Thread: dangerous zero insert plate

Did you faithfully follow the old plate's profile? If it is too loose, you can shim it with masking tape.

Greg

Hi La Huerta!
There's generally a spring steel tongue on the forward edge and a retaining screw on the rear of any insert, precisely to prevent it making a bid for freedom.

Does the standard one have such an arrangement? Any ZCI should have the same.

Cheers!

no the standard one has no such arrangement, so i did not think of that at the time, but it does have a 1/2 in wide blade hole...hence the pursue of a new plate.

Can you screw it down?

The insert on my old shopsmith table saw has counter sunk holes in it so it is held down with counter sunk screws.
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Making an insert out of anything other than plywood invites a possible dent in the forehead. Wood moves and it can't be stopped so when that piece moves and pinches on the blade you have a problem. Ply (the better the quality the more stable the insert) on the other hand doesn't move so you have less chance of having a possible kick back. You could also screw a small tongue on the back of the insert to help stop it from wanting to kick back.

La Huerta,
when I made my Zero insert plate I drilled 4 holes, one for each of the support tags that are under the plate and used largish counter sunk screws to hold it down. Works a treat and only takes a few secs to undo when changing blades, which for me seems like every time I want to cut something!

Regards
Vasco

screwing down sounds like the way to go, i'v got little supports under there...i might even do a ply one too, did'nt think of wood moveement...did'nt really think at all

if fact i cont evn ty[pe straiht latey .. !?

Mine are made from merbau and are not screwed down. Haven't had one fly up at me yet. I made them a firm fit. I also drilled a 4mm hole in the edge at each corner and used a small plug cutter to cut some 4mm rubber plugs from an old tyre which I pushed into the holes and trimmed off just proud of the surface. They're a nice tight fit, quick to change and the rubber plugs hold them in place.

Large washer on the far edge hooks under the ledge and holds mine in place. No screws, pops out easy when I want to remove it. so far hasn't threatened to take flight.

Tex

the large washer on the far edge did the trick mate, i also gave the timber a little tap undernieth around the edges to swell it out a bit and it's a nice tight fit, it must be happy as it did not lunge out at me this time...


many thanks to all

Originally Posted by silentC

Mine are made from merbau and are not screwed down. Haven't had one fly up at me yet. I made them a firm fit. I also drilled a 4mm hole in the edge at each corner and used a small plug cutter to cut some 4mm rubber plugs from an old tyre which I pushed into the holes and trimmed off just proud of the surface. They're a nice tight fit, quick to change and the rubber plugs hold them in place.

I had a similar problem. No matter how well I cut the wood there was always a little slop in the insert.

To fix this I added thumbtacks on the side of the insert at the point where the curve starts and these were placed at all four points where the curve starts.

I also used thumbtacks to adjust the height if there were discrepinces in the thickness of the board.

I'm heading out to the shed in a few minutes so will get you some piccies.

thumb tacks...

don't you just love how the simplest ideas solve the biggest problems...


la H

As promised here are said piccies of ZCI, with thumbtack shims. Sorry I was a bit late with these. Got sidetracked and made a new mailbox. Gonna post a piccy or two as well

sounds like your on a roll with the piccy posting...


many thanks, i'll do this to keep it all nice and tight...


la H