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Wow. I didn’t think that previous video was all that controversial. Seemed pretty informative.

"Then the internet will be happy and we'll only have polite, reasonable conversations about important topics." Best punchline ever in a woodworking video.

I thought I had the fence parallel to the blade on my Delta. My back porch is my ‘shop’, and after a kickback shattered a window 20’ away, I unplugged the saw and decided to mow the yard instead. Thanks for your sound advice 👍

The only noteworthy injury I've ever had working in my shop or in the field was tablesaw kickback. I had an aproximately 1'x1' piece of half inch plywood come spinning back into my stomach. The force of the blow was what I imagine getting hit with a golf club would feel like. The blunt edge of the plywood hit me hard enough to draw blood through my shirt. This was after it lost some momentum bouncing off the tablesaw fence and crushing the corner of the plywood. I'm so glad you are talking about this topic.

You’re one of the best content creators in the woodworking community. The other day I was cutting some plywood strips and stopped and thought “why am I not using the blade guard for this cut?” These gentle reminders are very useful.

I thought your "mandatory blade break" video was a well-rounded, reasoned presentation. And, as owner of a used, guardless table saw, I look forward to your aftermarket blade guard information. Thanks for sharing.

My grandfather worked in a sawmill about 1963. A 2x4 kicked back and went through his chest. He turned to the guy beside him, his best friend, and said goodbye then fell down dead. I used to stand at the door of his little workshop and watch him. He wouldn't let me go inside. He said it was to dangerous.

My shop teacher taught us how to use the saw without the blade guard and riving knife. I honestly didn't realize it was a problem until I started watching your videos, which was a real eye opener. You are a big proponent of safety, and I've learned so much from the channel. Thank you!

Sir, the comment, "the Internet will be happy and we'll only have polite, reasonable conversations about important topics" is just another shining example of why I follow you on KZfaq. Your humor, directness, and open honest way of sharing information is refreshing and needed in this current environment. I applaud you for doing the follow up, even though my personal views are not wanted or needed here. Please continue the great work and sharing the great wealth of information you have. Thank you!

I’m outraged that the clamps in the background are at an angle. It’s an affront to straight clamp organizing everywhere. I can’t believe you want me to organize my life so that all 10 fingers stay on my hands, but you don’t do the same with your clamps. Im going to go out and buy a domino and then return it immediately.

Wow, people are so full of themselves. There will always be keyboard warriors that will comment on something they should be quiet about. Keep doing what you're doing sir.

Both of your videos are spot on! I worked in a cabinet factory for 6 years making high end custom kitchen cabinets. Never used blade guards on our table saws, which we probably should have, but only had one issue in that time frame and it was due to a kick back. We had two table saws running every day all day long, to keep up with production. We were so fast using table saws that most people wouldn’t believe it even if they seen it.

Haters will hate, this is one of best channels on KZfaq useful info without fluff, no buy from online store ect... And you remind me of my shop teacher, from fifty years ago, he was a great teacher as well.

Eminently sensible as always. You're an asset to the entire woodworking community.

The blade guard/riving knife discussion never fails to amaze. It’s a standard safety device on any table saw here in Europe.

When steering wheel airbags were first introduced as standard fittings for new cars, someone from a road safety lobby suggested that what was needed on all steering wheels was not an airbag ready to inflate, but a 6" steel spike pointing directly at the driver's chest. The point being that the more safety measures provided, the greater risk of complacency or sheer recklessness. I've still got five digits on each hand, but since acquiring a sizeable scar on my right-hand third finger (still visible 37 years down the line) I'm far more focused when using any power tool, not just a bench saw.

I learned a valuable lesson about blade guards about a year ago. I'm a very occasional woodworker, using a DeWalt jobsite as my table saw. I was ripping a board while building a desk for my granddaugher- no blade guard and my push block laying on the workbench behind me, when my thumb made just the slightest contact with the blade, giving it a relatively minor cut- it frightened me like few other things. I shut down my saw, went over to my shop seat, sat down and regained my composure enough to tell my wife what I had just done, clean and bandaged the wound. After I gathered enough courage, I went back to my saw, installed the blade guard- pretty easy to do- and have used it ever since. Something I thought was a hindrance to using the saw is not- period. I'd love to have a SawStop saw, but I don't see myself spending that much money for one when other tools in my shop need upgrading (Porter-Cable tabletop jointer and planer, I'm looking at you!) Thanks for being an advocate for responsible power tool usage Stumpy, I should have listened to you before I tried to shorten my right thumb. Thank God I was unsuccesful.

