Tablesaw ZCI --- Do they wear out?

[George Bokros]

I have been using the same ZCI in my table saw with the same two full kerf blades for some time and the quality of my cut has degraded, getting some tearout/chipout on crosscuts. The blades were just sharpened so I know it is not the blades.

Do they were out and need to be replaced periodically? I do not make my own I use ones made of UHMW.

Thanks

[Matt Day]

IME, yes. Minor blade deflection for instance can open the ZCI.

Use your UHMW plates as a template for some MDF ones or better yet Corian. Make a bunch so you have extras.

[Martin Wasner]

Yep, they wear out pretty quickly if you're on the picky end and you're cutting melamine.

[Bill McNiel]

My single blade inserts get repurposed for various dado sets.

[Mark W Pugh]

My single blade inserts get repurposed for various dado sets.

EXCELLENT idea!!

[Rich Engelhardt]

Yeah - they wear out. The shop made MDF ones wear out real fast.
I have a Leecraft I use with my Freud GLR that's still doing ok.
I made about a dozen or so MDF ones and just toss those as they wear out.

[Cary Falk]

I have a phenolic one that I put epoxy in the slot and make it new again.

[Dave Cav]

I have a phenolic one that I put epoxy in the slot and make it new again.

That's more or less what I do with my plywood ZCIs; I just epoxy a piece of lath into the kerf.

[Bruce Page]

They do get wallowed out a little with blade deflection but not enough to worry about in most cases. I have been using the same insert for a few years for general cutting. If I need dead nuts zero clearance I slip in a new insert. Eventually the old inserts become dado inserts.

[Edward Oleen]

I get 1/2" plexiglas scraps from glazing shops: I ask politely for some scraps. I can't envision a need for a ZCI thatcan't be satisfied with these scraps. They are scraps to the glazing shop and gold for me.

I usually wind up with an embarrassing quantity of stock: the glazing shop has to pay to have it taken away...

What they call scrap is project material for me, only I don't say so.

Yes zci's wear out: that is why I make several at a clip when I am making them - that way I have a fresh one on the shelf.

[George Bokros]

I have a phenolic one that I put epoxy in the slot and make it new again.

I have UHMW ones and I do not believe expoy will adhere to that material, never tried it though.

[Steve Wilde]

I generally fill them with bondo when they're getting a little sloppy... Cheap and I kind of like the smell!

[Greg Sznajdruk]

They do get wallowed out a little with blade deflection but not enough to worry about in most cases. I have been using the same insert for a few years for general cutting. If I need dead nuts zero clearance I slip in a new insert. Eventually the old inserts become dado inserts.

Bruce could you please identify your ZCI and source of same.

Thanks

Greg

[Bruce Page]

Bruce could you please identify your ZCI and source of same.

Thanks

Greg

Greg, there used to be a couple of outfits that sold them but I can't find them now. They were ~ $100 IIRC.
I designed & made this one for my 1998 RT Unisaw.

[Brian Henderson]

My single blade inserts get repurposed for various dado sets.

Yup. Any time I'm making ZCIs, I make a ton of blanks and as I need them, I cut a new slot, then recut the old one for a dado blade or some other purpose. I have a full set of inserts for every possible dado combination at the moment.