Replies

1. 
   [email protected] | Mar 21, 2008 04:20am | #1

   I'm guessing that you somehow got the base for a Delta Contractor's saw, instead of the one for the unisaw.  They are pretty much the same except for the bolts. 

1. 
   Summit | Mar 21, 2008 04:33am | #2

   I have the splitter installed.  From the picture "splitter", do you think it looks OK?  I ran the saw and ripped some oak. No problems.  The throat plate needs to be finessed over the blade and around the splitter.  What scares me is how close the blade is.

1. 
   [email protected] | Mar 21, 2008 04:59am | #3

   It has more clearance than the one I installed on my Contractor's saw.  I had to grind it for clearance, and only have about a 1/16th.  But if the arbor get enough play in it to allow the blade to move half that much I think I will notice. 

   You might want to get an aftermarket throat plate.  The uneven wear to the paint means it isn't really flat. 

2. 
   BillBrennen | Mar 21, 2008 06:23am | #4

   The blade does seem close to the iron splitter housing. If it will prevent tip strikes when changing blades, just file off the corner that is so close to the blade. I also remove the pawls, as they are a safety hazard. Enjoy your new saw!Bill

2. 
   boilerbay | Mar 21, 2008 06:51am | #5

   Your splitter is dead on. approx. 1/2 inch at to the closest saw tooth above the plate. If it's not touching the blade below the plate, it's fine. A miss is good as a mile. Don't worry about the pawls unless the are jammed into the plate. Just as long as they go freely backward. This way they will even catch 1/4" stock from coming back at you. You can sharpen them if you want. The sharper the better although they do wear after about 15,000 board feet. :-)
   If the pawls are to close to the plate for you, just file the last tooth down till you have clearance. I don't remember if the Unisaw is a left tilt or not. If it is, make sure to align the left splitter side with the left side of the blade - not the center. Don't try to cut anything so thin that the fence is up against the splitter springs.

   Enjoy your new toy.

   John

   
   

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   Edited 3/20/2008 11:54 pm by boilerbay

3. 
   BOBABEUI | Mar 21, 2008 02:55pm | #6

   Placement of that splitter looks exactly like it does on my Unisaw, the receiver (white part) piece that attaches to the trunnion is very close on my Unisaw also, what's important is that the blade misses along it's whole travel.

   What I don't remember is having any issue with the supplied hardware from the splitter. I do remember that aligning the splitter to the blade and 90 degrees to the table was a royal pain in the arse..

   Enjoy

1. 
   [email protected] | Mar 21, 2008 05:49pm | #7

   There is a trick that works for that. 

   With the blade set close to vertical, rip a 2X4 down to about 3-inches.

   With out unlocking the fence, remove the plate and blade. 

   Loosen the bolts on the splitter, put the "2X3"  against the fence, and clamp the splitter and "2X3" to the fence.  Then tighten the bolts on the splitter. 

   Unclamp, and it should be lined up, and in the same plane as the blade.  If you want a little offset to the splitter, slip a shim between the splitter and the 2X. 

1. 
   BOBABEUI | Mar 21, 2008 07:38pm | #8

   Jigs,Thanks for the tip.. Next time I have to get that splitter re-aligned up I will give your tip a try..

2. 
   Summit | Mar 21, 2008 08:20pm | #9

   That it is a good trick.  I set mine up with straight edge and got real close.  It had me wondering though, does it need to be perfect?  I'm within a sheet of paper.

1. 
   [email protected] | Mar 21, 2008 09:18pm | #10

   Realisticaly, your chasing a moving target.  Every time you change blades, the edge of the blade will move slightly, due to the variance in the "dish" of the blades, but not by very much. 

   I sent an email to Forrest to see if they can tell me what the difference is between their various blades.  But, I haven't heard back yet, so I'm not sure how much dish is built into various blades. 

3. 
   forestgirl | Mar 22, 2008 02:05am | #11

   Is that a procedure you've actually done "live" with a Biesemeyer splitter.  I'd never be able to do that with the Merlin splitter -- wouldn't be able to get to the bolts -- so if it works with the Bies, I'll be a happy gal and forever in your debt for explaining it to usforestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

1. 
   [email protected] | Mar 24, 2008 12:43am | #12

   Yes, several times.  You just need to make the cut for the block wide enough to let you get the insert out.  Which is really just over an inch wide.  No real trick to it.   

   I found few pictures of the Merlin splitter online, and I think the method would work with it as well.  But, you might have to replace the bolts with socket heads to be able to do it.  The pictures weren't at quite the correct angle to let me see the bolt heads, and how hard they would be to access. 

1. 
   forestgirl | Mar 24, 2008 03:10am | #13

   Hi, Jigs.  The bots are socket-head (that's what you call the ones you use an Allen wrench with, right?).  It's been quite awhile since the last time I installed my Merlin splitter, but I seem to remember there was some difficulty getting inside there to tighten the screws.  It could be that with the splitter clamped to a solid, immovable object, things would be easier.  I do thank you for the technique!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)