Jet JCS-10 aftermarket riving knife / blade guard

[Mike Field]

I just bought a "new" 20 year old Jet JCS-10 PFX table saw, and unfortunately the former owner didn't have any of the safety equipment.

Does anyone have any advice on a good aftermarket riving knife preferably, or splitter, with a blade guard?

I looked at the bolt on ripping knife but a lot of the reviews I read were older and pretty mediocre and as much as I love the idea I still have some anxiety about it as a finished product.

I reached out to Biesemeyer (nothing available for my saw), Jet (they suggested I contact Rockford Solutions who hasn't offered Anything for this saw in 18 months), and a few online parts companies (who replied that they couldn't get a replacement).

I also looked at the Delta Uniguard, which looks nice but is very expensive.

As someone who's almost lost a finger to his saw, I refuse to use it without anything installed, so I'd appreciate any advice.

Thanks!

[Harvey Miller]

Leeway (Sharkguard) have a few jet designs on their website, while not for your specific saw they do provide a couple templates (pdf files) you could test fit to your saw
http://thesharkguard.com/pdf/bothjtas.pdf
http://thesharkguard.com/pdf/jps1.pdf

[Curt Harms]

I believe Bob Ross did a redesign of his "B O R K"(bolt on riving knife) to address the shortcomings. I use a cut-down Delta splitter but kind of like the design of the b o r k. The guard looks like it might be narrow enough to be usable for narrower rips.

[scott spencer]

I believe Bob Ross did a redesign of his "B O R K"(bolt on riving knife) to address the shortcomings. I use a cut-down Delta splitter but kind of like the design of the b o r k. The guard looks like it might be narrow enough to be usable for narrower rips.

I've had a B OR K on my Shop Fox W1677 since 2008. Bob has made several nice improvements to it over the past few years. Not sure if it'll fit your Jet, but it's worth asking about.

[John TenEyck]

I applaud your efforts to bring your saw up to the safety standards it had when sold before using it. In nearly every shop I go into, as well as most woodworking publications, there is never a guard installed on the TS, nor rarely a splitter or riving knife. Those two omissions probably account for most all TS related injuries, and SawStop might never had been developed had people just used the safety equipment that had been provided with their TS.

When I got my 1954 Unisaw of course their was no splitter or guard with it. I made my own splitters (different sizes for different applications) and adapted a left over Sears blade guard with vacuum pickup to it, using an overhead mount. Cost almost nothing and works very well. If you are unhappy with the commercial solutions you might consider making your own to suite your needs.

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John

[Mark Stutz]

Let us know what you find, please. I have a 10 yr old Jet and use the Microjig spliter with an Excalibur overarm guard, but would prefer a riving knife if there was something that would fit.

[Jim Andrew]

I imagine it is very similar to the standard guard that came with a Unisaw of the same vintage, which was junk. I went with a shark guard, and it is on my Uni all the time except when I have to rip pieces too narrow to keep the guard on, or using a dado blade.

[Mike Field]

Leeway (Sharkguard) have a few jet designs on their website, while not for your specific saw they do provide a couple templates (pdf files) you could test fit to your saw
http://thesharkguard.com/pdf/bothjtas.pdf
http://thesharkguard.com/pdf/jps1.pdf


I just heard back from Leeway, and unfortunately he can't make anything for this model. He didn't specify why, but after reading his site it seems as if my saw is missing anything in the rear of the throat to fasten the Sharkguard to.

Thanks, though.

[Mike Field]

How do you like your B O R K? I have to admit I really prefer a riving knife over a splitter. I'm just a little leery attaching safety equipment by cranking down on hose clamps.

[Mike Field]

I got lucky with my (so far) only brush with a blade. I was making coved panels on my saw and did something stupid and the blade caught my finger rolling it towards me. Luckily the saw cut around my finger instead of through it. I call that a free lesson...didn't cost me a finger.

I'm comfortable modifying an existing design that's close, but I'd prefer a commerically available solution because I'd rather have someone else work out the bugs on a safety system for a dangerous tool. I just know that whatever I come up with won't be elegant, or necessarily safer than nothing!

[Mike Field]

Let us know what you find, please. I have a 10 yr old Jet and use the Microjig spliter with an Excalibur overarm guard, but would prefer a riving knife if there was something that would fit.

I'm not finding much, unfortunately. A lot of dead ends (Jet, Biesemeyer, old repair parts websites, Delta, Sharkguard). I did hear from Bob Ross who makes the B O R K, and I might end up trying one. I just can't seem to find a lot of testimonials online, particularly recently.

[scott spencer]

I like it a lot. Once you get it installed and dialed in, it works great. I hear you about the hose clamp, but it's effective....the end result of having a riving knife on an old saw is well worth it. You could also use a u-clamp instead, but the hose clamp is easier to install. My review (http://lumberjocks.com/knotscott/blog/35592)

[Mark Stutz]

Thanks, Mike. I had looked at what was available when I got the saw, and really couldn't find anything. So far the Microjig splitter has worked well, though I'm pretty meticulous about featherboards, push blocks, etc.

[Mike Field]

I like it a lot. Once you get it installed and dialed in, it works great. I hear you about the hose clamp, but it's effective....the end result of having a riving knife on an old saw is well worth it. You could also use a u-clamp instead, but the hose clamp is easier to install. My review (http://lumberjocks.com/knotscott/blog/35592)


Thanks, Scott! Yours was one of the reviews I read before hand. I find it odd that more people don't have much to say about the B O R K, either positive or negative. It seems like the perfect niche product.

