# Table saw safety upgrade



## MikeMa (Jul 27, 2006)

I bought my table saw this past winter via craigslist, and at $100, beggers can't be choosy. However, the safety equipment (splitter and balde guard) were long gone, and kickback had me concerned. (Had a board land in the gut once) After I was satisfied that saw would perform well, and was willing to put money in it, I started looking for after-market splitters. I came across the micro jig splitter. This works with a zero clearance insert. I was very happy to find out that my local woodcraft sells a ZCI and the micro jig. I bough the ZCI for my table saw last weekend, and it installed better than I thought it would. It has two screws on it that can be backed out to make sure it stays absolutely tight in the throat. 

I went ahead and paid the extra $10 for the steel version of the micro jig, as I was afraid the plastic one wouldn't hold up well. There is a video on the internet that demonstrates how to properly install the splitter.

I have noticed that not only is the saw safer to use, but it seems like it is more accurate as well. Total cost for this was $60 plus tax. Here is a link to the splitter I installed: http://www.microjig.com/products/mj-splitter-steel-pro/index.shtml


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Hi Mike,

great to see members taking the time to make sure their safety equipment is up to par.

We only have to check some posts to see what can go wrong. (and I see it has already happened to you)

Are you also able to fit a blade guard to your saw? What make/model is it?


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## MikeMa (Jul 27, 2006)

I have been conteplating what to do about the blade guard. My top priority was the riving knife. I realized after my the kick back experience that I had about 2 years ago that I was verfy lucky that I only had a bruise on my gut. The kick back could have very easily pulled my hand into the spinning blade. Since I got the new (actually older than my previous) saw with a few exceptions I have made just about every cut using a push stick. (In face made a couple extra so I would always have one within reach) 

The saw is an older craftsman contractor table saw. I am not certain what model # it is at is covered up. I believe it is in 113-198xxx line of saws. I have quite figured out what I am going to do for a blade guard. I have thought about making one, but I am not sure how I can safely attach it to the saw without it interfering with the cut. I know there are some good after market over-arm blade gaurds, but they are a bit pricey. (Yes I know, it will cost a lot more to reattach a finger or thumb) In the meantime, I will continue to use the push stick, and keep the blade height in check (typically about a quarter inch over the stock)

I am open to suggestions as to what to do for a blade guard.


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## MikeMa (Jul 27, 2006)

Further update. I decided to hold off on finding a way to put a blade gaurd on the saw. First I pulled off the mount that was covering the model number (one of the previous owners put mounts to hold the current fence) and discovered the saw is actually a 113.299, so it is a little bit newer than I thought. (Looks like it was built in the mid 1980's) The fence being the original fence (in otherwords not very good to begin with) is about worn out, and I am always triple checking it to make sure it is secured square. While this is mainly an issue of accuracy, it is a safety issue as well as an out of align fence can cause kickback, especially if pinches the piece into the blade. 

That and since I am leaning towards building an overarm blade gaurd (there are a small number of examples out there) the fence (and more importantly the rails of the fence) will impact how the gaurd will be made, it seems like upgrading the fence would be the next logical step.

*Update*: Tonight I ordered the Delta T2 table saw fence, which seems like it is the little brother to the Biesmeyer. (In fact someone on another forum mentioned that this was a low-end Biesmeyer before Delta rebranded it to the T2) Since I only have about $160 invested in the saw to begin with, this seemed like an economical choice. It will take some minor modification to put on my Craftsman, but it sounds like it shouldn't be that big of deal to do. I will try to post some progress pictures of the installation if anyone is interested.


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## johnk (Aug 29, 2008)

Please keep us informed about your blade guard project. I too see that as an advantage but the price of commercial products is too much for me as well. Good luck and thanks for the feedback on the microjig.


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## OneWoodTools (Jun 18, 2014)

I have been using the MJ Splitter from Microjig for years and love it, the wood whisperer has a great video on you tube on how to instal and use.

