Sawstop PCS Dado Insert

[Kris Cook]

I was in Denver this past weekend and visited the Woodcraft store there. I picked up a dado insert for my saw. Any thoughts/suggestions of width of cut to make in the insert? I was planning to go 3/4" thinking that was the widest dado I would probably cut.

[Thomas Wilson]

I put all the chippers on and raised the arbor to full height to get the maximum opening. I also bought a blank insert for any time in the future when a zero clearance dado cut was safer or better. The blank insert is still on the shelf two years later in case I need it.

[Ray Newman]

On my SawStop ICS, I have the earlier Colliflower Designs Zero-clearance Insert (ZCI) for SawStop Table
Saws. Works well and I purchased extra inserts to cut any sized blade kerf or dado width.

Newer design SawStop ZCI and replaceable inserts:

https://www.colliflower-zci.com/store/sawstop

https://www.colliflower-zci.com/store/4-pack-of-replaceable-dado-inserts-for-sawstop-zci-225-width

https://www.colliflower-zci.com/store/umxxnhxoa3yc4eqgdhj4u6fez9qh7e

[Alan Lightstone]

Be careful about raising the dado set fully with the Sawstop dado insert. Mine somehow contacted some metal, destroying $200 dado set, a dado cartridge, and the insert. Not a cheap mistake.

And, of course, make sure you have the insert firmly held down in a safe fashion. Lots of articles, Youtubes on that.

[Dave Mills]

Why not just cut it to whatever width you're going to use it for? You can always make it wider later if needed.

[Ray Newman]

Fine Woodworking, Tools and Shop 2016, pp 58 58 - 61, has an article on shop fabricating table saw inserts.

A shop fabricated insert for a SawStop is a bit different as it requires clearance cut outs on the bottom for it to clear the abror and permit the blades to fully raise. Included was a diagram of the cut out locations and their sizes.

[Jim Dwight]

I also use a colliflower but I have not successfully used it for dados. I don't think there is a problem with the colliflower although the wooden sacrificial inserts are very fragile and will be even more so with a 3/4 opening cut into them. They are made of 1/4 MDF. I was worried about the fragile insert and got stupider than normal and held a block of 2x3 over the insert while raising the blade. I lifted it to check progress with the blades running, that caused a kickback, broke the bone in the end of my finger and made a cut that took 6 stitches to close. It's nice to have a SawStop if you get stupid. Only time in about 5 decades of woodworking I've gotten this stupid. But it only takes one time.

Transferable lesson from this story is if you want to back the dado insert do it with a piece of wood clamped in position that you do not move until the blades stop. I knew this but didn't do it.

[Justin Rapp]

I also use Colliflower and have a pile of inserts so I can keep a near zero clearance on a dado. I have no issue with a 3/4 dado but i would never raise it all the way up. I only raise the blade as deep as I need the cut.

[Kris Cook]

Thanks all. I don't have any dadoes to cut at the moment but will report back when I cut the new insert.