There are over 60,000 table saw accidents per year in the USA. So it makes sense that the next portable table saw you buy is also the safest. Bosch have worked hard to make their table saws safer without compromising performance or ease of use. In fact the Bosch 4100 is widely regarded as the best in it’s class. It may not be cheap but you can get a good deal online. I’ll tell you more about that in a moment.

Bosch table saws are highly respected and desired by woodworkers, especially those looking for a portable solution to their needs. The Bosch 4100 builds on the success of the excellent 4000 table saw with the addition of several design features. This durable, hard working saw has been made with the emphasis on safety and ease of use.

Bosch revolutionised the saw world with the introduction of the 4100. Never before had such safety features been seen in a portable saw.

The modular components of the safety features comprise:

Easy to use, together they make for a much safer working environment.

The modular nature of the safety features and the speed with which each element can be moved or installed means that the average user is much more likely to actually use the safety features. You’ll be surprised to find they don’t get in your way as much as you think and could save your fingers!

The Riving Knife: This acts like splitter but is mounted on the same assembly as the blade armature. So it rides up and down with the blade as you adjust blade height and also pivots with the blade for bevel cuts. It’s designed to keep the kerf open and prevents wood getting caught on the back of the blade. Such contact is the cause of dangerous kickbacks.

The Smartguard System: Completely tool free, it only takes an instant to install or remove.The smartguard clips securely to the riving knife, so like the riving knife it automatically adjusts to the height and angle of the blade.The main body of the smartguard is a metal center section shaped like a tuning fork which sits above the blade. This design prevents contact with the blade yet allows full view of the blade as it cuts and enters the kerf. Attached to the left and right side of the chassis are the blade guards. The guards move independently to give better protection than other designs. They also flip up out of the way if you need access to the stationary blade.

Anti-Kickback Pawls: Like the smartguard assembly the anti-kickback pawls clip to the riving knife, but at the back end. The pawls give you an extra level of security, preventing material being thrown back at the saw user at speed. Like all the modular elements of the safety equipment they can be removed very quickly if needed.

Safety features are all well and good but if you don’t use them there’s no point in having them at all. Bosch have made the safety features of the Bosch 4100 really easy to use and have provided space to store them when not in use, in the body of the saw. It only takes a second or two to fit each module. So go ahead and use them and stay out of E.R.!

If you want to know where you can get the best deal online for the Bosch 4100. Visit the Bosch 4100 blog http://bosch4100.blogspot.com/2010/09/bosch-4100-series-table-saw-closer-look.html. You can find out a lot more about this saw and you can see what it’s all about too.

article originally published as Bosch 4100 Safety Features