Table saw insert question

[Bill Ledoux]

I'm refurbishing an old Delta right-tilt Unisaw (serial # 90-4980) and need to order a dado insert. The existing blade insert is 3 3/4" by 12" and has "Cat NO 1163" stamped on the backside of it. With the pin on the bottom, the blade opening is on the right. Can anyone tell me what Delta part number to order? I tried e-mailing Delta with no response. (Also posting this question on OWWM site) Thanks...Bill

[Chris Fite]

Whenever I have needed information from Delta, a telephone call worked wonders. No menus, just people.

[Jesse Cloud]

If you are refitting this saw to 'use' as opposed to 'sell', I would recommend a shop made dado insert. Just take the current insert and place it on a piece of hardwood a little larger than the insert itself. Draw a line around the insert. Take this to a band saw or jig saw and rough cut a little outside the line. Now to finesse the fit, you will need a router will a flush cut bit (straight bit with a roller on top), and some two-sided tape (carpet tape at home depot works fine). Tape the old insert to the hardwood you just cut and run the router around the insert. This will give you an exact copy of the old insert.
When I am making these, I make half a dozen or so. As you use different dado sizes or use different angles with a regular blade the 'zero clearance' goes away.
Now, to finish, use the height adjuster to lower your blade below the tablesaw surface - place the hardwood in the table saw slot - use a file or sandpaper to ease any too tight fits. Hold or clamp a 2x4 or piece of scrap over the new insert, turn the saw on and slowly raise the blade so that it cuts thru the insert. You are done.
Not fancy, but it works well and costs next to nothing....

[Bill Ledoux]

The saw is to be used as a primary saw in my small shop. Your "shop made' solution is an excellent idea....I will do it and make a couple 'blanks' at the same time. Thanks....

[John Miliunas]

Bill, Jesse hit it on the head! Also, you can save yourself a bit of work or actually double the mileage on those blanks you cut by using one insert for two different widths of dado's. Follow what Jesse suggests, but the next time you need, for instance, a wider dado, just flip the insert 180° and do the same process on the other side of the insert. I mark the inserts according to width for each slot. Before you know it, you'll have the most used widths covered, you'll have saved some material AND, saved some room, to boot. :) :cool:

[Bart Leetch]

If your blade doesn't lower down far enough to clear the new throat plate use your router to make a shallow groove on the bottom in line with where the blade is to give you clearance for the blade with it lowered all the way down.

[Dev Emch]

Word of caution to keep the Coolness Violation Police or CVP away...

In distributing photos of cool wood shops, everyone has to check out whatcha got. Then they look for tell tale signs that your hard core and experienced.

One of those tell tale signs is the presence of a hardwood saw insert. Its something that started out as penny pinching to save a little money.... now its almost an unspoken rule in the shops of the hardcore.

This topic has come up a few times in various forums and its been swept under the table quietly. So let me go on the record by saying that its not only better for performance of your saw but its also good for your wallet and even better for your "rep" in the forum circles to just make your inserts.

Best of luck....

[Steve Schoene]

I agree with the make your own idea, but if you do want the manufactured inset I'd bet ANY inset for the left-tilt Delta will fit, just like I'd bet the current oriduction right-tilt insert would fit my circa 1940's Unisaw.

I suppose I am dating myself but it used to be Powermatic was left-tilt and delta was right-tilt, period. I don't remember when the left tilt was introduced.

[Jim Becker]

In distributing photos of cool wood shops, everyone has to check out whatcha got. Then they look for tell tale signs that your hard core and experienced.

One of those tell tale signs is the presence of a hardwood saw insert. Its something that started out as penny pinching to save a little money.... now its almost an unspoken rule in the shops of the hardcore.

So...where's your picture, Dev??? :D :D :D ;)
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And I'll pile on...make your own inserts. You can't beat the cost of scrap and you'll always have one "just the right width", even if you have to cut a new one for that special project.

[Bruce Volden]

Ditto!! on making your your own inserts. Been doing this for a couple of TS's now. Also, I countersink 4 rare earth magnets in all mine to keep them in place. They work EXTREMELY well. Plus you can "hang" them just about anywhere on the saw! Bruce

[Barry Beech]

Your regular 10" blade won't work for cutting the slot on the ZCI (zero clearance insert), as Bart said. You can also use one of the outside cutters on your dado set to start the slot on the ZCI.

[Bill Ledoux]

Thanks again for all your ideas. I like the fact that the wood inserts are a sign of a quality shop! The suggestion to rotate the insert 180 degrees in order to get two different widths on the same insert is a stroke of genius. I'll have to look into the earth magnets as the suggestion to use them made sense. I have a few pieces of beech laying around that will fit the bill. Thanks again...

[Alan Turner]

It may violate Dev's "cool" rule, but I use 12mm BB ply for my Uni. For the levelers, I drill and tap the BB.

[John Miliunas]

It may violate Dev's "cool" rule, but I use 12mm BB ply for my Uni. For the levelers, I drill and tap the BB.

Hey Alan, I don't use BB ply for inserts, but I do have a couple, which are nothing more than compressed board w/melamine laminate on them. I've even gone and primed and painted them real close to the stock RED of my original inserts!:eek: Yikes, wonder what Dev whould think of that?!:D :) :cool:

[Steve Schoene]

Just don't forget to make another cut to allow inserting what ever splitter devise you use if you will rip with a particular insert.