Incident with MJ Splitter

[Jim DeLaney]

I encountered an interesting problem with the MicroJig splitter. I was sawing a piece of what turned out to be 'reaction wood.' The board sprung inward beyond the cut, closing the kerf and pinching the MJ splitter. It pulled the splitter right out of the insert.

Now, actually, the splitter did do its job, by holding the kerf open, but the problem is that the legs on the splitter are deformed and it will no longer stay in the insert, so I need to get another one.

Has this happened to anyone else?

Since I also have the Delta splitter, I think I'll give up on the MJ and just use the Delta exclusively.

The main use for the MJ is that it's more compatible with their push blocks. I'm thinking I'll just make a short version of the Delta (sans pawls) out of aluminum, and use that with the MJ push blocks.

[Mark Singer]

Same kinda thing...if it crimps the splitter the legs bend

I encountered an interesting problem with the MicroJig splitter. I was sawing a piece of what turned out to be 'reaction wood.' The board sprung inward beyond the cut, closing the kerf and pinching the MJ splitter. It pulled the splitter right out of the insert.

Now, actually, the splitter did do its job, by holding the kerf open, but the problem is that the legs on the splitter are deformed and it will no longer stay in the insert, so I need to get another one.

Has this happened to anyone else?

Since I also have the Delta splitter, I think I'll give up on the MJ and just use the Delta exclusively.

The main use for the MJ is that it's more compatible with their push blocks. I'm thinking I'll just make a short version of the Delta (sans pawls) out of aluminum, and use that with the MJ push blocks.

[Richard Wolf]

First time I used mine, I was ripping 8/4 oak and it took the splitter right out of the insert. It didn't deform the splitter, but I'm not sure it's as heavy duty as we would like to think.

Richard

[Jamie Buxton]

Hmmmm. That's three out of three. Does anybody have a contact at Microjig? I'll bet they'd really like to hear about real-world experience.

[Tim Morton]

its the whole "rocks, paper, scissors" thing...wood breaks plastic, so I went with the delta spliter.

[Marc Ward]

Hmmmm. That's three out of three. <SNIP>

Four out of four. Happens to me all the time. No matter which splitter, no matter the "setting"...I don't use it anymore.

[Dennis Peacock]

Hmmmm. That's three out of three. Does anybody have a contact at Microjig? I'll bet they'd really like to hear about real-world experience.

Jamie,

I'm emailing MJ now since I have a contact with the owner of MJ. Let's see what he has to say about all this.

[Joe Unni]

Just received the Delta splitter, but I forgot where the instructions were posted here. Any ideas?

-joe

[Tim Morton]

Just received the Delta splitter, but I forgot where the instructions were posted here. Any ideas?

-joe

http://www.biesemeyer.com/print/safe...d%20manual.pdf

[Frank Pellow]

It has happened to me too. But it has only happened a couple of times and my guess is that I have made between 300 and 500 cuts using the splitter. In the splitter did not appear to be deformed as a result.

[Joe Meazle]

Same thing has happened with mine but it still prevented the kickback. I was able to use mine again.

Joe

[Corey Hallagan]

Joe, here is the link. I think pages 6,7 & 8.

Corey

http://www.biesemeyer.com/print/safe...d%20manual.pdf

[George Summers]

Happens to me occasionally but I just bend the legs back straight, reinsert it, and keep going. Hasn't seemed to hurt it or keep it from doing its job.

George

[Chris Padilla]

I have a dedicated throat plate for the MJ splitter...just epoxied the sucker in there...no problems!

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=19664 shows what I do but just with the MJ splitter instead of the pin.

[Steve Clardy]

That happened to mine. It ripped the legs right off when I forced the board on through. I have since learned, when it pinches, insert something into the kerf forward of the splitter insert.
I got in contact with Henry from Microjig a couple of months ago and told him what happened. He sent me some new inserts.
I keep a long shank screwdriver there handy to poke in the kerf if I think I'm going to have one of those problem boards.
Steve