Good tutorial, Kenny. I like the chamfer around top edge. Consider using the fence as the hold down when bringing the blade up through the material. It can hold all along the length opposite the blade.
Mark Hazlewood Another great piece of advice Mark. For this Ridgid saw, there are opening to clamp a board across the back of the table, but for those who don't have the luxury, there is the rip fence. Thanks for chiming in and giving the other viewers a great tip and alternate suggestion to the methods that I have shown here in the video. Definitely worth while information. Thanks for tuning in and dropping a comment.
Good instructional video as always. You have a wonderful ability for presentation. It should be noted that for those viewers that don't have an 8-1/4 blade that a single dado blade or a 7-1/4 circular saw blade (wide kerf) can be used. I make my inserts using the 5/8" or 3/4" thick white plastic cutting boards that can be purchased at Walmart, Target or Amazon for really cheap. I cut a relief in the bottom of the insert around the perimeter to adjust for thickness. I like the plastic because it is impervious to humidity and it stays flat. The plastic is also really slick. Typically I can make 4 inserts from a large cutting board for only $12. I look forward to your next video.
Hardnox That's some good info sir. At 15:20, I mention the 7 1/4" circular saw blade but the plastic cutting boards never occurred to me. Information that will be definitely useful to some of my viewers. Once again, thanks for the input.
Ken; Several of your suggestions are really good, but no mention was made of the extension on the front of the Rigid plate that keeps it from rising up if something were to get jammed between the blade and the large blade opening. I too have made several inserts for my TS3650 like yours, but I drive a screw into the front end of the new insert. This sticks into the slot made for the stock plate. Forget the screw that holds it down. Changing inserts is much faster this way. I also drill a ¾” hole at the rear end of the blade slot. This helps me lift the insert out and aids in dust collection. John Jointer
Some great suggestions there sir. My original zero clearance insert was made by allowing the bearing of the flush cut bit to ride along the lower edges of the throat plate, which included the small tab you speak of. That routing left a short tab, the same thickness as the insert and had to be sanded down to fit. This video was a demonstration of making zero clearance inserts in general and not necessarily ones that are specific to the 3650. Hence, no mention of the tab. Good eye. Just proves that you watched the whole show. Thanks for tuning in and taking the time to make a comment.
I agree with you, every woodworker should have a few SCI's. I too use MDF or even particle board and soak them in polyurethane for a minute or so and then give them a LIGHT sanding, I find the poly makes them tougher.
As usual Kenny a very Informative and Excellent video from you. I would love to do some inserts like those but I have a crappy Sip Table Saw, the insert for that goes from the front of the table to the back, so it would be one hell of an insert ha ha ha. Thanks again. Barry from England.
Barry Roberts Thanks for the kind words Barry. I'm sure that there would be a way to make an insert for your table saw. Where there a will, there's a way.
Really useful info Ken. Is your 8" blade a thin kerf or a thick kerf blade? I only use thin kerf blades on my antique table saw with the speedometer cable drive. :) So far, I've been able to use my 10" blades to make the cuts with no issues. However, they do start out touching the bottom of the insert and need to be secured even more tightly than you did. Another thing I do differently is I drill a 1" hole through them on the wide side to make changing them easier and providing me with a way to hang them up out of the way.
johnnie52 My blade is just a regular 1/8" kerf. Truth be told, it is a blade for cutting melamine. The finger hole in the inserts is a good idea buddy. I might have to incorporate that.
Thanks for the thorough how-to! At 16:30, it looks like the MDF is taller than the cast iron near the screw. Was that the case or are my eyes playing tricks on me?
