blade insert for delta/rockwell 12/14

[Karl Card]

I need a blade insert for my delta rockwell. The original one is very heavy and is metal. I dont have a problem making one out of wood
but my question is will the blade make a wood insert rise up and out of position? I am not sure of a way to hold it down as the screws in the original one are only for leveling, not as a hold down. Any help appreciated.

[Bill Dufour]

I have seen them with two little strips attached to the bottom front. The insert is placed front end down with the strips under the table. Then the rear is dropped to flush.
Bill D

[Warren Lake]

you can figure something out. A tab at the back ive never used anything but should. Ive not used metal ones in over 40 years other than on the last SCM slider I got and its lousey, it doesnt sit flush and is not even straight. Likely its tired and came in better shape

I put them in rear down first and that is where it would raise and or be thrown at you as the blade is coming up and forward there. I would put a tab at the back though that might change when I try it but makes sense now.

You might have to relief cut it first before it lowers down flush but depends on your blade and and. I usually use 3/4 baltic which is too thick then relieve it and put in allen screws for fine adjustment. Sometimes that ply is not straight enough as well.

[Bill Dufour]

Tabs at the back does make more sense. I have seen little nubs sticking out that go into the vertical wall of the slot at the back. Similar to the dowel pins for dining table leaves.
Bill D.

[Richard Coers]

I've never worked on a table saw that has hold down screws on the insert, and have made countless numbers of my own inserts. I make the insert just slightly snug in the opening and clamp down a board to hold it down with the initial cut. None have ever had even a slight movement trying to fly out.

[Mike Wilkins]

you can make an insert out of wood, use a Forstner bit to make a depression on the underside and super-glue some small magnets to hold it to the depression in the table.

[Warren Lake]

dont have any with a tab so far and screws are for levelling.

[Lee Schierer]

I designed an aluminum insert for my Craftsman saw. A machinist friend milled it for me. The only time I have to hold it down is when I am cutting up through an brand new maple zero clearance insert.
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I used to make them out of luan plywood, but they needed a reinforcing rib underneath once the saw kerf was made.
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I do use the flat head machine screw to hold down the front of the insert, even though it probably isn't necessary.

[Karl Card]

Thanks. Many good ideas here.

[Michael Zerance]

The insert on my Grizzly has a metal pin in the rear edge that hooks under the table to prevent lifting. Maybe you could replicate that with a finish nail.

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[Michael Schuch]

I have made several wood zero clearance inserts for my Powermatic 65 (predecessor to the PM66). On the first cut I use the fence to keep the insert down while raising the blade through it. After that I have never needed anything to retain the insert while in use.

[Gary Thinglum]

Karl several years ago, I made numerous throat plates for my Unisaw. I routed a 1/4 x 1/4” x 1" groove in the bottom front and epoxied a ¼” x 1 3/8” metal dowel into the slot so it sticks out about 3/8 to ½” beyond the plate to lock it under the bed of the table saw.
I made them about 9/16” thick. Once I fitted them in the saw then marked the edge for thickness and sanded them on the belt sander, so they don't catch when sawing.
They work great and much cheaper than you can buy. You don’t feel so bad if you ruin one of these.