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5th March 2018, 11:43 AM #1
Zero clearance insert - Thin steel insert plate
My old contractor style tablesaw just has a thin steel insert plate. I was trimming some short pieces the other day and I had a bit of an exciting moment as an offcut got dragged down through the wide opening to the side of the blade. Time to finally make a zero clearance insert I thought.
Most every description I've seen about doing this has deep inserts that can be easily cut out of plywood.
Has anybody got any good ideas on what to replace thin metal plates with?
insert2.jpg insert1.jpgFranklin
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5th March 2018 11:43 AM # ADSGoogle Adsense Advertisement
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5th March 2018, 12:22 PM #2China
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HDPE or Aluminium
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5th March 2018, 01:44 PM #3
I think the thin HDPE chopping boards I have seen are a bit thicker than needed, but it might be an option.
I could probably shape thin aluminium plate. Where do you buy it or do you cut up a cheap aluminium fry pan?Franklin
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5th March 2018, 03:00 PM #4
Zero clearance insert - Thin steel insert plate
Actually made one of these a couple of days ago. 2 x 6mm pieces of ply laminated together, cut to size on the bandsaw and then finished on the sander. Sits about .5mm shallow of the table top and I’m going to shim it with pieces of tape.
Headed back out to the shop now so I’ll try and get some photos up for you.
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5th March 2018, 05:56 PM #5
The rebate for my insert is only 3mm deep. The original steel one is a bit under 3mm thick. I couldn't see any cheap HDPE boards just now at the local shops and at 400mm long I think it's probably going to have to be aluminium plate.
Franklin
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5th March 2018, 08:22 PM #6
just make the thing out of a scrap of 9 or 12 mm ply.
the only bit that needs to be the "correct" thickness is the rebate that sits on the support tabs cast into table topregards from Alberta, Canada
ian
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6th March 2018, 05:16 PM #7
I like to try the no cost approach first.
I scrounged a short piece of some engineered hardwood flooring. This is basically 17mm thick ply where the top exposed face is an extra thick 4mm. I think what I have might be American Oak. This piece seemed to be much higher quality ply than I've seen for awhile and much better than some of the other cheap floating floor stuff.
I reduced the overall thickness to around 11mm so I could shape it using a bearing router bit, similar to as described for making a thick insert. I then excavated the shaped piece to sit on the bearing surfaces. I took it down to a 3mm thick lip, but the machined rebate and tabs underneath seem to be somewhat uneven and it still sits just proud in a couple of places. I think it has also warped a bit. I don't want to take anymore meat off the thickness so I'll leave it as is for the moment. The original steel insert is closer to 2.5mm thick probably explaining why the rebate machined into the table is a bit rough.
insert3.jpg insert4.jpgFranklin
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12th March 2018, 01:30 PM #8
The big problem now seems to be above table dust control. Sawdust everywhere!
Franklin
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12th March 2018, 03:12 PM #9.
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Some of this can be relieved by drill a hole in the throat plate like this.
I should add this is not my idea - I got it from this forum - can't remember who from.
View2.jpg
If you want really effective fine dust and chip collection then bring 150mm fixed ducting as close as possible to the guard and then use 4" flexy.
The guard should be completely open at the back and the port should be at the front.
Mine is somewhat over-engineered but it does work.
TSguard1.jpg
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12th March 2018, 03:35 PM #10
Holy dust chute Batman!
Franklin
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12th March 2018, 03:39 PM #11
When it comes to dust collection Bob really doesn’t mess around! Meanwhile I can’t even decide where to put my machines so I can get started on dust collection [emoji23]
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12th March 2018, 04:07 PM #12.
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12th March 2018, 04:13 PM #13.
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Here is the TS OH guard DC connections with the pressure interlock and blast gates in place.
The other flexy is used for clean up when the OH guard gets in the way so it is swung aside.
Its also used to suck from the router table top.
TSOHG1.jpg
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12th March 2018, 04:16 PM #14
To control the dust once I run the blade through I take it back off and drill 6mm holes in all the non structural areas of the plate and countersink them to make them smooth.
Dust the gets sucked through beneath the saw. Provided there is dust collection of course.
cheers
dazzler
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12th March 2018, 04:45 PM #15regards from Alberta, Canada
ian
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