence.

A big plus on the bandsaw is that you will never have a kickback, unlike on the table saw where the blade is a wide plane rather than 1/2" or 3/4" wide blade. When you twist the workpiece on the table saw it will bind and kickback. When you twist the workpiece on the bandsaw, you will get a curved cut, and sometimes that's the whole reason for using it..... :wink:


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## Pirate (Jul 23, 2009)

Never had a guard on my saw. Don't want one. 
Pay attention. Use common sense. Sharp blade. Proper saw setup. Pay attention.


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## Tool Agnostic (Aug 13, 2017)

Sorry I keep diving into this thread, but allow me to point out that "guard" has different connotations for different people. My Bosch REAXX table saw has four different safety mechanisms, each of which are separate and mostly independent:

* The blade guard has two separate curvy pieces that lift up and down as the wood passes under them.

* The anti-kickback pawls have sharp fingers that press down on the back of the board as it exits the saw blade. The fingers are supposed to dig into and stop the wood if it suddenly reverses direction, as in a kickback. 

* The riving knife is not removable. It curls over the back and top of the blade. It has three positions: (1) Fully retracted, (2) raised halfway so that the top of the riving knife is approximately the height of the blade, and (3) fully extended, where it goes over the top of the blade and serves as an attachment point for the blade guard and anti-kickback pawls.

* The blade retraction mechanism that explosively retracts the blade if you accidentally touch it. There is a bypass switch so you can cut wet wood, treated wood, or wood with metal in it.

When I say that I use the blade guard whenever possible, that means that the riving knife is raised fully, with the blade guard and anti-kickback pawls attached.

If I use the GRR-Ripper push blocks, I remove the blade guard and anti-kickback pawls, and leave the riving knife set in its halfway position, even with the top of the blade.

If I use a dado blade or make other non-through cuts, then I remove the blade guard and anti-kickback pawls, and lower the riving knife fully. I always use push blocks in those situations.


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## Richard L (Apr 13, 2018)

Not on saw at all.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*My blade "guard" .....*

My blade guard is not factory issued. I found the factory guard real awkward to use and the anti-kickback pawls were a real pain. I hated it to the point I drilled out the plastic cover and the kickback pawls leaving the splitter plate. The splitter stays in the saw 24/7 now. I made a thin wood blade cover from 2 pieces of 1/4" plywood with a spacer between them. It is friction adjustable so I can orient it at any angle from full down on the table to up at a 90 degree angle. It does two things fro me. I keeps the sawdust from shooting into my eyes and somewhat keeps my fingers away from the blade, though it's not fool proof. It works for me ......


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## allpurpose (Mar 24, 2016)

Since I'm still experimenting with growing back my recently sawn fingertip the answer is not until I finally get the snazzy new Sawstop .. Then it'll be on almost always unless I has to come off for specific tasks..
My fingernail is starting to grow back, but not quite where I want so I may end up having surgery to fix it.. I grew a new lump of gnarly skin over top of the nail..


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## TimPa (Jan 27, 2010)

I manage a woodshop, and since there are operations which are impossible with a guard or sometimes a knife, I purchased sawstops for those 2 saws - dado and narrow/through cuts.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

new2woodwrk said:


> While I have my Rife and my Anti-Kickback Pawl always on, I seldom have my Blade guard on.
> 
> I think once I get the guard set up for dust control, it will be on all the time.
> 
> So, is your guard on all the time? Be honest please.





To be honest, right now I could not tell you even where it is stored. When I first bought the saw those many, many years ago I tried it. It was so complicated to work around that I felt less safe with it on than off.


George


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## hawkeye10 (Feb 18, 2015)

I have never used a guard but I might in the future. I learned to never say never.


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## ORBlackFZ1 (Dec 25, 2013)

My Grizzly G1023RLWX table saw blade guard is always on for through cuts. Non-through cuts such as dados, grooves & rabbets require the blade guard to be off. The dado and groove cuts are dangerous at the beginning and end of them, because the blade is exposed. Push blocks, push sticks and other devices help with keeping my hands away from the spinning blade during non-through cuts.

Shop made zero clearance inserts (ZCI) keep small cutoffs from getting wedged between the standard insert and the blade. My inserts have 1/2" and 1" holes drilled into them. The holes allow the dust collection to hold boards down on the table as well as move saw dust from the top of the table to the cabinet. (ZCIs also create clean cuts on plywood.) 

The standard Grizzly riving knife keeps ripped boards from squeezing in on the back of the blade and getting launched at me. The Grizzly anti-kick back paws keep boards from moving backwards.

I use feather boards a lot to keep boards tightly up against the fence (horizontally). Feather boards are great at keeping my dados and grooves from wandering. Feather boards also help keep boards from being launched off the back of the saw blade. Feather boards can also be used to hold boards down (vertical) to the table. 

The Grizzly G1023RLWX table saw standard blade guard does a good job of keeping me safe. It has very effective kick back paws and the plastic sides are very heavy. The only complaint that I have with the standard blade guard is that it has NO dust port. The blade shroud is suppose to help with saw dust collection, but I found it to be pretty much worthless.

I recently purchased a Shark Guard (www.thesharkguard.com/). I should have done it years ago. I found the Shark Guard to be a very well designed, engineered and manufactured product! Yes, it cost over $200, but keeping saw dust out of my face while I am using the table saw is well worth the $200.

Eric


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