Josh Olson Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. I didn't notice that Josh. That sir, is a trick of the light, the camera angle and the chamfer that was routed into the insert. I guess the shadow caused by the lighting and the chamfer give the illusion that the insert is higher at that point. Truth be told, this insert ended up being flush with the table. The chamfer seems to be causing that illusion all around the insert at that point in the video as the entire ZC looks proud of the table top to me. There was was point when it was higher and that was when I inserted the 10" blade to finish off the through cut. I hadn't brought the smaller blade through enough for the insert to sit nicely with the 10" blade installed and the insert didn't fit right so I had to reinstall the smaller blade and run it through a little more to correct it before I could run the 10" blade through. The problem is, I didn't have film footage of that and had to end up using the footage I had. Thanks for the comment.
kennyearrings1 Ah ha! Yup, definitely the chamfer now that I think about it. Indeed, the illusion is present all the way around, just seems more pronounced near the screw due to the camera angle. Sure @ not bringing the smaller blade high enough; you're referring to the transition a few seconds after 18:28 where the slot "magically grows". Fair enough, anyone following your video as a guide would have to use trial and error for their particular table saw anyway.
That's the exact spot that I'm referring to. Funny how those slots just magically grow all on their own like that. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
Great instructions. One suggestion though. Instead of changing the blade to a smaller one and start cutting the slot, lower the original insert all the way to create a small gap from the table surface so that you can drop the new insert right on top of it. Then hold it down by some means and start cutting the slot. Remove the original insert, drop the new one, hold it down, and continue cutting. This way, you can save a lot of time.
+side7 luna2 Great idea. That would definitely work as long as you made sure that the inserts were very secure before cutting. Thanks for the suggestion.
Hi Kenny! I really should make some of these but so far have gotten by without doing it. I do have one question: Why the 1? Was there already a kennyearrings before you? Regards, Bill
It was a long time ago that this channel was named Bill. At the time, it was just a personal channel of me goofing around. At some point in time I turned it into my woodworking channel and I wasn't able to change the main name of the channel. Now, it's just the name of the channel and that's it. No idea why I added the 1 at the end. Can't remember off hand.
@@acutabove_woodworkingsAnd you had no idea some idiot in California would want to know. Just one of the many things in the future that no one can predict. ;o)
A good suggestion. It would eliminate the need to place that board down over the insert while bringing the blade up through the MDF. The only problem with that is that there is a gap between the fence and the table top and therefore, it creates a gap between the fence and the insert which could allow the insert to lift and bind against the blade. I won't get in to what happen when that blade binds in the MDF zero clearance insert. I know it's worst case scenario that I'm talking about here but better to be safe than sorry later. Thanks for tuning in and for making the suggestion
MDF is definitely a friendly product. Any hardwood can be used for the zero clearance insert Jackson. The method shown here on the show still remains the same. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in.
kennyearrings1 what I dislike is the lack of smoothness and the mess it makes. The greater concern is for the beginners who don’t have proper ventilation or suction. These are very fine airborne particles that can pollute the lungs.
I hear you and agree. I’ve got the next to the largest Ridged saw with the 1/8” depth throat plate. I was afraid it would snap and cause injury. Keep up the good work!
I couldn't agree more here Jackson. The fine particles of dust that this stuff gives off are brutal and proper dust collection AND a great dust mask are essential if you every plan on working with this stuff. Thanks for bringing that up so that others who read the comments can know the dangers of working with it.
Over the years of being on UA-cam Thomas, I have learned several things. One, is that there are two types of people on the internet. One type, wants everything fast and furious with little to no explanation and just a quick video in 6X speed, demonstrating just the bare minimum of what they are trying to learn. The other type, wants to actually learn something and therefore, they need more guidance or as you so kindly put it, "babbling". The other thing I've learned, is that no matter how hard you try, you can't please everyone but for those who can't be pleased, there are millions of other channels that might be able to suit their needs. I'm sorry the show didn't provide you with what you are looking for, but I hope you are able to find a more suitable channel, with less babbling and more fast motion video. Thanks for tuning in.
Great info Kenny! Thanks
AdventuresInDIY You're very welcome. I'm glad you liked it.
Good tutorial, Kenny. I like the chamfer around top edge. Consider using the fence as the hold down when bringing the blade up through the material. It can hold all along the length opposite the blade.
