After finally decided my idea for a cheap overhead guard wasn't doing
any good in my head, I spent a few hours working on it the last couple
days.

The idea is pretty simple. Usually these type of guards are a metal
frame with DC hose attached. My shop is in the basement so the
ceiling is fairly low, so I figured I could drop down with a
telescoping plywood box that would be both the structure and the DC
duct in one.

http://www.krtwood.com/guard.html

It's a bit small as far as a DC duct goes, down to 2" square inside
the smaller box. But, my TS has a 2.5" hookup under the blade and I
figure when we actually put in dust collection I can split a 4" to
both. Of course, I've as yet to figure out how you're supposed to get
a hose to the bottom of the TS without tripping over it. Anyway, the
boxes could be larger, or you could run a separate duct on the
outside.

The construction is rabbets on 1/2" baltic birch ply, glued and
screwed. I made my own T slot on the inner box by running a groove
down the center and then a shallower widder groove, then gluing in
strips on both sides.

I was expecting to have to use some diagonal bracing, but the pocket
screws, all 8 of em, are enough to keep the upper section totally
rigid.

There is some movement of the bottom section when fully extended,
about 1/4" front to back, not much side to side. Little bit of
assembly error I think. I have to bring it up all the way to the
height in the first picture to remove the slop. An inch below that
and all the slop is there, there and above it's gone. So something is
off. There's about 8" of overlap between the sections at full
extension. I think adding a second knob 5-6" above the first would
take care of it.

I haven't gotten any Lexan for the actual guard yet, I wanted to make
sure the rest was going to work first. Not bad for about $15 spent so
far though.


-Leuf

PennState sells a hood for a tablesaw guard. Seems like a good deal for
$25.

http://www.pennstateind.com/store/tsguard-dh.html

On 17 Jun 2006 05:46:12 -0700, wrote:

PennState sells a hood for a tablesaw guard. Seems like a good deal for
$25.

http://www.pennstateind.com/store/tsguard-dh.html

I saw this. What I'd like to do is have it in two halves, mounted
with knobs into threaded inserts. That way I can easily take one side
off for narrow rips and still have some protection.

I solved the problem with slop by gluing some veneer on the inside
back of the upper section, about 6 inches long. I also moved the knob
up about 4 inches and that's taken most of the movement out.


-Leuf

Compare ideas with what I did.

go to http://www.anneldavis.com/bobandanne/

From the menu, select Projects/Tablesaw Blade Guard. Look at the picture
that is labeled "locking the guard in position". I've been using this guard
about 18 months.

Bob


"Leuf" wrote in message
...
After finally decided my idea for a cheap overhead guard wasn't doing
any good in my head, I spent a few hours working on it the last couple
days.

The idea is pretty simple. Usually these type of guards are a metal
frame with DC hose attached. My shop is in the basement so the
ceiling is fairly low, so I figured I could drop down with a
telescoping plywood box that would be both the structure and the DC
duct in one.

http://www.krtwood.com/guard.html

It's a bit small as far as a DC duct goes, down to 2" square inside
the smaller box. But, my TS has a 2.5" hookup under the blade and I
figure when we actually put in dust collection I can split a 4" to
both. Of course, I've as yet to figure out how you're supposed to get
a hose to the bottom of the TS without tripping over it. Anyway, the
boxes could be larger, or you could run a separate duct on the
outside.

The construction is rabbets on 1/2" baltic birch ply, glued and
screwed. I made my own T slot on the inner box by running a groove
down the center and then a shallower widder groove, then gluing in
strips on both sides.

I was expecting to have to use some diagonal bracing, but the pocket
screws, all 8 of em, are enough to keep the upper section totally
rigid.

There is some movement of the bottom section when fully extended,
about 1/4" front to back, not much side to side. Little bit of
assembly error I think. I have to bring it up all the way to the
height in the first picture to remove the slop. An inch below that
and all the slop is there, there and above it's gone. So something is
off. There's about 8" of overlap between the sections at full
extension. I think adding a second knob 5-6" above the first would
take care of it.

I haven't gotten any Lexan for the actual guard yet, I wanted to make
sure the rest was going to work first. Not bad for about $15 spent so
far though.


-Leuf

On Sat, 17 Jun 2006 20:44:55 -0400, "Bob"
wrote:

Compare ideas with what I did.

go to http://www.anneldavis.com/bobandanne/

From the menu, select Projects/Tablesaw Blade Guard. Look at the picture
that is labeled "locking the guard in position". I've been using this guard
about 18 months.

Hey now, I knew I wasn't smart enough to think of that on my own!
Must have seen yours so long ago I didn't remember it, but the concept
has been lurking in the back of my head all along.

I like the counterweight system, I'm not sure I could make that work
with having the duct going through the column though. I like the
swivelling sides too, I will have to think about that some more.


-Leuf