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I purchased a craftsman Tablesaw used. It was in pretty good condition and I got it at half the price of a new one. I have only one complaint. The red insert that fits down in that little void was bent upwards slightly. Just enough to not allow the piece being cut to not ride into the blade correctly. Causing one to have fight it a little to get it to pass through the blade easily. I saw this as not a desirable way to do business on a possibly dangerous tool.
A friend and I decided to remove it and straighten it up as it was just bowed up slightly right in the exact center of the blade. So we set in after it. Expecting there to be screws attaching it down,we did unscrew three screws. It didn't just pop right out as we expected it to. So my friend inserted a screwdriver on the side to gently start it up. It broke off a big chunk of the insert. So we continued to extract it. The darn thing broke all to pieces. It appears to be made of "Pot metal". Not about to use it in this condition I looked online to replace it. For $60 plus shipping I could buy another one. Looks exactly like the one we took off. I do not wish to replace it with another one made of the same material. I texted my friend he agreed not to put another one on there made of that stuff. He suggested I build one. Ok I can do that.
My question to the forum is what would be wrong with replacing it with one made of 3/4" plywood? I could epoxy it in. I would fit it perfectly and would make sure the top surface would be smooth. Thanks for reading looking forward to input. Let me say I could purchase the $60 dollar one but really don't want to part with that much money for another Pot-metal insert


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Hi Lonnie,
The plywood one will work fine. I make several at a time out of corian scraps for my saws. I make one that fits perfectly then rough cut some oversize, then rout them to size using the first as a template. This gives me zero clearance inserts for different blades and dados set to different heights. It's always good to have a few extra on hand.

" I could epoxy it in."

I'm not sure what you mean by this as inserts must be removed for changing the blade?

Thanks Clay. Ok scratch the Epoxy idea. Lol. I have some strap 3/4 plywood I was going to use. Appreciate it.


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The only time I use my stock inserts are when I use dado blades. Otherwise I have a number of homemade, solid wood inserts. If you are going to take the time to make one, make 3, for different thickness blades. Zero clearance is a must when you start cutting smaller pieces like bindings. There's no need to attach it to the saw. It's not going anywhere.

I made a bunch out of MDF and put in short #4 brass screws for levelers. Make a master insert, and use a router pattern bit in a router table to make the inserts. Put the fence over the edge of the insert to hold it down when you raise the blade through it.

Alex

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"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

Same experience on a used Craftsman I bought. Made an insert from Oak.
To get the locking screws on the fence loose, I heated the fence with a hot air gun.
I had to put MDF on the fence because the face was not flat.

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wah
Wah-wah-wah-wah
Wah

Thanks guys. I was wondering about MDF. Love that idea about using the fence to hold it down. Because I wanted to use the blade to cut the hole for the blade. Lots of good info. You guys are great.


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If you use 3/4 inch ply you may lose a little bit of height on the blade (if you use blade stabilizers) 1/2 inch baltic birch or similar multi-ply plywood works well.

Well Clay my saw measure like 5/8" high in the recess. I was going to reduce the plywood with my drum sander until it was flush. I went out marked the plywood out. Going to cut out three of them. But my foot has been bothering me for the last few days. I promised my wife I wouldn't work today. I did a little though. I have a little 12 yr old neighbor girl that talked me into making her a baritone Uke. So she hangs and makes a nuisance of herself. So I've put her to work making her own Uke. Her attention span is rather short but she comes and goes. She's really doing a good job though.


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ok I didn't get the curve correct on the bottom right hand corner. The other end came out perfect. I do have to run it through the drum sander tomorrow. Thanks for input gentlemen I'm sure a lot happier then when I started this thread. And you say it doesn't have to be fastened down? It was really very easy running the blade through. When I sand it tomorrow I'll clamp it down with my fence as suggested and go ahead and raise the blade a little more.


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Plus I'll probably go ahead and since the far end is cut to the perfect curve I'll just turn it around it'll be the same both ends. Copy the good one


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Make it thinner and do as Alex says about the leveling screws. I use 3/8" baltic birch for my inserts.

Ok I can do that Bob. Here's a dumb question why wouldn't you just lay the insert down on the little ledges provided for that ? Would they not be level with the top of the saw? Why go to the trouble of thinning or going to 3/8's. Remember I'm not able to get this Baltic Birch plywood everybody seems to get but me. I get the crap out of Home Depot or Lowes. The plywood isn't flat square or anything resembling quality. I would prefer MDF much better quality flat square all them good things we so like in building something.


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I use regular plywood in my 80's Crapsman and I use pieces of masking tape to make shims on the back to bring it up level, adding as needed. No need to fasten it in place, but when you run the saw blade up to make the initial cut, move your fence over so it is on top of it next to where the blade will end up so it doesn't lift. Make one for a 45 degree cut and other angles that you use regularly.

Ed

I use melamine coated particle board for my inserts (cheap shelving material) as it provides a more friction-free surface for workpieces to slide over...with simple levelling screws.

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Doug

Don't let fear or common sense stop you from trying to build something

Lonnie, the SandPly that Home Depot sales is usually pretty nice although not as nice as Baltic birch. I've made lots of jigs and shelves from SandPly. On the bottom of my inserts I put in four #6 wood screws which sit on the little ledges you are referring to. This lets you adjust the insert until it's exactly level with the top.

If you're ever in Knoxville on the 2nd Sunday of the month then come on over to the Woodcraft store, we usually have a luthier meeting at 2PM. PM me if you're interested and I'll make sure you get the information.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Steve I am interested haven't been on the forum long enough to locate the PM button. Want to say this morning I built a new one using the first one as a model. The forward end fit perfect. So I used that one end to make the curves fits like a glove. The first one wasn't bad but it didn't look like it had been done in a craftsman like manner. So I have to run it through the drum sander to bring it down to be flush to the top. I'll post another photo when I complete it. Actually I'm glad the cheap pot metal one broke. It caused trouble and allowed me to build a good one. Hey that's called making lemonade ain't it?:0)


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ok this on fits a little better. Thickness sanded it to be flush to the tabletop. Put two coats of shellac on to toughen the surface a little.


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Looks good.

The PM button is on the bottom left part of every post so if someone posts something and you want to send a private message you just click on the little blue pm button.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

Thanks Steve. Yes I'm pleased now. I still don't see no stinking button:0)


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Ahhh - the PM function is not on the Tapatalk version of OLF - you have to use the computer version.

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Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"

I tried to log on with my computer. But it asked for my email address. It said we already have a member with that address. There was no button that allowed me to say yes Einstein that's me. It kinda didn't work. Sigh!!!!!!


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