# Make a zero clearance throat plate insert



## woodnthings

Here's how I make mine. I use 1/8th inch plywood since it's the same thickness as my plate. I rip a bunch of lengths slightly longer than the opening and exactly the same width. I round off the ends on a sander and Whamo!:blink: I'm done.

TO FULLY SUPPORT THE INSERT AND TO BE ABLE TO RUN NARROW STOCK, A FULL LENGTH BLOCK SHOULD BE HOT GLUED TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE PLATE.
SEE PHOTO BELOW!
Don't ask me how I came to know this! :blink::no: bill


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## GeorgeC

Not THAT is a good idea!!!

Thanks for the thought.

George


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## Tony B

*That's pretty slick, Bill*

That is the very thing that I would have never tried because I never would have thought that the tape would hold, which it obviously does. Then again, if I lived 100,000 years ago, I would not have been the guy to invent the wheel. I would still be working on improving the log. LOL
Anyway, this is how I did it on my Delta Contractor's saw
http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/members/tony-b-5040/albums/table-saw-inserts/


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## woodnthings

*Important caution!*

I try to make as snug a fit as I can. Photo: One reason I chose this method is that the throat plate is so thin 1/8th in., on the older saws. The newer ones are about 3/8ths or so, which makes a more stable plate. An 1/8th inch plate would not have the strength across the 3 1/2" width. The zero clearance insert is always in the saw.:thumbsup:

To fully support the insert a thicker block should be hot glued immediately under the insert. This tip applies to the Craftsman style throat plates that are 1/8th inch or so thick.


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## odej98

Does the block underneath get hot glued directly to plate AND insert?
And also, is that made of MDF?


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## woodnthings

*Yup!*

Hot glue it all togetherwith just a few dabs and work fast. It'll stay put. This idea is made for the older style Craftsman insert plates which generally have too much gap on either side of the blade to suit me.:yes: bill


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## odej98

I wish I had found this post yesterday morning BEFORE I tried making a throat plate for my craftsman flex drive out of hardboard. 
It didn't seem like it was a great idea to begin with, but you never know till you try. Turns out it was a worse idea than ihad
originally thought. 
I am going to try this.


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## woodnthings

*You could make a full size throat plate using*

1/8" hard board and then use the support block underneath but make it as large as possible for full support. These old style throat plates require an 1/8" step around the plate and in about 3/8" so it makes it difficult to make one from one piece of stock with out a lot or router work and rabbets. Just a further thought on this. FYI:thumbsup: bill


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## odej98

I ended up ripping a 2x4 into 5 strips for throat plate inserts and then ran them through the planer to thickness. The 2x4 wasn't quite as wide as I needed it to be, but the lack in width made just enough clearance for my fingernails to pry out the insert and thus re-engineered on the fly.

This method was a lot more stable than the hardboard, but I hot glued a block underneath for that added rigidity anyway.


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## vuefromidwest

I made the zero clearance plates for my Craftsman saw ( old style 1/8tk plate ) out of 3/8thick hickory from a pallet..
then used the router table and a rabbiting bit, to cut a 1/2 wide rabbit around the edge .. this left an 1/8tk ledge for the plate to sit on, with the centerpart 3/8....
countersink the screw hole and you are done....


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## frostr2001w

I also used the router to custom fit a zero clearance on my craftsman, but I do like this new idea.


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## frankp

Interesting method, woodnthings. I tried to make a lexan plate but couldn't ever get it to fit well and screw down. I eventually used clear packing tape over the thing to keep it down. I just leave the zero clearance in place all the time. I've been quite surprised at how long the tape has kept it in place. Two overlapping layers of packing tape and it's been there for almost 2 years now without a hitch. One of these days I'll do it properly, but for now, it works.

I think that's the biggest problem I have with my tablesaw (Craftsman)... the proprietary miter slots and the crappy throat guard just annoy me. Other than that I like it very much.


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## daviddoria

I don't understand why saws don't just come like this? It seems like the first thing everyone wants to do is add a zero clearance throat plate - so why provide such a big gap to start with? The idea is that if you're ripping a small piece it doesn't fall into the throat hole, right?

Dave


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## woodnthings

*Exactly Right*

And the next thing you do is to try an fish it out before the blade stops  :thumbdown: since you can't saw any more until it's taken out. This is of course very dangererous and may pull your fingers into the blade. Some gaps are 1/4" wide and that's a sizeable obstruction. The manufacturers should at least have a replaceable center insert like I have designed that comes out easily, but is strong enough to support a thin strip with some down pressure. Who knows why they don't. I have found that a great number of tools and other products are designed by folks who never use them. They would not do some of the things they do if they did. :thumbdown: bill


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## frankp

So, I just wanted to add an update. I shattered my insert this week when a piece of cocobolo I was ripping got to chattering a little. Insert pieces everywhere, cocobolo across the garage/shop (but no worse for wear other than scaring the crap out of me) and a bit of nervous cussing.