Previous video was 100% analytical, sensible, open to conversation. One of the best videos on this channel. Very surprised that people found it controversial, it was by far the direct opposite.

I have my Dad's 1953 Craftsman table saw. There never was a blade guard or splitter on it. I have been allowed to use it alone since I was 12 years old, and the greatest safety device was my Dad said if I ever got cut on it, I would never be allowed to use it again. I'm 76 now and still have all my full-length fingers. If you are going to look into aftermarket safety devices, I would really like to fit it with a splitter. I hope you can find such an add-on. Thanks for all the great info you put out about woodworking.

I love that you are taking such a strong and fact based position on this topic. I have been woodworking (strictly amateur) for 40+ years. My table saw is a Craftsman, also 40+ years. While I have not been a fanatic about it, I almost always use the blade guard. One reason is that the splitter is part of the blade guard. So no guard, no splitter. I learned early on that it is wise to have a splitter. No doubt more modern saws have better guards that are easier to attach & remove, but it only takes a few moments to do so. I don’t really see why most woodworkers don’t use them. Maybe if more people watch your videos…

50 year retired millwork professional. The only time we had the guards on was if the OSHA inspector was coming. Stumpy is correct when he says that "kickback" is the most recurring injury accident. All the really bad finger cutting injuries I saw were on the band saws because the guard was too high. The table saw injuries occurred because of "chatter" as the work was not held down properly. This also applies to the shapers. After a few years I could hear a "kickback" about to happen. When I saw Stumpy push that board thru, I see no hold down at all. I preached this my whole career. Hold that work DOWN !!! And wax your saw !

I have an old Craftsman table saw, circa 1975, that came with a blade guard. In two moves with the saw and the rest of my tools I have misplaced or forgotten what I did with said blade guard. I have never been hurt by the blade and once with a minor kickback that hit my hand was more surprised than hurt. After watching your recent video, I plan to try and find my original blade guard or see if I can purchase one, new or second-hand, to stop tempting fate. 50 years of relative safety may just mean my turn is due. Thanks for restating the obvious for us woodworkers, both high grade and weekenders (like me).

Fantastic content! Keep up the good work! You're the reason I re-installed my splitter on my saw. It's a low-end saw which it came with a "blade guard shaped device" (great description) that I threw away on day one, it was that pathetic. Big fan of push sticks and push shoes. I also approach every cut with the assumption that a kickback is always possible, so I plan for many "what if" situations to keep me safe around the most dangerous tool a typical homeowner might own.

Hi Stumpy - I agree - For info, In the UK, whatever you do in your own workshop is ultimately down to the person, but commercially there always has to to be a blade guard for this very reason. Dado cuts are legal here as long as you have a 'floating guard' We certainly can't sell any saws without a guard. I would never use a TS without a guard or riving knife. When I was involved with CE on USA Saws to Europe - your standard USA blade guards also didn't qualify as the plastic moulding wall thickness was too thin to meet the exact specs. needed. New 'heavier duty' guards were introduced for CE.

Found it! You put the paper on without showing the paddle trigger sander wasn't unplugged. Now the internet can remain the angry place we all know and love! ;)

Thanks Stumpy for all the great content!! Just have to add one comment... I found the 3M Cubitron Ad to be very abrasive! 😁

I used my table saw twice, and now it sits in my garage holding up a box of cleaning supplies because that tool terrifies the hell out of me.

50+ years as a professional and hobbyist woodworker (using a 1940s Delta Unisaw almost exclusively the entire time), and I support most everything said here. About 5 years ago, I cut myself on the tablesaw a couple of weeks after the worst (of less than a handful in 50 years) kickback I had ever experienced. As they were sewing up the tip of my thumb at urgent care, they discovered the multi-hued 6 in dia bruise on my stomach. Suddenly, my thumb wasn't so bad. My point is this: both incidents occurred within weeks of each other after a lifetime of experience. Both were serious, but I still have all of my thumb and didn't damage any internal organs. Along with PPE, which guards and stops effectively are, users need experience and education in using the equipment. Convincing people of this is the hardest thing to do, and videos like this are great for spreading tthe word. What's most important is to realize there's no "one size fits all" solution that *must* be used *all the time *. There's a lot to be said for good sense, experience, and education. One more thing and I'll get off the soapbox: if I'm going to do something and it occurs to me that it could be risky, I stop and think it through. I've found that if I ignore that thought, more often than not, something undesired happens.

