Zero Clearance Insert

[Jim Riseborough]

anyone ever use hardwood for a zero clearance insert? did you put a finish on it, or leave bare?

[Joe Scharle]

Yes, and cover it with poly or paint to keep moisture out. I spray mine with red enamel to look 'factory'. Just me.

[Lee Schierer]

No need to finish them with anything. They aren't thick enough in most cases to expand or contract enough with humidity changes to make a difference. I used to use scraps of luan plywood for my craftsman saw until I came up with the design for the aluminum one with replaceable inserts.

[Zach England]

Easier to use 1/4 inch plywood. I made one out of maple once. It looked really nice, but I forgot to remove it when tilting the blade and it broke.

once I got a good deal on a piece of phenolic-backed plywood, so I use that.

[Mitchell Andrus]

Paint it red or yellow to remind yourself of the 'no-finger' zone that it encircles.
.

[Tony Bilello]

I usually use 1/2" ply or MDF with plastic laminate on top. The only reason for the Formica is it gives me the perfect thickness for my Delta.
Just about any scrap should work including hardwood. Although I never used solid hardwood I think there might be a slight chance of expansion on high humidity days which may jam your insert in place. Most shops are not heated and cooled.http://sawmillcreek.org/album.php?albumid=191

[Steven DeMars]

I have a DELTA X5 Contractor's . . I can't get the blade low enough to to go below the bottom of the zero clearance insert.

How do you guys do this . .

Steve

[Michael Poller]

I have one made out of red oak I threw together from some scrap.

Never moved enough to be to small or tight for the space it sits in.

Never finished it but I do leave it in place when waxing the TS top so if you want to consider that a finish...

I had the same problem with the blade not going low enough.

I put a 7 1/4" circular saw blade on the TS, raised it enough to get the cut started, then switched to the 10" blade to raise it up the rest of the way.

Used the fence, very carefully positioned to be sure it wasn't on top of the blade, to lock the insert down when raising the blade through it.

[Zach England]

I have a DELTA X5 Contractor's . . I can't get the blade low enough to to go below the bottom of the zero clearance insert.

How do you guys do this . .

Steve
I have to cut a small mortise where the highest point of the blade is to touch the bottom of the insert.

[dan sherman]

anyone ever use hardwood for a zero clearance insert? did you put a finish on it, or leave bare?

I use scrap wood (hardwood or plywood), and leave it unfinished.

In my opinion inserts are like sandpaper a consumable. You are also going to need more than one, I have 5 or 6 out in the shop at the moment for different dado widths. Thus I would recommend you take the time to make a template.

this is my template and a 1/4" dado insert I made not to long ago.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=136542&stc=1&d=1262110062


I make a new insert like this:


attach the template to some scrap with double sided tape, and then use a flush trim bit to bring the insert to size.
drill through holes for the hold down screws.
Make a rabbet cut around the insert.
separate the template and insert, and then countersink the hold down holes.
Done in a few minutes

[Dave Cav]

I have a DELTA X5 Contractor's . . I can't get the blade low enough to to go below the bottom of the zero clearance insert.

How do you guys do this . .

Steve

You can use a smaller blade for the initial cut- an 8" blade or one of the side blades from a dado stack.

[Jon Endres]

Used the fence, very carefully positioned to be sure it wasn't on top of the blade, to lock the insert down when raising the blade through it.

Dangerous at worst, not good practice at best. Clamp a scrap of wood or plywood front-to-back on the table saw top, over the insert. Raise the blade up through the insert and the scrap. I used a 30" long piece of 2x6 that I keep around for jobs like that.

[Ken Shoemaker]

Steven,

I just made the ZCI for my Delta Cont. X5 last week. One side of a dado set did the trick just fine.

I then put the 10" blade a raised it all the way to the top. I then took an 1/8" piece of QSWO and made a spliter and inserted it into the kerf.

Finally, I flipped the whole thing over and brought the dado blade up throught it again to cut the other side. Now, if I need to use my cross-cut sled, I just flip the ZCI so the spliter is down. Flip it back over if I'm ripping.

BTW- I credit another creeker ( can't remember the name) for the "flip tip". I wish I were that smart to figure that one out. :rolleyes:

[Dan Forman]

Steven,

I just made the ZCI for my Delta Cont. X5 last week. One side of a dado set did the trick just fine.

I then put the 10" blade a raised it all the way to the top. I then took an 1/8" piece of QSWO and made a spliter and inserted it into the kerf.

Finally, I flipped the whole thing over and brought the dado blade up throught it again to cut the other side. Now, if I need to use my cross-cut sled, I just flip the ZCI so the spliter is down. Flip it back over if I'm ripping.

BTW- I credit another creeker ( can't remember the name) for the "flip tip". I wish I were that smart to figure that one out. :rolleyes:

Dang, that's a good idea!

Dan

[Dan Forman]

I have a DELTA X5 Contractor's . . I can't get the blade low enough to to go below the bottom of the zero clearance insert.

How do you guys do this . .

Steve

I had the same problem. For the first couple I routed out a slot on the bottom for the blade, which left just a tiny thickness of material above the blade. After doing that a couple of times, I just bought an 8" glue line rip blade. My dado set had outer blades of 3/16", so couldn't use those. I didn't have a dedicated rip blade, so it killed two birds with one stone.

Dan

[Myk Rian]

I just bought an 8" glue line rip blade.
That's what I do. Start the cut with the 8". and finish with the 10".