Cutting insert on Sawstop

[Paul Snowden]

I know the standard idea is to put on our dado blade to make the first cut on a homemade insert but on my sawstop the saw won't start with a smaller blade. Does any other sawstop owner (or others) have a plan that won't cause me to once again use a small block and a stick to push it down on a moving blade?

[Bob Falk]

on my sawstop the saw won't start with a smaller blade.

Paul, Surely the saw will start with a dado blade, but are you saying that the blade won't lower enough to clear a blank insert? I am confused. bob

[Paul Ryan]

On my PCS saw you can lower a 10" blade far enough to cut a ZCI no need to put the dado in. But I don't know why you couldn't use just a dado cutter the cartridge wont care as long as it is 8" and adjust properly.

[Mike Heidrick]

Make sure you use a dado brake cartridge.

Buy the zero clearence wood insert from sawstop!?!

[Mac Cambra]

Are you using the dado brake cartridge? The saw's diagnostics should not allow you to run the dado without the right cartridge.

You also have to ensure that the spacing between blade and brake is correct as well. I think the spacing needs to be something like the thickness of a nickel.

[Paul Snowden]

I don't have the dado brake as I do my dados with my router.

[JohnT Fitzgerald]

Make sure you use a dado brake cartridge.

+1. You will need the dado cartridge to run the smaller blade of a dado...otherwise the computer will not let the saw run. Unless...could you run in "bypass" mode in that config?

[David Dalzell]

how about routing a small relief cut on the bottom of the insert? Just enough to allow a 10" blade to rotate freely.

[Andrew Schlosser]

Do a search on Sawstop dados. I think I remember seeing that the saw won't start up unless it has an 8" blade. If you put the saw in Bypass mode, you should be able to start up the machine with any blade.

Also, I think you should be able to use the dado blade without the dado brake. You just won't be able to stop all the spinning blades when the brake fires, kind defeating the purpose of the brake.

[Andy Sowers]

Paul

Which Sawstop saw do you have?

On my PCS not only are there instructions on how to cut the ZCI, there is also also already a relief cut on the bottom of the insert (along with some other cutouts):

137113

Are you using a ZCI from SS, or making one of your own?

The SS requires that the spacing between the brake and the blade is 0.070" in order for the circuitry to allow you to start the saw. So that clearly won't work if you put an 8" dado blade on the arbor with the 10" brake in place. My guess is that it won't operate either in bypass, but that's not a test I plan on running since I have the dado cartridge.

But bottom line is you shouldnt need to bother with the dado blade, if you follow the SS instructions.

Oh, one other thing... REMOVE the riving knife before cutting the ZCI. There was a post here just awhile back where someone activated their brake when the riving knife deflected into the blade while cutting their ZCI. In fact, this is item #1 on the SS instruction leaflet.


HTH
-Andy