James, I appreciated your coverage. I don't know why people would get upset with you. Thank you for your channel. So much valuable content! ❤

Thanks Stumpy for keeping us abreast of regulatory issues we aren’t paying attention to!

My old Delta Unisaw (like many of us are using) came with a blade guard that was so much work to take on and off that I never put it on. I finally discovered Sharkguard who make aftermarket solutions. Most important to me is the riving knife. (Though it has to be manually adjusted because it is an add on device.) The Sharkguard setup also has a fantastic easy to remove blade guard with dust collection as well. I have all my fingers, but I know from over 25 years of woodworking just how much safer a saw with a riving knife is. The blade guard and dust collection are great added bonuses for me.

Great Response! I agreed with most of the points you made in your first video. Anyone who complained about not having a blade guard on an ad for saw blades clearly doesn't have anything better to do and should probably be ignored anyway. I'd love to see your suggestions for home made/ 3rd party guards. I have two table saws at home. One is a newer cheap dewalt portable saw and I love the blade guard on that and use it most of the time (sometimes I use the riving knife and push sticks for narrow rips). But, my main saw in the shop is an old 60's craftsman with a cast iron top. I love that saw but there is no way I can find to mount any sort of guard or riving knife to it. As a result, it mainly gets used for dados and cross cuts. Anyway, I'd like to see what you would suggest.

Looking forward to the video on aftermarket/diy blade guards and riving knives. I've got an old Delta 36-640 that has sentimental value. Replacing that missing part would be half the cost of a new table saw.

I've only had 1 kickback during my years of woodworking on my old 10" table saw. No harm was done but the way that piece of wood whizzed past me and up against the wall behind put the fear into me. I looked for a retro curf splitter but couldn't find anything that was workable so I fabricated my own. It works well (tilts with the blade) and I feel more confident when ripping. Thanks for posting you video. ps the splitter was fashioned with portions of a framing square.

Thank you for another informative video. As someone who junk picked his 3.5 hp table saw with No Riving Knife, I’d appreciate information about retrofitting one to an older saw. 😉

I appreciate you putting your money where your mouth is, so to speak. Taking the time and effort to address the trolls, much less the actual comments about safety and the much over-used (for filming purpose...or whatever), you continue to be the go-to source for information, safety, and the working person's source for tools. Your commitment to researching and providing alternates for retro-fitting old saws is amazing and I plan to check it out once released. I upgraded from a Ridgid 3650 with a blade guards and anti-kick back cawls to a Grizzly with neither. I've purchased other items to try and make my table saw safer, but look forward to your resourcefulness and sincere commitment to making woodworking safer.

My main critique of Sawstop from the beginning is that it may create a false sense of security from all table saw dangers, most of all kickback. And that's why I really feel safer using my Gripper to be able to apply a good amount of pressure to the workpiece for a good clean cut while protecting my hands by putting space and a big chunky push block between me and the blade. Even if I had a Sawstop I would still want to use blade guards and nice push blocks like the gripper, which is why I feel it would really be a waste of money. The main danger left that I have to deal with is keeping away from the blade as it spins down after use. It would be nice if manufacturers would add a brake to the saws to stop the blade much faster after shutting off, and maybe some do already.

James - keep up the good content and remember, you can’t fix stupid. Honestly, in my opinion, the most unsafe thing you can do with a table saw is to use it when you are tired. Making that “one last cut” was how I had my first/only kickback accident. I’m lucky I didn’t lose fingers and only ended up with a nice bruise on my abdomen.

First, thanks for all the useful information you have provided over the years. I would be very interested in a video, or videos, on aftermarket blade guards, and DIY blade guards, as I have one of those less expensive TS's that had a cheap blade guard the was impossible to put back on the saw. At least the riving knife was not integral to the blade guard. Having the blade guard on your table saw in your videos, is a good idea. You can still show the blade,fence and show how to set the cut up, and then put the blade guard on when you actually make the cuts. One thing you might want to consider is showing the situations where you don't use the blade guard and why you chose to remove it. While people will differ on when they use and not use a guard, I would find it useful to hear your reasoning for not using one and, of course, the precautions you take in those situations. It will at least give us a process to use when deciding to not use a guard. Even though we may differ on when to use a guard, or not, the method of deciding may be the same regardless of the actual decision.

