What makes tablesaw inserts grow????

[Alan in Little Washington]

Before this thread dies- my brother (also a tinkerer ) is adding stepper motors, gears, cog belts, computer interface, etc. etc. to convert his Bridgeport mill to a CNC mill.

One of the first things he is going to machine for me is a tablesaw throat plate; an aluminum throat plate that will accept removable wood inserts so you can have multiple, inexpensive, zero clearance inserts with the same plate, easily change the insert for different blades and angles, and easily make you own replacement wood inserts. It will likely look something like the Wood Dynamics insert pictured below that Norm used on the NYW. It is no longer available since Wood Dymanics folded a few years back.



I don't know if my brother would be interested in making more and selling them, and if so, what he would charge (I think the originals were a bit pricey at around $120 - $140).

I would like to know what kind of interest you guys might have in something like this?

[SteveHall]

I've wondered about these for a while, wouldn't it be possible to make both parts out of wood? I'm imagining the insert part being keyed lengthwise into the base portion.

[Jim Murphy]

Originally Posted by Alan in Little Washington

easily change the insert for different blades and angles

I, for one, might be interested in having one for my PM66 series saw, but I have been struggling with how one accurately, safely and efficiently makes the initial cut for bevel angles. With that dilemma solved, wouldn't the orientation/size of the slot change as the depth of cut varied, even when the bevel angle remained constant?

[garymuto]

I really doubt it a temperature delta issue. Would have bet warpage, but it sounds like both parts are flat. Could it be oxidation?

[Alan in Little Washington]

Originally Posted by Jim Murphy

I, for one, might be interested in having one for my PM66 series saw, but I have been struggling with how one accurately, safely and efficiently makes the initial cut for bevel angles. With that dilemma solved, wouldn't the orientation/size of the slot change as the depth of cut varied, even when the bevel angle remained constant?

Yup. That is why you need replaceable inserts. Though a few degrees either way won't enlarge the zci enough to make a difference.

[Alan in Little Washington]

Originally Posted by digitect

I've wondered about these for a while, wouldn't it be possible to make both parts out of wood? I'm imagining the insert part being keyed lengthwise into the base portion.

The problem making both parts out of wood is strength and rigidity. By having a removable insert you are left with only a little crosswise throat plate framework at each end. There is not much beef lengthwise either. I believe that is why they were made from aluminum. The insert is dovetail shaped- wider on the bottom.

[DaveO]

Originally Posted by RandyJ

If I can figure out how to make a ZCI for 45 degree cuts, I'll do that.

Thanks again...This site is great!!!

Originally Posted by Jim Murphy

With that dilemma solved, wouldn't the orientation/size of the slot change as the depth of cut varied, even when the bevel angle remained constant?

I could be totally off base here, but wouldn't a ZCI for a bevel cut be made and cut into the same way as one for a 90º cut. I wouldn't think that you would have any change in the opening with cut depth adjustments at the same bevel angle, except for length of the slot front to back. Just like a 90º insert. The front to back slot length wouldn't have any effect on the usefulness of the insert as the main purpose of the ZCI is in the side to side clearance.
Dave

[Gofor]

Don't know about cabinet saws, but with my contractor type (Ridgid) I make the 45 (or other angle) insert the same as the 90: Just run the blade up through the blank. Works with both saw blades and dado blades. For saw blades I run them to full height. For dados, I just run them a little higher than I plan to cut, (mainly just as a time saver as I go a lot slower with a wide dado).

(Note: For the 10" blade on the ridgid you will still have to precut with a smaller blade if you haven't routed/dadoed a 1/4" slot in the bottom because the top of the 10" blade will not drop below the bottom of the insert).

Go

[Jim Murphy]

DaveO, for reasons owing to my inability to spatially visualize in 3 dimensions when rotation is a factor, I was thinking that the blade would rise in a purely plumb manner irrespective of the tilt of the blade. Thinking that was the case, I thought the blade would make cove molding out of the ZCI as it rose.

Just to make sure I was wrong and you wuz right, I went out and tilted the blade and then raised it. Sure 'nuff, it raises at the bevel angle, so you wuz right and I wuz wrong.

I had the hardest time visualizing how my bowl blank would be transformed from end grain to face grain until I actually cut it with the chainsaw, and even then was mystified until I bolted it up. I still can't rotate the darned blank in my mind without trouble. BTW, this is a known genetic defect, so I place all the blame on my ancestors, immediate and beyond. I can't hep it. It's like syldexia.

[DaveO]

Originally Posted by Jim Murphy

It's like syldexia.

OK, I had to look that up

Dave

[JimmyC]

Okay, let's get back to the original question " what makes tablesaw inserts grow?". Maybe we have it all wrong and you guys aren't thinking out of the box. Lets just say that the insert never changed, and maybe its just that the tablesaw shrunk.


Jimmy

[eddie joe]

Zero clearance inserts can be made out of wood. This is one I have been using for years. It is made out of 1/4 in plywood and hardboard. The insert is cut at a 45 degree angle like a dovetail. See attached pictures with captions. The bracing on the bottom is half-inch plywood so it does not warp.

The URL below is for one of four pictures posted in my gallery.




http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/showp...281&ppuser=675

[Alan in Little Washington]

Originally Posted by eddie joe

Zero clearance inserts can be made out of wood. This is one I have been using for years. It is made out of 1/4 in plywood and hardboard. The insert is cut at a 45 degree angle like a dovetail. See attached pictures with captions. The bracing on the bottom is half-inch plywood so it does not warp.

The URL below is for one of four pictures posted in my gallery.




http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/showp...281&ppuser=675

That will work!

[SteveHall]

eddie joe, that's exactly what I was thinking about! Thanks for posting your images, I'm bound to make one myself now.

[McRabbet]

Alan,

I'd be interested in one for my Grizzly G1023 series cabinet saw.