Safest best most versatile splitter & or guard assembly for Grizzly 1023SL tablesaw?

[Daniel Hillmer]

Any suggestions for the above?

[Andy Casiello]

LeeWay Shark Guard

http://www.leestyron.com/sharkgriz.php

[Daniel Hillmer]

Thanks so much Andy!

In your opinion, how would you compare this splitter to a riving knife, in terms of preventing accidents (and versatility)? About the same? Better? Not as good...

Also, can the splitter be used without the guard?

[Rod Sheridan]

I have an Excalibur overarm guard and merlin removable splitter on my General 650.

The Excalibur provides great dust collection, and saved me from a serious injury when I accidently punched the guard with my hand. If I didn't have the guard on, my hand would have been in the saw.

The Merlin splitter is easy to remove, it uses a seat belt type latch, so I just put a screwdriver straight down the hole in the saw insert to push the release, and I can remove the splitter. It simply snaps back in place afterwards. Very convenient when rebating or dadoing.

Regards, Rod.

[Daniel Hillmer]

Do they fit on Grizzly 1023SL tablesaws? I cound not find their web site, apparently woodcraft no longer carries them.

[Greg Cole]

I too have a Shark on my TS. It works quite well and having the above table DC is great. For rabbets, rebates and ripping skinner stock it needs to be removed however. I was going to make a swing-away boom arm similar to Rods Excalibur.... but the temporary installation of a bungee cord hanging the DC hose from the ceiling is proving to be permanently temporary.:confused:
Removing the guard is about 30 seconds, same for puttin' it back on.

There's been a few posts about bolt on aftermarket riving knives here too... Bob Ross is the guy making them IIRC.

[Greg Cole]

General now owns Excalibur.
Take a peek at the General web site.....

[Rod Sheridan]

I didn't realize that the Shark guard couldn't be used for non through cuts. (Of course once I looked at one on the net I realized that it is splitter mounted).

For me, that would be a non starter as I won't run a dado without a guard.

Regards, Rod.

[Daniel Hillmer]

I too have a Shark on my TS. It works quite well and having the above table DC is great. For rabbets, rebates and ripping skinner stock it needs to be removed however. I was going to make a swing-away boom arm similar to Rods Excalibur.... but the temporary installation of a bungee cord hanging the DC hose from the ceiling is proving to be permanently temporary.:confused:
Removing the guard is about 30 seconds, same for puttin' it back on.

There's been a few posts about bolt on aftermarket riving knives here too... Bob Ross is the guy making them IIRC.

BOLT ON RIVING KNIVES! Cool does he have a web site?

This is prob a dumb question - can your shark splitter only be used for 90 degree cuts?

[Daniel Hillmer]

I didn't realize that the Shark guard couldn't be used for non through cuts. (Of course once I looked at one on the net I realized that it is splitter mounted).

For me, that would be a non starter as I won't run a dado without a guard.

Regards, Rod.

What kind of guard works for cutting Dados?

[Daniel Hillmer]

If anyone has a Grizzly 1023SL table saw with a shark splitter mounted on it, how far away from the blade does the splitter sit?

[Andy Casiello]

Thanks so much Andy!

In your opinion, how would you compare this splitter to a riving knife, in terms of preventing accidents (and versatility)? About the same? Better? Not as good...

Also, can the splitter be used without the guard?

I would think the splitter about equals the riving knife as far as preventing accidents. The idea of the riving knife is that it doesn't get in the way of certain kinds of cuts - not really that it does a better job than a splitter at preventing kickback.

I wouldn't use a table saw without a guard mounted. I also don't cut dados on a table saw - I use a router - so I'm not bothered by the splitter/guard combo.

A riving knife and overarm guard would also be a nice combination - probably "nicer" and more flexible than a mounted splitter and guard, but I'm not sure it's safer.

[Verne Mattson]

I'm in the same situation as you...all the posts lately of injuries on the tablesaw have got me thinking about a more robust guard than the plastic piece of junk that came with my Delta Contractors' saw.

I have a Biesmeyer fence on mine so I'm looking closely at the Brett Guard. I like it because the guard doesn't have to be removed for dados, unlike the Shark Guard.

[Greg Cole]

Rod
Not to wander off topic too far, but I assume you don't use a dado for rabbets?
Personally I don't use the TS for many dados. For me it depends on the piece and what else I have the RT or TS set up for.

Back to the Shark... I can't think of a time I've needed to leave the splitter on and not use the guard... still thinking..... nope. In all honesty, the above table DC was as much of a reason for buying the Shark as is the safety of the splitter.
The distance from the blade to the splitter is going to depend on the blade height as the splitter is stationary. I'd be purely taking a WAG if I put any dimnesions on it as I am miles from the saw now.

[Daniel Hillmer]

The distance from the blade to the splitter is going to depend on the blade height as the splitter is stationary. I'd be purely taking a WAG if I put any dimnesions on it as I am miles from the saw now.

The reason why I asked, I read in another post that riving knives are better because they ride closer to the blade and if the splitter is further from the blade, the kerf can start to close up before it slides into the splitter, which could cause an accident.

[Rod Sheridan]

What kind of guard works for cutting Dados?

Dan, an overarm guard such as the Excalibur works when cutting dadoes.

http://www.general.ca/excalibur/pagemach/ang/50_EXBC.html

I've included a link to the Excalibur, and the Merlin removable splitter is also listed.

Regards, Rod

[Rod Sheridan]

Rod
Not to wander off topic too far, but I assume you don't use a dado for rabbets?
Personally I don't use the TS for many dados. For me it depends on the piece and what else I have the RT or TS set up for.

