Replies

1. 
   Jimmbo | Dec 01, 2006 05:19am | #1

   I used 1/2 inch birch plywood, but you'll have to see what thickness is right, or just shy for your saw.  I traced the factory insert onto it, then cut it out with a jig saw and sanded to inside the lines at the stationary sander until it was a good fit.  Actually, I made 4 at the same time to have extras.  My table has 4 lipped supports under the opening that support the insert, so I turned in 4 very small wood screws situated so that the heads would land on the lips, and either turned them out a little, or in, to fine tune the highth until it was flat and did not wobble.  I glued a piece of a biscuit to the front bottom to make a lip that slides under the front and holds the front down.  You'll have to see what your set up allows to hold the front in.  The blade rotation holds the back down - it will not tend to lift.  I've seen people cut a finger hole, but I just put a slotted screw driver into the slot, twist a little to grab the insert, and lift out the back end to remove it.  Install a single dado blade for the smaller diameter, put the uncut insert in place, slide the fence over to hold it down or otherwise clamp it down, and run the blade up through to make the slot.  Nice and slow.  Similar deal for a dado insert.  I shellac'd it and added paste wax to keep it slick and easy to clean.

1. 
   JohnWW | Dec 01, 2006 05:20pm | #3

   It is the far edge of the insert, the outfeed end, that needs to be hooked into the table to prevent the blade from lifting and throwing the insert.

   John White, Shop Manager, Fine Woodworking Magazine 

1. 
   Jimmbo | Dec 01, 2006 08:40pm | #5

   Yes - thank you for clarifying that.  My reference to "front" and "back" was unclear.

1. 
   casnshs | Dec 02, 2006 12:05am | #6

   Thanks for all of your answers I think I will just make it and try not to buy a $35.00 insert that may or may not be available. Also has anyone tried the freud dd-208 dado set from home depot?

1. 
   forestgirl | Dec 02, 2006 09:03pm | #9

   "...freud dd-208 dado set from home depot?"  I have the 6" safety dado, it's a very fine set.  However, if I were buying a set today (as opposed to 3 years ago, with a slimmer wallet), I'd get the Freud Dial-a-Width instead.  Shims are a pain, and this is a true stacked dado, not a wobble.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

2. 
   Diz | Dec 01, 2006 06:10am | #2

   I've made a number of these using some scraps of phenolic picked up at a plastics supply shop.  Cut to slight oversize, tape the two inserts together w/ double sided tape and use a pattern bit in router table to finish.

   I also tap holes for set screws so adjustments can be made above the table.  Phenolic is plenty dense enough for this.  I suspect baltic birch ply could be tapped as well.

3. 
   forestgirl | Dec 01, 2006 08:21pm | #4

   The ones I made out of plywood didn't fare too well flatness-wise, though it might not have been the best plywood.  A hard, straight-grained wood is nice.  Used a bandsaw to make the basic outline, just shy of the actualy size, then template-routed to final size.  The ends are a bit of a challenge when template-routing on the table.  Need to talk with John W. about that! <grin>

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 
   

4. 
   cadiddlehopper | Dec 02, 2006 04:30am | #7

   I did the same as Jimmbo for my Delta saw. Works great.

   Cadiddlehopper

5. 
   UnclePablo | Dec 02, 2006 02:19pm | #8

   Making inserts for the Rigid is a little different than other saws.

    A lot of saws have 4 tabs that adjustment screws from the insert sit on. The Rigid has a horse shoe shaped casting on the infeed and outfeed sides of the saw for the insert to sit on. The depth to those castings from the tablesaw's surface is slightly less than 1/2" on my saw.  I chose to use 1/2" MDF with plastic laminate applied to the face side. This meant I needed to cut rabbetts on the bottom of the insert to get it flush. I used no screws for adjustment just carefully crept the rabbetts up to the correct depth. My inserts are snug fitting so I don't do anything additional to hold them down. When I need to remove it I tap it with a stick from underneath-easy to reach. 

    

   -Paul

6. 
   user-211435 | Dec 03, 2006 07:22am | #10

   I have been making and using them for years.

   I make them out of scraps of 3/4" melamine, one of the handiest tools in my shop, and never worry about them lifting.  Never had a problem with it.

   Why would it lift?

   Hal

   http://www.rivercitywoodworks.com