TS Zero Clearance Insert Question

[AggieSawDust]

So I just recieved and installed my zero clearance insert from Grizzly for my 1023S. I've never used one of these inserts and am concerned.

With the normal insert, when the saw is on, the only noise I hear is the humming of the motor until I feed the saw some wood. However, with the zero clearance insert in place and the saw running, I hear the whining of the blade as it spins, making contact with the insert. Is this normal? If so, won't this generate enough heat to scorch the blade eventually?

Thanks.

[David]

It shouldn't. the whine is due to the closeness of the blade to the insert. I've never ruined a blade running it in a ZCI.

Dave

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Yes

No. It will ease up in time as the insert wears.

[Al Reid]

That's how you know when you need to replace the ZCI. When it starts sounding like the standard insert, but a new ZCI.

Seriously, mine sounds the same way and I have never ruined a blade. But, be careful to put the standard insert back in before you tilt the blade. DAMHIKT!

-- Al Reid

[Thomas Bunetta]

When the blades teeth go by the ZCI at speed, the air is "chopped" much like the old fashioned siren... this creates the additional whine. No harm will come to the blade. Tom

[AggieSawDust]

Thanks everyone for the replies, you have eased my mind. My last question regarding ZCI's are, do most of you just keep this in all the time (except when mitering or dadoing of course)? Is there any other reason to use the stock insert?

[David]

I always use the ZCI unless I pop in the molding head or dado head, or, of course when I have to tilt the blade for BEVELING cuts. Why would you remove the ZCI for miter cuts??

Dave

[Stephen M]

Good question.

Almost always. I have a ZCI for 90 degrees, 45, 7, 3/4" dado and a double 90 for mounting 2 rip blades with a spacer for making 2 sides of a tennon in a single pass.

For "everything else", I use the stock insert. :-)

Make your own. I used offcuts from some 1/2" cabinet-grade plywood. A couple of layers of masking tape was all that needed on the bottom to shim them up to level.

Cheers,

Steve

[Tom Banes]

do most of you just keep this in all the

Not that I've ever found - if you can rember to swap it out when doing your angle cuts. The dado stack will remind you 'cause you can't get the insert back in!

Regards.

[AggieSawDust]

Doh!! I was looking at miter saws just before typing my reply. I thinking about one of these for my next purchase. I did mean beveling....

[David]

:) I know! I was just messin' with you!

Dave

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Leave it in unless you are tilting the blade.

I made a half dozen from MDF and use them all the time. A few are cut for dados of common widths. You may find the method that was posted here over a year ago. It was a simple thing to do tracing the original insert and then using a router to follow the master. Drill some holes for leveling screws and you are good to go.

[Bruce Barnett]

For the kerf splitter? Or you can get the Micro Jig Splitter for the ZCI.