Zero clearance insert

[Pat Meeuwissen]

:confused:Guys, I have a Grizzly 10" heavy duty floor model tablesaw and would like to make a couple of insert for the blade(zero clearance and one for a dado application, couple of hiccups, the original piece only has a tiny single pin at one end to hold it in place and setscrews to adjust the height, I tought to use tee nuts but the screws only rest on a small lip and the smallest nuts I can find put the screw past the lip. Any thoughts on how to improve this just using cabinet grade plywood as the insert?

Second question, on my 14" Delta bandsaw the vacuum attachment is only about an 1 1/4" but would love to attach my shop vacuum with a 2 1/2"? hose the adapter I find are the same size as the 1 1/4" so I would then have to add a piece of hose to go from one to the other am I missing something or is this the only option? I was using the bandsaw today for resawing and the tool performed very well but the idiot putting in the setup slightly missed being dead center, is there a way to make sure of being right on the money?
Ok thats enough rookie questions for one weekend thanks for any help, Pat:confused:

[Jim Becker]

You can use setscrews in your shop-made ZCI, too, for adjustable height or just shim them with masking tape. A cut off nail in the rear (like the pin on the OEM unit) is still very important to insure the insert isn't lifted by the spinning blade.

[Jeff Miller]

I just use some like this ,just drill a hole a little smaller then the screw and it will make its own threads.


http://www.fasteners-manufacturer.com/images/Set_screws.jpg




JEFF:)

[Clifford Mescher]

I believe those are set screws. Clifford

[Greg Hines, MD]

I cut mine out of thicker stock, usually MDF, then rabbet the edges for a perfect fit on whatever kind of supports that the stock insert sits on.

Doc

[glenn bradley]

I do as Jeff does. I use 1/2" BB ply for ZCI's and 1/4" d x 3/8" l x 20TPI set screws for levelers.

[Pat Meeuwissen]

Guys, I have been gone for quite a while with real life getting in the way. Thanks alot for the how to's on the zero clearance inserts they are much appreciated.

Glen, forgive my newbie question but what is BB?

Greg, do you remove all the material or just in the spots were the contact is made?

I think the fine adjustment the setscrews offer will be my preferred method, but I will experiment. Thanks all, Pat

[Greg Hines, MD]

Guys, I have been gone for quite a while with real life getting in the way. Thanks alot for the how to's on the zero clearance inserts they are much appreciated.

Glen, forgive my newbie question but what is BB?

Greg, do you remove all the material or just in the spots were the contact is made?

I think the fine adjustment the setscrews offer will be my preferred method, but I will experiment. Thanks all, Pat


BB= Baltic Birch Plywood.

I cut mine to rough shape with a bandsaw, or you can use a jigsaw. I then double stick tape it to the original insert, and use a flush trim bit on my router table to flush the edges. I then use a rabbetting bit with a bearing to rout a rabbet all the way around the edge. Do some test cuts so that you get the depth correct, so that it sits flush with your tabletop. If you cut too deep, you can shim it with tape or something like that, but if you can get it right the first time, they work great. What I did was cut intentionally low, so that I had to make a second pass to true it up.

Doc

[Bill Huber]

I think I am the only one that uses Phenolic to make my ZCI. I really like because it last forever, the one I have now has been on the saw for over a year and it still sings when I use it. You can tap it just like metal and it is very slick and again last for a long long time.

I do like Greg does, tape the one that came with the saw to the Phenolic and cut it on the band saw. Before I had the band saw I just cut it close on the table saw for the width and the length and cut the corners off at a 45. then use the trim bit to cut it down to the exact size.

I then as Greg does use a rabbeting bit with a large bearing to cut the uncut part, then a smaller one and so on until I have it the right size. The difference is I make the top lip the same thickness as the original. I then use the setscrews that came in the original as the leveling screws. I drill and tap the holds.

To finish it up I use a straight bit raising it a little at a time to make the slot for the blade guard and drill a small hole for a pin to hold the far end down.

