Making a splitter?

[Scott]

I was ripping some 8/4 oak last night on a friend's Ryobi that I have on loan while I figure out what to buy fpr myself. Anyhow, no safety gear on this saw. While ripping I watched the ends of my work begin to pinch to together. I carefully shut down, and jammed a wedge of wood in the end of the piece, then resumed cutting. And since I read some of the kickback accounts this past week, I donned my motorcycle jacket (with chest protection), and my full-face helmet.

Tonight I was looking at the saw, and it seems a guy could drill a hole and place a 1/8" or 3/16" diameter bolt about 6 inches behind the blade. The bolt would stick up just like a splitter (the bolt head would be under the table). Is this a really bad idea? I stopped at Wood Craft, and the lowest price splitter is over $100, about half the cost of his used saw.

Thanks!

Scott

[Bruce]

I see it as a fine idea, with these caveats:

1. Make damn sure you are exactly behind the blade
2. You can use 3/16" It must be the same or smaller than your blade width
3. It is a bit of a hazard, like a nail sticking up, then again so is your blade but you can lower that.
4. Would it be hard to remove when you do dados and such?

[Bruce]

That should be CAN'T use 3/16"

[Bestest Handsander]

Best idea I've run across for making your own splitter was in a woodworking magazine a few years back.

Buy a cheapo drill bit just slightly smaller than the thickness of your blade (a 3/32 or 7/64 for a 1/8" blade).

1. Take your zero-clearance insert to the drill press. Arrange the fence so that a 1/8" bit (or 3/32" if you're using thin kerf) fits right into the kerf (with the kerf parallel to the fence. Lock the fence down.

1. Chuck the smaller bit (something like a 7/64 for 3/32 for a 1/8" blade) you just purchased. Drill a hole behind the kerf (make sure you have already raised the blade as high as it will go to insure you don't drill where the blade could cut). The fence position should center the hole on the kerf's centerline.

2. Remove the cheap bit from the drill press. Insert the bit into the hole you just drilled and use some epoxy to secure it. Now, cut the bit off so that only about 1/8" or so projects up from the insert.

If you've done all this accurately, you should have a small metal splitter in line with the kerf, with just a tiny amount of clearance on both sides.

Hope that all makes sense.

[codepath]

How far behind the kerf?

woodworking

[JGS]

[Jerome]

Check out this URL for another variation of a splitter and a zero clearance insert.

[Andy Dingley]

Chinese-made saws are generally targeted at the world market, which means sensible places like Europe where riving knives are mandatory. I would guess that this thing already has suitable bolt-holes in place to fit a riving knife, and you may even be able to buy the parts as spares. Try asking Ryobi, or even Ryobi UK.

-- Die Gotterspammerung - Junkmail of the Gods

[Young_carpenter]

One of the members a while back posted pictures of his guard with splitter a while back on APBW if you are interested I will repost them for your benefit. Of course if the member comes forth out of the wood work first to describe his work that would be ok too.

[Rick Chamberlain]

Scott,

6" behind the blade is probably too far away. If you get a wild board it will wrap around the back of the blade almost immediately.

The best option is to put the splitter in the blade insert. My $0.02 worth. Good luck.

[Scott]

Hey, thanks for the idea . . . I'l see if my friend wants to try that!

Cheers,

Scott

[Jeff Gorman]

"Scott" wrote

: Tonight I was looking at the saw, and it seems a guy could drill a : hole and place a 1/8" or 3/16" diameter bolt about 6 inches behind the : blade. The bolt would stick up just like a splitter (the bolt head : would be under the table). Is this a really bad idea?

Decidedly so! 6" would be too far away.

Scott might like to look at my web site - 'Circular Sawbench Safety' - 'Riving Kinves' and 'Buying a Circular Sawbench' for a specification of a riving knife, regarded as preferable to a splitter.

Jeff G

-- Jeff Gorman, West Yorkshire, UK Email address is username@ISP username is amgron ISP is clara.co.uk Website

[Sean]

This may not help you since you have your blade raised and you may not be using a zero clearance insert but Kelly Mehler had an article on his page that was in FWW as well:

[Pat Barber]

[nospam_coloradotrout]

I just cut a chunk of 1/16" or so thick metal, drilled a hole near the bottom, cut-out a slot up to the hole.

in the same spot as the Delta guard would attach behind the blade, i loosen the screw, slide this in, and tighten screw. ah.. maybe i put on a larger washer also.

I could get one of those hand-tightenable screws, but a 1/2" wrench close by works well now for when i want to take it off

when the blade is fully raised, it's 1/2" behind the backside of the blade. when the blade is lower, it of course is farther behind, and less effective.

i had it 3" or so high, but cut it down so my crosscut box would slide over it

the thickness of the metal needs to be less than the blade.. the by default it alligns to the right edge of the blade.. right where you want it.

works for me... scrap metal, and 30 minutes of time.

[Paul]

Posted on abpw a pic of one one I made for my DW744 after an accident. I like what I've seen here better cept for the lack of blade guard, which I won't, except for the rare occasion, run saw without anymore. The one I made works well for me.