riving knife or a splitter...

[Michael Dunn]

Hey guys!

I have the Delta Shopmaster TS-300. I was wondering if there is any way to install an aftermarket riving knife. I have the blade guard which has anti-kickback pawls and a splitter. However, I don't feel that this splitter of of acceptable quality (VERY flimsy). (I know it's a budget saw, but it's what I'm stuck with for a while.) Does anyone have any suggestions.

I'm open to DIY splitters or knives.

Thanx,

shotgunn

[glenn bradley]

There are after market riving knives for a few of the larger and more common cabinet saws. You can Google "************" I don't know that you will find one for your saw. When I had a contractor (and still on my current saw) I made my own zero clearance inserts (http://www.shopnotes.com/issues/090/videos/making-a-zero-clearance-insert/) (a good idea anyway) and use the thin kerf MJ Splitter (http://www.microjig.com/products/mj-splitter/).

[Michael Dunn]

I have seen this shopnotes video. (I LOVE WOODSMITH btw!!!) I DVR all of the shows. However, my saw has a different type of insert. Mine has a rabbited edge. It is not an equal rabbit, there is a bit of a 'shelf'.

I was thinking of creating some sort of a two or three stage template. One for the actual top, one for the 'shelf' and one for the rabbit.

Although I suppose I could just use a rabbiting bit for the third part.

This might not make any sense if you are unfamiliar with my saws inserts type.

Anyway thanx for the tips.

shotgunn


There are after market riving knives for a few of the larger and more common cabinet saws. You can Google "************" I don't know that you will find one for your saw. When I had a contractor (and still on my current saw) I made my own zero clearance inserts (http://www.shopnotes.com/issues/090/videos/making-a-zero-clearance-insert/) (a good idea anyway) and use the thin kerf MJ Splitter (http://www.microjig.com/products/mj-splitter/).

[Prashun Patel]

Michael-
As a former owner of a Shopmaster TS350, I suggest you just upgrade your saw eventually. You can spend a lot of $$ and time upgrading yr fence and other things to make it more safe and more accurate, but IMHO, the best investment is to put it towards a new saw.

To improve the safety in the meanwhile IF you feel you need to work without the guard occasionally, you can make a ZCI with a splitter glued into the kerf.

[glenn bradley]

I have seen this shopnotes video. (I LOVE WOODSMITH btw!!!) I DVR all of the shows. However, my saw has a different type of insert. Mine has a rabbited edge. It is not an equal rabbit, there is a bit of a 'shelf'.

I made ZCI's for my old C-man out of 1/4" MDF and rabbeted the edge to make the fit. If I over did it, I shimmed with tape to level it. The thinner stock would not hold the MJ Splitter so I glued a small block of hardwood to the underside of the ZCI where the splitter holes were drilled.

[Michael Dunn]

I know, I know, and believe me I'd LOVE to do that. However, I have a hard enough time trying to justify all my current purchases with my wife. Even though it is all for my business (not my main source of income, but a legimate legal entity).

What I mostly use my TS for is building stuff for my shop. I build and modify guitars with my part time business. Even when I build a guitar there is literally only one or two cuts on the TS, if that. It's almost entirely band saw, router, jointer and planer. Actually my buisness' 'bread 'n butter' now is work that I do on my CNC milling machine that I built.

That being said, one day, I will definitely upgrade. After time, I will certainly be able to justify it to my wife. At the moment, I honestly cannot even justify it to myself. Once I can justify it to myself, the saw is as good as mine!!!

In the mean time I have been learning quite a bit about how to make the most of a sub par machine. I have been REALLY conscious of setup and maintainence and safety and therefor have been getting pretty impressive results.

I'll be sure to post info + pics whenever I do get a new table saw.

Thanx,

shotgunn


Michael-
As a former owner of a Shopmaster TS350, I suggest you just upgrade your saw eventually. You can spend a lot of $$ and time upgrading yr fence and other things to make it more safe and more accurate, but IMHO, the best investment is to put it towards a new saw.

To improve the safety in the meanwhile IF you feel you need to work without the guard occasionally, you can make a ZCI with a splitter glued into the kerf.

[scott spencer]

I don't know of any aftermarket riving knives for that saw, so you'd likely need to develop your own. It's fairly simple to add a fixed splitter to the throat insert. Microjig makes one for ~ $20.

http://www.woodnbits.com/blog/graphics/RipShort/MJSplitter.jpg
http://www.thewoodshop.20m.com/graphics/splitter1.jpg

[Floyd Mah]

I recently (http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=112419) posted my home-made riving knife for a delta contractor's saw. If you have access to a milling machine and an Orchard Supply Hardware store, as well as a few hours, you can construct a similar riving knife. It is as close to a commercial riving knife in function without resorting to more complicated machining, of which there was an elegant example recently on this site. The main key to solving the problem is to find a mounting point on the saw that follows the blade when it is tilted for a bevel cut. The design accommodates the vertical motion of the saw arbor and follows the blade closely.