You sure are right about blade guards, I'm glad you brought up that subject because all my table saws suffer from exceptionally poor design, (all were cheap machines), which forces one to remove it all each time one need to make a limited depth cut, then one stand there with lots of small fiddly parts that not just all has to go back, but one has to tune in the knife each time. One can wonder if there is a law regulation that states that the knife always must reach over the blade…🤨

Aftermarket options will be much appreciated! I have an early 2000’s model Craftsman and the guard / splitter is not great. I’ve mostly used it with guard removed. Lately, I’ve been making cuts for projects that require more accuracy and precision and the lack of a good splitter/riving knife is creating a lot of post-cut work to clean up.

I recently disposed of my 15 year old Ryobi table saw from Bunnings (Australia). I couldn't find any aftermarket riving knives that would fit and the one that came with it was wider than any blade I could seem to buy. I had to struggle to force timber past it, which would also push the incredibly bad fence away from the back of the blade. The fence was also that bad that it would flex from side to side, giving an inaccurate cut. I never really did feel safe with it out of the box, but the added issues after replacing the blade was the final straw. I bit the bullet and ripped it to bits and threw it in the bin. When I told my father-in-law that I threw it because of safety issues, he sneered at me. One of those "old timers" with the "it'll never happen to me" attitudes. But it wasn't his fingers on the line...

Your humility & honesty make you all the more a woodworker to appreciate. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

Happy to be one of the middle-of-the-road fans of your excellent channel. Appreciate the well informed presentations that have made me a better woodworker. I don’t see being able to afford a StopSaw anytime soon. I do look forward to a comprehensive discussion of aftermarket blade guards, which my wife will get for me if I don’t do it myself. Thanks James.

Hey Stumpy, I have been watching your videos for several years now and I do not have an expensive table saw. Mine is the Skil spt 99. If you do make a video or videos about after market or diy blade guards I would certainly appreciate it. My table saw has a very weak blade guard with a riving knife that is easily misaligned. I did watch the video about saw stop and the future of table saws and I am glad that I did. I have learned so much from your videos and I thank you for what you do. I am a disabled Viet Nam veteran who picked up woodworking to help me with my combat related PTSD. Keep up the good work you do!

You're one of the best Woodworking teachers of this generation… I wish KZfaqrs were able to ignore the haters

James you are a great teacher. I watch your videos all the time. I am 71 and been an avid woodworker all my life. I have had several saws over the years. I have never had a problem with all the saws because in the early years I had great knowledgeable teachers like you. You do a great job showing all sides of the issues. Some nay sayers out there need to get a life. Maybe their shorts are on too tight. Nevertheless keep up the great work that you are doing.

James, I appreciate all the vids you have done with safety in mind. I'm a very part time, mostly self taught woodworker who can use all the help he can find. Thanks for giving us the benefit of your experience.

You’re a professional and I don’t question anything you do. I figure out my own level of safety. That video made me rethink the way I was holding a chisel the other day. Thanks.

Thank you for your comments about bladeguards on less expensive saws. I have a lower end saw and the blade guard that came with it makes it impossible to even push a piece of wood through. So, I don't use it. I would use a blade guard if it didn't negatively impact my woodworking.

I never appreciated how important ease of removal/installation of the blade guard is until I recently got a new saw. With my new saw, I can very quickly pop out the blade guard/riving knife (as a single assembly) and pop it back in without even removing the throat plate (it's a Harvey saw, like yours, so it has that little riving knife locking pin you can pull back with a finger through the hole in the throat plate). Now that I have that simple, little feature, I find myself more often putting the blade guard back in after taking it out for specific cuts, instead of like I used to do with my old saw where I would remove it never really put it back on for long periods of time. My old saw had the more typical process of removing the blade guard from the riving knife, removing the throat plate, unlocking the riving knife with a cam lever, repositioning the riving knife to the lower position (so that it would allow non-through cuts), relocking it, and putting the plate back in. With the new saw, I just pull back and turn the locking pin to the side (through the hole in the throat plate), pull out the blade guard/riving knife assembly, push in the new non-blade-guard riving knife, and turn back the locking pin so that it springs back into the lock position. That's it. It makes the transition noticeably easier.

Again, I commend you for being one of - if not the only - voice of reason in regards to blade guards. Despite the faux pas of the particular footage used at the end of that video, you have long advocated for guard and riving knife use whenever possible. I also agree that the user decides when, where, and if to use a blade guard. Unfortunately, KZfaq content creators are also called "influencers" for a reason. There are so many videos of unprotected cuts on KZfaq that I have no doubt that many users have had their decisions adversely "infuenced." Even worse are videos dedicated to rationalizing not using blade guards. Thanks for being the one to swim against the tide!

