That is what I think Steve should do too. Raise his center island height so he can use it as an outfeed table, plant that saw like a cabinet saw, forget about the wheels on it, and build another extension wing table for it too. Bang, done!
We'll just have to watch and see if he's smart enough to do all of that. My money is on he can't see the woods for the trees.
Nice saw Steve you're a lucky man to have friends like that. As far as your zero clearance inserts If you want them heavier just use thicker material and rout a rabbet around the edge to bring it to the right thickness. Just my 2 cents
From my limited experience, the insert height only counts at the front and back edges, where you don't want the workpiece to snag on the table surface OR the insert at either end. I doubt that a little sag in the middle will hurt. And hardboard is tons cheaper than the $25 or more for the professional grade models...
Thanks for the good words on Porter-Cable. I have my eye on their 6" jointer that I saw a few weeks ago at my local Lowe's Hardware. It looks like they've done a nice job designing it.
Make your ZCI out of 1/2" melamine or a stable plywood and route out the areas as needed so that it sits flush (where the original insert has the set screws etc) . I found that 1/4" material flexes too much, especially when I was say cutting tenons or anything too short to span the ZCI.
Great review of the saw and congratulations on the new saw. Yesterday I made a ZCI from a piece of scrap 1/2" oak. I started out trying the method that DEZ mentioned. It didn't turn out to be that easy and looked like crap. So I ended up taking the piece over to the planer and planing it down to the so that it fit nice and easy. I did the finger hole at the front like you did. My old metal OEM plate had a screw at the front also and when tightened down it made the back of the insert raise up. To fix this I drilled a screw hole through the ZCI and the landing it sits on. Everything fits nicely now. I cut some plywood and it made all the difference in the world. No tear out on the bottom side. Again, congratulations on the new saw and it looks like it's going to be the Cats Meow(shop cat)!
Hey Steve! At one point you had been talking about building a router table. Why don't you do it between the rails on your table saw? Matthias Wandel has a great article as well as plans for a router table as well as a router lift. I have a few questions about the table saw. First: What is the dado capacity? Second:What is the horsepower? http://woodgears.ca/delta_saw/router_table.html http://woodgears.ca/router_lift/version1.html
Hey Steve, I am jealous. I have 2 table saws bought used and they are 15 and 27 years old but work ok. As for your ZCI inserts, you mite wanna go to a flooring installer and ask if they ever have a few odd pieces of laminate flooring they make GREAT ZCI's and they mite even be free!!!! Later TOMMYJOE BILOXI MS
You say hip-buster I say router table, 2 are better than 1. Just think 2 beers or 1?! Congrats on the new saw, looking forward to the next video. -Cheers
I see no one's replied to this yet. A Zero-clearance insert removes the gap between the sides of the blade and the insert. This leads to less tearout because the wood is supported all the way up to the edge of the blade. It also keeps the blade from binding up if you cut narrow strips since they can't fall into the insert hole and jam the blade.
The downside to a ZCI is that it's basically set to one angle and you're stuck with that angle. The reason the stock insert hole is so wide is basically because it has to accommodate all your possible bevel settings on the saw. You could make a ZCI for a bevel setting you use all the time too.
I personally have two ZCI's - one for my regular blade and one for dadoes. I'll probably make a few more to handle the dado sizes I use most often and one for cutting with a 45-degree bevel.
Oh, I wish I had a table saw, My cheap-o tools just slip and gnaw. I spend my days finding lots of ways To cut straight by hand which just delays that perfect cut that will amaze.
Oh, I wish I had a table saw, That perfect line I’ve learned to draw evades the blades of all my saws. Mitres too go down the loo They just refuse to find the glue, Leaving yawning gaps for all to view.
Oh, I wish I had a table saw, But there’s not the space around my place, and the price I face is a disgrace. ‘Worry not’ I say, ‘your mitre-box will save the day’. Will it heck! and now it’s wrecked, chewed to death by cuts and splits, I’m throwing tantrums, spits and fits.
Oh, I wish I had a table saw, I’d take the risks with those cutting discs, I’d risk my thumbs, perhaps my plums, to be the envy of all my chums. ‘Worry not’ I say, ‘my circular saw will find a way’, I line it up with a guide, on some plywood far too wide, And now I stand, just unnerved, surprised to find it cut a curve! I tried it straight, but too much weight made it slip and slide, burn and swerve.
Oh, I wish I had a table saw, rip saw, cross-cut, fret-saw, jig-saw, tenon saw, scroll-saw, new saw, old saw. I got them all but not the one that cuts so straight, but I know I’ll have to wait. I’ll try to learn that it is the man, not his tools, so off I go, back to school.
Well Steve looks like you are going to have to lift your bench up some....... That is a great saw enjoy it........
ReplyDeleteThat is what I think Steve should do too. Raise his center island height so he can use it as an outfeed table, plant that saw like a cabinet saw, forget about the wheels on it, and build another extension wing table for it too. Bang, done!
DeleteWe'll just have to watch and see if he's smart enough to do all of that. My money is on he can't see the woods for the trees.