Mark Hazlewood Another great piece of advice Mark. For this Ridgid saw, there are opening to clamp a board across the back of the table, but for those who don't have the luxury, there is the rip fence. Thanks for chiming in and giving the other viewers a great tip and alternate suggestion to the methods that I have shown here in the video. Definitely worth while information. Thanks for tuning in and dropping a comment.
Good instructional video as always. You have a wonderful ability for presentation.
It should be noted that for those viewers that don't have an 8-1/4 blade that a single dado blade or a 7-1/4 circular saw blade (wide kerf) can be used. I make my inserts using the 5/8" or 3/4" thick white plastic cutting boards that can be purchased at Walmart, Target or Amazon for really cheap. I cut a relief in the bottom of the insert around the perimeter to adjust for thickness. I like the plastic because it is impervious to humidity and it stays flat. The plastic is also really slick. Typically I can make 4 inserts from a large cutting board for only $12. I look forward to your next video.
Hardnox That's some good info sir. At 15:20, I mention the 7 1/4" circular saw blade but the plastic cutting boards never occurred to me. Information that will be definitely useful to some of my viewers. Once again, thanks for the input.
Excellent idea, especially making the rabbet around the edge for the height adjustment. Thanks.
Ken; Several of your suggestions are really good, but no mention was made of the extension on the front of the Rigid plate that keeps it from rising up if something were to get jammed between the blade and the large blade opening.
I too have made several inserts for my TS3650 like yours, but I drive a screw into the front end of the new insert. This sticks into the slot made for the stock plate. Forget the screw that holds it down. Changing inserts is much faster this way. I also drill a ¾” hole at the rear end of the blade slot. This helps me lift the insert out and aids in dust collection.
John Jointer
Some great suggestions there sir. My original zero clearance insert was made by allowing the bearing of the flush cut bit to ride along the lower edges of the throat plate, which included the small tab you speak of. That routing left a short tab, the same thickness as the insert and had to be sanded down to fit. This video was a demonstration of making zero clearance inserts in general and not necessarily ones that are specific to the 3650. Hence, no mention of the tab. Good eye. Just proves that you watched the whole show. Thanks for tuning in and taking the time to make a comment.
I can't wait for your build coming up!
Emily the Rabbit Thanks Emily. It will be a few weeks before I get started but I'm looking forward to it as well. Thanks for tuning in.
I agree with you, every woodworker should have a few SCI's. I too use MDF or even particle board and soak them in polyurethane for a minute or so and then give them a LIGHT sanding, I find the poly makes them tougher.
***** The poly would definitely do that John. Thanks for tuning in and thanks for the added information.
As usual Kenny a very Informative and Excellent video from you.
I would love to do some inserts like those but I have a crappy Sip Table Saw, the insert for that goes from the front of the table to the back, so it would be one hell of an insert ha ha ha.
Thanks again.
Barry from England.
Barry Roberts Thanks for the kind words Barry. I'm sure that there would be a way to make an insert for your table saw. Where there a will, there's a way.
Really useful info Ken. Is your 8" blade a thin kerf or a thick kerf blade? I only use thin kerf blades on my antique table saw with the speedometer cable drive. :) So far, I've been able to use my 10" blades to make the cuts with no issues. However, they do start out touching the bottom of the insert and need to be secured even more tightly than you did. Another thing I do differently is I drill a 1" hole through them on the wide side to make changing them easier and providing me with a way to hang them up out of the way.
johnnie52 My blade is just a regular 1/8" kerf. Truth be told, it is a blade for cutting melamine. The finger hole in the inserts is a good idea buddy. I might have to incorporate that.
Thanks for the thorough how-to! At 16:30, it looks like the MDF is taller than the cast iron near the screw. Was that the case or are my eyes playing tricks on me?
