saw safety guard

[easterngray]

This has been a good thread for me to read. Though I always use the lower guard, I regularly use my '60 Mark V without the upper saw guard, which is the old metal kind, because I found it to be wobbly and frustrating to use. I have been meaning to order the saw guard upgrade, and have stupidly put it off 'till now. Thanks for the reminder that safety comes first! I just got off the phone with Shopsmith having ordered a new upper and lower guard assembly (and I picked up a lathe live center and mitre gauge quick clamp retro kit as well!) I will paint the new lower saw guard to match my Goldie though!:) Alec

[dusty]

I've taken some more pictures of the riving knife and the riving knife in action.

I think these may help answer the question of why the kick-back pawls don't always engage as they were designed.

In addition to being damaged, it may be that they aren't being engaged because the blade is set too high above the material being cut.

In the picture labeled "Blade Too High", I am pointing at the space between the kickback pawls and the stock. The pawls do not even engage the stock thus no kickback protection.

Conclusion: Too much blade exposed above the stock renders the kickback pawls less effective. The more blade, less kickback protection.

This may not be the case for everyone but it was an eye opener for me.

I've got to put my upper saw guard back to gether before I go back to work. Having it out of commission is no way to "Make Sawdust Safely"

[reible]

When all else fails one can always read the manual. "Always install the upper saw guard so that it is very close (1/8") to the saw blade." You can all go to your manuals now and read up on the subject... saw guard alignment, and things like blade height etc.

I guess Dusty proved them right.

Ed

[dusty]

Please go back and look at the pictures. Especially the one labeled "Blade Way Too High".

Take note of the distance from the blade to the riving knife. It is no different than in the one labeled "Blade About Right".

When you adjust table height you change the distance from the kick-back pawls to the table top. Too much distance between the table and the pawls renders the pawls ineffective.

If you raise the blade way up for a deep depth of cut and then cut 2" stock, you have kick-back protection.

If you now cut 3/4" stock without adjusting depth of cut, you have no kick-back protection.

Once installed properly, the riving knife travels with the blade thus no change in separation (between blade and riving knife).

[john]

Dusty:

Thanks for these informative pictures. Your instructional post are always interesting and appreciated.

John