Cutting Circles On A Table Saw

[cabinetman]

I'm not saying I agree with this guy's technique, but it's a fun watch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxbzr...elated&search=

[jackellis]

I believe something similar is described in Jim Tolpin's book.

I'll say this. Using my saw without a guard is scary stuff. I had to remove it in order to make some mitered rips and was scared the whole time.

[sacherjj]

I remember seeing a 7 1/4" saw blade at the wood working show two years ago that was designed for circles. The blade looked like a shallow dish and there were selling circle guides. Dad used to whip out plywood guides for the masons doing brick arcs on jobs, using the skil saw.

[cgallery]

I like it. But wouldn't the circle he cut have a slight bevel edge to it because the saw blade is also circular? Wouldn't the top diameter would be slightly larger than the bottom diameter? I guess raising the saw blade to max height would reduce this.

Maybe I'm thinking about it too much.

[Richard in Smithville]

The idea is interesting but there is way too much blade spinning above the work.

[gsmittle]

I'm impressed the guy still has all his fingers. I think I'll stick to a jigsaw or router.

g.

[gerti]

When he reached in to brush away some of the smaller pieces the hair on the back of my neck raised...

[crokett]

Years ago I did something similar with a circular (heh) saw. I needed a circle. Used the circ saw to lop the corners off and then spun it against a table mounted router.

Not sure why the hubbub over no guard. As a teen in shop class I learned on a saw without a guard. I had a few close calls with my saw with a guard and none after I took the guard off.

[Hoakie]

When he reached in to brush away some of the smaller pieces the hair on the back of my neck raised...

Somewhere there is a video of him using the TS and a belt sander to make a wood sphere. Couldn't find it but THAT had me watching through squinted eyes. I was waiting for fingers to go flying... Like "Death on the Highway" movies in Drivers Ed.

[whitecobra]

I guess I am the only guy here to not use a saw guard
I never use them (unless I am teaching) and actually hate them to death

For me it is the shear fact that I know that the blade is exposed that turns on my "wake and up think" mode so that I don't' get in trouble

I have used his technique for making circles a few times only not with a sliding table I used a FULL extended blade to minimize the bevel cut and get a closer to flat edge cut

I watch a lot of guys with all kinds of safety features installed and I watch them doing careless motions with the understanding that "the safety equipment will protect me"

I guess I don't' see that

The 12 or 15 patients I had that were hurt with power tools were hurt WITH the guards in place and after a solid conversation with them they all admitted they either were being haphazard or were pushing the envelope

I can't for the life of me see who a plastic guard is going to stop a 5000 RPM wheel from removing my finger when my finger trying to catch a 4x8 sheet of 1/2" birch ply slides over it trying to catch the board when in reality I should have been cutting the board on saw horses with a circular saw

Sure anti-kickback pawls or the like are nice but short of "possibility" how many of you have hit the guard straight on and then said "man I am glad the guard was there or it would have been the blade?"

Not me!

I don't' get that close to worry about it I think and rethink the move before I make it and I know where the hand positions are the whole time. If I mess up and the hands are in a different place due to slippage or the like the guard wouldn't have helped either

Dr D

[RodKirby]

Dr D:

I guess you don't even use a splitter

Ignoring the extreme example of an 4x8 sheet -

I believe guards are there for an "accidental slip" rather than a gross error. For me the main function of my overhead guard is to stop sawdust flying in my face. However, in my view, anyone not using a splitter/riving knife is just asking for trouble.

Any newbies would be foolish to ignore the safety "features" until they are VERY experienced - and therefore qualified to judge whether to use them or not.

[birdman]

As Cabinetman said, it is nice to watch, but I can't think one good reason why you would want to make a circle using a table saw. I'm not sure those were all his original fingers. I have cut myself several times over the year on my band saw and usually I look around for a band-aid. If you cut yourself on the table saw (knock on wood, I have never done this) you hope you can dial 911.

[whitecobra]

Rod
You are right I rarely use a splitter
I run my wood through fairly slow so the upstroke usually widens the kerf so as to not pinch

I DO understand the reason for all the guards. Lets face it the people who develop them are brilliant and they do have a purpose but for me the set up is too much hassle

So if one is using an overhead I ABSOLUTELY see the value in dust collection in fact I am building a few of them now for our saws for that exact reason but lets get realistic there is no way that an overhead guard is going to "block" a finger from going under it if the human body is for example falling or trying to upright a 4x8

I am not trying to fight the issue as an educated guy with way more education then is used daily (remember I am a 46 year old retired surgeon) concept of safety guards is not a mysterious concept to me but what I have found over time with walking the ER floors and the like is that many times they are only lip service

The splitter helps in that it keeps the kerf "open" while the board which might be "closing" due to stress relief is pinching the rear portion of the blade which MIGHT toss the board UP do the upward component of rotation....... A lot of issues play there. I DO understand them and I agree that novices should NEVER remove ANY of the guards but for me the 10 or so times I got "a little hurt" over the past 20 years was almost always due in part not to the lack of safety guards but to the guards them selves.


Dr D

[drumpriest]

I find it amazing the differing points of view on guards. I personally spent an extra 500$ to get a saw with a riving knife and guard that are so easy to use or remove as the need arises, that I have no excuse but use them.

In my 5 years of owning a table saw, I've never been hurt, which I count as lucky and intelligent use of saftey equipment. The guard certainly can get in the way of some cuts, but I've not found a cut (other than dado) where the RK got in the way. It's nice to have a quick release for it so that my cross cut sled is unimpeded.

[sd]

I remember seeing a 7 1/4" saw blade at the wood working show two years ago that was designed for circles.

That would probably be one of these blades.