Thread: Zero clearance insert

Originally Posted by Mr Brush

A bit of a terminology thing...to me a riving knife specifically is something that moves up and down (and angles) with the blade, often a shark fin shape not protruding above the top of the blade. A splitter is any fixed thing that doesn't move with the blade, often sticks up way higher, and can be a pain to constantly remove when not required.
...

Precisely my definition, too, Mr Brush. For once we are all on the same page, I think.

Also share your dislike of splitters; riving knives are so much more versatile.

I always feel apprehensive about hacking into something that is so new

here's a before shot, one with the small piece cut out, and the last after a touch up with paint

I now have the full unimpeded cutting height of 80mm,

thanks for everyones input, I've probably learnt a couple of things on the way

cheers
Hodgo

Neat job - just like a bought one.

Nice work mate.

I made some for my Carbatec machine a while back just out of MDF for now but because I made
a template aswell I plan to make some new ones from English oak or walnut just to be flashy

Here's the ones I made including template:

IMG_7731.jpg thumbnail_IMG_7728.jpg

Carbatec want $179 for this :

TS-C250P-ZERO-N_2.JPG

As we had thunderstorms and rain all morning in Kalgoorlie and it was pretty wet and cold outside for the rest of the day, I thought I'd make up a new zero clearance insert using some of the ideas I've learned from this thread.Not sure what the timber is - just some piece of hardwood I found in the shed. I found a piece of flat steel just slightly thinner than the kerf my blades cut, and made up a splitter from that - the riving knife on the HAFCO saw is useless - really only just a mount for the horrible safety guard that comes with the saw and was thrown out on day one.

Pretty happy with this one - it is a tighter fit and more stable than my previous plywood efforts. And my crosscut sled passes over it easily without having to change to an insert without a splitter.

IMG_3028.jpg IMG_3029.jpg IMG_3030.jpg IMG_3031.jpg IMG_3032.jpg

Originally Posted by BMKal

As we had thunderstorms and rain all morning in Kalgoorlie and it was pretty wet and cold outside for the rest of the day, I thought I'd make up a new zero clearance insert using some of the ideas I've learned from this thread.Not sure what the timber is - just some piece of hardwood I found in the shed. I found a piece of flat steel just slightly thinner than the kerf my blades cut, and made up a splitter from that - the riving knife on the HAFCO saw is useless - really only just a mount for the horrible safety guard that comes with the saw and was thrown out on day one.

Pretty happy with this one - it is a tighter fit and more stable than my previous plywood efforts. And my crosscut sled passes over it easily without having to change to an insert without a splitter.

IMG_3028.jpg IMG_3029.jpg IMG_3030.jpg IMG_3031.jpg IMG_3032.jpg

very nice, it looks like they are 16+ mm, must be good and solid

Originally Posted by EagerBeaver71

... I made some for my Carbatec machine a while back just out of MDF for now but because I made a template aswell I plan to make some new ones from English oak or walnut just to be flashy ...

Let the war begin and escallate; who has the prettiest inserts?

Leading contender Hodgo

Originally Posted by GraemeCook

Let the war begin and escallate; who has the prettiest inserts?

Well I'm out, mines made of bloody mdf!

How about we play who has the most complex zero-clearance insert?

Originally Posted by EagerBeaver71

How about we play who has the most complex zero-clearance insert?

You win!

I gave my 20 plus year old Dewalt DW708 compound mitre saw a new set of inserts, the old yellow ones had started to disintegrate (plastic gone brittle), so with a nice off cut of Ironbark the saw now looks great and making the cut with the blade through the new insert gives me a nice reference line when cutting timber, this will however stop being the case once I use the tilt mitre feature, but then again I might just use my other saw for compound mitres and take advantage of this new Zero clearance insert.

Template.jpg

Used old yellow insert for a template,

Inserts Fitted.jpg

Originally Posted by Camelot

I gave my 20 plus year old Dewalt DW708 compound mitre saw a new set of inserts, the old yellow ones had started to disintegrate (plastic gone brittle), so with a nice off cut of Ironbark the saw now looks great and making the cut with the blade through the new insert gives me a nice reference line when cutting timber, this will however stop being the case once I use the tilt mitre feature, but then again I might just use my other saw for compound mitres and take advantage of this new Zero clearance insert.

Template.jpg

Used old yellow insert for a template,

Inserts Fitted.jpg

It would seem a shame to cut into that with the mitre, might be a good time to look at making a 2nd mitre insert