slow goin

[capt jake]

Panel 'sleds' are great! they work wonderful on panels of small demension.

Don't get me wrong on the splitter; it may be fine for some; but I cut at angles and often have a dado head in place. Either of these proceedures will need to have the splitter removed, thus I don't use one.

As I said before, to each their one............ IMHOO

[Dave R1]

Not all splitters need to be removed when you are cutting bevels. The OEM and Biesmeyer splitters among others move with the blade. I've seen several examples where the user cut his OEM blade guard off the splitter so he could use just the splitter.

[capt jake]

But it has to be removed when using a dado head.........

[Dave R1]

The Beismeyer splitter as well as the Excalibur Merlin splitter just snap in and out.

Here's an article on splitters and overarm blade guards from Fine Woodworking. http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/pages/w00130.asp

And here's another article on kickback from them. http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/pages/w00066.asp

"I repeat the operation with the splitter and blade guard in place. When I let go this time, nothing happens. Then I use a push stick to force the piece away from the rip fence and into the blade. Again, nothing happens. This is because the splitter prevents the rotation of the piece away from the fence."

And more

http://www.woodshopdemos.com/Safe-3.htm

Jake, I don't expect any of this will convince you to use safety devices with your tablesaw but I hope at least one person manages to keep all their digits and avoid a trip to the ER by using proper safe methods of work. I guess as you say, to each, their own.

[capt jake]

Safety I aggree with whole heartedly!

I learned what I know by having to make a living at it in the field, thus all of the equipment was functional and to the point. I 'field' table saw never has a splitter on it (or at least I have never seen such). You have to get things done, and in a timely amnner to make any money at it.

I have toured many fabrication facilities, which turn out large volumes of 'stuff'. I haven't seen splitters there either.

Granted, splitters are a safer way to go, I will aggree with this. When production is the course of the day, they tend to be a little fickle to work with.

This is my own perspective and point of view, take the safer route for sure!! It is all in what you want to accomplish in a given time frame.