Biesmeyer or Delta Splitter or Micro Jig

[Bart Leetch]

I use mostly thin kerf blades (from contractor-saw days) & I have a triple chip Laminate blade & a TK 906 Freud combination & a new glue line rip blade on which the carbides seem to be wider than thin kerf. I figure there may be more thick kerf blades in my future. I need to know which splitter system will serve me best on my right tilt Unisaw?

I have been thinking of going with the Micro Jig but am confused about which one to get because of the different blade thicknesses. Also the Biesmeyer & Delta splitters are for which blade thickness?

[Chris Rosenberger]

I have the Delta retractable splitter on my Unisaw. It is to thick for a thin kerf blade. I also have the Micro Jig splitters for both thick & thin kerf. I use the Micro Jig splitters mainly when I am ripping very narrow stock. They work well. I have the Biesmeyer splitter on a vintage Powermatic 66 that I restored last winter. I have not tried using it with a thin kerf blade. It is also a nice splitter.

[Dave Falkenstein]

There is really no reason to use thin kerf blades on a Unisaw - the saw has plenty of power for full kerf blades. I have the Biesemeyer splitter on my Jet cabinet saw. The Biesemeyer splitter is compatible with full kerf blades. That splitter is very well designed and goes in and out of the saw with no effort. An excellent product. If you go to a full kerf splitter you will have to stop using the thin kerf blades - the cut will bind on the splitter. Sounds like it might be time to bite the bullet.

[Bart Leetch]

Thanks for the help Guys.

"The saw has plenty of power for full kerf blades."

But my Wallet doesn't have plenty of power to replace perfectly good blades.":D For me thats kinda like jumping out of a perfectly good airplane.

[John Gregory]

I have a mixture of thin and regular kerf. I have a ZCI with the appropriate MicroJig splitter for each.

[Dave Falkenstein]

But my Wallet doesn't have plenty of power to replace perfectly good blades.

Bart - At the risk of stating the obvious:

1. You could use thin kerf blades with a full kerf splitter, but you cannot use full kerf blades with a thin kerf splitter.

Edit - This should have said: You could use full kerf blades with a thin kerf splitter, but you cannot use thin kerf blades with a full kerf splitter. End edit.

2. You do not want to eliminate your thin kerf blades, and you have some full kerf blades as well.

3. Therefore, you cannot solve your problem with one splitter.

Old blades make great shop clocks. Maybe there is a market for thin kerf shop clocks. Smile.

[Steve Schoene]

Bart - At the risk of stating the obvious:

1. You could use thin kerf blades with a full kerf splitter, but you cannot use full kerf blades with a thin kerf splitter.

2. You do not want to eliminate your thin kerf blades, and you have some full kerf blades as well.

3. Therefore, you cannot solve your problem with one splitter.

Old blades make great shop clocks. Maybe there is a market for thin kerf shop clocks. Smile.

I think number one is backwards--thin kerf blades require a thin kerf splitter, a full kerf splitter won't fit in the thin kerf. You can use full kerf blades with a thin kerf splitter, except that there will still be a bit of potential play perhaps only on the waste side of the blade.

This makes number three--you can only use a thin kerf splitter, but it may offer a bit less protection, depending upon how it is aligned.

[Dave Falkenstein]

I think number one is backwards--thin kerf blades require a thin kerf splitter, a full kerf splitter won't fit in the thin kerf. You can use full kerf blades with a thin kerf splitter, except that there will still be a bit of potential play perhaps only on the waste side of the blade.

This makes number three--you can only use a thin kerf splitter, but it may offer a bit less protection, depending upon how it is aligned.

Steve - You are absolutely right - I stated number 1 backwards. A full kerf cut is wider than a thin kerf splitter, therefore you COULD use a full kerf blade with a thin kerf splitter, and there would be some play as the material passed through the splitter. You CANNOT use a thin kerf blade with a full kerf splitter - the material will bind on the splitter because the kerf is not as wide as the splitter. So number 3 is still correct - I think.

[Dan Forman]

I have the cheaper Delta removable splitter, and it works fine on my left tilt Unisaw. It will work in either saw, and they say it will work with thin kerf blades, though I haen't used one. I couldn't see buying the Beis' unless you really need to lighten up your pockets. :D

Dan

[Matt Meiser]

I have the Delta splitter as well. Works fine for me with thin or thick kerf blades, and it was only about $35. But don't tell that to the person on Ebay who bought the second one I had for $70.

[Steve Clardy]

Just buy both of the micro-jig splitters.

[Barry Beech]

I have the Beis on my RT Unisaw and love it. I remove the pawl on the left side. It will not work with thin kerf blades though.

[Jim Becker]

I also use the Biesemeyer splitter...with both pawls removed. It's on the saw 90% of the time. The only time it comes off is when I'm using a sled or making a non-through cut. (Or when the saw is being used as a work surface of some sort... ;) ) No thin-kerf blades with it, however, as folks already mentioned. Full-kerf only.

[Matt Meiser]

...with both pawls removed.

I should add that I removed the pawls from my splitter as well. They interfered with push sticks, made using a sled nearly impossible, and the left side one was always getting bent pulling peices away.

[Scott Coffelt]

I like the MJ splitters, but I see value int eh more expensive ones as well. If you go with the MJ's you can buy both and still be dollars ahead. I've owned one for a couple of years now with no issues.

[David LaRue]

I have both the Delta and the Miro Jig spliter. You can use a full or tin kerf with either one. You cannot tilt with Miro Jig. I I had to choose one I would go with the Delta.

[Corey Hallagan]

Bart, I have the 35.00 Delta splitter on my Delta Contractor Saw. It will work with both kerf blades. I don't know if it makes a difference if it is on a Unisaw or CS or if it makes a difference if it is left or right tilt. Just works on mine.

Corey

[John Keane]

Bart, I have a thin kerf after market Delta splitter and it works great for either thin kerf or regular. I have only observed pics of the Beismeyer splitter. It looks exactly the same as the Delta with the higher Beis price.