Hi All,
I had to replace my Milwaukee miter saw and got the much touted makita 1013 slider. I like it a lot!
But it’s just beggin’ me to, take the guard off as i can’t see what the hecks goin’ on. I take the saw with me and set it up where ever. last job was on the floor for rather small pieces.
ALL the miter saws I’ve used in the past had blade guards removed..but I’m older and not nessesarily wiser but not as daring as days past.
But this one seems like it might benefit from a removal.
What did you guys do?
N
Replies
Leave them in place. All of them.
I've propped up (long ago) the sliding guard on my old rockwell but left it on as low as was safe to be able to see. On a buddies original hitachi slider I could probably have done the same as the "clear" plastic guard wasn't so clear. I have always had the splitter/plastic blade guard on my table saws still in their bag. To me (and I certainly could be wrong) that safety feature limits my cut-a-bility and viewing and it's flopping around seems less safe than the extra precautions taken with it gone. I have also felt the blade brush on my scm.
I would leave as much of the safety aparatus on if not for the flying pcs that I know they catch. You might be able to safely modify what's there but if only for the cuts you would make on the floor, I'd hold off. I'd think about the floor cutting a bit. Crouched down with your head low is not safe. You're not in any position to react and are leaning into the saw. Why not make or perhaps get one of those couple foot tall sturdy utility boxes and raise the saw up about a cpl feet putting the blade just under three feet or so for those few times you don't want to set up a cut station. Hey, most of all be safe. Two eyes, 10 fingers, good for a carpenter.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Edited 6/30/2003 10:58:06 PM ET by calvin
Leave it there man!
I get nervous even with the guard. I've come too close to the blade for comfort reaching in to clear out debris or pull out small pieces I've just cut.
Here's a trick you can use though: Use your thumb on your trigger hand to roll the guard up a bit so you can see where the blade will start. Once you are started. Let go with the thumb.
Maybe the 54 stitches across my left palm from a really dumb moment with a skilsaw has left me gun-shy, but I wouldn't go near a chop saw without a guard.
Steve
Last year, I broke the saw guard on my Makita slider and continued to use it until the replacement came in. Believe me, leave it on!!
Sliders are pretty safe, but, as the blade gets dull, or you cut a small piece of stock or one with some bind in it, bad things can happen.
Just last friday I picked up a piece too fast and hit the plastic gaurd on my new-ish slider and I thought to myself if that had been my old saw I would have a nice bone deep gash if not a missing finger. I was quite happy that the blade gaurd was there
everyone gets a little careless every now and then, so ask yourself how much do you really like those fingers?
Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, Professionals built the Titanic.
The ribbed DeWalt guard and the horizontal D trigger handle complement each other nicely. I lift the guard with my right thumb and start the saw in the same motion. After the cut, the guard swings down to completely cover the blade, very well designed.
Turtleneck
the only miracles I've ever produced are waiting for me at home
I like the guard on the DeWalt saws. It has slots in the guard that allow you to see the blade without bending over. Finally a guard that works and is not obstructing the veiw. Most other saws have opaque guards that are not very transparant. You have squat or to bend over to see the blade. That gets old after a while and tempts many to remove the guard.
I haven't used many miter saws, but I've never even been tempted to remove the gaurd from my 12" Dewalt. As you say, it's very well designed. Position the stock, lower the arm a bit, slide the stock to the precise postion, pull trigger, and cut; simple. I know on a Black & Decker saw I used once, the gaurd was a hazard not a help. Of course the cheap worn out HSS blade on it also made that thing a bear to use.
Only had to raise the gaurd a bit a couple times when cutting something that was just a bit odd shaped and the gaurd ran into it, but this only happens when you are pushing the saw to it's max cut capacity.
Hmmmm...
Thanks for the feedback.
I'm still not convinced but the guard is still inplace for now.
The guard on the Makita 1030 seems like it can only prevent accidental swipes on the back-operators-end. And not all of themThe guard will do nothing to prevent or even slightly keep your fingers out of the way of a chop off.
Of course having fingers chopped is only one of the concerns. Flying debris the said accidental swipes probably cause more injuries than the scarily imagined chopping.
There is something to be said about having a 100% view of the blade as well. A clear and present danger you must identify with each cut. The guard is not guarantee of saftey and may give a false sense of security. Sharp pointy teeth glinting in the light may do more to remind me of the danger than all the cloudy guards in the world.
