Drawdoow Posted February 27, 2021 Report Share Posted February 27, 2021 Shop made wooden insert does a better job of keeping dust below the table. Made a short video to confirm the difference: https://youtu.be/blBJ-EKZb7c Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gvajcner Posted February 28, 2021 Report Share Posted February 28, 2021 Cool! Why do you think it works better - a better seal at the back of the blade where the blade guard goes? Tighter kerf cut? Probably all of the above... I’m guessing you don’t use the blade guard much, eh? -glen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drawdoow Posted February 28, 2021 Author Report Share Posted February 28, 2021 23 minutes ago, gvajcner said: ... I’m guessing you don’t use the blade guard much, eh? -glen That is one disadvantage of the shop made insert: The blade guards that replace the riving knife don't work because the slot in the insert would have to be so long that the insert would be too weak. Have to use the overhead type blade guard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted March 1, 2021 Report Share Posted March 1, 2021 I don't understand why you're not using the guard. It has the dual function of protecting you and collecting the dust that escapes from behind the blade. It's such and easy guard to use, remove and reinstall that there's really no excuse for not using it. So I'm going to play hard nosed critic here & say that your insert has 2 fatal flaws: it limits blade travel, it precludes the use of the guard, and it still lets some dust escape from around the blade. What you've made creates more problems than it solves. Hard pass for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted March 1, 2021 Report Share Posted March 1, 2021 Doesn't sawstop make some pretty awesome ZCI inserts that you can buy that retain all functionality, like locking in place and allowing use of the guard, and are affordable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark J Posted March 1, 2021 Report Share Posted March 1, 2021 I replaced mine recently, 50 bucks, so affordable? Up to you. But for 50 I got the OEM and I don't expect to replace it for a very long time. In fact I replaced the ZCI because mine was the original version and hence a pain to remove. Where a plywood insert would be great is for dado sets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted March 1, 2021 Report Share Posted March 1, 2021 1 hour ago, Chestnut said: Doesn't sawstop make some pretty awesome ZCI inserts that you can buy that retain all functionality, like locking in place and allowing use of the guard, and are affordable? The OEM plates are not cheap, but work well. One solution to keeping a nice tight slot for the blade is to just fill the widened slot with epoxy or Bondo & then recut it. I read that from another post (by @gee-dub I think). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted March 1, 2021 Report Share Posted March 1, 2021 I was finding them for $49.99 + tax. I guess that seems pretty affordable considering they maintain the own plate functionality. Factoring my time my shop made throat plate costs more than $50. Marc covered filling in zero clearance slots with epoxy and re cutting. I can't remember who else mentioned it on the forum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drawdoow Posted March 1, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2021 5 hours ago, Mark J said: Where a plywood insert would be great is for dado sets. I agree. The shop made inserts real advantage is with dado sets because you can have one for each dado width. Also the blade guard does not work with dado anyway, so no downside in that regard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted March 2, 2021 Report Share Posted March 2, 2021 Slightly off-topic, but am I the only one that finds a zero clearance insert to be very detrimental for dust collection? Keeping in mind that my saw is older, and has no above the table guard with collection in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drawdoow Posted March 2, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2021 1 hour ago, wtnhighlander said: Slightly off-topic, but am I the only one that finds a zero clearance insert to be very detrimental for dust collection? Keeping in mind that my saw is older, and has no above the table guard with collection in it. Must depend on the saw. I found much less dust with zero clearance, as show in the this brief comparison video Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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