I added Delta’s Uniguard overarm guard that wrapped around the left rear of the saw. My table saw is a 1980’s vintage Delta Unisaw that I bought new. My Shop-Made Guard And Splitter Storyīasically this is my story of how I got from there to where I am today with my saw safety thinking. First I’ll show you my guard and splitter solution, then I’ll show you some of what I found when I searched the Internet for aftermarket saw guards and splitters. Please realize this is not a review of different factory or aftermarket table saw guards and splitters, rather it’s intended to explore options, give you ideas, and encourage you to find a solution that works for you and gives you proper protection.

Here’s a great video that explains riving knives: George Vondriska Explains Riving Knives This offers more protection by stopping a saw kerf from closing sooner than with a traditional splitter. It maintains close proximity to the blade at all times. A “true” riving knife is a splitter that is articulated to move up and down as the saw blade is raised or lowered. Riving knives are fairly common on new saws, but that wasn’t the case just a few years ago. Pawls are spring loaded backward pointing “fingers” that stop a board from being shot forward during a kickback. Most new table saws today come with good guards and good splitters with anti-kickback pawls. I choose to continue calling these guards since they block or impede a person’s hands from contact with the rotating saw blade. You should know that OSHA defines what I call a guard as a blade cover. I understand that accidents happen, but you can do a lot to minimize the chances of being the victim of a table saw accident by using a guard and splitter, and common sense. Table saws are inherently dangerous and you should give them ample respect.

I implore you to use caution and do everything you can to protect yourself in your shop. I’m convinced that all of these accidents were preventable. The story always goes the same way, first is what happened, and then, unfortunately, what the operator did wrong. We’ve all heard the horror stories about someone who’s gotten maimed using a table saw.

Delta unisaw splitter