Thank you for the Saw Stop video and for this follow up too. I see you as being totally trustworthy and I greatly appreciate your dedication to helping the woodworking community. I'm sure that the silent majority on here feel exactly the same.

As a LONG time Craftsman 113 table saw user and restorer, I have always used and lobbied to others to use the factory blade guard. The splitter and anti kick-back features are essential and one of the best ever designed. I know that you use a Sawstop brand table saw, but, most of the public use other brands. The vintage Craftsman table saw is probably the most popular (Due to excellent construction and durability). I applaude you for this and other SAFETY oriented videos. Thank You

I for one would LOVE to see after-market blade guard & riving knife options. I have an old Rigid table saw. I suppose it is considered a cabinet saw, as it's not a portable jobsite-style saw. There is no riving knife, though it does have a splitter. Unfortunately, said splitter is integrated with the blade guard (or vice versa, depending on how you look at it). So if I need to remove the blade guard, like to cut a groove or something, the splitter comes off with it. Since learning about riving knives, this has bothered me. Not to the point that I'll replace the saw, of course. Just to make me question the safety. So yes, please do a video on that. I don't know if I could fit an after-market riving knife on, but having some options at least to research would be good. And I trust your wisdom & recommendations completely. Thank you for all you do, & have a wonderful day! :)

You're one of my fav presenters! Cheers, Mark

James. Their are who enjoy criticizing everything. Please ignore them. I have learned so much from your educational videos and have become a better woodworker because of them. Keep the humor and continue what you are doing and don’t bend to the idiots of the world.

I have one of those $700.00 Delta table saws. Bought it maybe a year ago. It's not perfect, but the best saw I've had after 30-40 years of using table top job saws. The other day I put the blade guard on... and immediately removed it. In addition to it being just plain chintzy, I could not move the thing up and out of the way so that I could use my tape to measure my rip... from the fence to the blade. This is how I make sure my rip fence is right where I need it. If I had a high-quality blade guard that I could lift up and have it stay put while I measure, that would be great. So I'm going to look into getting a high-quality, after-market guard that has this feature. Thanks for the great videos. I use what I learn here almost every day. You da bomb!

In our commercial production shop, we have two tables saws. 1) 3 hp 220v Delta 2) Saw Stop. My son loves the Saw Stop. Me, the old man, not so much. We build custom sets and use all kinds of materials. One material we use often is a composite panel material used in the sign industry - Aluminum clad PVC. Those who know, know. The electrical difference immediately triggered the Saw Stop. There goes another $100, sigh. We use both. But for some things, the old Delta is the only way to go.

Bada Bing Bada Boom. Kickbacks often send people’s digits zinging off the blade as well. I’m a 68 year old ten fingered Woodworker who just YESTERDAY upgraded the on/off switch on my ancient Dewalt Rockwell #10. The second upgrade of the switch in the 30 years I’ve owned it. And I did it WITHOUT a mandate. I live in Californistan and I Vehemently oppose just about anything the Government tries to Mandate under the Guise of “it’s for your own good”. Because it practically never is anymore. It ALWAYS has $$$$$ attached. Money that costs US and enriches THEM. Cheers. Keep up the great content. I truly enjoy it. We’re never too old to learn.

JAMES!!!! You are one of the best at what you do. And have been nothing but one of the most inspiring woodworkers on KZfaq. I find you to be informative and trustworthy. Keep up the great content.

i perfectly understand there are some times when a guard or riving knife can not be used as in one such examples like cutting a lap joint on the table saw without a dado stack, and i have paid the price a couple of times but no bits lost. however i always try and keep it on my triton 2000 saw as i don't have a proper table saw yet but would like a way to make a guard that does hang over the table without a riving knife for cutting above tenons or half lap joints. If you have an idea always interest to try it out

as a lifelong woodworker and Carpenter, you've done the best job explaining the balance between engineering and personal responsibility and part of that responsibility is training. Great job! keep it up.

Appreciate the follow up, but just want to point out that flesh sensing tech would be an AND safety, not an OR. Really looking forward to the follow up with aftermarket options!

