# table saw blade guard needed



## k9ceno (May 14, 2012)

Hello everyone.

I have an old powermatic artisan model 63 table saw. I have been searching for awhile for somewhere that i can buy a new blade guard. I was hoping for a split guard with a knife. Can anyone help me to find a supplier. I have been in contact with several places, rockler and every where else i could think of with no success. Thanks for your time. Cliff


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## TomE (Dec 17, 2010)

Shark guard for Powermatic

Give 'em a holler to see if it's for yours


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## skiroy56 (Aug 7, 2011)

*Powermatic 63 blade guard*

Cliff
As Tom suggested try Sharkguard.


Powermatic 63


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

k9ceno said:


> Hello everyone.
> 
> I have an old powermatic artisan model 63 table saw. I have been searching for awhile for somewhere that i can buy a new blade guard. I was hoping for a split guard with a knife. Can anyone help me to find a supplier. I have been in contact with several places, rockler and every where else i could think of with no success. Thanks for your time. Cliff


I looked at the parts diagrams for both the 63 and 64. They look like the same saw with different extensions and stands. It looks like Guard/Splitter/Anti-kickback pawls assembly for Powermatic's Model 63 Artisan saw and the model 64 Contractor Saw are the same design and may be interchangeable with no or little modifications. (Can't tell measurements from an exploded view parts diagram.)

The parts on the Model 63 do not look like the are readily available, but they are available for the model 64. 

I have a splitter/guard/pawl assembly here that would work if you modified the mounting holes to work with the mounts on your saw. $5+ what shipping would cost to get to you. I picked it up used for $5, so I'm not making anything off it. I picked it up for the in-cases. That one is just sitting here collecting dust. For $5, it's something you wouldn't be afraid to mod.

Or do you want to go DYI, for something that just works for straight up, which is 95% of your cuts? Make a zero-clearance insert, but extend the cut out the back of the insert. In the extended cut you make a spliiter, 1/8" thick. Run a piece of 1/8" thick metal stock through the slot, low enough to clear the bottom of the insert + 3/4 inch, high enough to clear the blade when all the way up + 1 inch, making sure the stock clears the back of the blade. 

Bend a tab 90 degree angle at the bottom end at 3/4". Drill two holes for mounting screws. At 1/4 above the blade, near the front edge, drill a hole. Near the rear edge back accrossed from that hole and 1/4" higher (clearing 1/4" from the outside edges) drill another hole. Put roll pins in those 2 holes. Cut a slot in a piece of 1/4 acryllic or plexiglass the width and length of the splitter top. The plexiglass slot slides over the splitter, rests on the first roll pin and under the second.

For mine on crown cuts (where the stock travels over the blade, I make zero-clearance inserts, with the same cut, but use a piece of hardwood the same thickness as the slot and make it 1/2" to 3/4" tall. That is enough to keep the kerf open, but be able to travel over it.

You can see your cut, there is a splitter, makes a good guard. Not as good as a riving knife, but it works and is safe.

Hope that helps.


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## tooler2 (Aug 11, 2012)

Ask on this forum; owwm.org/
Rob


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## tooler2 (Aug 11, 2012)

Ask on the OWWM dot org forum
Rob


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

Rob- LOL. Are you saying since I'm a member of both forums, that I could repeat myself answering him there? Albiet, someone "there" might have one laying around that they may want to part with.


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## tooler2 (Aug 11, 2012)

MAFoElffen said:


> Rob- LOL. Are you saying since I'm a member of both forums, that I could repeat myself answering him there? Albiet, someone "there" might have one laying around that they may want to part with.


Mike, I assume that if the OP knew of the existence of owwm he would not have asked on a router forum. I would be surprised if somebody there could not come up with an original splitter/guard.If a few more people check out the site so much the better, it hurts me when I see questions here, concerning purchase of shiny new drill press or table saw when there is so much great quality old iron being almost given away these days.
Rob


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

tooler2 said:


> Mike, I assume that if the OP knew of the existence of owwm he would not have asked on a router forum. I would be surprised if somebody there could not come up with an original splitter/guard.If a few more people check out the site so much the better, it hurts me when I see questions here, concerning purchase of shiny new drill press or table saw when there is so much great quality old iron being almost given away these days.
> Rob


One side, I have a 40 year old Rockwell shop saw that has done me great service for a long time. It quietly sings. Will hold a nickel on edge when running. Is tuned true. Cuts true. It's been a good friend.

Other side of that, I've outgrown it by leagues and I want to continue to grow. I am a Master Carpenter and there is things I need to do. I'm sadly going to replace it with a new shiny cabinet saw. I hope this new shiny saw will provide me with as long a trusted service as my old Rockwell. 

I appreciate my tools whether new or old. But for me, I have a tool because I have an intended purpose I need it to help me do. The tool is an extension of me. I do not have it for the sake of "having" the tool. Those are called collectors. I think it's a travesty to have something sitting and be afraid or not intend to use it for it's intended purpose.

I'm going to miss it, but will sell it to someone that I hope will appreciate it. I'm sure it will do them well for another 40+ years.

Then again, then there's the 30-40 year old Radial Arm Saws that I restore, true up and sell as users...

Outside that, not all old iron was good iron. There were "cheapies" along the way, way back when also.


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## tooler2 (Aug 11, 2012)

MAFoElffen said:


> One side, I have a 40 year old Rockwell shop saw that has done me great service for a long time. It quietly sings. Will hold a nickel on edge when running. Is tuned true. Cuts true. It's been a good friend.
> 
> Other side of that, I've outgrown it by leagues and I want to continue to grow. I am a Master Carpenter and there is things I need to do. I'm sadly going to replace it with a new shiny cabinet saw. I hope this new shiny saw will provide me with as long a trusted service as my old Rockwell.
> 
> ...