[scott spencer]

Thanks, Scott! Yours was one of the reviews I read before hand. I find it odd that more people don't have much to say about the B O R K, either positive or negative. It seems like the perfect niche product.

There aren't a lot of them out there. AFAIK, he makes them all by hand, so it's a small number. It's also a retrofit that mounts to existing older saws, and it's not quite the same as a proprietary design that offers a riving knife designed from the ground up....I think some people have unrealistic expectations for it to compete with the designs from a new saw.

[Mike Field]

There aren't a lot of them out there. AFAIK, he makes them all by hand, so it's a small number. It's also a retrofit that mounts to existing older saws, and it's not quite the same as a proprietary design that offers a riving knife designed from the ground up....I think some people have unrealistic expectations for it to compete with the designs from a new saw.

My expectations are that it'll prevent a board from launching through me at 120 mph, aside from that I'm pretty open!

I'm debating tapping some holes through my arbor to install it, how did you install yours? Hose clamps? U Bolts?

[scott spencer]

My expectations are that it'll prevent a board from launching through me at 120 mph, aside from that I'm pretty open!

I'm debating tapping some holes through my arbor to install it, how did you install yours? Hose clamps? U Bolts?

I've tried both the supplied U-bolts and the hose clamp. The hose clamp is simpler. Tapping some holes could prove to be stronger if done correctly.

[Matthew Hills]

I"ve got a Jet JPS-10. The guard mount doesn't rise/lower with the blade, so don't get a true riving knife that stays close to the blade and that rises/lowers.

I did get the SharkGuard. I like it better than the stock guard, which tended to hang up on the workpieces. However, it interferes with my crosscut sled, which are probably a majority of my TS cuts.

I've also looked at shopmade splitters. You can see some discussion of this in TWW shop tour of Anatole Burkin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WlJEp2_XO8
You can read the comments on the youtube post to see a description of how to use a drill bit as a splitter. FWW has an article about this method at:
http://www.finewoodworking.com/workshop/tip/a-tablesaw-splitter-you-will-actually-use.aspx
(but note that if this is not properly aligned, it will pull the woodpiece off of the fence)

Matt

[Kevin Jenness]

Perhaps you have already considered this, but a wood splitter mounted in a kerf in a zero clearance insert works well. You could make several for different blade heights in order to keep the splitter as close to the blade as possible.

[Mike Field]

Perhaps you have already considered this, but a wood splitter mounted in a kerf in a zero clearance insert works well. You could make several for different blade heights in order to keep the splitter as close to the blade as possible.

Yes, I was looking at a few things that would work like that, the Micro Jig was one that I considered getting. It solves the splitter problem but doesn't provide a blade guard. I did end up ordering the B O R K, which should ship out soon. I'm probably going to tap some holes into my arbor and use some Loctite to secure it in place. If anyone is interested I'll include some pics.

[Mike Field]

Scott, any chance you could post some pics of the piece mounted to the arbor arm? I'm looking at the installation instructions and I'm a little fuzzy on how it's supposed to look. Thanks!

[Michael Moscicki]

Maybe consider the GRR-Ripper from Micro Jig. It is a push block with an adjustable middle leg that allows the blade to go underneath the push block as you are making the cut. It also helps to keep the stock tight against the fence.

There are quite a few youtube videos and reviews you can watch that will do a much better job explaining its uses than I can.

Here's one review by Marc Spagnuolo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nE9RE3CEz4E

The one thing it doesn't do is help with dust collection like an overarm blade guard does.

[mike mcilroy]

If anyone is interested I'll include some pics.

I would be interested. I had an older post about contacting Jet for a aftermarket riving knife for an older Xactasaw and was told what they sell won't fit my saw.
I would like to upgrade my homemade splitter/ ZCI

[scott spencer]

Scott, any chance you could post some pics of the piece mounted to the arbor arm? I'm looking at the installation instructions and I'm a little fuzzy on how it's supposed to look. Thanks!

Here's the only pic I've currently got of the arm mounted. I'm not sure what version is currently being offered, but the last update I got included a gauge that ensures the distance between the arbor and the riving knife is consistent. You'll find that the zero clearance insert is important to the overall stability of the knife.
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[Mike Field]

I'm still waiting for the B O R K to arrive, in the mean time I did a little maintenance on the saw to prep it. I blew all the sawdust out and took a dull chisel and cleaned 25 years of grime out of the raising and tilting gears. I also removed the 2 belts and ordered some Grizzly V belts to replace them because they were frayed and doglegged. I tapped a hole to secure the zero clearance insert just because for some reason I get nervous not having pieces positively secured around the spinning blade.

I'm debating taking the arbor arm out to make installation of the B O R K easier, but I'm a little leery. It's only held on by the one shaft that the arbor arms pivots on. I hit it a few times with a drift pin and a hammer just to see how secure it was and it didn't budge, so I worry that if I get it out it won't go back in. I'm not a machinist. I'm also trying not to completely disassemble the entire saw.

Here are a few pics of the saw. Side and bottom shots of the arbor arm and a full side shot with the motor housing removed.

I'll upload pics of the B O R K installation when it comes in the mail.

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[scott spencer]

It looks your saw is right tilt, so it'll mount from the opposite side of the arbor.