All: I have a Jet left-tilt cabinet saw with 50″ full extension table fence. Anyone have the Brett Overarm Guard???
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Replies
B
I have a PM66 with a 52" table and a Brett Guard. I purchased the Brett Guard because I felt that it was a more solid guard mechanism than the other types. I've had it for several years and am very happy with it.
Jeff
Jeff: Thanks for the input. I think I've narrowed it down to the Brett or Excaliber but I think the Brett will win out because of the ability to lift the arm up over the blade vs. pivoting the entire arm. Any difficulties/issues mounting it to the table?
Bruce
Bruce,
I had no trouble mounting it to the table. I like the fact that once you set it for a given material thickness and fence position, that it stays in place. Some of the other types I looked at slide up over the piece you are cutting as you push it through. I thought they might do the same to my fingers. The Brett guard stays in position. On at least one occasion it has stopped a piece of stock that has tried to rise up over the blade and come back at me.
I also have the dust collector attachment and it works well.
It also works well with my cross-cut jig as I just pivot the guard up and out of the way.
The only thing I wish it had was the ability to work with a splitter. I like the removeable aftermarket splitters, but they interfere with the Brett guard. I have one of the low profile plastic ones that mounts to the zero-clearance insert, but I'd like to have the taller metal type.
If I were to make the purchase choice again, I would definitely go with the Brett Guard again.
Good luck,
Jeff
Jeff, do you have the original or cantilevered version? From your description, I assume you have the cantilevered. The price difference is significant.Norman
Norman,
I have the cantilever version. I think it was around $550 if I remember correctly. It was expensive, but very well built and I believe they said it was OSHA approved. I decided my fingers were worth it.
I also have the HTC outfeed rollers and they're equally well-built.
Jeff
Jeff: I too like the idea of having the guard stay in place vs. slide over the piece being cut. I use my cross-cut sled all the time and to be able to raise the guard is a nice feature. Brett is the one. Now if I can find one without paying list price.
Thanks for the feedback. Just what I was looking for.
Bruce
I visited the HTC factory 2 days ago to see the Brett Guard. It is built 'hell-fer-stout" and adjusts easily.
I noticed that it is VERY important to check ALL of the dimensions of your saw so that you buy the correct configuration: distance from blade to right side of table; distance from blade to back of table. They do have a splitter which is bolted on in back of the blade; fairly easy to remove/replace.
Problems: I couldn't figure how to feed stock under the plastic guard; I couldn't figure how to feed stock for a narrow cut (about 2" or less)
Frosty
"I sometimes think we consider the good fortune of the early bird and overlook the bad fortune of the early worm." FDR - 1922
Frosty, look at Page 6 in this Brett Guard manual. The push plate pictured along with a featherboard should solve the problem.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
JamieThe folks at the factory (receptionist and a man - responsibility unknown) were not too swift about features and operation. The pics in the manual answer some of my questions. Thanks. Do you refer to the lower left diagram on page 6? Is the "push plate" an accessory or just a sacrificial push-board?The lower right diagram is a real puzzler - check the blade rotation and direction of feed.I'm still "discussing with myself" but I missed my window of opportunity - my B'day is in January and with it a 10% discount from Woodcraft. Such is life.My current practice is to lower the blade the moment I turn off the saw. I know this has limitations - kick-back, etc. But I also am using the bandsaw more and more.Frosty"I sometimes think we consider the good fortune of the early bird and overlook the bad fortune of the early worm." FDR - 1922
The push-plate is a shop-made device, near as I can tell. Shesh, the lower right picture, showing the splitter and blade -- you're right! The teeth are pointed in the wrong direction. Too funny. Not the first time that mistake has been made in a drawing, though. They have the feed direction indicated corrently, but the teeth were drawn wrong.
Hmmmmm, "My current practice is to lower the blade the moment I turn off the saw." No "limitations" but danger there, IMHO. You are moving your body around, turning a wheel, maybe leaning over a little (hopefully not in front of the blade path!). I firmly believe in letting the blade coast to a stop, then doing whatever is needed. Our member who lost fingertips last week knows the blade is still working when it's coasting down. I've had one nasty kickback during the coast-down stage, an offcut that took off and took out a bit of the old blade guard.
If the blade guard is covering the blade, no need to lower it, IMHO. It'd take me forever to make something (well, it does anyway) if I were lower the blade all the time.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
I clear the stock before I lower the blade - and probably - the blade is stopped by the time I lower it. True confessions: My total saw table is 5' x 5' including melamine outfeed table with router inserts. I use this 'real estate' for a great deal of work: drawing, assembly, sanding, etc. Therefore I don't want a blade sticking up above the surface. I guess this means that my PRIMARY reason for lowering the blade was not safety. Hard to admit it.My rush trip to the HTC plant to see the Brett Guard was motivated by the "finger incident". These posts do affect me. I went out and bought real safety glasses (not just hardened lenses) after a similar post about an eye injury. I'll rethink the Brett Guard.Frosty"I sometimes think we consider the good fortune of the early bird and overlook the bad fortune of the early worm." FDR - 1922
"I clear the stock before I lower the blade - and probably - the blade is stopped by the time I lower it." At the risk of being obsessive about all this, are you clearing the offcut before the blade stops, and if so, how are you doing it?