I was shouting at the TV "where is his push stick!!!!!!!!!", but missed the missing blade guard. 🤣

Hey mate, I really appreciate the effort you're putting into the woodworking community, your videos have been an amazing resource for me over the last few years, thank you. I'd also like to say that I'd be very interested in options for better blade guards on smaller saws. I'm currently running a milwaukee jobsite saw that spends a bit over half its time in a larger bench but also still goes out for field work, the "guard shaped device" that comes with it is absolutely useless (and unfortunately rarely gets used) but one thing that particular saw does well is that it is so easy to change the guard for the riving knife, or theoretically other accessories with the same attachment. A better guard for that system would be an absolute game changer. Thanks again for being a positive (and funny) contributor to this amazing craft. Cheers Aaron

I've had one table saw accident in 20+ years woodworking. I'd taken the blade guard off to cut a dado, bad mojo happened, and I ended up with my palm sliding across a 3/4" dado blade. I have a SawStop, and took only a tiny nick in my palm. Figure this one accident paid for the saw. This is the only brake cartridge I've ever replaced. Personally, I will always have a saw with some sort of stopping tech, and I would buy more tools that have this technology should they become available. With respect to blade guards, my experience with the floating type has been very positive. Find them far superior to the table-based guards. The extra vacuum support you get keeps dust and chips down, plus the guard design greatly reduces the chance for blade contact since you can use it with nearly every operation. At minimum people should look into the floating guard + a riving knife. Thanks for your vids, very helpful and informative.

I'd love a D.I.Y guard video, I bought an ancient Rockwell Table saw that doesn't have a guard or riving knife :)

Absolutely Thank You

Bought my first tablesaw a few months ago. 50's style craftsman 103. No splitter, knife, or blade guard option that doesn't cost at least twice as much as what I bought the saw for. Saving up for a delta now.

I found this and the previous video informative. I look forward to information on (affordable) after market guards. My personal saw is a contractor grade saw. The guide is difficult to install and remove. When setting up the saw for a new cut the guard won't stay out of the way as adjustments are made. On the positive side the saw's riving knife is independent of the guard and in place 99% of the time.

I agreed with your comments completely.

“Then the internet will be happy!”😂😂😂😂 Man! James, that was the best. Great content as per usual.

I look forward to the discussion of after-market blade guards. The blade guard on my old Ridgid TS3650 is a major hassle to take on and off, doesn't incorporate a riving knife, is pretty flimsy, incompatible with my sleds, and the splitter can get wonky which causes unwanted deflection. As a consequence of these, I seldom use it, but I'm also aware of how this makes using my saw more dangerous.

Great video, stresses the importance, but leave the decision to the user. I agree, kickbacks are far more common. I have had a few kickbacks, but one stands out for me. On a job making many repetitive cuts, a piece came off the saw so fast I could not possibly react in time. The impact put a hole in a 1/2” plywood door. If possible, I use the guard with anti kick back pawls. If I can’t, I make sure I stand to the side of the blade. Keith

The internet will never be happy, polite, or reasonable.

I have an older Craftsman table saw. The blade guard is a pain to put on, have to have a square handy to line up and takes a couple cuts to turn in. Looking forward to your video on this.

Thanks again James Hamilton for another spot on, well balanced and informative video. You are an asset to the woodworking community. I have a magnificent and accurate craftsman 113 from the early 80's I devotedly restored and have always been interested in at least a riving knife somehow attached to the carriage. Any helpful insight would be appreciated. From SE Michigan.

I’ve been a professional pilot for forty years and safety in the workplace was an ever day every hour fact of my life. I bought my Sawstop 3hp Professioanal Cabinet saw because of the safety features. Just as you said, I only rarely remove my blade guard and riving knife in only very specific and rare circumstances. As usual, your analysis and explanations are spot on! Keep up the good work….and ignore the trolls!

Please stop pointing out all the hazards of woodworking, I am an anesthetist and need all those Darwin award winners to stay in business over at the trauma center! Keep up the awesome job, Love this channel!

I've been hurt by kick back twice. Only nicked my finger once. I almost lost an eye with kick back, never even needed stitched for my nick

I agree with your kickback assessment. I was ripping a board years ago and it pinched between the fence and blade and kicked back on me. Caused a huge bruise on my belly, and one carbide tip flew off and hit my cheek just under my safety glasses. Scared the crap out of me. Didn't turn the saw on for many months.

