Create a Riving knife?

[Tim Allaire]

The other day I was at a shop outside of Charlotte, Nc and saw an old Craftsman contractor with a riving knife. I asked my friend where he got his aftermarket riving knife. He said that he made it!

I have a new Jet proshop (without a riving knife) with a splitter large enough to cut my own (taking off the bladeguard and kickback-stops).

Advised or not? Suggestions?

[Dave Burris]

I was in the same boat and I found a thread here that pointed me to this link:

www.leestyron.com/sharksplitter.php (http://www.leestyron.com/sharksplitter.php)

I checked and he does list a few Jet models. I also found the actually posted his plans for making a riving knife. But at his prices I found it hard to spend the time to make my own. So far I have been really happy with what I got from him.

[Steven Wilson]

Those aren't riving knife's. A riving knife not only tilts with the blade but moves up and down as you raise and lower the blade. The riving knife has a fixed relationship with the blade. So, unless you modify the trunion of your table saw to support one, or it comes with one as a standard feature (very few saws do) you don't have a riving knife you have a splitter.

[Tim Allaire]

Okay so the raising and the lowering of the blade is what makes a riving knife so unique? As you increase the blade height then doesnt the spliter increase in height as well (just as it does when tiliting)? If so, then why could you not manufacture your own (riving) knife shape out of the pre-existing splitter? I am afraid I do not fully understand the difference.

[Jon Todd]

Hey Tim I live about 15 minutes from King and my Jet has a true Riving Knife. You are welcome to come look at it.

[Steve Schoene]

No, the splitters on older generation saws do not change height when the blade height changes even though they are attached to a part that tilts.

The difference is important for at least a couple of reasons. By moving with the blade the riving knife can be closer to it than would typically be the case. This makes it more effective at eliminating kickback. Also, since the riving knife can be set so that it is just shorter than the blade, it never needs to be removed for non-through cuts, or cross cuts with a sliding cut off box. If it isn't removed, it is never forgotten when shifting back to rip cuts.