Which Overhead Blade Guard

[Mac Cambra]

Looking for recommendations on an overhead blade guard for a unisaw. My saw is equipped with a 50 inch biesemeyer fence and extension table. The saw is also on a mobile base. I am dumping the stock guard and splitter for the biesemeyer splitter.

I have looked at the biesemeyer overhead guard and it is expensive, I was wondering what other good options are available?

Thanks

[Tom Jones III]

I've got the excalibur and it works fine as a guard but I am not satisfied with the dust collection. I wish that I had gone with the shark guard instead.

[George Lohnes]

Just installed my Shark Guard this past weekend, could not be more impressed with the setup and the quality of the material.

I have yet to send a lot of wood through it, so will update this post within a week (I hope!).

[Hoa Dinh]

Check out PSI Woodworking TSGUARD Table Saw Dust Collection Guard (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0006FKJ0U/ref=ord_cart_shr/104-2049978-8281516?%5Fencoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance).

Excellent value at $130 delivered

Items: $162.80
Shipping & Handling: $9.99
Super Saver Discount: -$9.99
20% Off: -$32.56
Total Before Tax: $130.24

http://ec2.images-amazon.com/images/P/B0006FKJ0U.01._AA280_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

I have one, ceiling mounted however.

[Byron Trantham]

Just installed my Shark Guard this past weekend, could not be more impressed with the setup and the quality of the material.

I have yet to send a lot of wood through it, so will update this post within a week (I hope!).

I got one several months ago and I really like it effectiveness of it. I think it's a great alternative to the more expensive units.

[Paul Kinneberg]

I have the excaliber on my PM66 but if I had it to do over again I would save the $350. I think it is good guard and I do like the dust collection I just am not a fan of blade guards in general I thought this one with the DC might change my mind but it hasn't.

[Jerry White]

I have a Unisaw with the Biesemeyer overarm guard. I also use the Biesemeyer splitter. The overarm is great and I love the splitter. However, I never have been that fond of the Bies blade guard. The dust collection on it is minimal and the visibility of the blade is not particularly good.

Lee Styron is now making the SharkGuard as an add-on for some brands of overarm assemblies. I recently received his guard for the Biesmeyer. It makes a tremendous difference in both blade visibility and dust collection. Lee has designed a 4 inch dust port into this thing! The pictures below show the Bies as originally installed, then a side-by-side view of the Bies and the Shark, then two views of the Shark installed.

Hope this will help you in your decision process.

Jerry

[Doug Mason]

Make your own. Much better dust colletion. A little effort up front will pay dividends down the road. I bought the Excaliber--but no longer use it.

[Brad Townsend]

Though it really doesn't have an "overarm", I would second the recommendation for the Sharkguard. I replaced my overarm guard with one and couldn't be happier. It goes on and off quickly and easily and offers good protection with a minimum of hassle. The only downside is you have to rig up a way to run the DC hose to it - not a big problem. (The one I have is the one designed for the Delta removeable splitter.) It may not look as cool as having that big ol' boom hanging out over your saw, but in my opinion, every bit as effective, and a lot less expensive.

[Mark Carlson]

Another happy shark guard owner:)

~mark

[Dan Forman]

I made my own, but will probably replace it with a Shark Guard, mine is rather cumbersome.

[Allen Bookout]

I took mine off a couple of weeks ago and love the fact that it is not in the way anymore. For safety I use crosscut sleds when possible and featherboards, hold downs and push boards for rips when I would likely come within eight inches of the blade. I also use the Ripper and short splitter for smaller pieces. For anything that is unsafe on the cabinet saw I will use a compound sliding miter saw, bandsaw or the EZ. For the small amount of extra dust collected, minimal safety advantage for me and the problem of having it in the way it is not worth it.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello,
The most recent issue of Shop Notes has plans for making an overhead guard.

[Phil Harding]

I took mine off a couple of weeks ago and love the fact that it is not in the way anymore. For safety I use crosscut sleds when possible and featherboards, hold downs and push boards for rips when I would likely come within eight inches of the blade. I also use the Ripper and short splitter for smaller pieces. For anything that is unsafe on the cabinet saw I will use a compound sliding miter saw, bandsaw or the EZ. For the small amount of extra dust collected, minimal safety advantage for me and the problem of having it in the way it is not worth it.

This is exactly the dilemma I have:mad: . I have the Penn State overhead guard that I purchased mostly because I wanted the above tabletop dust collection. But, I like using the GRR-Ripper push blocks whenever I can and I find all too often that the overhead guard is in the way. Actually the combination requires so much contorting that it's down right unsafe.

So most often you would find my overhead guard swung out of the way and the blast gate would be closed. I've often thought that some smart designer could develop a way to use these two tools together safely.

-- Phil

[Rick Schubert]

I also have the Penn State guard mounted from the ceiling. Works great for me. I did cut and mount a 4" opening to my DC.

Rick

[Jack Hogoboom]

I have the Excalibur and absolutely hate it.

It gets in the way of everything and, in my opinion, is just as unsafe for other reasons as an open blade.

