Replies

1. 
   EchoBill | Jan 07, 2004 08:31am | #1

   Fred,

   I make my inserts out of 1/2 " or  3/4 " MDF (I forget which I'm at work right now).  Just trace out the factory one on the MDF and cut it close, sand it to fit just right.  Then I predrill 4 countersunk screw holes at the same place as the original.  I then use 1" all purpose or drywall screws and grind the tips off to the approximate desired height and you can screw them in or out for proper height of the insert. Also drill a finger hole and I use a finishing nail for the pin in the far edge

   They work great. I have a few for different blades and stacked dado thicknesses.

   just clamp them down with braces and raise the turning blades up through slowly and you've got it

   Bill

   
   

   ---

   Edited 1/7/2004 12:50:28 AM ET by EchoBill

2. 
   gpwest | Jan 07, 2004 08:38am | #2

   Fred,

    I make mine out of 1/2" Baltic Birch plywood. Trace around the original insert, rough cut on the bandsaw staying wide of the traced line, then attach the insert to the plywood blank and trim with a bearing guided router bit.  Make several at a time for various widths dadocutters and saw blades. Cut the slot like the previous post suggested.  GP

3. 
   forestgirl | Jan 07, 2004 09:34am | #3

   Fred, Woodcraft sells the Tru-Cut blade insert system.  Click here.  Not a bad thing if the $$'s no big deal -- I mill my own inserts, but being able to make simple rectangular inserts would save a little time.

   forestgirl Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)  you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)

4. 
   VeniciaL | Jan 07, 2004 10:02am | #4

   Fred,

   I prepare at least 6 at a time, frequently more. I seem to go through that many in as many months. I use whatever hardwood stock I have on hand. I mill 3-1/2 foot long pieces to exact thickness for my saw (15 mm) on the planer, then rip them to exact width. That's 90% of the preparation.

   I lay out three inserts on each board using the original insert that came with the saw as a template. Then I carefully bandsaw the curves. They usually drop right into place at that point. Sometimes they need a little touch up sanding. Then I rout the hole for the splitter assembly, drill a hole for the anti-lift pin and drive in a small finish nail. I don't need a finger hole. The insert lifts at the front end by pressing on the back end.

   Be VERY careful cutting the kerf. Clamp a 2x4 firmly across the insert and saw table, completely covering the insert. Raise the blade slowly through the insert and 2x4.

   It's nice to have a good supply of these cheap homemade versions. Then you have no reluctance to chew them up with change blades, tilting the blade when needed, etc. The commercial models are too expensive. But you should buy one as a guide to those you'll make for yourself.

   I bought a phenolic version once. It was very heavy and very hard. Good quality. But it smelled as though a cat had urinated in the shop for 2 weeks after I cut the kerf in that thing.

   VL

1. 
   fredb | Jan 07, 2004 05:51pm | #5

   Hi All,

   Thanks for all of the replies. I knew I could rely on this group.

   With a great excuse to make chips, I'll try fabricating a bunch myself with the tips I read about.

   One more question though is leveling the insert... what's best for shimming? One post was using ground drywall screws. Any others?

   Thanks again to all!Kind regards - Fred

1. 
   Jimma | Jan 07, 2004 06:07pm | #6

   Are you sure you're going to need shimming? I make my inserts out of Corian scrap (from a local fabricater) and find them very precise in thickness so that they work without shims. With other materials that aren't so uniform in thickness, just a piece of duct tape on the iron support tangs works well and you save a lot of time not making adjustable ones that only get set once. Good luck.

1. 
   LarryES | Jan 08, 2004 06:12am | #11

   Jim, how is it working out with the Corian? I made one out of Corian and never used it, believing it may be too brittle, and possibly dangerous. I have several large scraps of the stuff laying around but can't find much use for it.

1. 
   forestgirl | Jan 08, 2004 08:43am | #12

   If you want to dump your Corian scraps, especially the smaller stuff, LMK.  I might be interested in some!forestgirl Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)  you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)

2. 
   Jimma | Jan 08, 2004 05:09pm | #13

   It works just fine for me, although there is an occasional very minor chipping at startup when the blade is set high. Maybe caused by blade wobble from a fast start? Anyhow, it hasn't been a problem on the saw. I do agree the material is a bit brittle which I found out once when I dropped it and it split in half at the narrow points. Had to make a new one. I cut mine with a router using the factory insert to first make a pattern from which the Corian was then cut. (My son showed me how -- he's a Corian fabricator of counter tops.)

3. 
   LarryES | Jan 09, 2004 03:23am | #14

   Thanks Jim, maybe I will dig out the one I made awhile ago. I had even drilled, tapped and installed ss set screw levelers in it.  I was thinking it could break while in use and become a projectile.

   ForestGirl you are welcome to the scraps I have left. I gave away most of them to a guy down the street, but still have several pieces. Some are Corian brand and some are a Corian knockoff.

4. 
   Jimma | Jan 09, 2004 04:08am | #15

   Larry, one thing I haven't dome is use the Corian for any angles other than 90 degrees. I suppose an insert that was able to cut up to 45 degrees might have weak points at the top and bottom of the blade opening which could result in failure if stressed somehow in use, but then you'd have to ask why make one that wide anyhow when presumably you're only after a near-zero clearance in the first place. Just a thought....

5. 
   LarryES | Jan 13, 2004 10:32am | #23

   Jim, I stuck the Corian insert in the saw the other night. So far so good. One thing I noticed is the nice slick surface as opposed to the wood one I had in there. Even with a coat of wax the wood one was not as slick. Sweet.

