Alternate Jointer Knife Guard

[Anthony Whitesell]

I'm trying to build or buy a knife guard for my jointer (G0490) that is not the porkchop design. I recently notice a G0660X and a G0675 for sale used and neither have a porkchop guard, but instead have a sliding guard attached to a long (spring loaded?) arm. Unfortunately buying the parts from Grizzly is out as they have discontinued replacement parts for the guard on both machines. Does anyone know where I can buy a retrofit guard like this or have plans to make one?

[Howard Pollack]

I believe that they are called "Euro guards" or something similar. Try googling that. Good luck. -Howard

[glenn bradley]

It might help to know why the pork chop isn't working for you. There are fabric backed types you could make that are another alternative. Generally used on larger machines for obvious reasons.

Sams jointer.jpg

This would easily retrofit to your current pork chop mounting location. For a traditional Euro style guard you may have to go to a European provider like Hammer, Mini Max, or . . https://www.scosarg.com/cps-txf650-surface-planer-guard

[Anthony Whitesell]

It might help to know why the pork chop isn't working for you. There are fabric backed types you could make that are another alternative. Generally used on larger machines for obvious reasons.

Sams jointer.jpg

This would easily retrofit to your current pork chop mounting location. For a traditional Euro style guard you may have to go to a European provider like Hammer, Mini Max, or . . https://www.scosarg.com/cps-txf650-surface-planer-guard

Not that I see how it matters, but it is because the pork chop guard travels downfeed to open it interferes with the power feeder when mounted.

[Kevin Jenness]

If your main reason for change is using a powerfeed, you can hold the porkchop guard open with a clamp or a bolt through a drilled hole in the guard bearing on the side of the jointer.

The tambour guard shown is my favorite. Both the porkchop and the standard Euro guards stick out quite a bit on a wide jointer, though there are hinged Euro guards.

Those Unitronix machines are well-made, heavy units.

[Bruce Wrenn]

When I'm jointing boards wider than the head on my jointer, I use a Tee type guard clamped to the fence. Tee is made from plywood.

[Mike Stelts]

Felder jointers offer a Euro guard; however, it might be a chore to fit this to your jointer.

[Jim Becker]

Biggest challenge to mounting a bridge guard (Euro guard) to a North American design joiner is that the mount point might not exist natively, so some creativity might be required. But personally, I hate the "pork chops" and I was glad I was able to get a bridge guard for my J/P years ago!

[Anthony Whitesell]

When I'm jointing boards wider than the head on my jointer, I use a Tee type guard clamped to the fence. Tee is made from plywood.

My concern with the euro guard, is that the mount would prevent it from allowing for boards wider than the jointer bed. I usually saw lumber to be 9" and 10 1/8" wide (32/4 and 36/4) so it is bound to hang over the edge of my 8" jointer. I am assuming the Tee type guard you mean a L-shaped piece of wood clamped to the fence and extending out over the cutterhead. This may be all that I need.

[Anthony Whitesell]

Felder jointers offer a Euro guard; however, it might be a chore to fit this to your jointer.

I'm not sure I see, from the website, how this guard mounts to the jointer and allows for vertical movement to allow the lumber to pass beneath.

[Anthony Whitesell]

If your main reason for change is using a powerfeed, you can hold the porkchop guard open with a clamp or a bolt through a drilled hole in the guard bearing on the side of the jointer.

Pinning it open or removing it both pose the same problem, the cutterhead is exposed and unprotected from accidental contact. Hence my thought on changing the style of the guard.

[Bruce Wrenn]

I am assuming the Tee type guard you mean a L-shaped piece of wood clamped to the fence and extending out over the cutterhead. This may be all that I need.

Be sure and use BRASS screws and glue to fasten two pieces of wood together. This way, if it should come in contact with cutters, they won't be damaged

[Greg Quenneville]

The bridge type guards typically are mounted so that you can unscrew a knob and lift the arm through 270° so the assembly hangs down out of the way leaving the entire outfeed table unobstructed.

[Lee Schierer]

You could modify your pork chop guard like my father did on the jointer I now own.
20230918_083417.jpg
It has a piece of 1/8" thick aluminum that is attached to the pivot boss and edge of the pork chop with # 6 flat head screws in tapped holes

[Kevin Jenness]

Pinning it open or removing it both pose the same problem, the cutterhead is exposed and unprotected from accidental contact. Hence my thought on changing the style of the guard.

With the powerfeed in place you shouldn't be in any danger.