Saw Guard Query

[John Moorhead]

Folks -

Okay, the close call I had was close enough for me.... I have been looking at the following guards:

Biesemeyer Cantilevered Boom Style Excalibur Cantilivered Boom Style w/DC Brett Guard Left Side mount

I have a 52" Bies on a General 10" RT cab saw. I will be mounting a router table in the right extension table and am concerned about interference w/ a boom style blade cover, tho' reviews on amazon don't seem to think it is an issue.

I *have* to have a guard that is mounted on the saw proper, not attached to the ceiling or floor as the saw is on a mobile base.

I'd sure appreciate some feedback...

TIA

John "10" Moorhead

[patriarch]

"John Moorhead" wrote in news:Tu_Dc.702$ [e-mail]:

John, Is the saw incident, and subsequent requirement for an overarm guard, sufficient to cause a rethinking of the 'router in the table saw' plan?

On the other hand, my neighbor has a RT Unisaw with the Delta Overarm guard. His saw is equipped with the Incra fence system, used for both the saw and the router with fancy lift system. Those two systems seem not to interfere with each other. To me however, it seems like far too much crap on one table top for my needs. I generally seem to do larger projects and pieces than he does.

In the mean time, until you decide on which multi-hundred dollar engineering creation you're going to invest in, how about installing something cheap and old school, like a splitter mounted hand diverter? Like the one in 'Tage Frid Teaches Woodworking - Book 1"? And paint it RED.

Patriarch, whose LT Unisaw almost always has either a sled or a splitter, but no blade guard.

[Bob G]

I have run an Excalibur Overhead guard for at least 10-15 years now on a RT Jet Cabinet saw... (this is not the same "style as the newer model but very similar)...

When I had a router on the table I had it installed on the left side of the saw...in the out feed table... the router no longer is there because to be truthful it was just too low to use comfortably for me) but it functioned fine... AND my saw was not on a mobile base and the support is mounted to the extent ion table and the floor...

The dust collection is ok BUT honestly not that great so do not let that feature be a major factor in your discussion.

Personally I would never stick a router on a table saw again...unless I absolutely did not have the room for a router table somewhere else..

The Guard however is one of those [purchases that has proved a good buy even after all these years...

Bob Griffiths

[DarylRos]

I have the Biesmeyer guard and a router table built into the right hand side. The guard has never gotten in the way. Of course, if you ever need to run through something as high as the guard (probably rare, and it happened to me once in ten years) you will have problems.