ZCI for walker turner

Cool!

-- Lew- Time traveler. Purveyor of the Universe's finest custom rolling pins.

Just a quickie to get the juices flowing. #4 or Dutchy, the masters of innovation, could probably add some charisma to this.
Note: I have deliberately omitted measurements to ensure you don’t inadvertently recast your tabletop to match those measurements. I’m guessing it might be easier to change the insert dimensions… your call.

Let us assume your tabletop resembles this,

Just a couple of quick screen dumps of what I wipped up. It was easy in Sketchup…, the challenge will be to find a SketchUp to Timber Google translator…

If you stay crear of MDF and use some decent hardwood, the glue joint between the ”access plate” and the ”ZCI bar” should be sufficient and not require dowels, however, if you use them, place then where you won’t cut through… (we always remember… after the deed has been done).

Also keep the first good fit for a template for future use.

As you don’t have access to my Windows recycle bin, I have posted the SU file here in DropBox, just in case you might be interested… and this could be a good excuse to learn/brush up on those skills…

-- If your first cut is too short... Take the second cut from the longer end... LBD

still searching for more ideas on how to make this ZCI for my walker turner table saw …I like something to be safer BUMP OLD THREAD :<))

-- Tony---- Reinholds,Pa.------ REMEMBER TO ALWAYS HAVE FUN :<))

I wouldn’t feel comfortable with a ZCI on that saw. The sections before and after the blade are just too thin, once bisected by the blade.

I would just accept it as-is. A good blade in the 40 tooth range will prevent most chipout on the underside. Use a thin ripping jig to prevent a trapped workpiece between the blade and fence.
You’d still be wanting a ZCI for dado work though…

What about using hot glue to temporarily mount a piece of melamine UNDER the tablesaw top. Then take a resin of some sort and pour it into the opening. The main problems I see are… 1. getting the thickness right, and 2. There is no support edge for the ZCI around the blade area.

I have made custom ZCI’s for saws not designed for one, but this one is tricky.

-- Willie, Washington "If You Choose Not To Decide, You Still Have Made a Choice" - Rush

strange table insert to my eyes !!! too thin IMHO

-- Stelios L.A. Stavrinides: - I am not so rich to buy cheap tools, but... necessity is the mother of inventions !!!

There might be a metal fabricator that could reshape the opening and mill a new deeper ledge all the way around. It might cost the same as a new Sawstop though.

Does that saw accept a standard dado set?

-- Willie, Washington "If You Choose Not To Decide, You Still Have Made a Choice" - Rush

yes it does an 8 inch the whole stack plus all shims :<))

-- Tony---- Reinholds,Pa.------ REMEMBER TO ALWAYS HAVE FUN :<))

.... I would just accept it as-is. ....

- pintodeluxe

I thought that “Accept it as is” in the past was the motivation for this article.

I wouldn t feel comfortable with a ZCI on that saw. The sections before and after the blade are just too thin, once bisected by the blade.

- pintodeluxe

I am bemused at how many woodworkers loose faith in the strength of a decent piece of hardwood and some good quality PVC glue, albeit thin. In the words of that famous 900 BC Greek woodworker Theo Retically, the forces on that thin off side piece should be minimal.

Yes. the pieces are small and thin, however, it is the back piece we are concerned with, to support the splitter.

The splitter is only designed to keep the wood off the blade. I’m no engineer. however, I can not imagine such forces to cause greater danger than the kickback it is designed to eliminate.

After allowances for lip, there is a lot of real estate under the cast iron to glue supports for any smallish obtrusions. Though the scenario is totally different, in the past I have successfully used this bracing method to stabilise a think splitter in 6mm MDF.

No I don’t offer this as a solution but rather a means to an end.

Just ensure that the ZCI is firmly seated to the bench. I use sets of fender washers to secure under the lip.

There might be a metal fabricator ….

- pintodeluxe

Cheaper to buy a metal “laced” girdle.

-- If your first cut is too short... Take the second cut from the longer end... LBD

I have a 10” Walker Turner too and haven’t come up with a good ZCI either. I built a crosscut sled instead. That solved most of the problem. I also use sacrificial boards when I need to.
Walker Turner did things a little differently than most. That funky blade opening is the only thing I don’t like about the saw.
Rodney

*EDIT: I went and looked again. Your insert is missing one of it’s spring clips. I hope you did something to fix it. You do not want that thing moving on you while you’re cutting. *

-- Rodney, Centralia, WA, USA www.etsy.com/shop/ASturdyStick

same here Rodney I simply love this saw but NOT blade opening
and I don’t use that no more kind of made 1 against left side of blade ..better then nothing :<))
call it a left zero clearance insert but just halfway :<))

-- Tony---- Reinholds,Pa.------ REMEMBER TO ALWAYS HAVE FUN :<))

I’m glad to see you fixed that issue. If you are making thin cuts for whatever reason you can always cut so the thin stuff is on the left.
Rodney

-- Rodney, Centralia, WA, USA www.etsy.com/shop/ASturdyStick

You might want to consider making that insert from aluminum plate. Most of us woodworkers forget that aluminum cuts just fine with bandsaws and carbide tipped table saw blades. I have a Hammer sliding table saw which has a narrow odd shaped saw opening that doesn’t lend itself to a strong wooden insert. I ordered a piece of aluminum the exact thickness needed to rest in the slot, made an outline of the slot by taping a piece of paper over the slot and using the edge of a pencil to rub the top of the paper around the hole. This makes a perfect pattern! I cut the aluminum to shape with my woodworking bandsaw, filed it for a perfect fit, and made the usual cutting of the slot by slowly raising the saw blade (carbide tipped, of course) to cut the slot. Worked great! And it DIDN’T harm or dull my saw blade!!!

-- Always remember: It is a mathematical certainty that half the people in this country are below average in intelligence!

thanks for the info …just 1 ? for ya …..what keeps it in and not fall out of bottom ?? best idea I’ve heard yet :<))

-- Tony---- Reinholds,Pa.------ REMEMBER TO ALWAYS HAVE FUN :<))

I’ve been thinking about ways to do that for mine as well. I haven’t really cut anything that’s needed it yet, but even still wouldn’t be a bad thing to have figured out if I do. I quite like the saw, just that part of it isn’t ideal.

-- Mos - Twin Cities, MN - http://www.youtube.com/MosquitoMods - http://www.TheModsquito.com

The aluminum needs to only be the thickness to fit into the lip of the hole and be level to the top of the table. It rests on the inner lip of the hole and won’t fall through. Your insert will be a different shape than mine and may require a little thinking. I polished mine up and it looks very “professional”.

-- Always remember: It is a mathematical certainty that half the people in this country are below average in intelligence!