Works well with the Grr Ripper as i can use it to control offcut and main piece.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

I never stand in front of my material unless I have no choice when it's a big wide piece of mdf which isn't going to catapult anyways .
I just let the boards fly past me . Never got me yet


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## lenh (Feb 27, 2009)

RainMan1 said:


> I never stand in front of my material unless I have no choice when it's a big wide piece of mdf which isn't going to catapult anyways .
> I just let the boards fly past me . Never got me yet


Hey Rick, you make it sound like you regularly experience kick back. Just kidding I hope. ????


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## OneWoodTools (Jun 18, 2014)

You scare me Rick , keep up the fast reflexes.


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## Willway (Aug 16, 2012)

I have an older hybrid Grizzly saw and the Micro Jig Steel Pro Splitter. If your saw will will not accept a riving knife (most older saws will not) I can strongly recommend it. You also need an absolute zero clearance throat plate. We are in the process of updating this old Grizzly saw, again, with 7 foot fence rails and a Wixey Digital Readout. More on that upgrade later. The best solution for a blade guard and splitter is the 'Shark Guard' with the anti kickback pawls. I had one on order for 6 months and finally had to cancel.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

*?!*



Willway said:


> I have an older hybrid Grizzly saw and the Micro Jig Steel Pro Splitter. If your saw will will not accept a riving knife (most older saws will not) I can strongly recommend it. You also need an absolute zero clearance throat plate. We are in the process of updating this old Grizzly saw, again, with 7 foot fence rails and a Wixey Digital Readout. More on that upgrade later. The best solution for a blade guard and splitter is the 'Shark Guard' with the anti kickback pawls. I had one on order for 6 months and finally had to cancel.


Sorry to hear that you had that problem, Dick. I bought a Shark for my Delta Contractor TS and I did have to wait about 2 or 3 months, _but it was worth it_. I just used the OEM one that came with the saw until the Shark arrived.
They seriously need to get more hands to the wheel at Shark.


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## Willway (Aug 16, 2012)

DaninVan said:


> Sorry to hear that you had that problem, Dick. I bought a Shark for my Delta Contractor TS and I did have to wait about 2 or 3 months, _but it was worth it_. I just used the OEM one that came with the saw until the Shark arrived.
> They seriously need to get more hands to the wheel at Shark.


Dan when Lee finally contacted me about the Shark Guard being ready to ship I was short on funds, or I would have on hanging on the peg board beside the old one. This is in a home shop and we just do not use a blade guard. I haven't used one for years. Most of the cuts we make a guard would just be in the way. We do use 'Board Buddies' for any ripping over the length of the table, which is 27 inches. I have had one kick back in the last 30 years and that was due to my own carelessness of being in a hurry. I picked up a piece of plywood without stopping the blade and it slammed me in the gut. We never let our hands get within 6 inches of the blade. We don't use push sticks, we use push pads or these simple push blocks posted in this article.

http://www.routerforums.com/shop-safety/43251-needed-post.html


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

Willway said:


> This is in a home shop and we just do not use a blade guard. I haven't used one for years. Most of the cuts we make a guard would just be in the way.
> We never let our hands get within 6 inches of the blade. We don't use push sticks, we use push pads or these simple push blocks posted in this article.
> 
> http://www.routerforums.com/shop-safety/43251-needed-post.html


Pretty much sounds like me. Except I have not had a kickback. I use push sticks at times, but prefer push blocks. The best safety gimmick is just paying attention to what you are doing, being careful, always have a bit of fear for power machines, and standing out of line with the blade. I consider push blocks as part of being careful.


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## bowdean (May 7, 2014)

I like keeping table and fence slick by waxing it every so often, makes it easy pushing material with out binding.later bowdean


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

OneWoodTools said:


> You scare me Rick , keep up the fast reflexes.


Lmao , hey I'm not a senior citizen yet 



Never understood how people stood directly in front of a potential projectile anyways ?

Some good news out of this forum though, as since I have joined I started using push sticks for the first time ever


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## RJM (Apr 11, 2010)

If the fence isn't square all the time, that could be what's causing frequent kick back.