Nice saw Steve you're a lucky man to have friends like that. As far as your zero clearance inserts If you want them heavier just use thicker material and rout a rabbet around the edge to bring it to the right thickness. Just my 2 cents
ReplyDeleteFrom my limited experience, the insert height only counts at the front and back edges, where you don't want the workpiece to snag on the table surface OR the insert at either end. I doubt that a little sag in the middle will hurt. And hardboard is tons cheaper than the $25 or more for the professional grade models...
ReplyDeleteThanks for the good words on Porter-Cable. I have my eye on their 6" jointer that I saw a few weeks ago at my local Lowe's Hardware. It looks like they've done a nice job designing it.
Make your ZCI out of 1/2" melamine or a stable plywood and route out the areas as needed so that it sits flush (where the original insert has the set screws etc) . I found that 1/4" material flexes too much, especially when I was say cutting tenons or anything too short to span the ZCI.
ReplyDeleteGreat review of the saw and congratulations on the new saw. Yesterday I made a ZCI from a piece of scrap 1/2" oak. I started out trying the method that DEZ mentioned. It didn't turn out to be that easy and looked like crap. So I ended up taking the piece over to the planer and planing it down to the so that it fit nice and easy. I did the finger hole at the front like you did. My old metal OEM plate had a screw at the front also and when tightened down it made the back of the insert raise up. To fix this I drilled a screw hole through the ZCI and the landing it sits on. Everything fits nicely now. I cut some plywood and it made all the difference in the world. No tear out on the bottom side. Again, congratulations on the new saw and it looks like it's going to be the Cats Meow(shop cat)!
ReplyDeleteAhhhh! CAT! Steve's shop where death awaits ye with big, nasty, ponty teeth!
ReplyDeleteHey Steve!
ReplyDeleteAt one point you had been talking about building a router table. Why don't you do it between the rails on your table saw? Matthias Wandel has a great article as well as plans for a router table as well as a router lift.
I have a few questions about the table saw. First: What is the dado capacity?
Second:What is the horsepower?
http://woodgears.ca/delta_saw/router_table.html
http://woodgears.ca/router_lift/version1.html
I like the router in the saw fence idea so much I did it years ago.
Deletehttp://i.imgur.com/zJsf6.jpg
Steve
ReplyDeleteYou are hilarious! Nice review, thanks for your blog. It's very entertaining and useful.
Just wanted to let you know I appreciate your videos!
Hey Steve,
ReplyDeleteI am jealous. I have 2 table saws bought used and they are 15 and 27 years old but work ok. As for your ZCI inserts, you mite wanna go to a flooring installer and ask if they ever have a few odd pieces of laminate flooring they make GREAT ZCI's and they mite even be free!!!!
Later TOMMYJOE BILOXI MS
You say hip-buster I say router table, 2 are better than 1. Just think 2 beers or 1?!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the new saw, looking forward to the next video. -Cheers
Would you mind explaining to the clueless (me) why you need to create your own insert and cannot use the metal one that you copy in the clip?
ReplyDeleteI see no one's replied to this yet. A Zero-clearance insert removes the gap between the sides of the blade and the insert. This leads to less tearout because the wood is supported all the way up to the edge of the blade. It also keeps the blade from binding up if you cut narrow strips since they can't fall into the insert hole and jam the blade.
DeleteThe downside to a ZCI is that it's basically set to one angle and you're stuck with that angle. The reason the stock insert hole is so wide is basically because it has to accommodate all your possible bevel settings on the saw. You could make a ZCI for a bevel setting you use all the time too.
I personally have two ZCI's - one for my regular blade and one for dadoes. I'll probably make a few more to handle the dado sizes I use most often and one for cutting with a 45-degree bevel.
Oh, I wish I had a table saw,
ReplyDeleteMy cheap-o tools just slip and gnaw.
I spend my days finding lots of ways
To cut straight by hand which just delays
that perfect cut that will amaze.
Oh, I wish I had a table saw,
That perfect line I’ve learned to draw
evades the blades of all my saws.
Mitres too go down the loo
They just refuse to find the glue,
Leaving yawning gaps for all to view.
Oh, I wish I had a table saw,
But there’s not the space around my place,
and the price I face is a disgrace.
‘Worry not’ I say, ‘your mitre-box will save the day’.
Will it heck! and now it’s wrecked, chewed to death by cuts and splits,
I’m throwing tantrums, spits and fits.
Oh, I wish I had a table saw,
I’d take the risks with those cutting discs,
I’d risk my thumbs, perhaps my plums, to be the envy of all my chums.
‘Worry not’ I say, ‘my circular saw will find a way’,
I line it up with a guide, on some plywood far too wide,
And now I stand, just unnerved, surprised to find it cut a curve!
I tried it straight, but too much weight made it slip and slide, burn and swerve.
Oh, I wish I had a table saw,
rip saw, cross-cut, fret-saw, jig-saw,
tenon saw, scroll-saw, new saw, old saw.
I got them all but not the one that cuts so straight,
but I know I’ll have to wait.
I’ll try to learn that it is the man, not his tools,
so off I go, back to school.
Jim Davies,
Frustrated newbie