Brown trouser moment

[Karl]

I knew the guard on my new Xcalibur table saw was crap, but I now know how crap

I was cutting some 6mm mdf and somehow the guard has worked loose and fell onto the blade. This in turn pulled the riving knife onto the blade, and resulted in sparks and schrapnel flying everywhere.

The guard flew off and hit me on the arm

And I ended up with some bits of blade schrapnel in my neck!

Must get to work on a new guard and riving knife!

Cheers

Karl

 

[wizer]

Oopsy Daisy! Good job it missed your eyes! What was the gaurd made from? Looks like asbestos :lol:

 

[jasonB]

Is that another of your modified riving knives? with an open notch at the top its not surprising the crown guard came off. The crown guard should also not be able to tilt down to a point where it contacts the blade.

Jason

 

[Digit]

Very nasty indeed. But I would have to agree with Jason's comment on that.

Roy.

 

[OPJ]

...Is the blade alright?

Seriously, glad to hear that your injuries weren't any worse!

I used to work with a guy who had a scar on his neck from where the riving knife had come lose and contacted the up-rising teeth! :? Though, to be fair, he was working with the crown guard removed and, from the few months I spent with him, I can only say that safe working practices weren't his speciality!!

Are you certain the riving knife didn't work lose and contact the blade before the crappy guard?

 

[Karl]

No, it's not my knife. It's the factory fitted one.

 

[jasonB]

No, it's not my knife. It's the factory fitted one.

Now I know why they atre not CE marked :shock:

Jason

 

[Digit]

Well if that slot is for the guard they need shooting!

Roy.

 

[dannykaye]

at this point I might be writing to the maker and complaining...

 

[woodbloke]

Karl - glad everything's good. A hot wash at 60deg C with a non-bio powder should sort out the trousers :lol: and maybe fit one those Axminster guards with the cantilever arm to the saw?..'bout £100, but might sort your problem - Rob

 

[Mr Ed]

Glad your injuries are not too bad Karl, that is a frightening experience I imagine.

Just so I understand, did the guard and riving knife stay together, but the knife pulled out of its mounting on the saw?

Ed

 

[Mike.C]

Jasonb wrote,

Is that another of your modified riving knives? with an open notch at the top its not surprising the crown guard came off. The crown guard should also not be able to tilt down to a point where it contacts the blade.

Jasonb wrote,

Now I know why they are not CE marked

Jason

To stop the crown guard coming off, riving knives are supposed to have this hook cut into them, so I cannot understand why Karl's saw does not have one.

Mind you Xcalibur's also have a extra long arbor which health and safety do not like. :roll:

Karl did you keep the (£30 bargain) Axminster extended arm and crown guard that Rob mention's?

Cheers

Mike

 

[jasonB]

Looks like the guard came off the knife

That type of guard fixing MUST have a horizontal slot or enclosed hole. The plastic screw is tightened to give sufficient friction for the guard to be flipped upright for blade changing etc, it can then be pushed down until the nut/bolt nearer the front touches the top of the knife. This will keep the gaurd above the blade.

In your case any pressure on the front of the guard or vibration will make it pivot on the nut/bolt and make the rear fixing lift until it comes out of the open slot.

It's probably been covered before but how do they get away without CE marking?

Jason

 

[Streepips]

Seems more likely to me that the riving knife was loose in the first place and the weight of the guard plus vibrations caused it to fall on the blade.
As someone mentioned previously, the guard should have a generous overhang anyway so if it did swivel on the riving knife all it would contact with is the table top.

 

[Karl]

...Is the blade alright?

Are you certain the riving knife didn't work lose and contact the blade before the crappy guard?

Blade is what is technically known as "fuc**d" :lol: Half the teeth are missing, and the other half have all been damaged.

I don't think it was the riving knife coming loose first. There was a loud bang (guard hitting the blade, then hitting me!) and then a fountain of sparks - just like a Catherine Wheel. But I don't really know.

Now I know why they atre not CE marked

In fairness, I was warned by various peeps on here about the standard riving knife and guard. It was on "the list" of things to be sorted out - I was trying to get this job done, and next week i've got some free time and was hoping to get it done. That'll teach me.

at this point I might be writing to the maker and complaining...

I bought the saw second hand, so don't think the manufacturer will be too interested in my problem.

Karl - glad everything's good. A hot wash at 60deg C with a non-bio powder should sort out the trousers Laughing and maybe fit one those Axminster guards with the cantilever arm to the saw?..'bout £100, but might sort your problem - Rob

Rob - i've given the Y fronts to the missus

I've tried one of those Axminster guards, but it is too tight a fit in my small 'shop. I'm going to make the SUVA guard which Steve M has done.

Just so I understand, did the guard and riving knife stay together, but the knife pulled out of its mounting on the saw?

No, the guard detached (and hit me on the arm) and the knife stayed attached but had been dragged into contact with the blade (as shown in the pics).

Now i've got to buy a new rip blade too.

Cheers

Karl

 

[Mr Ed]

I just had a look at my saw to see if the same could happen, which I am pleased to say it could not.

The knife has the L shaped slot, as it should.

The other thing I notice though, is that even with the blade fully up, the front of the guard hits the table miles before it could contact the top of the blade. I had been finding the length of the guard a bit of a visual obstruction but I can now see its shape probably helps it be a safer tool.

Ed

 

[jimi43]

All I can say Karl is that you are one VERY lucky guy!

Those teeth coming off at thousands of revs/minute could have done anything...you got away lightly IMHO and I hope the injuries you did get heal quickly.

I checked my Scheppach and as you can see...it too is L shaped:

I don't like the crown guard anyway and a Steve or SUVA one is the next project I think....

This is a bit of a wake-up call for me (us all?) so thanks for the pictures.

Something I won't be putting off now.

Jim

 

[BradNaylor]

I'd be having a quiet word with Mr Arrowsmith if I was you, Karl.

His policy of ignoring CE rules is going to bite him on the *** one day

 

[MickCheese]

I hope I am not going to regret asking this, maybe it is really obvious but I just cannot see it.

Is SUVA an acronym for something or a manufacturers name like hoover is to vacuum cleaners?

If it's an acronym I cannot work it out. :?

Help

Mick

 

[matt]

Ooooh.... One day someone will invent a tablesaw where, somehow, the user is not working against the direction of the blade. Out of interest, why did you have the blade protruding so high for a 6mm thick cut?