I was speaking of industrial and light industrial iron that would just include a unisaw not the lower end machines.Your new machine will perform OK if you set it up correctly but it was not designed to run for ever. An industrial saw that would sell in today's dollars for $25,000 can be had today for less than 1,000 and will far outperform a modern 3,000 machine.
I am not trying to be argumentative, but I am a toolmaker and it alarms me when people can't recognize the difference between high quality and shoddy merchandise.
If I can save one old drill press from the dumpster I will have made a contribution to society.
Rob


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## Dmeadows (Jun 28, 2011)

tooler2 said:


> I was speaking of industrial and light industrial iron that would just include a unisaw not the lower end machines.Your new machine will perform OK if you set it up correctly but it was not designed to run for ever. An industrial saw that would sell in today's dollars for $25,000 can be had today for less than 1,000 and will far outperform a modern 3,000 machine.
> I am not trying to be argumentative, but I am a toolmaker and it alarms me when people can't recognize the difference between high quality and shoddy merchandise.
> If I can save one old drill press from the dumpster I will have made a contribution to society.
> Rob


It's not always a matter of not recognizing the difference. Sometimes it comes down to space, inadequate floor support, and just plain inability to move the things! A unisaw is close to my limit of being able to load/unload. 

Grizzly has a number of machines available that I would like to have, but without a loading dock and a forklift, not going to happen!

Other issues are tooling cost, 3ph power requirements, and accessory availability. Most home workshops just won't/can't get any advantage from or even be able to use them.


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## Sawdust Don (Nov 1, 2012)

One can get by without a fork lift and loading dock, but, a folding engine hoist and a pallet jack can help deal with heavier machines.

When I was router shopping, I was looking at the current tables saws, and other machines at the box stores.
Well, just me, they seems less then a good value.

If you can get a 220v line into your work space, older heavier machine could be an option to consider.
3 phase motors are getting easier to deal with, newer devices such as the VFD, cost are going down.


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

Sawdust Don said:


> One can get by without a fork lift and loading dock, but, a folding engine hoist and a pallet jack can help deal with heavier machines.
> 
> When I was router shopping, I was looking at the current tables saws, and other machines at the box stores.
> Well, just me, they seems less then a good value.
> ...


5 x 220v 1 phase circuits (30 amp and 50 amp) there now. (Welders, sun tanning bed and air compressor.)

3 phase for me would mean a phase converter. But the 4.5 HP motor is both 220v 1 phase or 3 phase. Having it shipped wired 220v 1 phase. 

That "diesel" cherry picker is rated for 2000 pounds.


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## Sawdust Don (Nov 1, 2012)

Is the motor both 1 and 3phase? That would be very handy!

Often I see 3phase used equipment going for enough less, that a phase converter of some type is not a huge expense.
Sites like the "practical machinist" have forums on converters, where as, if you can solder, one can be built for little cost.
It is getting more economical to use 3 phase motors these days.
The newer VFD drivers have some nice features, such as soft start, but the price of those go up on over 5 hp models.


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## tooler2 (Aug 11, 2012)

I posted regularly in the transformer section of Practical Machinist, advocating the use of second hand industrial VFDs rather than new consumer grade models from China.I have purchased new in box drives for as little as 1 dollar on ebay, and even a 20hp brand new for 20 dollars because I mostly need 600volt models and there is little demand for them. Building a rotary phase converter takes less than 50 dollars worth of components and less than an hours work unless you get real fancy with special enclosures digital read-outs etc. With the advent of the internet it has become very easy to obtain information on building your own. When I started 30 years ago the technology was fiercely protected with all kinds of published gobble-DE-**** and obscured part numbers.
I consider it highly unlikely that there is now suddenly a motor that is both single and three phase after more than a hundred years of development. It is almost certain that it will be a poly phase motor with phase conversion built in to the supply. There are variable speed inexpensive lathes available these days that have the VFD built in as an example, and capacitor start, capacitor run, motors are actually 2 phase motors running on single phase. I would be interested to know more about this 4.5hp machine.
Rob


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## MAFoElffen (Jun 8, 2012)

tooler2 said:


> I posted regularly in the transformer section of Practical Machinist, advocating the use of second hand industrial VFDs rather than new consumer grade models from China.I have purchased new in box drives for as little as 1 dollar on ebay, and even a 20hp brand new for 20 dollars because I mostly need 600volt models and there is little demand for them. Building a rotary phase converter takes less than 50 dollars worth of components and less than an hours work unless you get real fancy with special enclosures digital read-outs etc. With the advent of the internet it has become very easy to obtain information on building your own. When I started 30 years ago the technology was fiercely protected with all kinds of published gobble-DE-**** and obscured part numbers.
> I consider it highly unlikely that there is now suddenly a motor that is both single and three phase after more than a hundred years of development. It is almost certain that it will be a poly phase motor with phase conversion built in to the supply. There are variable speed inexpensive lathes available these days that have the VFD built in as an example, and capacitor start, capacitor run, motors are actually 2 phase motors running on single phase. I would be interested to know more about this 4.5hp machine.
> Rob


I am (over-)confident enough about electricity to be dangerous. Actually enough as a carpenter that would be tasked helping out electricians or to wire in electrical for remodels.

Don't know anything about 3-phase power other than I don't have here and would need a rotary phase converter to supply it. I just never had to play with it before.

<<Optional 4.5 HP Baldor 220V 1 or 3 phase>>
I don't really know. This option could be 2 different motors... Or a 3 phase 220v motor with something(?), but why would they list that as 3 phase then? All I know about that is what I told them I wanted/needed- 220v 1 phase. That is what I have access to and that is how mine is coming.


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