Back to the Shark... I can't think of a time I've needed to leave the splitter on and not use the guard... still thinking..... nope. In all honesty, the above table DC was as much of a reason for buying the Shark as is the safety of the splitter.
The distance from the blade to the splitter is going to depend on the blade height as the splitter is stationary. I'd be purely taking a WAG if I put any dimnesions on it as I am miles from the saw now.

Hi Greg, I use a shaper for rebates, much neater cut quality than a dado, and of course the shaper has the proper sort of guards for that kind of operation.

I also use a power feeder which keeps my fingers away from the cutter.

I characterise my woodworking as mimicing Brave Sir Robin from Monty Python, you know "Brave Sir Robin who bravely ran away".

Bravery is no substitute for being a chicken and using proper machinery, jigs, power feeders and guards.

If I'm making drawer sides I also groove them on the shaper in the vertical position, climb cutting with the power feeder. Absolutely no chip outs, and I can be Brave Sir Robin in the process.

P.S. My Father-in -law is a retired English cabinet maker, and he always laughs at the North American penchant for using a table saw for operations it wasn't designed for, such as grooving, rebates, tenons etc.

He always says, "use the correct tool for the job, those are shaper jobs".

Regards, Rod.

[Daniel Hillmer]

Dan, an overarm guard such as the Excalibur works when cutting dadoes.

http://www.general.ca/excalibur/pagemach/ang/50_EXBC.html

I've included a link to the Excalibur, and the Merlin removable splitter is also listed.

Regards, Rod

Thanks Rob,

So pardon my ignorance, it seems that the above guard (or a guard of that type) would be the best most versatile guard for any table saw for just about any kind of cutting (and also the most expensive) - is this correct? Even if I don't cut dados on a table saw?

Also would it be a good choice for a saw with a riving knife?

Or is this really a specialized guard, good for only specialized work?

Is the purpose of the above type of guard to prevent the material from rocketing off the top of the table saw if a riving knife or splitter fail to prevent such? Or is it just to prevent the hand from coming in contact of the blade, and it's just a more convienent way of having a guard on the table?

Or is it's main function just a very good dust collection set up?

[Rod Sheridan]

Thanks Rob,

So pardon my ignorance, it seems that the above guard (or a guard of that type) would be the best most versatile guard for any table saw for just about any kind of cutting (and also the most expensive) - is this correct? Even if I don't cut dados on a table saw?

Also it would be a good choice for a saw with a riving knife?

Or is this really a specialized guard, good for only specialized work?

Is the purpose of the above type of guard to prevent the material from rocketing off the top of the table saw if a riving knife or splitter fail to prevent such? Or is it just to prevent the hand from coming in contact of the blade, and it's just a more convienent way of having a guard on the table??

Hi Dan, the overarm guard does several things that a standard splitter mounted guard doesn't do

- it can be used for non through cuts such as dado, groove or rebate

- it can be used without a splitter if desired (see above)

- it provides dust collection above the blade (Boy, do I enjoy not swallowing dust from melamine or mdf)

There are no operations that the standard guard can be used for, that the overarm guard cannot be used for.

Note that with the overarm guard, you need a seoarate splitter such as the Merlin or other types since the overarm guard is a guard only.

The overarm guard is the best guard for a saw since it can accomodate all the operations of a tablesaw, whereas a standrd splitter type guard cannot be used for dado, grooving or rebateing.

Regards, Rod.

P.S. Yes they are expensive, however you can keep it and mount it on your next saw. If I replace my General 650 with a slider, I will mount the Excalibur on it.

[Daniel Hillmer]

Hi Dan, the overarm guard does several things that a standard splitter mounted guard doesn't do

- it can be used for non through cuts such as dado, groove or rebate

- it can be used without a splitter if desired (see above)

- it provides dust collection above the blade (Boy, do I enjoy not swallowing dust from melamine or mdf)

There are no operations that the standard guard can be used for, that the overarm guard cannot be used for.

Note that with the overarm guard, you need a seoarate splitter such as the Merlin or other types since the overarm guard is a guard only.

The overarm guard is the best guard for a saw since it can accomodate all the operations of a tablesaw, whereas a standrd splitter type guard cannot be used for dado, grooving or rebateing.

Regards, Rod.

P.S. Yes they are expensive, however you can keep it and mount it on your next saw. If I replace my General 650 with a slider, I will mount the Excalibur on it.

So it appears then that about the narrowest rail or stile I could cut with the guard in place is a bit over 1 1/2 inch wide. Any narrower than that I would have to raise the guard. That correct?

If correct, are there any guards that i could leave in place to cut stiles down to 1 inch wide? That would mean the guard would have to be just under 2 inches wide, am I dreaming?

[Rod Sheridan]

So it appears then that about the narrowest rail or stile I could cut with the guard in place is a bit over 1 1/2 inch wide. Any narrower than that I would have to raise the guard. That correct?

If correct, are there any guards that i could leave in place to cut stiles down to 1 inch wide? That would mean the guard would have to be just under 2 inches wide, am I dreaming?

Hi Daniel, the Excalibur guard is about 4 inches wide, however the arm telescopes so you don't have to keep the guard centered over the blade.

For ripping narrow strips you can move the guard to the left (assuming your fence is on the right hand side of the blade), and rip strips, say 3/4" inch wide with ease using a push shoe. Anything narrower than that in my opinion needs a ripping sled.

As I said, the overarm guard is the most versatile guard available, I wouldn't be without one.

Regards, Rod.