Do You Need A Blade Guard On A Table Saw?
A good-quality table saw comes with a blade Guard. But beginners ask a common question: do you need a blade guard on the table saw? Without knowing the purpose of the blade guard, it is not wise to remove it. Let’s discuss blade Guard functionality & its importance on the saw.
Do You Need A Blade Guard On A Table Saw?
Yes and no! Basically, table guards are protecting your hand from injuries while handling the table saw’s blade. Blade guard works as a safety barrier to protect your hands. So, if you don’t want safety you can use a table saw without a blade guard.
How to Remove Blade guard to use it without guard
Yet blade guard is important and few people find it annoying. So if you are determined to remove the blade guard then follow the below approaches. You will be glad to know removing table saw is basic work & you can do it at home without expert help.
Before starting this process make sure that nuts use opposite threading such as Left for tighten & right for loose.
- First, remove the nut that mounts on the blade.
- Then dispel the saw blade. Also, take out the flange that remains between the blade & the table saw the body.
- Now take a flat-head screwdriver to move the guard holding ring. Finally, it’s time to remove the guard from the table saw.
- Then reset the flange back in the position & add blade. Tighten the blade with a nut to finish the removing process.
Why do you need a table saw guard?
A table saw is a giant tool that cuts wood with a heavy-duty circular blade. The blades come with sharp teeth that move towards the operator at a speed over one hundred miles per hour. As a result, the user or operator has a high risk of injury from the blade.
It is a common problem that carpenters may cut their fingers or hands while cutting wood. The table saw also throws a wood piece back at high speed that can bring hazards for the operator. Besides, this tool has a risk of getting sawdust, splinters, or chunks of wood at the eyes.
It is not possible to manufacture a table saw by removing these risk points. So, we must utilize safety tools to avoid this type of hazard. The manufacturer provides a blade guard to protect you from kickbacks or touching the blade accidentally.
They also give instructions to use other safety gadgets such as personal protective equipment (PPE), earbuds, etc., to keep you safe & protected. The speed of the blade is too high, so it is tough to avoid accidents, especially when you are a beginner.
Also, a skilled carpenter is unable to prevent this injury because it occurs within a second. The only practical solution is using safety equipment, guards such as Goggles, hand gloves, earbuds, etc.
The blade guard protects the operator’s hands from contact with the blade. It automatically adjusts wooden thickness to avoid unnecessary contact with a blade. Guard reduces the chance of hazards, but it is not the complete solution.
Guard Protection:
The blade can protect the operator from accidental blade contact from four directions: above, rear, both sides.
Besides, ensuring the operator’s hand safety blade guard prevents the wood from falling on a spinning blade. It can happen when you try to grab a cut-off piece over the blade & drop them on the blade.
As a result, it will shoot back at the operator. But blade guard protects from this type of cut-off piece flying during kickback situations.
Guard Cons:
Unfortunately, it can protect users from the front. When an operator’s hand unconsciously moves forward on the top of the table saw & falls into the blade, the guard fails to protect his hand.
On this front position, the saw is expected wood; that is why injury will occur. So, you should be careful while cutting wood with a saw.
Type of Guard
Many good brands come with operator-friendly & perfect fit guards to make their saw effective. You need to consider basic features to choose the right safeguards for the table saw.
The blade guards allow the self-adjustments opportunity for different types of thick materials. This feature protects carpenter hands by automatically adjusting the material thickness during cutting.
There are three types of blade guards that are popular in the market. That is:
Traditional Guard
The most common & traditionally designed blade guard is situated on the saw’s trunnion assembly. Generally, the traditional type of blade guard is equipped with splitters, paws, etc. These types of safety tools are manufactured to decrease the saw blade risk during working.
Over Arm Guards
The guard that is situated in the extension table is called over-arm style guards. This guard is famous for its easy functionality. It is comparatively easier to adjust than other types of the guard. Some high-end table saws provide dual guard features.
Unfortunately, over-arm guards do not come with anti-kickback devices. You can add those devices separately if you need.
Advance technology
Day by day, new features come with modern technology. You can enjoy more convenient services with advanced technology.
One of the excellent technologies is skin contact sensing technology. Some high-quality table saw brands use this technology that is also equipped with blade guards to ensure superior protection.
The best part of this type of table saw is that it can shut down the blade within a split second if the blade touches any body parts. This modern technology is an excellent combination of high production & safety.
When do you need to replace the blade guard?
In the below scenario, you should replace your blade guard.
- If you buy a second-hand or cheap table saw & blade guard is missing. Then buy the original model blade guard & install it.
- If your original model blade guard is unavailable, then choose any guards that come with the same feature.
Final Thought
We try to give a detailed & logical answer on whether you need a blade guard on a table saw. This guard not only safe operator fingers but also helps to remind them where they will position hands in time of cutting. You can avoid 90% of accidents if you use a blade guard.
If you are an expert carpenter or beginner, don’t try to remove a blade guard. When you know the power of the table saw, you should be aware of its potential risks. No matter how much experience you have, accidents can occur at any time. So don’t forget to use safety guards & gadgets to keep you safe.