I'll reiterate-- two things I really don't like about my saw... the miter track is proprietary and the throat plate only supports the throat plate on one side (not the waste side) thus allowing the throat plate to flex downward (toward the motor) on the waste side of the blade... scary stuff. I may start saving pennies for a saw "upgrade" due to this.

Luckily I suffered no physical damage because I always stand on the side of the saw when I'm cutting and my hands weren't anywhere near the blade when all this went down.


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## vuefromidwest

daviddoria said:


> I don't understand why saws don't just come like this? It seems like the first thing everyone wants to do is add a zero clearance throat plate - so why provide such a big gap to start with? The idea is that if you're ripping a small piece it doesn't fall into the throat hole, right?
> 
> Dave


 
The reason they don't come with a zero-clearance insert instead of the one they do comewith,... is you can't tilt the blade with a zero clearance insert, and the insert would need to be made of something other than metal ....
I wish all the manufacturers would standardize the size and thickness of the throat plate, that would help a lot.....


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## frankp

vuefromidwest said:


> The reason they don't come with a zero-clearance insert instead of the one they do comewith,... is you can't tilt the blade with a zero clearance insert, and the insert would need to be made of something other than metal ....
> I wish all the manufacturers would standardize the size and thickness of the throat plate, that would help a lot.....


I suspect the real answer is that they don't include them because they want to sell them to you as an accessory. If they didn't do that, they'd just include multiple throat plates with the saw.


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## vuefromidwest

frankp said:


> I suspect the real answer is that they don't include them because they want to sell them to you as an accessory. If they didn't do that, they'd just include multiple throat plates with the saw.


I am sure you are correct about why they don't supply both plates with the saw....
What I was saying was " instead of " .....

Craftsman sold a zero clearance plate for my saw at one time, but it was a steel plate, and therefore still had clearance......


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## johnv51

I make my inserts out of 1/2" MDF using the original as a router template. I tape it to the original top to cut the saw slot then put some flat head wood screws on the underside to level the insert.


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## repeters

I'm going to have to try this goodie. 
For my Craftsman contractor saw, I made my inserts out of 1/2" Corian counter top. Need to use carbide blades and router bits to trim it.
What's great about Corian is that the top surface is totally flat and slippery. And it has never warped or swollen on me in the year that I have had them on the saw
even though it is out in the garage all year.
I used the original plate for the template and a flush trim bit and then I removed about 3/8" from the bottom and about 1/2" in to make my shelf for the leveling screws. drilled and tapped and I ready to go. Nice smooth and slick surface.


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## woodnthings

*You can if you do this.....*



vuefromidwest said:


> The reason they don't come with a zero-clearance insert instead of the one they do come with,... is* you can't tilt the blade *with a zero clearance insert, and the insert would need to be made of something other than metal ....


You must lower the blade below the insert if possible or use a smaller diameter blade to start the new slot and raise the blade up into the insert at the desired angle so it's cutting as it goes up. Don't "drop" the insert onto a running blade to start the opening, bad things will probably happen. :thumbdown: bill


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## repeters

Just an update on using Corian for an insert. 
I was cutting a piece of 2x8 the other day and the blade caught a knot in the board and flexed just a hair but it was enough to cause the blade to touch the Corian and it snapped into 5 pieces. The only thing that kept it from flying is the size of the board and the fact that I had screwed a hook onto the underside of the insert to keep it held down. 
Now I think I'll try using the original like woodnthings.


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## AlWood

woodnthings said:


> You must lower the blade below the insert if possible or use a smaller diameter blade to start the new slot and raise the blade up into the insert at the desired angle so it's cutting as it goes up. Don't "drop" the insert onto a running blade to start the opening, bad things will probably happen. :thumbdown: bill


Bill, if you want to educate those folks who couldn't figure out that it is not a good idea to "drop" the insert onto a running blade, you may also want to tell them that it is not a good idea to simply rise the blade up into insert either:thumbdown:. While doing that, one needs to HOLD the insert down to prevent it from flying in any unexpected direction (including into one's face) -- and NOT by hand! There are a few ways of holding the insert in place, the simplest one is to use the saw fence by placing (and fixing) it onto the insert slightly away from the rising blade:yes:...


