Last night's adventure in woodworking

[Anthony Whitesell]

I stopped by the local Rockler while I was nearby this past weekend. Though the sale items I was after were out, I took a few minutes to look over the SawStop on display. I know I should get one from a safety aspect, but the $3k price tag is just out of reach right now. (and the disposable brake mechanism has me skeptical from a supply aspect)

Fastforward to last night's shop time. I began to make the mobile bases for my tools. I dug out the sander and the other tablesaw. I have two tablesaws, a 1954 Craftsman with the standard miter slots and a 2002 Craftsman contractor style saw with their oddball miter slots. Thinking of safety, I reinstalled the blade guard per the instruction manual on the tablesaw. I decided since accuracy was not critical on the mobile base, I would use the newer saw with the blade guard instead of the old saw without.

The first cut was on a piece of plywood on the contractor with guard. After the cut I realized it wasn't straight and needed to use the sled. Back to the saw without the guard. Next was to cut down the sides crosscut them to length, so back to the saw with the guard, then rip them to width. I then find the pieces are too thick and too short for the planer. I decide to resaw them on the tablesaw. I don't have a ZCI for the new saw and the guard will not let me make that kind of cut, so back to the saw without the guard and with the ZCI. Then I find I mismeasured and two of the pieces are just a bit to long. I need to cut off about 1/2" off a 10" long board 3 1/2" wide (ie., not long enough to catch the anti-kickback prawls). Using the contractor saw with the gaurd, I mark the board, align the piece against the miter gauge, turn on the saw and make the cut. The cut off gets stuck under the gaurd. So I turn the saw off, wait for it to spin down lift the guard and remove the cutoff. While I'm at it, I align the next piece. I lower the guard, turn on the saw and make the cut. The end of the piece has a taper from about 3/8" to 5/8" from a previous project. Again the cutoff get stuck under the guard. I reach for the switch when I hear an aweful sound. I hit the switch and looked up. The cutoff is caught between the guard, the blade, and the insert. Luckily I was using a cheap blade for this cheap project, because it now look like a pringles potato chip. It appears the cutoff caught the blade tried to move, only to be caught by the guard, and pushed back into the blade. Which then wedged it between the blade and the insert. A ZCI probably would have prevented the jam at the end, but I wonder what would have happened if the piece had continued to bounce around between the guard and the spinning blade with the ZCI installed.

In the end, I found the night very enlightening. I could not figure out how to make all the cuts with the guard installed. Does anyone have a link to a video on how to resaw 10-12" long boards on a tablesaw with a blade guard installed? I'm also interested in seeing how to rip narrow stock (2-4" wide) with the blade gaurd installed.

[David Hawxhurst]

i've moved most of my cutting to the bandsaw. hardly ever use the tablesaw anymore. on my tablesaw i have a shrak guard with 4" dust collection so the small piece that caused you jam would have been sucked up by the dust collector. knowing what i know now about tablesaws and bandsaw i would have never have bought a tablesaw.

[Peter Quinn]

Resawing shorts on a TS is a bad idea. Better off on a BS. Most blade guards until very recently were also a bad idea and don't allow non through cuts. Mine lives in a storage closet. Not safe for anything.

[scott vroom]

I purchased the GRR-Riper for ripping shorts......check it out.

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Anthony,

1) ripping narrow pieces on a table saw requires a low fence such as a Euro type or a Delta Unifence. Alternatively make your own wood attachment for your standard fence. You can use the guard in this case.

The Euro or Unifence also allows you to pull the fence back so that there's no issue with narrow strips between the blade and the fence.

2) Guards, just like you own more than one blade, you need more than one guard.

You can use the standard splitter mounted one for through cuts, and use an overarm or bridge guard for non through cuts. (Known as a Shaw guard also)

Once again you can make some nice guards.

3) Resawing on the tablesaw, not in my shop, that's what the band saw is for, and as for ripping short pieces, it can only be done with a sled with hold down clamps.

4) short scraps that rattle around between the blade and the guard can be safely deflected with a wood deflector wedge held to the table with magnets.

Regards, Rod.

P.S. Watch the video below, it's long however it will give you some good ideas. Ignore the fact that it's a combination machine, just see what you could adapt to your application....Rod.

[Anthony Whitesell]

The fence on the contractor saw is about 1 1/4" maybe 1 1/2" tall. The fence on the older saw is much taller. I'm not sure how changing the fence would help cut pieces that I can't push past the guard. I usually make the cut using my gripper on the older saw with the ZCI.

What is a "wood deflector wedge"?

P.S. I don't see a link to a video.

[Mike Monroe]

Second for the GRR-Riper. I don't rip shorts often, but when I do I drink Dos ... err, I mean I use the Gripper jig sans guard.

[Rod Sheridan]

The fence on the contractor saw is about 1 1/4" maybe 1 1/2" tall. The fence on the older saw is much taller. I'm not sure how changing the fence would help cut pieces that I can't push past the guard. I usually make the cut using my gripper on the older saw with the ZCI.

What is a "wood deflector wedge"?

P.S. I don't see a link to a video.

Hi, there's no link because I forgot it.

http://www.felderusa.com/us-us/video...-workshop.html

Go to the above link and select download high resolution video. You'll have to register however it's worth it.

The fence on the Euro saw is about 1/2" high in the low position so push sticks are not obstructed by the guard.

The deflector wedge is shown at one point in the video as well as the correct use of the fence for ripping sheet goods and solid stock.

Regards, Rod.

[glenn bradley]

The only cuts I make without a ZCI on and saw are odd bevel cuts where I will employ the factory insert. As you observed, a ZCI would have prevented your issue and I join you in a loathing of most pitiful attempts at blade guards. A "good" system will vary depending what you are doing. I have many variations and I always employ one or another; Overhead guard, spltters, Grr-Rippers, featherboards, ZCI's, sleds, etc.. Trying to find a splitter, pawls, RK, guard, etc. 'thingy' that will do all things is like trying to get optimal cuts of all types with a combo blade and one saw. A variety of methods will serve you best. Any do-all product may do-all but, it isn't going to do-any very well. Glad the blade was the only victim.