Guardless bevel cuts?

[rutpoule]

I recently had to rip a bevel on the edge of a narrow piece of stock. Being a narrow piece, I couldn't think of a way to clamp it safely to cut with a hand-held saw. I decided to use the table saw, but to get the main table to tilt 45 degrees, I had to remove all of the table saw blade guards! Seemed dangerous, but I only had to make a couple cuts and managed to survive with all my digits intact. Is there a better way to do this with a 510 table?

[dusty]

]I understand your concern and I have done exactly what you did. However, I was later faced with a large number of pieces that had to be cut the same way. Rather than tilt the table, I built a jig so that I could tilt the work piece. If I still have it, I'll post a couple of images. I thought it worked quite well but it only worked for a specific size work piece.

This is not a sled. It was clamped to the table. The slot for the blade was cut by lowering the table down onto the blade allowing it to cut its' way through the jig. There is a runner in the miter slot to provide some stability.

Hope this gives you some ideas.

[attachment=0]Main Table and Two Floating Tables with Bevel Jig.png[/attachment

[davebodner]

The guards can be a little fiddly when tilting the table, but they will work. You have to extend the quill a certain amount. I think I've found it works best to tilt the table while it's above the blade, then extend the quill, then lower the tilted table, and then install the guard.

[JPG]

The guards can be a little fiddly when tilting the table, but they will work. You have to extend the quill a certain amount. I think I've found it works best to tilt the table while it's above the blade, then extend the quill, then lower the tilted table, and then install the guard.

There is another way?

Tilting the table always requires extending the quill.

[charlese]

Dear rutpoule, I did one of these cuts without using the upper saw guard. Now I have an index finger that's a little short

[davebodner]

The guards can be a little fiddly when tilting the table, but they will work. You have to extend the quill a certain amount. I think I've found it works best to tilt the table while it's above the blade, then extend the quill, then lower the tilted table, and then install the guard.

There is another way

Tilting the table always requires extending the quill.

My comment was focused on the order of operations. Extending the quill is non-optional. I remember trying to extend the quill with the table in the "down" position, while tilting the table at the same time. Much harder.

[JPG]

The guards can be a little fiddly when tilting the table, but they will work. You have to extend the quill a certain amount. I think I've found it works best to tilt the table while it's above the blade, then extend the quill, then lower the tilted table, and then install the guard.

There is another way

Tilting the table always requires extending the quill.

My comment was focused on the order of operations. Extending the quill is non-optional. I remember trying to extend the quill with the table in the "down" position, while tilting the table at the same time. Much harder.

What happened to the "?"?

Sequence fer sure the best way.

FWIW, cutting small workpieces is safer with a band saw(or jig/scroll saw).

[dusty]

Dear rutpoule, I did one of these cuts without using the upper saw guard. Now I have an index finger that's a little short

Charlese, the slightly shortened finger exists not because you did the cut without the upper saw guard.

The safety rule is "keep body parts out of the red zone".

[JPG]

More to the 'point', not paying attention and assuming red areas or guards are adequate substitutes for doing so.

[dusty]

Whatever!