That was easy

[DaveO]

With y'alls encouragement, and advice I decided to make my own ZCI for my new full kerf blades. The MDF and "self-tapping" set-screws worked just like Joe and Fred said. The rest was simple too.

I like my shop made ones better than the ones I bought from Griz when I got the saw. The finger hole addition makes them much easier to remove.
One new phenolic insert from Griz with shipping $30, 6 shop made inserts under $10 and a few hours of time...I even have some left over ½" MDF, Mmmm:eusa_danc
The only nerve racking moment was cutting the blade relief cut underneath the insert with an 8" dado blade to allow clearance for the 10" blade. It took three tries to get the cut deep enough :eusa_doh::BangHead:.

Thanks for all the tips and advice that helped this go so easy :icon_thum:icon_thum:eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap:eusa_clap


Dave

 

[PChristy]

Great job Dave :icon_thum That is sure one good way to save some $$$ for other toys :icon_thum

 

[McRabbet]

Hey Dave,

If I give you $10 will you make me some to pick up when we share some brewskis on the shop crawl in a few weeks? After all, you've gotten those elves trained on how to make them by now and I've got a Grizzly G1023, too...

 

[DaveO]

Hey Dave,

If I give you $10 will you make me some to pick up when we share some brewskis on the shop crawl in a few weeks? After all, you've gotten those elves trained on how to make them by now and I've got a Grizzly G1023, too...

I (they) would love to but I have a 0444Z and they are just a slightly different size :BangHead: My wife asked me the same thing. If I would make some for my FIL who also has your saw. The difference is about 3/16" smaller, length and width. Why can't things be more standard and uniform :BangHead::BangHead:

Sorry,
Dave

 

[erasmussen]

Looking good, better then store bought:icon_thum

 

[Bas]

Very nicely done! I never even considered spray paint, I just used poly on mine. I like the orange and red better, makes it easier to distinguish and also emphasize "stay clear!".

To make the opening in my ZCI, I simply used double sided tape to stick my ZCI blank to the stock insert, put the stock insert into the table and clamped a 2x4 across the ZCI stack to hold it in place. Then I raised the blade.

Yes, it helps to count the number of turns you have to make with the wheel to get the blade high enough.......it REALLY REALLY helps

 

[Trent Mason]

Looks great Dave! Nice job. :icon_thum

 

[ptt49er]

Dave those look better than the original!

It's even more fun to make them when the used saw you purchase didn't come with an insert. damhikt...

 

[TracyP]

Nice looking Dave. They look better than store bought.

 

[jeff...]

I made mine out of oak many years ago when the aluminum on jumped up and sprayed shrapnel at me. Oak seemed to work well but I think maple would be better :dontknow:

 

[Mike Davis]

I've made my own since 1986. I use 1/4 inch birch plywood with maple or oak strips glued around the edge.

 

[junquecol]

Dave, seeing as how your ZCI looks to be orange, then the MDF must have come from HD- right? Sometime you need to see my jig for making the initial cut. I wish I could post it here, but a magazine currently has it for review. With my jig, you can cut a slot for a splitter that you glue in. Did you tell how your $10 blades cut? By the way, Dynamic will sharpen those blades for $12 each plus freight both ways. :rotflm: New blades, cheaper than sharpening!

 

[mshel]

Dave,

Nice job on the inserts but what about peach color???:rotflm:

Seriously though they really look great. Gotta question; Any particular reason you put the finger hole in the back? On mine, there is a small pin in the back to help prevent the insert from lifting and with the finger hole back there, I would be fighting against the pin. Mine has the hole in the front. Just wondering.


Mike

 

[DaveO]

To make the opening in my ZCI, I simply used double sided tape to stick my ZCI blank to the stock insert, put the stock insert into the table and clamped a 2x4 across the ZCI stack to hold it in place. Then I raised the blade.

I had heard about that method, but I had two concerns with it. One my DS tape is Duct tape brand and tends to leave a residue, I didn't want to mess up the top surface of my original ZCI that I still use with TK blades. Second I was concerned with getting them aligned properly on top of the original ZCI and then cutting a FK slot through my TK ZCI :eusa_doh:
Wow that's a whole lot of acronyms

Dave

 

[DaveO]

Dave,

Nice job on the inserts but what about peach color???:rotflm:

Seriously though they really look great. Gotta question; Any particular reason you put the finger hole in the back? On mine, there is a small pin in the back to help prevent the insert from lifting and with the finger hole back there, I would be fighting against the pin. Mine has the hole in the front. Just wondering.


Mike

My saw doesn't have a place for a rear pin to fit in. I wish it did as I can really see the value in having one back there. I chose the back because there was more space, than in the front.

Dave

 

[jeff...]

I just lower the blade install the insert, move the fence over top of the insert turn the saw on and jack up the blade - it's about as easy as pushing the easy button.

 

[DaveO]

Dave, seeing as how your ZCI looks to be orange, then the MDF must have come from HD- right? Sometime you need to see my jig for making the initial cut. I wish I could post it here, but a magazine currently has it for review. With my jig, you can cut a slot for a splitter that you glue in. Did you tell how your $10 blades cut? By the way, Dynamic will sharpen those blades for $12 each plus freight both ways. :rotflm: New blades, cheaper than sharpening!

How did you know? Actually I was pretty ticked I had to go to HD, which is quite a drive for me, as Lowe's (my BORG of choice) didn't carry 1/2" MDF.
My new blades from Leitz cut like a hot knife through butter, so far as well as my WWII.
For $10 I am changin' them out after every cut, like toilet paper:gar-La;:gar-La;

Dave

 

[DaveO]

I just lower the blade install the insert, move the fence over top of the insert turn the saw on and jack up the blade - it's about as easy as pushing the easy button.

It would be provided the blade dropped low enough to allow the insert to be fully seated in the opening. Mine sticks up about a 1/4" too high. Although once I got the insert seated fully with the relief cut, I did use the fence over the top method :icon_thum

Dave

 

[jeff...]

oh the blade on my TS goes well below the bottom of the table - sorry I thought they all did :dontknow:

 

[Gofor]

DaveO: My saw has the same problem with the blade only dropping about 1/2 the insert thickness below the top. If you want to do thin kerf, and have a TK blade on your circular saw, it works as a starter, but you have to run it almost all the way up. Its amazing what difference the diameter of the blade makes in the length of the initial cut.

Another option is to run a router bit down the underside along the cut line. That way if you make a bunch of blanks, they are ready to go on the table for bevel cuts, TK, Full kerf, etc, and don't hurt anything if you decide to use them for different width dadoes. I made 12 the last batch.

I just wax the top of mine, but that orange looks real spiffy!!

Go

PS, don't forget to write on the underside what blade they are for. Full kerf isn't a biggy, but for dadoes it comes in real handy to know the difference between full 3/4 and 23/32. I even write on them the shims I used for easy duplication. DAMHIKT :wsmile: