# Drill Press Guard



## rrich (Jun 24, 2009)

In the latest edition of the WWJ E-Zine was some web banter about a drill press guard. I've never seen or heard of one.

http://www.woodworkersjournal.com/Ezine/Public/WebSurfersReview.aspx

I'm wondering if any of you have any experience with such a safety device? I can't figure out what OSHA is really trying to protect us from.


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

A quick google search will give you some results but Damn. The 2 I seen were $170 and $240 thats almost what I paid for my drill press. Thank goodness I have a personal shop and don't have to deal with OSHA. it seems like they need to protect the stupid or the employer from the stupid.


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## mdlbldrmatt135 (Dec 6, 2006)

http://http://www.rockfordsystems.com/online/safeguarding/Drills.cfm

When In HS we had to have them on all the Milling Machines as well... they were a damn headache. Hell I didn't see how the Lathe ones would stop a 50+ pound chuck from flying at ya if it felt like it.


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## rrich (Jun 24, 2009)

mdlbldrmatt135 said:


> http://http://www.rockfordsystems.com/online/safeguarding/Drills.cfmHell I didn't see how the Lathe ones would stop a 50+ pound chuck from flying at ya if it felt like it.


I had an "AMT" drill press that would throw the two pound chuck rather well. The objective was to NOT catch it. :no:


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## Sleeper (Mar 24, 2009)

I had to buy one today because I got a safety write up for not having a guard. I was looking at $175 plus until I found this one for $70 at Sears


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## rrich (Jun 24, 2009)

Sleeper said:


> I had to buy one today because I got a safety write up for not having a guard. I was looking at $175 plus until I found this one for $70 at Sears


OK, I think.

I'll ask my stupid question again, What is is supposed to protect the user from?


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## Sleeper (Mar 24, 2009)

rrich said:


> OK, I think.
> 
> I'll ask my stupid question again, What is is supposed to protect the user from?


Oh, I don’t know, I’m so sick of some of this safety stuff. I personally think some people should not be in a shop. I’ve had and used a drill press for at least 50 years, since I was 10 years old. And yes, I did turn it on once with the chuck key in it when I was 11. I also have broken a bit or two trying to drill at an angle, but it was never a disaster. I think I might have even cut my finger once, but I was never even close to death and I put a band aid on it. I could have tripped on a curb and cut my finger, so what.
I have heard of people getting long hair caught in the chuck, but come on, if they are that stupid to let their hair dangle in front of a turning object than they should not be in a shop. 
I went to machinist school for two years and I saw some heavy milling cutters break because someone was trying cut too fast or too deep. Now I can understand having a guard in that case, because that’s like a grenade going off and could be lethal. And I don’t know if a plastic shield would protect you anyway. Some of us are supposed to be skilled in what we do which includes knowing about safety. For one thing we are supposed to wear safety glasses, so why do we also need a shield around the chuck and drill bit?
OSHA also wants the drill press to be fastened to the floor or workbench. This just makes me crazy. I have a two page list of items that I have to fix from our OSHA safety inspection and most of it is just nonsense, we are not preschool kids. 
Anyway, I do believe in being safe but enough is enough.


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## rrich (Jun 24, 2009)

Well, at AWFS I saw a few drill press safety guards. IMHO, I don't think that they will protect us from anything except... You can't put the guard back in place with the chuck key in the chuck. But other than that it is a HUGE crock of used oats.

One of the few times I have to say.... Nope, can't say it, it's political...


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