Don't work with wood much, but my advocation of safety is that the responsible parties for my safety are ... myself. I do appreciate when safety appliances are made available, however I also reserve the right to use them or not. Having said that, I do perform projects that have wood materials in them and I would be very interested to see how to add a decent diy blade guard to my tablesaw. This saw is used primarily (about 99% of the time) to take up space on a shelf. It Doesn't have any fences, and takes every ounce of concentration to cut wood safely, which hampers accuracy considerably. After all, I don't perform electrical welding without a helmet, electrical work without identifying all ground paths to avoid or de-energize. etc. etc. etc.

We had OSHA inspector coming to a woodshop, saw the woodworker without hearing protection, pulled the main switch and started shouting. The woodworker looked up, looked at the inspector and pulled out a pad "Hi, I'm Henrik. I wad born deaf" He got a bad report "Woodworker, although deaf, not wearing hearing protection "

I am a novice woodworker and I choose to not use my blade guard/splitter. My tablesaw is a ridgid ts3650. A full cast iron contractor style saw with the motor outside the frame. For anyone not familiar with that saw, the guard and splitter attach to the motor mount outside the saw. It's not part of the bearing block, it's externally mounted. That makes it extremely difficult for even some through cuts as it needs to be aligned to the blade and the way its mounted means it can be tilted. I also use many styles of blades including dado, I do a ton of non-through cuts and use my sled for many operations. 90% of the cuts I make the guard and splitter are just completely incompatible with. I understand and respect that safety limitation. My solution is to always have the blade set st an appropriate height. Use push sticks whenever possible. I use long reach ones. And a featherboard for dado cuts or certain rip cuts. Also I never stand directly behind the blade. I always avoid putting myself and the saw in a position where I make a dangerous cut that results in a injury. I think another huge safety thats overlooked is the throat plate. I have a factory zero clearance that was available for my saw. Zero clearance plates are more safe when doing thin rips or thin crosscuts. The piece cant fall in the blade and potentially get kicked back. And you wont be tempted to fish a piece out if its running. Making them for bevel cuts is the same reasons. My worst kickback was from a jobsite saw that didnt have a plate. I tried to move a small piece away from the blade before it could fall in and cause a kickback and thats exactly what happened

Don't let the Karens get you down, brother. Anecdote: a good friend of mine is a physical therapist who works with a ton of patients injured in power tool accidents. She says every single one of them are seasoned professionals who suffered "just a momentary lapse" in safety. Anecdote 2: Before Florida removed licensing requirements for concealed carry, I was a certified firearms instructor for the state. I've done tons of research on firearms accidents and discovered most of them involve people who became too comfortable with their weapons. As for me, every time I engage with a power tool or firearm, or even drive a car, I think to myself, "Given enough monkeys and enough typewriters, eventually one of them will spit out the complete works of Shakespeare." Meaning on a long enough timeline, accidents are inevitable. It's just a matter of how bad they're going to be. That motivates me to recalibrate my safety consciousness to 100%, every single time.

As an adult working on machinery my entire years as a machinist and a woodworker after hours at home, you are responsible for your own safety and the safety of others around you. I have 2 rules in my home workshop. Rule nimber one, Safety comes first and second rule, obey the first one. Some cut can only be done without the guard. When in doubt, make a jig or fixture for your safety. That is my opinion. Thank you very much for all the years of informative videos.

I use an overhead retractable home made lexan blade guard whenever possible and always use a face sheild and hearing protection when my saw is being used. I also use push sticks on table and band saw. 79 years old and no accidents up to now even though there have been kick backs. Keep up the great videos.

My saw has a low profile riving knife that fits in place of the guard when you have the guard removed. It sits just below the blade height so you can use it for non-through cuts without it getting in the way. It helps prevent binding and kickback, and also helps guide the timber on the back side of the blade. It's also designed so that swapping between the two takes no tools, and less than a minute... Laguna brand. I love it.

One of the thing I love about my saw is how easy it is to switch from riving knife and splitter w/ guard. Usually when I remove the guard it's because I'm doing narrow cuts or fingerjoints, resawing etc. and will always use the riving knife unless I am doing dados. I did notice you say that there are times you must remove them and how that should be easy. Some people don't pay attention i guess. Maybe they shouldn't work near power tools if they are that inattentive. :) My last saw before I upgraded required so much time and effort to remove the splitter that I just left it off. I still like the peace of mind that comes with the no finger cutting off technology and I didn't think the price was excessive because it IS a quality saw in all regards, when you compare to the higher end cabinet saws it's not so far off. Apples to apples here.

