Mounting Excalibur Blade Guard to JET JTAS 10XL - Suggestions?

[Ted Franklin]

Picked up an Excalibur Blade Guard at a woodworking show, but now I'm scratching my head how to attach it to the extension table which seems too flimsy. It's a new style EXBCS Blade Guard with a big bracket that is supposed to be mounted on the end of the table provided it is at least 3" wide. It isn't. More like 2 3/4" and part of that is the MDF tabletop. It just seems like the long arm is going to put too much torque on the bracket and I'll wind up tearing out the end of the extension table. I'm sure there's some way to reinforce the table but perhaps somebody has already figured this out?

[Patriarch]

"Ted Franklin" wrote in news:B6dfe.10465$ [e-mail]:

Maybe Excalibur has?

[Ted Franklin]

Nah. Excalibur has a great product; but makes no effort to document installation of the mounting bracket on even the most common machines. I've got a plan that involves building up and reinforcing the end of the extension table. I think it'll work, but it's oddly complicated by needing to move the brackets on the extension table's legs and also finding a way to fix the table's legs and the Blade Guard's own leg to my mobile base. I undrestand that there are far more permutations than Excalibur can deal with, but leaving out the mobile base issues, the Jet JTAS 10 XL probably accounts for a decent number of sales each year -- it would be nice if Excalibur had a recommendation on the mounting (including how far back the bracket needs to be). Instead, they just have a very brief discussion of the issues.

[Bob G.]

snip snip....

I have had an overhead Exca;ibur guard on my Jet Cabinet saw for well over 10 years now and to be very honest it was no big deal at all to install...

However My extention table and out feed tables are "home built", I do not use a mobile base, and the floor in the shop is wood...

My extention table is rock solid...and with a wooden floor mounting the thing was a piece of cake.... now if I used a mobile base I guess I would be scratching my head also...

Bob Griffiths

[Ted Franklin]

Well, there's the difference, Bob. You were already a competent woodworker when you mounted your guard. I, on the other hand, am a rank beginner afraid that the 2" end piece of the flimsy Jet extension table will tear out with enormous force and drop the boom on my spinning blade before I can say "boo." As I say, I've got a plan ... I'm going to build up the end of the table so it is a little sturdier and meets or exceeds the 3" minimum for end-mounting. After that, I suppose I will be able to say that my extension table will be at least partly "home built." Also, I need each of the legs to land somewhere near the mobile base. I suspect my head-scratching is good exercise in preparation for many more woodworking puzzles to come.