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[Lee Schierer]

I drew up an aluminum insert for my craftsman TS and a friend made it for me in exchange for some wood work. It will handle either a regular blade or dado blade just by replacing the insert. The inserts are easy to make. I rip strips of hardwood (usually poplar or maple) to width and bevel the edges with a 45 degree router bit and then plane them to thickness so they are a perfect fit in the zci. The ends are rough cut on the bad saw and trimmed to final length with a spindle sander. I find that making a half dozen inserts to have on hand allows me to change when one gets worn or damaged or if I need a special width for a dado cut.

By carefully measuring the depth of the recess I was able to eliminate the height adjustment set screws that were in the factory insert by having the aluminum insert milled precisely at that height needed.

[Greg Hines, MD]

I think I am the only one that uses Phenolic to make my ZCI. I really like because it last forever, the one I have now has been on the saw for over a year and it still sings when I use it. You can tap it just like metal and it is very slick and again last for a long long time.

I do like Greg does, tape the one that came with the saw to the Phenolic and cut it on the band saw. Before I had the band saw I just cut it close on the table saw for the width and the length and cut the corners off at a 45. then use the trim bit to cut it down to the exact size.

I then as Greg does use a rabbeting bit with a large bearing to cut the uncut part, then a smaller one and so on until I have it the right size. The difference is I make the top lip the same thickness as the original. I then use the setscrews that came in the original as the leveling screws. I drill and tap the holds.

To finish it up I use a straight bit raising it a little at a time to make the slot for the blade guard and drill a small hole for a pin to hold the far end down.

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137271

Very nice looking, Bill. I have heard of using phenolic for a ZCI, but never done it since the MDF has worked well for me so far. Have you had to recondition one yet? I hear that people will fill the void with Epoxy and then recut your slot when it gets too wide to be of value.

Doc

[Bill Huber]

Very nice looking, Bill. I have heard of using phenolic for a ZCI, but never done it since the MDF has worked well for me so far. Have you had to recondition one yet? I hear that people will fill the void with Epoxy and then recut your slot when it gets too wide to be of value.

Doc

I have had this one for over a year, almost 2 and it show no ware.
I guess when it get bad I will just make another one, its kind of a fun project and it does not take that long. I have some blanks ready to go if I need to make one.

[Dave Cav]

Very nice looking, Bill. I have heard of using phenolic for a ZCI, but never done it since the MDF has worked well for me so far. Have you had to recondition one yet? I hear that people will fill the void with Epoxy and then recut your slot when it gets too wide to be of value.

Doc

I'm not Bill, but I have recycled a number of my ZCIs. I just cut a thin scrap of wood the length and width of the kerf in the ZCI, glue in place, let dry, sand and re-cut as necessary. Fill any gaps with JB Weld or what ever else is handy. I think once I did fill the kerf with epoxy, but I found gluing a piece of wood in was easier and cheaper. I make my ZCIs from glued-up stacks of tempered hardboard, btw, since I always seem to have scraps of it around.

Dave C

[Dan Mitchell]

I think I am the only one that uses Phenolic to
make my ZCI.

Bill - Where do you get your phenolic?

Dan

[Pat Meeuwissen]

Guys again thanks alot for the additional info, how-tos, and most of all the pics.
Lee, I need to find a friend like yours, I have need of someone who can work metal like that.

While I have your ear did any of you happen to see my question about the fence on my Enlon tablesaw?
Any help would be much appreciated.

I have found several places on line that sell the phenolic inserts.
http://www.woodpeck.com/sawthroatplate.html#153
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=10714

Pat

[Tony Bilello]

I use 1/2" MDF or plywood scraps with one layer of plastic laminate and it fits just fine on my Delta. If there is any variation, i either use a rabett to make it thunner or a smal piece of veneer to make it thicker.

http://sawmillcreek.org/album.php?albumid=191 (http://sawmillcreek.org/album.php?albumid=191)

[Bill Huber]

Bill - Where do you get your phenolic?

Dan


I got the sheets from Amazon they are sold by Leecraft and made by Integra Tooling.

I have the Jet contractor saw an the plate is almost 15 inches long so the only way I could go is with the large sheet. One sheet sells for $23.50 and I can get 3 plates from it.

http://www.amazon.com/Leecraft-BK-1-Blank-Phenolic-Sheet/dp/B000289556/ref=pd_bxgy_hi_img_b

http://www.integratooling.com/prodinfo.asp?number=BK-1