Table Saw Insert

Nice tutorial. Great job.

I didn’t knotice a finger hole to get the wood out. Do you crawl under the table and push it up?

-- I've been blessed with a father who liked to tinker in wood, and a wife who lets me tinker in wood. Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

This was a great way to do it : ) I also would add the fingerhole as Karson mentioned .

The only issues I’ve had with wooden table inserts is seasonal swelling and shrinkage .

-- When did quiet and quite become the same word ? I'm guessing about the same time as your and you're did.

What a coincidence. I was just out in the shop making some of these. I came in to cool off and to take a quick minute to check out LJ to see what everyone was up to this weekend and here was this project. Thanks for the photo’s Kristzian. Nice job too!

I used 1/2” Baltic birch plywood so they won’t shrink, expand or warp. I made 6 out of a 10” x 30” piece of plywood in about 60 minutes. I was just reading an article on Friday someplace about making these. I bored a 3/4 hole for a finger pull. I made the first one using the original steel template for my Delta saw. I made the other 5 using the first wood one as the template. In the “template” I used a #8×3/4 wood screw where the finger pull would be to fasten this template to the other blanks. I then calculated where the safety guard slot would be cut on the opposite end and placed another wood screw in this “waste” are. This way the finished ones won’t have scars. I used this wood template and screws for three reasons: 1) I get nervous using a piece of steel for a template around an expensive router bit, 2) I kept re-using the 2 screws over and over instead of wasting a lot of double-sided tape (I made 6 of them), and 3) the little “knob” on the back end of the original insert was in the way.

I also was looking at some phenolic blanks that Rockler sells for this purpose. The reviews all agreed that you needed to purchase the special drill bit and router bit because the material was so hard to work with. I got to thinking, if the phenolic is that hard, do I really want to break the teeth of my blades and dado set when I go to cut the blade slot?

Another note – many saws (including mine) won’t allow the blade to drop far enough below the surface to allow the insert to be set in place with the blade in place before the slot is cut. In this case, put the original insert in place, secure it, and drop your blade down below the tables’ surface. Put your newly made zero clearance on top of the insert (match it up exactly!) and either secure it with double -sided tape or use another creative method. Turn your saw on and slowly raise the blade up until the teeth come through the insert about 1/4”. Turn the saw off, lower the blade, remove the wooden insert from the original insert, place the wooden insert into place and secure, it. Again turn on the saw and raise the blade to cut your desired slot. I know have one for my 2 most commonly used saw blades and one four each of the 4 most common sized dados.

-- NorthWoodsMan

great advice.

-- making sawdust....

Great advice lumberjocks. I need to make another one since mine is warping. I make it out of cherry.

-- Dominic, Trinity, Florida...Lets be safe out there.

I would like to add that it might be wise (and only take a minute) to add a retaining pin from a nail or thin screw in the rear of the insert to prevent the blade from grabbing it and throwing it forward…..

Look at the back of your commercial or included insert and you will find a small pin that fits into a slot/hole in the saw top. Drive a small nail into the same position and cut the head off with clippers or Dremel and you’re done!

JC

-- Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known. -Carl Sagan

I use plywood like northwoodsman. I then use 4 tiny wood screws to create leveling feet, its easier than shimming. My insert is 1/2” and 1/2 plywood is too thin.

I also take small pan head wood screw and put in where the bump in on the back of the original insert. Thats what keeps the insert from flying out if something makes the blade contact it.

Then wax the heck out of them so they’re nice a slippy.

Great job!

Thanks for the post

Callum

-- For wood working podcasts with a twist check out http://thetimberkid.com/

Awesome tutorial and explanation, the spreader is a great feature.

-- Andy Stark

Very much appreciated!

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

Good job and write up.

-- Bud, Central Square, NY, http://thepostnbeam.blogspot.com/

I need to build one of these so bad, My table saw’s dips down about 1/8” ! why would they design it that way? Not too mention the 1/2” slot for the blade…

I’ve been looking for this info. Thanks for the post!

-- Rich, Seattle, WA