A bit pleased with myself

[Dale Murray]

The fixture I created for making sawstop inserts works like a charm.

I scanned a factory insert to PDF.
Traced it in Adobe Illustrator, thus creating a pattern.
Enlarged the pattern by 1/16" to match my pattern bit in my router.
Used the pattern as cut lines to create a template in 3/4" plywood.

Screw unused insert to 1/2" plywood and use flush cutting bit to duplicate.
Place the blank in left side of fixture to locate and drill holes for plate levelers.
Move to right side of fixture and secure with screw through the holes created in the previous step.
Remove roughly 5mm of material using pattern bit.

All that is left is inserting set screws to act as levelers.

These are obviously not the quick release type inserts but will do the job nicely and are quite a bit cheaper than manufactured options.

If anybody it interested I can make a PDF of the template available. The template will be actual size, not increased size.

Sorry for the poor quality iPhone photo.

Template.jpg

[Chris Padilla]

Sweet! You're all set for cranking out zero-clearance inserts for all your saw blades!

[Andy Pratt]

Dale,

That is great that you did that, if there wasn't already the quick-release option out there I would upgrade to your model instead of that. Cool that you figured that out so easily.

Andy

[Dale Murray]

Thanks.

I dont have a quick release insert to model so I went with what I have. If I ever get a quick release version I will rework my setup and do those instead.

Yesterday I pumped out seven of them without issue and modified my fixture with drill guides on the side and front for the centering screws (keep the insert centered).