N
Well, I've never used the Makita saw you're talking about. But I'd have to agree. I've never seen a gaurd that would prevent you from pulling the blade down onto your hand. Can't imagine how you could build a gaurd that prevented you from pulling the saw down over your fingers. They all seem to work the same, as the blade tilts down, the gaurd raises.
With the Dewalt, I can pull the arm down enough to see the blade and align the cut. The blade is completely visible during the cut. If I raise the arm back up before the blade stops, the still spinning blade is automatically covered. I find that to be a great deal of protection. If a kid comes over and grabs the handle, the blade is covered unless he also pushes the arm down.
Now, maybe the Makita gaurd really sucks somehow, but I wouldn't for a moment consider removing my blade gaurd; it provides a great deal of protection, without getting in the way at all.
Of course, in todays letigious world you also have to consider that if you remove the gaurd, and you or an employee cut their fingers off, you may have opened yourself up to liability because you've deliberately disabled industry standard safety equipment.
Try this on your Makita...Lower the saw to the point where you would see your mark (maybe with the guard held up and mark the area and cut a slot about 5/8" wide and long enough to see through up and down a little. On the slotted Dewalt take out 2 ribs and leave 1. The only way you can hurt yourself now is to poke your finger in the hole while the blade is spinning. You won't do that...and you will be able to see.
I like that idea. I'll take a couple of ribs out of my DeWalt and rename him Adam..
Excellence is its own reward!
took an 1/8 inch off my thumbnail one day with a chopsaw, never used one since without the guards
caulking is not a piece of trim
I don't like peep sights on guns either. Maybe it's my old eyes, but I have to use my thumb to roll my gaurd out of the way to get lined up.
I cut the end of one finger off and let them practice ( that's what they call being a doctor) sewing to put it back on, so I kind of like to leave the gaurd on. One of my subs has the Makita and he has the gaurd off or shimmmed back. I don't know exactly because I avoid it..
Excellence is its own reward!
I have the Makita 1030N, the blade guard on it is really good. It covers as much of the blade as possible for as much of the time as possible, without blocking what you need to see. And it works very smoothly.
My old Unisaw never had a blade guard. Are there any retrofit guards that anybody likes?
-- J.S.
My grandfather told me Maine Central RR used to hire brakemen by asking them to put thier hands out the ones with fingers missing they knew were experienced that was before knuckle couplers. Blade guards are there for a reason use it and get used to it. It's awful hard to work crosshanded with a finger or two missing and what about your help and comp claims?
You said you set it up on the floor. That's why you can't see what's going on. Get some sort of stand to get it up to a good working height and I like to put a light behind me off to the side so you see those little pencil marks you so carefully put on there. I'm forty eight and my eyes are not what they used to be. You can't do good work if you can't see what you're doing.
Step 1 get that saw off the floor. 2 Don't remove the guard as it tells you where the spinning blade is. (just look at the spinning blade and you will notice the edge is just a faint blurr.) One of the jobs I worked on, Guy turned up with and started using a mitre saw without the guard. Boss asked him "where is the guard?" guy replied "took it off, it gets in the way" boss said "Goodbuy, and take your junk with you, your fired"
I have to agree with most of the other posters. I have the 1013 and leave the gaurd on. Never really been an issue. Can't stand a gaurd on a table saw, but I don't see a reason to take it off the chop.
Follow the advice of others - get the thing off the floor.
Ia lso agree that getting it up off the floor is a good idea.
Hate to admit it, but I use a B&D Workmate to put my miter saw on. Fold up and stores easily, and is about the right height.
Is B&D considered better or worse than Craftsman around here ???..................(-:Bumpersticker: You have to be really secure to be seen in a car like this.
better than craftsman but not by much, but the workmates are an exception, i finely designed very useful addition to any workspace( i have four)caulking is not a piece of trim
Ok Boss
I know this is a hyjack of this thread BUT.....
Never befor has a tag line fit soooooo well for me as this one.
Bumpersticker: You have to be really secure to be seen in a car like this.
I drive a pontiac FIREFLY. 3 cyl. wonder.
roar and ROFLMFAO.
now try this one......
If a Mortician raises his rates.... does the cost of living go up?If at first you don't succeed...try again! After that quit! No sense being a dam fool about it! W.C.Fields