dave95sps

Hi Group,

I removed the elCheapo splitter/blade guard assembly from my DeWalt 746 table saw. I want to make a "splitter" and install it behind the blade using the bolts that previously held the blade guard assembly.

Could anyone please help answer these questions ?
1) Must the splitter be the same dimension as the kerf ? The kerf is .120" according to the blade specs. I am having a difficult time finding .120" material. The closest I found so far is 1/8" (.125), and when I tried it, the wood began to bind against the fence.

2) If I use material slightly smaller in thickness than the kerf, how best to place the splitter...centered on blade, or flush with blade on the fence side ?

Thanks in advance,
Dave

woodworks

I would suggest sanding down the thicker to the correct size.

On the placement, I would 'think' you would want it placed where you say, on the fence side. The problem I see with that is if the wood binds together, then you have to watch any hazards that that would cause from not having the splitter flush to the left side of the blade.

I was under the impression that splitters were sold at the same size thickness as the blades. Am I incorrect in this guys?

WDChew

Woodcraft sells plastic insert kits that have various thicknesses to match your blades. The kit includes a template to drill your blade insert (I make my own zero clearance inserts). I don't remember how much I paid for the kit, but it wasn't but a few dollars.

woodworks

Your on the wrong page WDChew. We're talking about splitters, not inserts. Splitters go behind the saw blade so that when the wood exits past the blade it will keep the wood from binding together and pinching the blade causing all sorts of problems (some of which I know about first hand).

dave95sps

Thanks. Woodcraft said DeWalt does not manufacture splitters for the blades they make. Woodcraft said most woodworkers just take the stock blade guard and splitter assembly off their table saws. They said that even THEIR Powermatic in the woodshop where they conduct classes is without a blade guard or splitter. I took a look, and sure enough - no blade guard or splitter.

I found a Stanley 24" square that measured 3/32" thickness. I think that comes to .098 or close to that. I cut the material out of the square, drilled holes for the mounting bolts, and beveled the leading edges of the new splitter, then squared it behind the blade flush to the fence side. Ran some trial cuts...crosscuts first on the wood sled, then rip cuts against the fence and all went well. It doesn't look like I will have problems with it. It makes me feel a little safer anyway. Ever since I saw a student nearly lose a thumb in 8th grade woodshop I have been well aware of the inherent risks with the saw. Thanks for your comments and suggestions.
Dave

LarrySch

woodworks - the item that WDChew was speaking of is a splitter. They work great.

__________________
Larry

" have you hugged your pet today"

dave95sps

Yes - I saw that splitter / insert kit at Woodcraft. The salesman did not seem to know much about it. Maybe I should go back to my local Woodcraft and take a 2nd look.
Dave

woodworks

Ok, but is that a splitter or an insert? Or both? I didn't know they came as one piece.
He called it an insert so that is where I thought he was talking about an isert instead of splitter.
My fault if I got confused. Sorry WDChew

Is that a craftsman TS?

WDChew

Sorry for the confusion in my choice of terms.

The kit is a set of plastic splitters that have pins to mount them in the saw's blade insert plates.
It includes a template to drill the insert plates for the splitter's pins.
The pins are off-set a 2 or 3 mm so that you get more or less width on the kerf.
You have to make the jig to hold the template to match your saw's dimensions (the pic in LarrySch's post looks just like mine...I used a piece of scrap melamine/particle board shelving).

The down-side is that the splitters really we designed for zero clearance insert plates, not the factory metal ones

woodworks

So what your saying is that you have to be darn near perfect when drilling the holes?
Second, do you mean that the splitter is not the same width as the blade, but rather you 'twist' it to make it the same width?
Third, looking at it from here and seeing where it sets, does it really do that good of a job? Does it set back far enough from the blade to work well?

LarrySch

woodworks - "So what your saying is that you have to be darn near perfect when drilling the holes" - not darn near perfect - they have to be perfect - but with the setup they give you its pretty easy to get the set up right - in a plastic plate - the metal ones can also be done - but it also is more critical to be drilled right. I screwed up one (the plate) - by not drilling the holes straight and it tilted the splitter which I corrected by taking it to the drill press, something I should of have done first.

They have two splitters that come with the kit - turning the splitter to the right or left side gives you a + or - clearance. They also have them for either the thin kerf saw blades or regular saw blades.

The set back is controlled by the drilling kit and instructions that they send. I am sure that they have tested the splitter and distance from the blade for it to be fully effective.

I think with any accessory that is sold - they will work - but probably not full proof from errors. I still really watch for kick backs and pinching the work piece between the saw blade and the fence.

__________________
Larry

" have you hugged your pet today"

WDChew

The pins are offset from center by a couple of mm, but the holes are drilled on center. Inserting it one direction makes it flush with the blade, rotating 180* give a little pressure on the cutoff.

Since it is a splitter, you don't want it too far from the blade. It purpose is to keep the kerf from closing on the blade. Look at the riving knife on the European saws...they almost touch the blade.

If you make your own splitter (which the original post was asking about) you would slit the blade throat insert plate in the same place and glue in a thin hardwood splitter. BTDT, and I found the Woodcraft option an inexpensive alternative since they can be used for multiple zero clearance plates (which you need to match different blades). To each his own.

woodworks

WDChew:
My only questions is this... What does the BTDT stand for???

niki

Hi Dave

The "Riving knife law" is....

Must be bigger (wider) than the blade body...

Must be smaller (narrower) than the kerf...

I believe that the same law apply to splitters

Generally, it should be located at the center of the blade but many people are "pushing" it to be flush with the blade to the fence side and I think both ways are ok....the most important is, to have a splitter.....

Regards
niki

dave95sps

This forum has generated helpful discussion. Niki, your post and illustration is exactly what I was looking for. I am going to print this thread out so I have it for future reference. These message boards are a great way to seek and provide valuable information. It takes knowledgeable and willing people like all of you to make this website work as well as it does. Thank you !

Best wishes, Dave

WDChew

Been There, Done That

niki

Thank you Dave

I would like to add that; Almost every table saw has some degree of "Arbor Run-out" and also, every blade has some run-out and flattering...

So, if you'll check the kerf "Kerfully" (carefully ), I think that you'll find that it's larger than the "published" 1/8" kerf (for normal kerf blade)...

For those reasons, I think, that you'll be fully safe to use a splitter that is the same thickness as the "published" kerf width.

Regards
niki

DoctorJ1257

HI, all

I'm new to this site so forgive me if I'm off base here. I was also looking for a solution to the splitter/guard problem for my DeWalt saw. Have any of you had any experience with the Shark Guard - http://www.leestyron.com/sharkdw746.php from Lee Styron?

Thanks,
Jim

TS3660

Dave,
Before you buy a "splitter kit", look at this link.
http://woodworkingtips.com/etips/etip060900ws.html

__________________
Bud

"Capitalism is the unequal sharing of wealth: Socialism is the equal sharing of misery"