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Edited 2/2/2008 8:08 pm by forestgirl
I don't really remember, Jamie. It depends on what is "safe" at the time. I would say "Yes, I wait for the blade to stop." but if I have multiple cuts to make of 3' - 4' long pieces, I go to the back side of the saw and remove the off-cut and the 'good' piece which has been moved through the blade with a 'push device'. The 'device' type depends on the width of the 'good' piece.Frosty"I sometimes think we consider the good fortune of the early bird and overlook the bad fortune of the early worm." FDR - 1922
That scenario sounds good to me, I've certainly done the same. Our member JamesS learned the hard way yesterday about poking at small stock cutoffs when the blade's still spinning, broken finger, stitches and all. Ouch.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
All of these "safety posts" - or the lack thereof, are really good. I've avoided the Gripper is too much trouble. Do you have one?Frosty"I sometimes think we consider the good fortune of the early bird and overlook the bad fortune of the early worm." FDR - 1922
I don't have one, but Tom (tms) a Knots friend over in Seattle has one he uses on his big MiniMax combo machine, he loves it. He's a life-long woodworker, learned from his dad, I trust his opinion a great deal.
I would be more likely to make a solid wood pusher that would ride over the blade for this and that high-risk application./
Gotta go -- SuperBowl time soon! Nailing down my favorite table at the bar, LOL.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Frosty: Certainly does look very stout from the pictures on their website.Nice to have that confirmed from your visit to HTC. You're right about the measurements so the right model is selected. I checked them carefully as their technical specs point out. Will be interested to see how the splitter works.
Jamie mentioned her Excaliber (I believe) guard had the same problem on narrow cuts so it must be a common problem due to the width of the guard hitting the fence.
Bruce
If you are going to rip very narrow pieces, invest in a band saw, I assume you already have a jointer or a plane. It's only a few hundred bucks, your hands are worth much more than that and the bandsaw is such a handy piece of gear.------------------------------------
It would indeed be a tragedy if the history of the human race proved to be nothing more than the story of an ape playing with a box of matches on a petrol dump. ~David Ormsby Gore
dgreen: You're right about using a band saw for narrow ripping. Much safer. I do have a jointer and planer but not a bandsaw yet. Will be purchasing one this year.
Bruce
"Jamie mentioned her Excaliber (I believe) guard had the same problem on narrow cuts..." My experience is with the PSI guard, but it's quite similar to the Excaliber, if pictures tell the truth.
The whole thing could be solved by making a push-device that rides the top of the fence. I run into problems when the push stick clears the guard but my hand does not.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
I made a ripping sled for small stock, like a crosscut sled that rides in the miter slots but with a fence that goes fore and aft rather than athwarts. I let in two pieces of T track to allow the fence to be adjusted and use two Destaco type clamps to hold the piece to be cut.
It's a bit of a PIA as you must use a square to ensure the fence is not cocked, but it really does not take all that long. I don't rip that much small stock but when I do I really hate having my hands close to the blade, even with a push stick and guard.
Much more peace of mind clamping it to the sled and having my hands a few feet away.
The miter slots on my saw are T shaped and I used a couple of washers on the runners to ensure that if anything goes awry it won't toss the sled at me. Might work for you.------------------------------------
It would indeed be a tragedy if the history of the human race proved to be nothing more than the story of an ape playing with a box of matches on a petrol dump. ~David Ormsby Gore
Seems like a workable and sound idea. Have you considered making something that used the saw's fence as a "rail"? That might be what I turn my attention to. If I ever have time to do some more woodworking. Feb and March are going to be heavily dedicated to critters with 4 feet.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
That's right. I do remember that you have the PSI guard from your previous response(had a "brain cramp" on that one).
Like the idea of a push device that rides on the saw fence. Sounds like good solution. Ideas on the design? Sounds like also putting a clamp on the device (not sure how it would be designed) would make it that much safer and hold the wood stable as its being pushed through the blade.
Bruce
I bought on of the wonderful guards for a bargain. There was only one problem. The lexan was no longer clear. Years of pine tar and scratches. I used a product called Mother's Mag and Aluminum polish on it and it is now perfect. I really don't know why the mfg does not advertise it as the best polish for plexiglas,polycarbonit,and lexan?? I have renewed safety glasses, headlamps on cars with halogen, as well a mag and aluminum.
recently I saw someone posted this same advice in a woodworking magazine.
http://www.mothers.com/products/productcatalog/wheelprod.html
I have a brett guard that came from with my Table saw. It has a Plexiglass or lucite part missing on the underside of the part that rides over the blade and the rod that holds the missing piece is bent. It looks like fabricating a new piece and straightaining the rod should be fairly straightforward. It could be yours for the price of shipping. I'm not using it and it's just taking up space.
I may be mistaken here. My guard is older and slides back and forth. It does not pivot up, nor does it have dust collection.The free offer still stands, though.
Carl,
It sounds like your guard is the original type that mounts to the rear of the table on the main body of the saw as opposed to the cantilever type that mounts to the far right rear of the extension table. Does that sound right?
Also, does anyone know of a good splitter that will work with a Brett Guard? Ideally, I'd like one of the removeable metal type, but they interfere with the plastic guard.
Thanks,
Jeff
Carl, Thanks for the generous offer but DC and tilt-up is what I'm looking for which the newer version has. List price from HTC is $550...ouch. Their web-site directs you to Amazon and woodcraft. Went to both but neither has my model (-M60 due to the length of my table). Waiting for Woodcraft to get back to me with a price since it's special order. Does anyone know other sources to buy it from?
Sure hate paying full list price which is what HTC sells it for direct but as a previous poster said..my hands are worth it!
Thanks again for the offer Carl.
Bruce
At the shop where I work we have a Brett on a PM66. At the school I went to they had the biesameyer. I think that the Biesameyer is a better guard because it has better dust collection, you can see the cut, and ripping narrow stock is easier(although none of them are good for real skinny stock). Just my two cents.
Matt: Thanks. Will take a look at the Biesemeyer. Prices seem to be considerably more ($650+ vs $550) .. Need to look more carefully on how its attached. Pix are not clear how it attaches.
Bruce
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