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## woodnthings

*Thanks Al*

I think you got that covered. My insert is screwed down at the front and clipped at the rear, but that don't mean everyone's is like mine. :thumbsup: bill


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## SteveEl

Thanks for this old thread. Santa brought a router, so for a learning project I shaved down some clear 3/4 pine leaving an "island" the width and depth of the slot. If the first one works and the wood doesn't warp in theory I'll have six blanks to work with.

I'm about to glue the first one in place, but what sort of freaks me out is what will happen if my glue fails? Then the block will be floating free with the blade under the throat plate,and that metal clip on the plate is a pretty flimsy retainer.

Anyway, here goes.....


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## jschaben

SteveEl said:


> Thanks for this old thread. Santa brought a router, so for a learning project I shaved down some clear 3/4 pine leaving an "island" the width and depth of the slot. If the first one works and the wood doesn't warp in theory I'll have six blanks to work with.
> 
> I'm about to glue the first one in place, but what sort of freaks me out is what will happen if my glue fails? Then the block will be floating free with the blade under the throat plate,and that metal clip on the plate is a pretty flimsy retainer.
> 
> Anyway, here goes.....


HI Steve, not sure what you're doing but sounds risky:blink:. You just trying to fill the slot? 
Here's a couple I made for my dado set out of lexan
:smile:


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## AlWood

SteveEl said:


> Thanks for this old thread. Santa brought a router, so for a learning project I shaved down some clear 3/4 pine leaving an "island" the width and depth of the slot. If the first one works and the wood doesn't warp in theory I'll have six blanks to work with.
> 
> I'm about to glue the first one in place, but what sort of freaks me out is what will happen if my glue fails? Then the block will be floating free with the blade under the throat plate,and that metal clip on the plate is a pretty flimsy retainer.
> 
> Anyway, here goes.....


Steve, you didn't explain too much of what exactly you did, but I assume you followed posts #1 and #4 in this thread by Bill "woodthing". I hope he will address your worries, but his idea of using hot glue, although apparently tested by him, doesn't look to me full-proof safe -- your reasoning sounds valid to me... If for whatever reason the glue gets unglued (e. g. after sufficiently long time the glue layer may get broken due to multiple tiny cracks caused by vibrations, shock-like stresses during the cuts, etc) -- one may get into trouble with suddenly bent blade... May be too risky... Anyway, may happen that Bill has an antidot to that...


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## woodnthings

*I heard my name over here...*

The reason I got into this whole concept is because the older style Craftsman throat plates are about 1/8" "thin" at the opening and they use a stamped metal plate with the blade slot stamped in. It's easy to make the 3/8" or thicker ones, on a bandsaw or with router and a pattern bearing etc. So I came up with the "fill the slot concept" with the 1/8" insert strip.Then I need a way to securely hold it in place, the hot glued bottom piece. Mine has been workin fine for a few years now. As with all ideas presented here...there is no warranty against injury or failure :no: It's just that's what worked for me.  bill


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## cabinetman

vuefromidwest said:


> I made the zero clearance plates for my Craftsman saw ( old style 1/8tk plate ) out of 3/8thick hickory from a pallet..
> then used the router table and a rabbiting bit, to cut a 1/2 wide rabbit around the edge .. this left an 1/8tk ledge for the plate to sit on, with the centerpart 3/8....
> countersink the screw hole and you are done....


This is a safe and effective method. Nothing to vibrate loose.












 









.


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## jschaben

vuefromidwest said:


> I made the zero clearance plates for my Craftsman saw ( old style 1/8tk plate ) out of 3/8thick hickory from a pallet..
> then used the router table and a rabbiting bit, to cut a 1/2 wide rabbit around the edge .. this left an 1/8tk ledge for the plate to sit on, with the centerpart 3/8....
> countersink the screw hole and you are done....


 
:thumbsup: This method works very well also. I used it to make inserts for my old Ryobi BTS 20 which also needed 1/8" lip for support. Only difference is I made mine out of a plastic cutting board on sale at goodwill, polyethelene I believe.:smile:


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## Trinna

AlWood said:


> Bill, if you want to educate those folks who couldn't figure out that it is not a good idea to "drop" the insert onto a running blade, you may also want to tell them that it is not a good idea to simply rise the blade up into insert either:thumbdown:. While doing that, one needs to HOLD the insert down to prevent it from flying in any unexpected direction (including into one's face) -- and NOT by hand! There are a few ways of holding the insert in place, the simplest one is to use the saw fence by placing (and fixing) it onto the insert slightly away from the rising blade:yes:...


Yes the fence holds it down, but you should also use your push stick on the left side of the plate to hold it down for extra security.

Also one comment on the original zero throat plate solution. If you glue the 2 pieces of wood to the original throat plate you cannot ever tilt your saw blade unless of course you have a second one.


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