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Machine guards are supposed to protect us from harm, but there are times when they can turn against you. The worst injury I’ve ever received from a machine was cutting my hands on the anti-kickback pawls while installing my table saw’s guard.
Yesterday I ran into trouble on my jointer with disastrous results. The collar that controls the height of the guard vibrated loose. The tip of the guard contacted the spinning cutterhead and exploded. It shattered eight carbide teeth on the cutterhead and sprayed metal everywhere (hooray for eye protection).
I escaped without a scratch. And have now added one more safety check to my jointer: Check the collar that controls the guard’s height.
I know a few people out there are thinking to themselves: Remove the jointer’s guard and you won’t ever have this problem. My reply: I had to clean out a jointer after someone else’s accident. On that day I married my jointer’s guard.
— Christopher Schwarz
With Power Tool Essentials
Digital Collection
About proper drill press speeds for different bits and how to set the pulleys to match. Tips for tilting & realigning the drill press table for accurate drilling. The simple steps to keep mortiser chisels and drill bits sharp and cutting true. How to set the mortiser bit and chisel perfectly to avoid heat build-up and improve chip removal. Ripping and cross-cutting tips for sheet goods and solid wood. How to improve cuts using the proper blades. Where to stand and how to position your hands and body for the safest, most accurate performance. Simple maintenance and accurate setup and much more!
Learn the ins and outs of power tools with this digital collection!
