Zero clearance plate

[Robbo60]

I need to make a zero clearance plate for my table saw but don't know what material to use- thin enough and strong enough. Any advice please?
TIA, Robbo

 

[pcb1962]

I used aluminium as my saw requires a very thin plate. If you can get away with thicker then MDF is good.

 

[clogs]

again, ally plate....easy to work if u can get the correct thickness.....

 

[Robbo60]

Thanks. I have some Ali plate. Have to check thickness. Will standard blade be OK to cut through it?

 

[Fidget]

I made mine from a piece of valchromat that I bought off 'the bay'. It needed a bit taken off the edges to drop it low enough to lie flush, but it works very well

 

[Trainee neophyte]

I make mine out of scrappy bits of pine. They are entirely sacraficial so I don't fret about throwing them away. As I understand it, the important zero clearance part is where the teeth of the blade actually meet the plate, rather than the side of the blade. Every time you raise the blade a bit higher, you cut more of your plate so it will no longer be zero clearanc for lower settings, although it will still stop thin bits of offcut disappearing down into the machine. You also have to make different plates for different angles (helps to remember to label them), but I do try not to angle the blade unless I absolutely have to.

If you make a shiny new plate to deal with all heights, it won't actually be "zero-clearance" unless your blade is at maximum height. It doesn't mean it isn't a handy thing to have, and looks nice, too - it just isn't truly zero-clearance.

Probably.

 

[pcb1962]

Thanks. I have some Ali plate. Have to check thickness. Will standard blade be OK to cut through it?

I used a milling machine but I think a sharp TCT blade should be ok to go through ali plate. You'll have to extend the slot by hand to allow for the riving knife.

 

[Robbo60]

I make mine out of scrappy bits of pine. They are entirely sacraficial so I don't fret about throwing them away. As I understand it, the important zero clearance part is where the teeth of the blade actually meet the plate, rather than the side of the blade. Every time you raise the blade a bit higher, you cut more of your plate so it will no longer be zero clearanc for lower settings, although it will still stop thin bits of offcut disappearing down into the machine. You also have to make different plates for different angles (helps to remember to label them), but I do try not to angle the blade unless I absolutely have to.

If you make a shiny new plate to deal with all heights, it won't actually be "zero-clearance" unless your blade is at maximum height. It doesn't mean it isn't a handy thing to have, and looks nice, too - it just isn't truly zero-clearance.

Probably.

Interesting. I thought the zero clearance was to the side to stop really thin cuts falling in the side - not the front. The reason I asked the question is it happened to me a few days ago and I had a job getting the strip out. Thanks