I have the Jet cabinet saw with the router mounted in the extension table. When the Excalibur is mounted, it is impossible to use the router. And it isn't easy to mount and dismount.

I recently moved and my table saw is just now going back together. The Excalibur is sitting on the floor. I doubt it'll go back on.

Now, if I can just sell it to someone....

Don't tell my wife about the $350 I wasted.... She'll kill me.:eek:

Jack

[Jeffrey Makiel]

I second what Phil said.

However, the dust collection capability is very nice (if so equipped) especially when cutting MDF and other sheet goods. I made my own overhead hood that focuses primarily on dust collection. The design also allows it to be easily be swung out of the way without any lifting or detatching. A similar design is also offered by Wood Magazine, however, not as friendly in my opinion.

As far as being a safety device, it's probably somewhat ineffective since it must be swung out of the way all too often. It also does nothing to prevent kickback; something I fear the most.

And yes, coffee cans make for great flex duct adapters. Any brand will do. Regular or French Roast. Savarin just happend to be on sale that week. :p

-Jeff :)

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y84/Beff2/MyGuard1.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y84/Beff2/MyGuard3.jpg

[Mac Cambra]

Thanks for all of the responses, as usual some clever ideas were shared along with making me aware of other product options.

[Scott Long]

I have a PSI and I have had no problems with it all. A big plus for me was that I mount in on the ceiling and keep my table surface clear. And you can't beat the price.:D

[Craig Paxton]

Had one for 5 years, and have never even had the urge to do without. Rarely in the way. VERY beefy w/ anti-kickback features. Friend has one and it saved him from a kickback situation. I've got it w/ a riving knife, which is a belt+suspenders approach, but then I've never been caught w/ my pants at my ankles.

[Tom Jones III]

Lee Styron is now making the SharkGuard as an add-on for some brands of overarm assemblies.

I can't wait until he gets a version ready for the excalibur, then it will be the best of both worlds.

[Byron Trantham]

I posted earlier that I have the Shark Guard but what I didn't mention was that I got mine to "replace" my beise splitter. Lee had just finished the design for a guard to replace the biese splitter. It's a dream. In fact, I use both; the beise and the Shark Guard. It depends on how close I need to have the fence to the blade. With the snap-in/snap-out convenience of the beise system, you just can't beat it.

[glenn bradley]

People have different methods of work. I bought the PSI because I wanted to mount it overhead. I mounted it to the right side of my saw while deciding on the overhead mount details and found out I prefer it mast-mounted.

One of the great things about the PSI is that it so easily swings out of the way for tall cuts, thin strips, Grr-Ripper use, Board Buddies or whatever and swings right back into place for flat cuts. If the need arises (never has) two bolts loosened and the whole vertical mast lifts off the mount and leaves the receiver below the table level.

The downside is that the hose size needs to be increased. I've looked at the SG hood ($68) and read that others have modified their original. I may have to give this some attention but the unit works pretty well, just stock.

In my build the hose slips off the hood and swings over to my router fence (one of the things keeping me from modifying the hose size). I also slip the hose off the 4" connector at the rear of the mast and swing it over for my lunchbox planer.

For the price I can afford to play around with the hood port a bit and the swing-arm design makes it easy to use which means I use it.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=52557&d=1166223794

[Jerry White]

the compression while the DC is on messes with the guards ability to rise and fall as I'd like it to.

Hi Glenn,

Now you force me to reveal "the rest of the story".:o I was trying to keep my first post simple. The pictures I showed above in this thread with the 4 inch duct were taken during a trial hookup using my Jet roll-around dust collector. I did not notice any unusual force at that time due to air compression, only outstanding dust collection.

I have a ClearVue awaiting installation, but for spurious reasons the installation has been delayed. In the interim the setup that I am presently using is shown below. I am using a 2.5 inch hose routed along the overarm rail to my Fein vac, and the dust collection still is very good. What I did have a problem with was counterbalancing the dust guard assembly with the added downward force of the bigger, heavier flex duct. I solved this by replacing the original spring with a heavier one and adding one additional spring. You can see the modification in the pictures. I probably could have done the same thing with just adding weight to the counterbalance. I'm sure I will have to optimize again when I go back to the 4 inch duct.

One more modification: Notice the two holes in the guard between the mounting post and the duct port. In the original configuration, the guard bumped into the suspension assembly, preventing movement of the guard to the height necessary to allow the locking rod to lock. The plan was to remove the rod altogether, and just use the knobs that Lee furnished to hold the guard in an elevated position. I decided I wanted to retain the locking feature and I moved the mounting post back to allow use of it.

Now you have my curiosity up. I may hookup the 4 inch duct again to see if I have a compression problem when there is more air movement.

EDIT: Woops! Sorry, Glenn. I wrongly assumed from your original question that you also have the Beis overarm unit and I gave you some info you didn't need. Oh, well. I will leave the post in case it may be of benefit to someone.

[Jerry White]

then it will be the best of both worlds.

Tom,

I agree completely!

Jerry