thin kerf blades and splitter

Status
Not open for further replies.

Chilihead

New User
Chilihead
so I have a nice thin kerf rip blade that is still very sharp. I recently got a Grizzly cabinet saw that has a standard kerf splitter in it. Do you think I could use that splitter with a thin keft blade? I can see how a thick blade and thin spliter would be problematic, but could the reverse work? Seems like the splitter would just push the wood a bitter further apart. anyone have any experience here?
 

Gofor

Mark
Corporate Member
You are correct that you will have problems if the splitter is wider than the blade. Not only will the cut jam up on the splitter, but if there is any misalignment, it will pull the work off the cut line. Actually, the thick blade-thin splitter works much better than no splitter, because it still blocks the wood from getting a full impact from a rising tooth, the biggest reason for kick-back.

However, check the thickness on the splitter you have. Most splitters are a bit narrower than the blade, so the one you have may work (if it is at least as narrow as the thin-kerf blade) if aligned exactly, both length-wise and vertically. The splitter on my saw (not a Grizzly) has to be almost perfect for me to use thin-kerf.

Go
 

CrealBilly

New User
Jeff
What is a splitter? I'm being serious I dont know what it is. I know what table saw rariving#knife is but not a spitter.

Thanks
 

CrealBilly

New User
Jeff
Similar to a riving knife, only it does not move up and down relative to blade height. Usually not as close to, or contour, the blade.
Thanks for the explanation I understand now... Being stationary it sounds problematic. How would you so and angled cuts with a splitter? Or dont you?

Never do anything during the day that will keep you awake at night
 

ste6168

New User
Mike
Thanks for the explanation I understand now... Being stationary it sounds problematic. How would you so and angled cuts with a splitter? Or dont you?

Never do anything during the day that will keep you awake at night

If I am not mistaken, a splitter does tilt with the blade, just does not travel up and down with the blade. Usually it sits further back from the blade than a riving knife. I think the one, main, benefit of a riving knife over a splitter as it doesn't get in the way of a cut that is not all the way through the material.

Edit. I guess if you are making a DIY type splitter, then it would not change with the angle of the blade, in which case, it would need removed?
 

Rwe2156

DrBob
Senior User
Some do some don't. None of them are true splitters.

The one one that came on my Jet Xact saw was an outright piece of junk.

15 years later and never used it once.
I made my own then got the Microjig.
 

ste6168

New User
Mike
You are correct that you will have problems if the splitter is wider than the blade. Not only will the cut jam up on the splitter, but if there is any misalignment, it will pull the work off the cut line. Actually, the thick blade-thin splitter works much better than no splitter, because it still blocks the wood from getting a full impact from a rising tooth, the biggest reason for kick-back.

However, check the thickness on the splitter you have. Most splitters are a bit narrower than the blade, so the one you have may work (if it is at least as narrow as the thin-kerf blade) if aligned exactly, both length-wise and vertically. The splitter on my saw (not a Grizzly) has to be almost perfect for me to use thin-kerf.

Go


I think the thread just really got off topic, and I also don't think it matters whether you have a splitter or a riving knife, this is the answer to your question, regardless.
 

JimD

Jim
Senior User
I don't think that everybody uses the distinction of a riving knife if it goes up and down and a splitter if it doesn't. Sometimes, possibly this time, the OP uses "splitter" when riving knife might be more accurate. My riving knife is a bit thinner than my thin kerf blades and I use it on regular tooth blades too.
 

CDPeters

Master of None
Chris
I have a Grizz 0690 with a riving knife. Out of the box, the riving knife measured just a tad thinner than the thick-kerf (1/8") blade that came with the saw. I use pretty much exclusively thin kerf blades so I faced this very problem. In studying it, I found that the riving knife is "indexed" on the left face as you face the saw to the stop collar on the arbor. So I used my belt sander with the riving knife double-stick taped to a piece of scrap wood to gently "grind" down the RIGHT face of the riving knife till I got it just a tick under the blade kerf thickness. Take your time and check frequently with calipers or micrometers to be sure the thickness is uniform. Once done, I reinstalled the riving knife in the saw and tweeked the retainer alignment screws to get it dead center with the blade. The saw now cuts smooth as a babies' soft end and no binding at all.

If you are not comfortable with "field modification", any machine shop should be able to lap the riving knife for you.

HTH,
Chris
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Premier Sponsor

Our Sponsors

LATEST FOR SALE LISTINGS

Top