Glad to see I'm not the only one with a penchant for getting a bit more out of tools. I always assumed Bigfoot geared the motor down. Seems like it would be an utter necessity for the 14" one. What kind of surgery did you do on the hitachi to squeeze in a bigger blade? Does the guard still work? Personally, I view the guard of a beam saw as more of a convenience. It lets you set the tool down on the ground without having to wait for the blade to stop spinning and keeps the blade out of the dirt. I don't think I've ever had a big saw kick back on me. Usually the problem is the opposite-- the motor bogs. Maybe I'm just young and dumb, but I'm inclined to think "safety" can sometimes be a bit overrated. We all draw the line somewhere.
