Axminster industrial overhead saw guard

[mikefab]

I recently bought this to go on my Wadkin AGS 10. The local Axminster branch were very helpful in getting the trade version out for me to look at and phoning another branch to get measurements of the industrial version. It is designed to fit their 12" saw bench but will accommodate a right hand extension table so it is big and I had to modify it. I'm a bit tight for space at the moment as I have a temporary workshop in our house while I finish the renovations and get a workshop built!

This is far more heavy weight that the pictures online suggest. It weighs over 30kg and the tubing is 60mm diameter. As supplied the arm length is 1200mm so it would have protruded miles to the right of the saw and fouled my PT. So I cut it down and redrilled holes for the hand screws which clamp the guard in place before heading out to the local car fixers to get some M8 nuts welded over the holes (this is how the guard worked originally). I needed to drill 4x 10mm holes in the saw body at the back for the mounting bracket. I measured up VERY carefully! Still needed to ease one hole with a file though...

The guard was also fouling the blade as it is quite close to the back of my saw table so you can see I have inserted a bit of wood to offset it to the correct position. I will replace this with a piece of steel when I have a moment.

In use I am pleased with it so far. The guard is wide enough to accommodate a blade at 45 degrees although it may need to be slid one way or the other using the hand screws and extending mechanism on the top arm. The guard moves up and down nicely, assisted by a gas strut. It can be held at the chosen height by adjusting the lock screw at the top. To change the blade I lock it up high and then shorten the top tube to move the whole assembly out of the way. I have found it is necessary to preset the height rather than allow the workpiece to push the guard up.

Dust extraction is from the bottom and takes a 65mm hose which I have stepped up to 100 here.

The guard can be seen for sale here http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-industrial-series-tsce-12r-overhead-crown-guard-kit-508229

Hope this is of interest!

Mike

 

[Alexam]

Elf & Safty like these. :mrgreen:

 

[MARK.B.]

like everything about it except the price lol

 

[mikefab]

No it wasn't cheap!

But the guard and the replacement riving knife mean that I can make all the cuts I want to without removing the guard or the RK, which means that I am not tempted just to make that quick cut without the guard.

 

[Jacob]

Er - I can't see any advantage over the normal crown guard?

 

[Wizard9999]

Here we go, let the fun begin :lol:

 

[heimlaga]

Looks great!
An overarm guard is a lot more versatile and therefore a lot safer than a riving knife mounted guard.


Jacob.....if you cannot I'll tell you.
-You can make a threnching cut without removing guard and riving knife. This would be tennons and grooves and rebates and lap joints for instance. Those of us who don't own a full size three spindle tennoner need to make such things on the saw.
-You can saw a narrow strip of wood with the guard in place.
-If you accidentally push down onto the guard with a hand or arm without the guard shattering and the blade cutting into your body like if there was no guard at all.

In vocational school (1999-2000) we were taught that riving knife mounted guards had nothing to do in a professional environment. I remember the teacher telling us that if we need to remove the guard for a cut this means that the guard is a bad design and should be replaced with a properly designed guard.

 

[Jacob]

True about over-the-top cuts - but these are safe from risk of accidental cut anyway (blade is buried) as long as you use push sticks.
Otherwise I much prefer the crown guard - it's simpler, safer, less obtrusive, and worth the trouble of having to swap riving knives if you have to.

 

[mikefab]

Like Heimlaga said.....

...and it is far more effective at covering the blade when doing bevel cuts.

I earn my living doing delicate work with my hands so they are worth looking after!

Mike

 

[Jacob]

Like Heimlaga said.....

...and it is far more effective at covering the blade when doing bevel cuts.

....
Mike

Crown guard excellent for bevel cuts not least because it stays in place whatever the tilt. But reduces the possible depth of cut of course. Push sticks much more important than anything else for saving fingers. Better control too.
Crown guard particularly useful/essential for sheet material as you can set it so close it's almost a hold down.

What I like least about over the top guards:
1 they are never so closely set as a crown guard so offer less protection,
2 They are usually mounted from the side which means that if they do come into contact with the blade there could be a twisting movement and the thing jamming or getting torn off (see earlier posts a few months back). They have to be very sturdy/heavy to protect without twisting, against contact caused by say a heavy piece of wood dropped on, where a crown guard would just get slightly trimmed and you'd hardly notice.
3 They are very likely to need adjusting with every adjustment of the blade, whereas a crown guard moves with it.
4 Expensive
5 Visibility slightly irrelevant - you set the saw for a cut, you don't then need to see the actual point of contact like freehanding with a band saw. In any case after being blasted with sawdust for a few hours you won't be seeing much at all!

 

[mikefab]

How is something useful by being 'almost a hold down'??!

Obviously I also use a push stick and also have hold downs.

In any case I am pleased with the guard, it seems very versatile and rather safer than the previous and arrangement.

One thing I forgot to add is that paint job is awful. A minor scrape or knock and it chips off. Someone made a similar comment when reviewing this on the axminster website. Doesn't affect function though - I'd just expect better for the price.

 

[Jacob]

How is something useful by being 'almost a hold down'??!

Sheet (especially if thin, or hardboard etc) gets thrown up by the back edge of the blade - the crown guard keeps it down - the closer you set it the better.

PS sorry to be a downer! But there's a lot of chat about TS safety - the yanks are worst and seem to see nasty cuts as inevitable and honourable war wounds! And there's a bit of a bias often expressed against crown guards, which is deeply mistaken IMHO. Big machines different of course.

 

[mikefab]

PS sorry to be a downer!

Don't worry - the world needs sceptics! But we also need to be able to consider new ideas....

 

[Lons]

Nothing to say about the guard Mike but I think I'd be keeping the workshop in the house and moving the family out, you're even colder in Hexham than we are in Morpeth.
No...how do I persuade my missus to let me move machines into the lounge. :-k

 

[blackrodd]

The main point is that you have fitted a guard that you feel safe to use with the saw bench, Well done, an excellent outcome.
And as you say you would like to keep the fingers safe and the top dust extraction is very desirable especially with mdf etc.
Being used to the older crown guard and riving knife arrangement, I'm just used to setting up and guarding any machine even for one piece.
Many users would like to just press the on button and get on with the job in hand and no "messing about" setting the guard, and riving knife, etc
Which is not always the safest.
It's all too easy to get complacent using the machines we do.
Regards Rodders

 

[mikefab]

Nothing to say about the guard Mike but I think I'd be keeping the workshop in the house and moving the family out, you're even colder in Hexham than we are in Morpeth.
No...how do I persuade my missus to let me move machines into the lounge. :-k

Ha! Hand tool workbench is in the front hall...

 

[Lons]

Nothing to say about the guard Mike but I think I'd be keeping the workshop in the house and moving the family out, you're even colder in Hexham than we are in Morpeth.
No...how do I persuade my missus to let me move machines into the lounge. :-k

Ha! Hand tool workbench is in the front hall...

I did the same when we moved in to this house nearly 29 years ago Mike. It was in a hell of a mess and the lounge made a great workshop for 6 months. I didn't have seperates at that time just a Kity K5 a bandsaw and all the usual stuff. She did wonder why I didn't use the double garage though. :wink:

 

[mikefab]

. She did wonder why I didn't use the double garage though. :wink:

Obviously it would have been cold in there! Total non-starter that idea.

 

[Lons]

. She did wonder why I didn't use the double garage though. :wink:

Obviously it would have been cold in there! Total non-starter that idea.

That's what I said. Didn't quite hold up though, we moved into the house in June. :lol: :lol: