Just finished setting it up

[Raymonator]

Rick~ Ok but how do I take the blade guard off and keep the pawls ? It seems to all be riveted together. And if I were to purchase a Shark guard, does this mean I lose the OEM pawls and the splitter ? Or does the Shark guard come with the same safety features only better ?
Thanks
Ray

[LCHIEN]

Rick~ Ok but how do I take the blade guard off and keep the pawls ? It seems to all be riveted together. And if I were to purchase a Shark guard, does this mean I lose the OEM pawls and the splitter ? Or does the Shark guard come with the same safety features only better ?
Thanks
Ray

You will lose the pawls if you put a shark guard on. This is discussed pros and cons in the BT3 FAQ so I won't rehash it here.

[gmack5]

You don't need no stinking Pawls!

Rick~ Ok but how do I take the blade guard off and keep the pawls ? It seems to all be riveted together. And if I were to purchase a Shark guard, does this mean I lose the OEM pawls and the splitter ? Or does the Shark guard come with the same safety features only better ? Thanks Ray

Ray, the way the Shark Guard is designed you don't need the Pawls.

The Shark Guard is held in place on top of a very substantial Riving Knife by a pair of Metal Bars, the bottom of which are lower than the top of the Saw Blade. In order for a Kick-Back to happen, the Workpiece has to get above the top of the Saw Blade, where the Blade grabs the workpiece and flings it back at you. So you see, with the Shark Guard, you don't need no stinking Pawls!

[Raymonator]

Thanks a bunch George. That does it, looks like I'll be looking to get that Shark guard, cause to be honest, I know I won't appreciate my 3100 with the OEM guard which in reality would be a shame. I'd feel safer with the OEM setup out of the way, although maybe some would argue that.
I'm still worried about those leftover washers I have. Sure hope I don't ruin something if they're suppose to be somewhere.

[gmack5]

Places to look for missing washers

Ray,
There should be a large plastic washer UNDER the knob that locks the Miter Fence in place.
There should be a washer under each nut of each of the bolts that hold the BT to the base. Other than those, I can't think of any washers that are Owner installed when you set up your Saw. HTH

Keep in mind that I have a BT3000SX, it's a little different than the BT3100. I think there's a picture of the BT3000SX in the FAQ under "Getting Started".

[jackellis]

I know some people don't like the blade guard. I do. It's there to keep your fingers away from the spinning blade just like the pawls are there to prevent kickback. If you feel better replacing the stock guard with a Shark, go for it.

It's a good idea to avoid work practices that cause kickbacks and sliced finger to begin with, but this is one case where I'll take all the redundancy I can get.

[LCHIEN]

"L" shaped auxiliary fence

...


I have no idea what an L shaped fence looks like or how it operates.

Attached pic shows my "L" auxiliary fence.
It's only 3/4" high at left which allows it to slip under the guard (shark in this case) and trim very narrow pieces (the light colored piece in this pic).

You might have to push it through with a scarificial pusher to follow the workpiece.
A featherboard (not shown) would also be a good idea here.

[Raymonator]

Ray,
There should be a large plastic washer UNDER the knob that locks the Miter Fence in place.
There should be a washer under each nut of each of the bolts that hold the BT to the base. Other than those, I can't think of any washers that are Owner installed when you set up your Saw. HTH

Keep in mind that I have a BT3000SX, it's a little different than the BT3100. I think there's a picture of the BT3000SX in the FAQ under "Getting Started".

Thanks but I did install the washer on top of the miter fence under knob, so I was ok there (although I think my washer is metal). To me, they must just give extra washers in case people lose a few. I know I put a washer on each leg that mounts to the base. I wondering now if there should be a washer on each side (e.g the base side as well as the side the nut goes on) I'll have to go recheck tonight, maybe that's the problem. Thanks George.

LCHIEN~ Thanks for the great picture illustration, I can see how that makes sense now.
That said, I can't see how you could use a sacrificial pusher with the guard blade being in the way to push such a narrow peice of wood.
Also, obviously if I had the Shark guard, I now realize that I would have the same problem as the OEM blade guard as far as being able to get close to the blade with a piece of wood. So what's the advantage of the Shark guard if I have to use an L fence to make narrow cuts anyway ? I'll have to try it this week to see if it helps. Sorry for being a pain about this, but I just don't want to fork out over $100.00 for something that may not solve my problem.

[LCHIEN]

...

LCHIEN~ Thanks for the great picture illustration, I can see how that makes sense now.
That said, I can't see how you could use a sacrificial pusher with the guard blade being in the way to push such a narrow peice of wood.
Also, obviously if I had the Shark guard, I now realize that I would have the same problem as the OEM blade guard as far as being able to get close to the blade with a piece of wood. So what's the advantage of the Shark guard if I have to use an L fence to make narrow cuts anyway ? I'll have to try it this week to see if it helps. Sorry for being a pain about this, but I just don't want to fork out over $100.00 for something that may not solve my problem.

The sacrificial pusher, you would just push the workpiece from the end. The front of the pusher would get ripped somewhat also since you have to push it far enough to have the entire workpiece cut. Once the end of the workpiece gets within four of five inches of the guard, I use a similar piece of wood to push the end of the workpiece completely past the blade. The pusher is of course cut, or scarificed.


I bleieve I went thru a whole point by point analysis of the advantage(s) of the Shark in the FAQ. Have you still not read it?

[Jamb]

Thanks but I did install the washer on top of the miter fence under knob, so I was ok there (although I think my washer is metal). To me, they must just give extra washers in case people lose a few. I know I put a washer on each leg that mounts to the base. I wondering now if there should be a washer on each side (e.g the base side as well as the side the nut goes on) I'll have to go recheck tonight, maybe that's the problem. Thanks George.

LCHIEN~ Thanks for the great picture illustration, I can see how that makes sense now.
That said, I can't see how you could use a sacrificial pusher with the guard blade being in the way to push such a narrow peice of wood.
Also, obviously if I had the Shark guard, I now realize that I would have the same problem as the OEM blade guard as far as being able to get close to the blade with a piece of wood. So what's the advantage of the Shark guard if I have to use an L fence to make narrow cuts anyway ? I'll have to try it this week to see if it helps. Sorry for being a pain about this, but I just don't want to fork out over $100.00 for something that may not solve my problem.

Hi Ray,

I wouldn’t worry about the washers. I had also a few washers left after I finished assembling the saw.

It seems newbies have the same dilemma. I can’t see either how you can push those pieces thru. I tried it once and both stuck under the guard. Do you have to turn off your saw after every cut to remove them?

I have exactly the same thoughts. I was also advised to use a “Shark” but can’t see too much advantages of that guard over the original one. Other than the removable plastic cover, why is it better? I doesn’t look very complicated to modify the original guard to make it removable with a piece of metal and a couple of bolts. I am surprised nobody has come up with an idea yet, instead of spending $100.

Akos

[Raymonator]

The sacrificial pusher, you would just push the workpiece from the end. The front of the pusher would get ripped somewhat also since you have to push it far enough to have the entire workpiece cut. Once the end of the workpiece gets within four of five inches of the guard, I use a similar piece of wood to push the end of the workpiece completely past the blade. The pusher is of course cut, or scarificed.


I bleieve I went thru a whole point by point analysis of the advantage(s) of the Shark in the FAQ. Have you still not read it?

Yes I read it (multiple times) and thank you for posting it, BUT, it doesn't answer all of the questions or concerns I have. One question being, can the blade guard and pawls be removed but keep the riving knife? I didn't see anywhere in the FAQ about that, which I am to assume means it can't be done.

[JR]

I have exactly the same thoughts. I was also advised to use a “Shark” but can’t see too much advantages of that guard over the original one. Other than the removable plastic cover, why is it better? I doesn’t look very complicated to modify the original guard to make it removable with a piece of metal and a couple of bolts. I am surprised nobody has come up with an idea yet, instead of spending $100.

Well, the Shark Guard IS the better idea!

Some of its benefits:
Two piece construction. Allows the guard to be removed while leaving the splitter in place. This is beneficial even for non-through cuts such as dadoes. Also goes a long way to solvingRay's narrow-cuts dilemma (Ray, I officially ask you concentrate on wider cuts for now. You're hung up on a minor issue. )

Above-blade dust collection. When using a ZCTP a lot of dust is thrown up from the blade. The Shark Guard's 2-1/4" dust collection port catches a lot of it, making for a healthier environment.

Superior construction. Works better, lasts longer.

Custom colors. Because it's your shop and it should like you want it to look.

JR

[Raymonator]

Thanks JR, yes I guess you're right about being hung-up on the narrow cut issue, but in asking the question(s) about it I'm learning more about my new toy. That said, the last thing I want to do is be an annoyance here so I'll keep a lip on it and try to keep that particular concern for a later date. I like the idea of being able to remove the Shark guard and leaving the splitter. There must be a way of removing the OEM guard (and pawls) without taking out the OEM splitter. If not, then I definitely will have to get the Shark guard to make me feel comfortable around the TS.
Thanks again.

PS: Aren't you gents glad that I finally set up my 3100 now LOL ?

[gjbivin]

I bought a Shark Guard and it's a vast improvement on the stock one. Highly recommended!

When you need to make a narrow cut, you can remove the guard and mounting bars from the riving knive in a matter of seconds. The guard lifts off, which is also nice when measuring between the blade and fence to set up a cut. The mounting bars then come off by backing off two knobs, leaving just the knife. Putting it back together is just as easy.

Another advantage to the Shark is that you don't have to remove the riving knife when making non-through cuts: the top of the knife is below the top of the blade. The knife only has to come off when using a dado set, where it would stick up above the blades.

For cutting thin strips, you might try something like this:
http://benchnotes.com/Strip%20Cuttin...ting_gauge.htm
which would allow you to position the fence for each cut. You should not cut with the thin piece "trapped" between the blade and fence. You'll want to make a ZCTP (zero-clearance throat plate) to keep the thin pieces from falling into the blade cavity; it also will keep the bottom of the cut smoother by preventing tearout.

[gjbivin]

... and I duplicated some of what JR said because he posted while I was agonizing over getting my wording right (like it helped!).