Dado throat plate, make your own?

[Steve Southwood]

How many make their own throat plates when using a dado? Is there anything to worry about? I guess it is no more of a worry than a zero clearance.

[Myk Rian]

I use 1/2" BB ply. To set the opening I put the fence over the edge of the plate and run the blades up.

[Bryan Berguson]

I use 1/2" BB ply. To set the opening I put the fence over the edge of the plate and run the blades up.

I do the same thing. Used my original as a template, rough cut with the jig saw and finished with a pattern bit in the router.

Bryan

[Tom Veatch]

I make my own, for each significantly different width needed. As you say, no more of a worry than a regular ZCI, just a wider slot.

[Bill Huber]

I make all my own from 1/2 inch Phenolic, at this time I only have one for the dado blade and it is set up for 3/4 ply.

I have one for my standard kerf blades and one for the thin kerf. With the Phenolic they last forever.

[glenn bradley]

Same as all the others (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=111991); 1/2" BB ply.

[Bill Huber]

Not to hijack this thread but why does everyone use BB for ZCIs. With Phenolic it will last just about forever and works just as easy as the ply does. Plus it will tape and hold screws for adjusting the plate in the saw.

I had one in my old saw that I used for a year and sold the saw and its still going fine after a year and 8 months.

The new one I made for the new saw is still singing and I have been using it for about 8 months now.

Just wondering:)

[Jim Kountz]

Not to hijack this thread but why does everyone use BB for ZCIs. With Phenolic it will last just about forever and works just as easy as the ply does. Plus it will tape and hold screws for adjusting the plate in the saw.

I had one in my old saw that I used for a year and sold the saw and its still going fine after a year and 8 months.

The new one I made for the new saw is still singing and I have been using it for about 8 months now.

Just wondering:)

Cost maybe?? Like some others have stated I make alot of these for different tasks. It would get expensive after a while to make them all out of phenolic when 1/2" ply ( I dont see the need for Baltic Birch when any decent 1/2" cabinet ply will do) works just as good.

[glenn bradley]

I have BB ply laying around and I would have to go get some phenolic. There, I've admitted it; I'm lazy! :D:D:D

[Bill Huber]

Cost maybe?? Like some others have stated I make alot of these for different tasks. It would get expensive after a while to make them all out of phenolic when 1/2" ply ( I dont see the need for Baltic Birch when any decent 1/2" cabinet ply will do) works just as good.

Well I guess that could be the case. You spend $1000 to $3000 for a saw and then you worry about $10 for a ZCI. But then if you save your money and use plywood maybe you can buy that $3000 saw.



I have BB ply laying around and I would have to go get some phenolic. There, I've admitted it; I'm lazy! :D:D:D

That's what the internet is for, let them bring it to you.:D
But if you were really lazy like me, you would just set there in your chair and order it on the net.

[Steve Southwood]

Thanks for that. Not sure why I thought there might be an issue. Went ahead and made 8 inserts this morning. All I had was MDF, so it will have to work for now.

[phil harold]

I made mine out of a plastic cutting board
milled real nice

[Mike Cutler]

With my Jet I make them out of what ever is on hand. The current ZCI is a scrap of jatoba.
The throat plate for my General is a little unique and homemade ZCI's haven't worked well, so I've been using the Phenolic blank plates from Lee Craft. They cost a little $$$ but they're really nice.

Whatever works and keeps ya' safe.;)

[Jason Hallowell]

I made mine out of a plastic cutting board
milled real nice

Me too. The local restaurant supply store sells a nice cutting board for $7.50, and it makes 4 inserts for my table saw. I made several other jigs and fixtures with them also, like a set of router mounting plates for my router table. They don't last as long as UHMW, but they cost way less.

[Tony Bilello]

They don't take very long to make and usually they last for many many years. I also make my jigs and my woodturnings from scraps.

http://sawmillcreek.org/album.php?albumid=191

[Anthony Whitesell]

I have no choice but to make my own throat plates (dado, ZCI, or otherwise). I have yet to drop the coin on a blank, but I'm thinking the phenolic may be my best bet as the thickness of the original insert is around 0.085". I'm hoping to be about to use the original insert as a template with a pattern-following bit in the router to shape a blank insert and the use a rabbeting bit to create a 1/4" deep lip that is only 0.085" thick. I'm not sure that wood would be strong enough and I have found any soft aluminum large enough (nor cheap enough) to try.