Thread: Saved My Pennies but Need Zero Clearance Inserts

Hi Yvan, I'm not too familiar with the specifics of the sawstop and the factory insert so I was wondering why would the blade touching the insert trigger the safety mechanism? Is the insert made of metal?
The genuine replacement sawstop ZCIs come without a slot and are designed to have the blade raised through them so i would have through it would be ok?

If you can't cut a Zero clearance insert the you wont be able to cut anything. True clearance insert needs to be cut with the blade you intend to use.

Im quite certain that the SawStop inserts are solid phenolic resin

The safety mech would not have fired. It's just a phenolic insert. You can buy official sawstop blanks (eg carbatec, fleabay or amazon) and raise your blade through them like any other saw.

The safety mechanism will fire if the blade contacts flesh, metal, or sometimes damp wood (it's all about the electricities!)

Watch this and be enlightened....

IF you are concerned your actions might trigger the stop, turn it off for the duration of that activity... simple!

I did a write up a while ago. I can HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend these.... they will change the way you work.

For guys making their own ZCI, a 12mm diameter hole just in front of the slot helps clear sawdust from the top of the table into the cabinet.

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Thank you gentlemen for very diplomatically pointing out that commercial insert templates for ZCI's are made of the same material as the one I have on my TS

The only time I ever wanted to cut a miter, the safety mechanism was triggered as I switched the TS on. As neither my fingers nor any timber were near the blade, I assumed that the blade had touched the throat plate...I have to confess that I wasn't thinking exactly straight after the event as it happened in a split second and I was left somewhat shaken by the surprise and the loud bang of the blade being hit by the break cartridge and retracting under the table!

Yvan

You know you can free brake cartridge replacement if you send it back to sawstop.

I sent my cartridge back to carbatec who replaced it free of charge after filling out a form. The cartridges go back to sawstop and they use the stop data to make sure their brakes are working correctly or to see if things need changing.

Also have to remember to give the saw a few seconds after touching the blade at any time, before starting it other wise it will set it off. So if you give the blade a quick spin with you're fingers just to make sure its free, then pretty much instantly goto start it the brake will go off.

Have to wait for the Leds to stop blinking

Yvan,

I don't recall if you have a router table. It is very quick and easy to batch up several ZCIs from MDF or other material by using your existing insert as the template with a flush trim bit. If you don't have one, you're welcome to come over and knock a bunch up.

To get an exact height match, a blob of hot glue on each support tab and held at the perfect height till it hardens is simple and effective.

Originally Posted by LanceC

Yvan,

I don't recall if you have a router table. It is very quick and easy to batch up several ZCIs from MDF or other material by using your existing insert as the template with a flush trim bit. If you don't have one, you're welcome to come over and knock a bunch up.

To get an exact height match, a blob of hot glue on each support tab and held at the perfect height till it hardens is simple and effective.

Thanks Lance, much appreciated. I will be in touch!!