   FG, did you get the reply to your e-mail?

6. 
   forestgirl | Jan 09, 2004 08:00pm | #16

   Thanks, Larry, I'll send you an email.  Post here if you don't get it.forestgirl Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)  you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)

2. 
   VeniciaL | Jan 07, 2004 07:06pm | #7

   Fred,

   I agree with Jim. Make them the exact thickness you need, as I mentioned before.

   But you can do as the commercial ones do which have to fit a variety of machines. Make the insert slightly thinner than needed. Drill (and countersink if you want) for four flat head screws on the underside of the insert in position for the tabs or ledge in the table cutout. Level the insert with the screws.

   VL

3. 
   BG | Jan 07, 2004 10:50pm | #8

   Fred,

   Using BB on my insert it did need shiming.  I just glued on four 3/4"x1/8" tabs on the underside of the insert and sanded to perfection...

4. 
   bsutton12 | Jan 07, 2004 11:47pm | #9

   I make mine from 1/2" plywood.  Drill and tap holes for leveling screws.  I used set screws the same size as the factory plate (I think 8-32, 1/4" long, I don't remember exactly).  Works well.

5. 
   jako17 | Jan 08, 2004 12:13am | #10

   I use 3/8 No6 sheet metal screws,counter bore the hole so the screw can be flush or backed out to level.This assumes the material is a bit thinner than required

5. 
   Telemike | Jan 10, 2004 09:17am | #17

   Like another poster, I make five or so at a time. I use about 5/17" baltic birch plywood. I roughly cut them very quickly on the band saw. Then, I invert the insert that came with the saw and double sided tape it to the blank. Then, I shape the blank exactly using a laminate trimmer bit in my router table. I got a veritas pin router arm for christmas, I'll use that next time!

   Lastly, I pile all the blanks together and drill four holes, then tap for 10x24 threads. I put allen head set screws in to level the insert and I'm in business!

   PS: putting a strong magnet in the insert just BEHIND the blade helps keep the insert down when sawing the kerf.

6. 
   ron61 | Jan 10, 2004 10:32am | #18

   I make my own from Hard Maple they last longer -

    I make them thinner and use small wood screws on the bottom as levelers + place a screw in the out feed end that keeps the insert from tipping up, I file down the head a little to get a good fit-

    look at the insert that came with your saw there is a small nub on the end you will se what I am talking about.

   If I were buying I would get the ones that you replace the the strip in.

   I think they are in most woodworking catalogs check Highland Hardware- Lee Valley- Hartville Tool. 

   Sharp 60 tooth blade helps on Plywood also 

    Ron
1. 
   fredb | Jan 12, 2004 05:35pm | #19

   Thanks again all. I've been following all of the messages and there's a lot of ways to go out there. I'm opting for the hardwood but do I need to worry about the insert not fitting because of wood movement during the year? Or - should I go with a good quality plywood which might be more stable.

   Also - tapping the wood. Would the drill size for a given tap be the same as in metal or slightly different (smaller I'd guess)?Kind regards - Fred

1. 
   dirtstirrer | Jan 12, 2004 06:29pm | #20

   Fred,

   I use 1/2 clear pine for my inserts, then drill the holes for hollow hex set screws.  Don't worry about tapping.  The set screw taps as it goes.  I don't remember the size of bit I use, but it should be a little looser then you'd have with metal.  Great advantage to the set screws is that they can be adjusted from the top like the metal throat plate that came with your saw.  By all means, use zero clearance.  Much safer, and it only costs a few pennies.  aka Steve

7. 
   JohnR | Jan 13, 2004 02:58am | #21

   FredB,

   American Woodworker has a detailed article about making zero-clearance inserts using tempered hardboard and laminate.  Don't recall the issue number (in the past 2 years or so), but their web site has a searchable index and you might try "insert", "throat plate", or "zero clearance".

   I have not tried making one as shown by American Woodworker, but do what others have posted -- trace pattern, bandsaw close to the lines, clean up with router and trim bit using original plate hot-melt glued to new blank.

   Snippy

1. 
   forestgirl | Jan 13, 2004 09:21am | #22

   I remember that article.  Only reason I could come up with for going to all that trouble was if one didn't have a thickness planer!  I like AWW, even subscribe to it, but that article wasn't one that ranked real high in the "what a good idea" column, LOL!forestgirl Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)  you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)

2. 
   Mackwood | Jan 14, 2004 05:01am | #26

   Snippy,

   The original plate may be too sloppy to use as a template.  The one on my old Unisaw sure was.  I put metalic tape around the edge in case I ever want to use it (what for, I don't know yet), but did not want to run the router bit bearing against the tape.

   Mack 

8. 
   Norse | Jan 13, 2004 02:39pm | #24

   I took a clue from the Tru-Cut insert yesterday and made one with a replaceable slot. Its really just a sliding dovetail with a hardboard insert (edges cut at 14 degrees). I'm a little concerned that the baltic birch plywood is milled thin under the replaceable insert but I'll be careful for a while to see if it can handle the load.

   Norse

9. 
   Mackwood | Jan 14, 2004 04:46am | #25

   FredB

   Make a real nice, close fit template by tracing, cutting and sanding as previously mentioned.  Then cut out a dozen or more blanks to rough shape and fasten them to the template with carpet tape. Router around to make perfect duplicates using a straight bit with a bearing run against the template. 

   Set screws for adjusting level can be gotten at any hardware store.  Mark location using factory throat plate and drill right down through the new plates with correct size bit.  I used the drill bit recommended for the tap size of the set screw.

   Enjoy,

   Mack