Thread: MBS 300 blade guard

So it's time for me to think about how to anchor the base of the vertical support. I could use concrete anchors or I could come up with some kind of wood frame that ties it into the main saw base.

Will post photos if I come up with something that works. I can't afford not to have a blade guard and I can't afford anything else so got to make it work !

Originally Posted by pellcorp

I can also confirm that it's pretty disappointing piece of crap!!! The marketing blurbs make it sound like the best thing since slice bread, well it's not. It's really heavy and thus the basket does not sit straight. In fact over the course of a week just sitting their it's certainly managed to lean down towards the table even further. I am considering mounting it from ceiling. I have removed it all from the table saw and am going to remount and try my luck again.

Funny how no matter where you live, if you have a tablesaw you have the same complaints. I did, couldn't find what I wanted so I designed and built my own. Able to mount several different baskets, can be swung out of the way or removed with a simple release, can mount from the floor, either back corner, either side from the floor, Or yes - even from the ceiling. It can be fit to a wide range of saws, plenty of clearance over the table along with dust collection.
Unfortunately you won't see it on the market any time soon. Between the lawyers and nuisance lawsuits, no company will touch anything guard related. Nothing says you can't do something for yourself, make a list of what you want it to do then start designing it; that's what I did and it's better than anything I could have purchased.

Originally Posted by hcbph

...snip...couldn't find what I wanted so I designed and built my own...snip...

Any photos? We are not above plagiarising a good idea when we see it

Originally Posted by Groggy

Any photos? We are not above plagiarising a good idea when we see it

Actually you don't have to plagerize, I offered plans the other year for free if someone wants to build their own. It's about a 60 page pdf file that covers everything, including things that worked, things that didn't, the things that are easier to purchase and those it's easier to make, along with a list of all the materials and tools to do it. I even included some hand drawings of mine. I don't know what that PSI unit cost there, but if you have the tools, I was able to make this one for less than purchasing one of those (here).
Here's some shots of it, though the pictures are from some of the various models I worked on.
Ceiling mount:

Celing pivot so if you want it out of way

Rail mount (30" model shown though I've made them for up to 60" width) and shown with dust collector fitting

If you don't care for the whaleshark basket or dust collector, use something else

Need more space, pull the release and the arm swings out of the way

Or remove it entirely via the same release

I hooked the dust collection through the arm and from the chassis to a single hose

You can even use it for a wing mounted router or on a shaper (obviously with a different basket, shop made in this case and set up to work with a shaper fence)


That isn't everything it can do but it gives you a taste of it. I've got 17" between the table and the bottom of the arm on mine (could have gone more or less as desired). Like I said, I couldn't find any that worked for me so I designed and made my own. Get me an email address and you're welcome to the pdf file. I will be unavailable for a week or two so it will be a little while before I can get them out if anyones interested.

Paul

PS on the question of strength, the current one I have is 3" steel pipe, 2" rail mount. Once I had all the pieces and parts done, I assembled it (not on the saw yet) and sat it up and supported it so it wouldn't fall over. I then sat on the end of the arm where the basket hooks up to and supported 100% of my weight on it without incident. I weigh a little over 200 pounds, so it will take anything I could ever throw at it. I've had this one on my cabinet saw for a couple of years now and it's been great for me.

I do have a couple of conditions on the plans:
You get them for free, if you pass them along to someone else, it's also for free
Post a picture of yours if you make one.
If there's anything you're not comfortable doing, hire it out or don't do it. It's not worth getting hurt on.
I designed the basic unit plus I used a couple of things from others (like the mount I used, the basket and splitter), give credit to the people/companies involved where it applies.
I don't think that's asking too much and if that works for you, you're welcome to a set of plans.

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/data/...m/PB050012.JPG

The bottom part hinges out of the way. It could be done with perspex if the user found it necessary to see the blade and for setting up a cut.

Most guards you can raise in one way or another
Float the guard:

Raise the guard (each mount has a different means, both I have can do it)

Pull the extension entirely

Swing the arm out of the way temporarily



That's why I said to think about what you want then design accordingly

Hi,

Well I started from scratch with setting up the suva guard and lo and behold its not that bad at all. My main problem was trying to anchor it to the saw with the poor techniques described in the manual. I decided I needed a way to firmly anchor it either to the concrete (not ideal) or to a frame permanently attached to the saw. I went with the latter. I built a 2x4 frame which was bolted under the saw, and then I screwed the base of the vertical support to this base.

Its now rock solid and quite functional

I had to add 45mm of height to my outfeed table.

I am finding the blade guard to be a good blade guard but a terrible dust collector, I might look at enlarging the outlet to accept a 100mm hose. So for now its only a blade guard, but that was the primary original purpose I bought it for anyway.

So I am well pleased with the guard and with my efforts!

Attachment 150511Attachment 150512

Cheers
Jason

Anyone looking at overhead guards may want to look at this. The counterweight vertical positioning system has been in use for 4 years now and its by far the simplest and most flexible vertical adjustment system I have used on any machine.