Josh Olson Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. I didn't notice that Josh. That sir, is a trick of the light, the camera angle and the chamfer that was routed into the insert. I guess the shadow caused by the lighting and the chamfer give the illusion that the insert is higher at that point. Truth be told, this insert ended up being flush with the table. The chamfer seems to be causing that illusion all around the insert at that point in the video as the entire ZC looks proud of the table top to me. There was was point when it was higher and that was when I inserted the 10" blade to finish off the through cut. I hadn't brought the smaller blade through enough for the insert to sit nicely with the 10" blade installed and the insert didn't fit right so I had to reinstall the smaller blade and run it through a little more to correct it before I could run the 10" blade through. The problem is, I didn't have film footage of that and had to end up using the footage I had. Thanks for the comment.
kennyearrings1 Ah ha! Yup, definitely the chamfer now that I think about it. Indeed, the illusion is present all the way around, just seems more pronounced near the screw due to the camera angle. Sure @ not bringing the smaller blade high enough; you're referring to the transition a few seconds after 18:28 where the slot "magically grows". Fair enough, anyone following your video as a guide would have to use trial and error for their particular table saw anyway.
That's the exact spot that I'm referring to. Funny how those slots just magically grow all on their own like that. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
Great instructions. One suggestion though. Instead of changing the blade to a smaller one and start cutting the slot, lower the original insert all the way to create a small gap from the table surface so that you can drop the new insert right on top of it. Then hold it down by some means and start cutting the slot. Remove the original insert, drop the new one, hold it down, and continue cutting. This way, you can save a lot of time.
+side7 luna2 Great idea. That would definitely work as long as you made sure that the inserts were very secure before cutting. Thanks for the suggestion.
Hi Kenny! I really should make some of these but so far have gotten by without doing it. I do have one question: Why the 1? Was there already a kennyearrings before you? Regards, Bill
It was a long time ago that this channel was named Bill. At the time, it was just a personal channel of me goofing around. At some point in time I turned it into my woodworking channel and I wasn't able to change the main name of the channel. Now, it's just the name of the channel and that's it. No idea why I added the 1 at the end. Can't remember off hand.
@@acutabove_woodworkingsAnd you had no idea some idiot in California would want to know. Just one of the many things in the future that no one can predict. ;o)
Just move the fence.
A good suggestion. It would eliminate the need to place that board down over the insert while bringing the blade up through the MDF. The only problem with that is that there is a gap between the fence and the table top and therefore, it creates a gap between the fence and the insert which could allow the insert to lift and bind against the blade. I won't get in to what happen when that blade binds in the MDF zero clearance insert. I know it's worst case scenario that I'm talking about here but better to be safe than sorry later. Thanks for tuning in and for making the suggestion
MDF is crap. Used it once, once
MDF is definitely a friendly product. Any hardwood can be used for the zero clearance insert Jackson. The method shown here on the show still remains the same. I hope this helps. Thanks for tuning in.
kennyearrings1 what I dislike is the lack of smoothness and the mess it makes. The greater concern is for the beginners who don’t have proper ventilation or suction. These are very fine airborne particles that can pollute the lungs.
I hear you and agree. I’ve got the next to the largest Ridged saw with the 1/8” depth throat plate. I was afraid it would snap and cause injury. Keep up the good work!
I couldn't agree more here Jackson. The fine particles of dust that this stuff gives off are brutal and proper dust collection AND a great dust mask are essential if you every plan on working with this stuff. Thanks for bringing that up so that others who read the comments can know the dangers of working with it.
To much babbling.
Over the years of being on UA-cam Thomas, I have learned several things. One, is that there are two types of people on the internet. One type, wants everything fast and furious with little to no explanation and just a quick video in 6X speed, demonstrating just the bare minimum of what they are trying to learn. The other type, wants to actually learn something and therefore, they need more guidance or as you so kindly put it, "babbling". The other thing I've learned, is that no matter how hard you try, you can't please everyone but for those who can't be pleased, there are millions of other channels that might be able to suit their needs. I'm sorry the show didn't provide you with what you are looking for, but I hope you are able to find a more suitable channel, with less babbling and more fast motion video. Thanks for tuning in.