Low Profile Riving Knife Question

[Jim Summers]

Hello All,

First I would like to say I am a safety freak and use all safety equipment when possible.

I have a PM2000 that has a riving knife that is above the blade height. I am considering throwing down some precious coin for a low profile version that can be used when doing non-through cuts.

I am not sure though what benefit that is though. I guess I am thinking inside the box and that the riving knife keeps the kerf open on through cuts.

So I am not sure what it does for non-through cuts? Maybe if you were to have something crazy happen like the blade pull the wood left or right on a crosscut or it wanders off the fence on a rip??

TIA

[Erik France]

It might help on the types of cuts on your last two questions, but I think the big advantage is that the knife stays on the saw and doesn't get removed as often. (mainly preventing it from not being put back on)

I upgraded my saw with a Shark Guard that has the below blade riving knife. It hardly ever comes off my saw unless I'm using a smaller diameter blade or dado stack. Before I got the Shark I would often leave off my OEM knife/guard. Pretty stupid on my behalf, but the OEM knife wasn't the easiest thing to put on or remove.

[Joe Leigh]

The first thing I did after my PM2000 purchase was to get a zero clearance insert and a low profile riving knife.

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q226/lj61673/New%20Saw/DSCN1751.jpg

The low profile knife can be used for through cuts as well as non through. To be honest I don't always use the upper guard when ripping. In fact unless I'm doing a lot of ripping at one time I just leave the low profile knife in. This way there is always a riving knife in place regardless of the type of cut. Properly set up a riving knife is one of the safest things you can add to any saw as it lowers the risk of kickback dramatically.

[Jim Summers]

The first thing I did after my PM2000 purchase was to get a zero clearance insert and a low profile riving knife.

The low profile knife can be used for through cuts as well as non through. To be honest I don't always use the upper guard when ripping. In fact unless I'm doing a lot of ripping at one time I just leave the low profile knife in. This way there is always a riving knife in place regardless of the type of cut. Properly set up a riving knife is one of the safest things you can add to any saw as it lowers the risk of kickback dramatically.

Very nice setup. I am still using the OEM blade guard and although it is a bit bulky I like it. The shark would be cool, but that is definitely down the road a ways.

I really need to get a ZCI. The regular insert has enough gap that thin cutoffs get sucked down by the DC and I have to stop a lot to clear that.

I think I will save a bit more a get both and save on the shipping.

Thanks Again

[Erik France]

I think I will save a bit more a get both and save on the shipping.
Where are you getting your riving knife? I believe the Leeway Workshop has a riving knife for your saw at a reasonable price; $32 http://www.leestyron.com/sharksplitter.php

Fabricating a shop made ZCI is pretty easy. I like making several at a time, getting the most out of a setup. Having some blanks onhand for different blades, and bevel cuts and just to replace worn inserts is nice.

[Joe Leigh]

Powermatic has the riving knife on sale for $29 part #1791787
The ZCI is from Leecraft, about $30...

[Jim Becker]

Jim, when I bought my slider, I ordered a second riving knife for exactly the same purpose you are considering. Since I use my existing 10" blades on a 12" saw, I could not lower the knife far enough with its normal adjustment to be able to use it for non-through cuts with the smaller blades. Yet the over-blade collection hood/guard used for through cuts needs to connect to the top of the riving knife on my particular saw. The second riving knife was taken to the grinder and modified to shorten it by about 1/2"...just enough to suit my purposes.

It sounds like a second riving knife for your saw isn't very expensive, so go for it!

[Jim Summers]

Thanks everyone.

I have been doing most of my non-through cuts using a router / router table. But there have been a lot of times that it would have been much easier to use the table saw, but now that I try to do things as safe as possible I keep going the router route.

So I will definitely get the low profile RK so I can be safer than without and do things a bit easier and maybe better.

Thanks Again