Grizzly G0661 table saw insert...

[Harold Burrell]

My "Zero clearance" insert is cracked. It is the one that came with the saw. I'm not terribly thrilled with the design of the insert as it is...and I SURE don't want to pay $30 for another one.

I'm thinking about making one. However, I want to still be able to use my riving knife. I would (obviously) have to cut a slot out for it, but then that would make the backside of the insert pretty vulnerable to breaking, methinks.

Should I just suck it up and get the factory one?

ugh...

(BTW...the saw is WAY out of warranty.)

[Randy Red Bemont]

I made mine out of some MDF. I just traced the factory one on some MDF and cut it out then fine tuned it on the sander. I haven't had an issue with the insert breaking because of the riving knife cut out. The factory zero clearance insert that came with my saw is pretty beefy.

Red

[Justin Schaub]

I find that either building it out of plywood, or adding a cross grain strip provides the needed strength to resist cracking. Here's an example of adding in that cross grain strip:

http://woodgears.ca/delta_saw/insert.html

[Cary Falk]

I made one for G1023RL out of a phenolic kit I got at Rockler. I cut the slot for the riving knife. It is pretty thin behind the riving knife but I never had an issue. I also have some corion I want to try.