Zero clearance throat plate

[Brian Keith]

What type of wood should I use to make throat plates? Thanks

[CPeter James]

Some use MDF, I use oak because it is what I have. The MDF would be more stable as far as expansion due to humidity changes.

CPeter

[Eric Wong]

If you don't mind the extra work, a sandwich of MDF between 2 sheets of laminate works really well.

[Matt Lentzner]

I am using UHMW Plastic which is nice and slippery. You can get prefitted pieces at Peachtree for about $20 IIRC.

[Brian Hale]

I've used just about anything in the scrap bin, pine, poplar, oak and even an old plastic cutting board.

Brian :)

[Lee Schierer]

I suppose it depends on the thickness needed. On my crafstman saw I used to use luan ply wood with a 3/4 x 3/4 rib glued on the underside for stiffness after the cut was made. The luan ply was exactly the thickness needed to fill in the recess.

I had a friend make a dedicate insert with replaceable strip and now I use maple strips for the insert in my insert.

[glenn bradley]

I tend to use whatever as the slot will widen over time due to blade flutter during the course of various cuts and I love that just cut-right on the line type of slot. 1/2 BB ply right now. Liked 1/2" MDF better.

You can get more life out of them if you make one for each blade as original tooth width or sharpening make for differences. Once you're set up to make one, you may as well make a half dozen.

[Rod Sheridan]

I use 1/2" polyethelene sheet, cut to size with a cutter and and a ball bearing rub collar using the original metal insert as a template.

Regards, Rod.

[Dennis Peacock]

I use 1/2" plywood for mine. Works good and cheap.

[Jim DeLaney]

I bought a plastic cutting board - got mine at a restaurant supply place, but I've seen them at Wally World, too. One $10.00 cutting board made six ZC inserts for my tablesaw. Just cut them close to size, and then used a flush trim router bit - with the original metal throat plate as a template and trimmed them to final size. So, nice HDPE ZCI's for less than two bucks each.

[Kyle Kraft]

How do you folks go about cutting the initial slot in your ZCI's? On my Jet cabinet saw, a 10" blade lowered all the way still projects up higher than the ZCI rests in the table. In the past, I have slapped a 7.25" circular saw blade in the Jet to cut a starter slot, then put the 10" back in and finish the job. This is risky, as the 10" blade cuts a slightly wider kerf than the 7.25" so the 10 incher is slightly pinched in the ZCI when you hit the Start button. I have also seen where there is a pocket routed on the underside to give the blade a place to go. The only issue is the thickness of the remaining part of the ZCI would be about 0.125":( .

[Eric Wong]

I use a single blade from my dado stack to cut the initial slot. I cut until it just barely peeks through the top of the insert. Then I switch to my usual blade. If I'm cutting one for my thin kerf blade, I don't quite cut through the top of the insert. I suppose I could use a circular saw blade for that, I hadn't thought of it.

[Jim Becker]

What Eric said. The outside blade on my dado set is the same thickness as my normal blades. In the past, I've also routed out the back of the insert or just clamped it on top of the OEM insert (in perfect alignment) and raised the blade.

[Hal Flynt]

I glued 2 layers of 1/4" tempered hardboard together and cut rough rectangular blanks from that. I did rout some recesses for the support pads and drilled holes for some allen head set screws.

[glenn bradley]

I do it like Eric describes but use the RT to cut a narrow slot to allow the lowered blade to clear. Also, while deciding just how deep that slot needs to be, remember your leveling screws should be positioned to hold the insert level with the table top. On my saw this is 3/16" higher than the insert would set if I just dropped it into the throat with no leveling screws.

I use a cut off nail inserted into the tail of the ZCI to act as the forged retaining pin in my factory insert. Don't leave this out if your saw uses one. Then I machine for the front retaining screw and give myself a finger hole.

[Steve Clardy]

I am using UHMW Plastic which is nice and slippery. You can get prefitted pieces at Peachtree for about $20 IIRC.

Same here. I pick them up at the Woodworking Shows for a little less.
I wear one out every 5-6 months, so I keep a few extra around