table saw splitter thickness

[Sanford]

Hi. I am making a simple splitter for my Delta contractors saw. Can any one tell me how thick it has to be? I was just going to screw in a piece of scrap aluminum I had around that is a hair over 3/32 thick. I use a standard size 1/8 inch blade. Is that thick enough to stop kick back? The original delta blade guard comes with a much thinner splitter, but of course it extends far further back. Any help would be much appreciated. Safety first(and now that I have a wife, second and third too)! Sanford

[Lawrence A. Ramsey]

[George]

Well, not necessarily. The splitter in the main is designed to prevent a pinch and throw between blade and fence. Thus, in the majority of cases, a piece of metal which is thinner than the kerf, and yet equal distance from the fence as the edges of the saw teeth, will work well. Shim to make it so, as the teeth tend to be wider than the blade by about the same on thick or thin.

[Jeff Gorman]

"Sanford" wrote

: Hi. I am making a simple splitter for my Delta contractors saw. Can : any one tell me how thick it has to be?

The official answer is thicker than the plate but thinner than the kerf.

I was just going to screw in : a piece of scrap aluminum I had around that is a hair over 3/32 thick.

They should be made from hardened steel.

For more information, please see my web site - Circular Sawbench Safety - Riving Knives.

Jeff G

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

[Andy Dingley]

Depends what you're sawing. If it's to guard against kickback caused by twisting, then it can be as thin as you like (subject to strength and stiffness limits) and you should align it closely to the fence-side of the kerf.

If you're ripping poorly dried stock though, you want it as thick as possible (still thinner than the kerf) to guard against case-hardened stock pinching onto the blade. Cabinetmakers might never need this, but timberyards (and construction joiners) will find it important.

-- Smert' spamionam

[Chris Merrill]

Why? (serious question)

[George]