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## johnk (Aug 29, 2008)

*Shark, Grip-Tite, Alignment*

For my Steel City table saw I settled on the Shark with the vacuum on the guard. It handles kickback and sucks up sawdust. Look up toxicity of some woods - you don't want to inhale this stuff. The Grip-Tites keep the wood against the fence - watch the videos - and let you do safe cutting. Alignment is something a lot of people don't do but it affects the feed path. I do alignment summer and winter with checks in between. Alignment also goes for my other tools - Grip-Tites too.


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## oldwoodenshoe (Nov 28, 2011)

Just ordered my Shark Guard today. Should get here near Christmas time. That is a very long lead time. They definitely need more help.

I also do alignment of my blade to the miter slots occasionally. I can usually tell when they are getting out of alignment by using a miter gauge and pushing some scap wood all the way through the blade. Then repeat the operation on the other miter slot. If the back of the blade is taking a second cut as you push the scrap all the way past it, then your blade is not parallel with the miter slots and needs to be re-aligned. 

I have a dial caliper and a miter slot caliper holding device I bought from Rockler that lets me mount my caliper to the miter slot to measure the difference from the cutting edge of a tooth at the front of the blade then rotate the blade and measure again at the rear of the blade on the same tooth. This process allows me to accurately get my blade parallel to the miter slots. I can always get it parallel to the miter slot to less than 0.001" from the front of the blade to the rear of the blade. 

Once the blade is parallel to the miter slot, I also adjust the fence so that it is also parallel to the miter slot whenever it is locked down. I use the same device to hold my caliper in the miter slot. I lock down my fence and then measure the distance at the front of the table to the fence. Then, without moving the fence, I measure the distance at the rear of the table to the fence. I make small adjustments until it also is parallel to the miter slot.

The miter slot caliper holder that I have is Rockler #41818
Mag-Dro® Mitre Slot Base - Rockler Woodworking Tools

Works really well for holding a caliper securely perpendicular to a miter slot when measuring a relative distance.

Glenn


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Well Glen if your getting less than .001 from the miter slot to the front and rear of the blade your doing better than most. 
From the factory my GI270's miter slot to blade is .002


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## bowdean (May 7, 2014)

Hey rick, how can you push material through table saw with out standing behind it an pushing. Send pictures . Later bowdean, are we having fun yet ?? I am not sure about flying suit sounds like fun !!


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## MikeMa (Jul 27, 2006)

You will want to stand to either side so you are not directly inline of the work piece should it kick back.


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## oldwoodenshoe (Nov 28, 2011)

Important information for those who may have ordered a Shark Guard!

Lee Styron of Leeway Workshop - The gentleman who makes the Shark Guard, had a computer crash. He lost his backlog list of customers that had a Shark Guard Splitter/Riving Knives on order. The information about the computer crash is on his Web Site at Leeway Workshop, LLC. 

He had about a 3 month backlog of work. I was one of them. I contacted him to find out when he was going to ship my order that I placed back in late August. He informed me that he had a computer crash and lost the order. I sent him an earlier e-mail with information I had sent him for the order. Based on this e-mail, he put me at the top of the list and promised to send my order very soon.

If you have a Shark Guard Riving Knife on order from him, please look at the web site to get back onto his list.

Glenn


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

*Can't Happen to Me...*

Famous last words, eh?

Hopefully he's learned from this. Chances are excellent that at some point in time, one's computer will go belly up. 
Back up. Back up. Back up.
To 'lose' one's client base is a nightmare. :cray:


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## oldwoodenshoe (Nov 28, 2011)

> It will never happen to me


 :no:


> Famous last words, eh?


Dan,

I couldn't agree with you more. As a computer engineer, I would never have a database that wasn't backed up.

That being said, I just wanted to alert others on this forum of the potential of a lost order. Fortunately, he doesn't charge until he is ready to ship. Therefore, anyone who ordered and are waiting to hear from him that their order is ready to ship, won't have a charge and no merchandise. He will gladly put them back on the list if they contact him. Having something to send him that is dated and references the original order date will put you back higher on his list.

Glenn


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

heh...betcha Sony wishes _their_ hardrives had gone belly up!
Sony Hackers Threaten to Release a Huge 'Christmas Gift' of Secrets | WIRED


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