Clever way to make sure people watch your sponsor! Yay! Seriously, I came to this channel in the beginning to learn how to be safe with my first table saw. A Saw-Stop table saw. As many have said, including you, cutting something you did not want to cut is not the only danger of having a spinning sharp blade in your house.

As a very amateur table saw user, you have convinced me to find the blade guard I took off several years ago and re-install it before I use the saw again. I still have all 10 fingers, and would like to keep it that way. I also appreciate your honesty and humility in discussing blade guards.

Thanks for conversations. I give safety talks at my job. I'm not perfect but I don't know anyone who is perfect. I use these safety tips to make me think about the work I'm doing. It's always helpful for me to review best practices. I like to work so if I'm injured I can't work. Stay the course, be safe have some fun.😊

Worked in a commercial shop, designer mostly builder some, for a few years. Never saw someone loose a digit but saw a few busted wrists. There was moving panel saw with an absurd motor that was use to cut 3" pedestal bases, prime culprit. As a builder I cut custom stuff on the table saw, used the guard unless cutting irregular objects. I will vote that blade guard is a no-fail protector. Also, people who are new to anything tend to be more cautious, only when we become comfortable do we do stupid things. Pilots with many hours generally are the ones that crash, not often ones with a few.

Love your passion on this topic. In the Data Center industry, there was legislation that was put in that required an "Emergency Power Off" switch. That sounds like a good idea right? It's not. That is because they didn't understand basic electrical safety. And focusing on electrical safety is the right thing in that case. All the EPO did was result in data center outages, and there are 0 instances of an EPO saving a person, and all the incidents resulted only in outages that should have never occurred. I'm with you 100%. My guard is in place any time it can be, and there are times when it cannot. I then take other precautions or I look for another way to accomplish the same thing. Thanks for your videos! Scott from Japan

Having worked in a cabinet makers & bench joinery workshops for years I can definitely tell you that experienced people get cut all the time. And it’s usually through rushing to either get a job done quick or because they’re not supposed to be using the machine for personal reasons. Good video. 👍

Very interesting video. I first started to use a table saw back in 1976 when I was in woodworking class when I was 16. There were no such things as blade guards or push sticks back then. One day, I was cutting something, I don't remember what, and I ran the tip of my right middle finger into the blade. Luckily, my fingers were curled, so the blade did not touch the bone. Just hearing the sound of a table, circular, or mitre saw makes me freeze and look around. I have no issues with band saws, jig saws, routers, or other types of wood cutting tools. Reciprocating saws had not been invented yet, but they also do not bother me. My father was a plumber, so we only had a circular saw and a jig saw but I had to get him to use the circular saw instead of me. He later noticed just how much I was trembling while he was using the saw. He never ever complained about me asking him to do any cutting for me from that day forward. Years later, I had to make some cheap shelves once, so I had to make a table saw that used a reciprocating saw that had the end of the blade captured between bearings because even 40 years later, I simply cannot use a table or circular saw. Dremel tools don't count as all they are are a miniature hand-held router, and a mitre saw has a built-in saw guard so I can force myself to use one. I agree that these methods of protection SHOULD be used in consumer grade equipment because nothing is truly foolproof because fools are so ingenious. But even in the land of the lawyer, a simple document signed by the purchaser stating that they are trained in the usage of the saw and that they accept any responsibility for future accidents that occure when using the saw should be good enough. I thoroughly hate the nanny state that modern day western civilization has become. It's kinda surprising that anything actually gets created nowadays with all of the government oversight there is. Even I know to take off any arm jewelry and not to wear gloves when working with anything that spins so that nothing can be caught and a body part gets pulled off. It's the same when working with electronics, except that ANYTHING that can dangle is removed to avoid creating a short-circuit that may have a high level of amps. I'm also a Licensed Amateur Radio Operator so I had to learn to work with circuits that used tubes and deadly levels of volts and/or amps. Always remember folks, if you release the 'magic' smoke, that means that you did something REALLY dumb and it's time you rethink your standard operating procedures. I'm sure there is a woodworking equivalent saying as well. EDC aka Evil Dave of Canada

Well suited and adjusted riving knife and fence aligned toe out on the blade is absolutely 100% the greatest way of avoiding 99,9% of tablesaw accidents. The accidents happen, as said, on pinching. Most people I know never knew anything about featherboards or a lot of other stuff, and they still have all of their fingers, and yes, while they work just fine, they still need the above factors to be in order.

I appreciate the topics and information covered on this channel. Keep up the good work. I have NEVER used a blade guard and based on these two related videos I am going to reinstall it before next use