I finished building and installing a splitter for my at least 40 year
old Craftsman table saw. Last week, I came across a piece of brass that
was eaxctly the guage of my saw blade - it slid into a kerf cut in a 2 x
4, but there was no daylight showing. I test it a couple of times, and
slid in of its own weight. Oddly enough, if I tried ot push it in, it
would jam if I wasnt' very careful- I think that when I pushed it, I was
mis-aligning it slightly.

I figured out a way to mount it. There was a screw hole in part of the
mechanical piece that holds the arbor, about and inch or so clear of the
back of the blade. I cut the piece of brass into a slight curve, and
attached it with bolt through that hole. I'm doing a bad job of
explaining this, but the bold is parallel to the arbor.

At any rate, I was playing around with nylon spacers, trying to figure
out how I was going to get one cut/sanded that would hold the splitter
at the proper distance was from the trunion, and in the same plane as
the blade.

When I was at the hardware store, looking for a spacer after breaking
one while tryint to cut it, I had a sudden brainstorm. Why not use a
spring? I had already put a knife edge on the front of the splitter, and
not only did a little play seem like not such a bad idea, it might even
be a good idea.

I tried this, and it seemed to work perfected. The knife edge and spring
seem to let the splitter "float" perfectly into the kerf of the wood. It
certained looked like it was working correctly, and it allows me to use
a splitter that is exactly as wide as the saw kerf, and not worry about
somehow getting the splitter a littl mis-aligned.

Is this a good idea, or totally wacky?

It has promise both as a good idea and as "kind of wacky".
The splitter is supposed to keep the wood from pinching the blade and then
kicking back.
By being the same size as the kerf your splitter will help prevent this.
The splitter is also supposed to keep the cut in alignment (so if you move
off the fence at the end nearest you, the splitter will make sure that the
front of the blade contacts the wood first. Possibly, the fence and the fact
that the splitter is exactly the size of the kerf will do the same thing,
but if it doesn't, then your splitter will just move aside and let the wood
contact the blade on the back side.

If the wood you are working with is less than straight on the fence side I
think that your idea is more dangerous than a fixed splitter.
But go ahead, patent it and then work out the details and legislation later.

-Jack

"Michael Wagner" wrote in message
...
I finished building and installing a splitter for my at least 40 year
old Craftsman table saw. Last week, I came across a piece of brass that
was eaxctly the guage of my saw blade - it slid into a kerf cut in a 2 x
4, but there was no daylight showing. I test it a couple of times, and
slid in of its own weight. Oddly enough, if I tried ot push it in, it
would jam if I wasnt' very careful- I think that when I pushed it, I was
mis-aligning it slightly.

I figured out a way to mount it. There was a screw hole in part of the
mechanical piece that holds the arbor, about and inch or so clear of the
back of the blade. I cut the piece of brass into a slight curve, and
attached it with bolt through that hole. I'm doing a bad job of
explaining this, but the bold is parallel to the arbor.

At any rate, I was playing around with nylon spacers, trying to figure
out how I was going to get one cut/sanded that would hold the splitter
at the proper distance was from the trunion, and in the same plane as
the blade.

When I was at the hardware store, looking for a spacer after breaking
one while tryint to cut it, I had a sudden brainstorm. Why not use a
spring? I had already put a knife edge on the front of the splitter, and
not only did a little play seem like not such a bad idea, it might even
be a good idea.

I tried this, and it seemed to work perfected. The knife edge and spring
seem to let the splitter "float" perfectly into the kerf of the wood. It
certained looked like it was working correctly, and it allows me to use
a splitter that is exactly as wide as the saw kerf, and not worry about
somehow getting the splitter a littl mis-aligned.

Is this a good idea, or totally wacky?

Michael Wagner wrote:

I finished building and installing a splitter for my at least 40 year
old Craftsman table saw. Last week, I came across a piece of brass
that was eaxctly the guage of my saw blade - it slid into a kerf cut
in a 2 x 4, but there was no daylight showing. I test it a couple of
times, and slid in of its own weight. Oddly enough, if I tried ot
push it in, it would jam if I wasnt' very careful- I think that when
I pushed it, I was mis-aligning it slightly.

I figured out a way to mount it. There was a screw hole in part of
the mechanical piece that holds the arbor, about and inch or so clear
of the back of the blade. I cut the piece of brass into a slight
curve, and attached it with bolt through that hole. I'm doing a bad
job of explaining this, but the bold is parallel to the arbor.

At any rate, I was playing around with nylon spacers, trying to
figure out how I was going to get one cut/sanded that would hold the
splitter at the proper distance was from the trunion, and in the same
plane as the blade.

When I was at the hardware store, looking for a spacer after breaking
one while tryint to cut it, I had a sudden brainstorm. Why not use a
spring? I had already put a knife edge on the front of the splitter,
and not only did a little play seem like not such a bad idea, it
might even be a good idea.

I tried this, and it seemed to work perfected. The knife edge and
spring seem to let the splitter "float" perfectly into the kerf of
the wood. It certained looked like it was working correctly, and it
allows me to use a splitter that is exactly as wide as the saw kerf,
and not worry about somehow getting the splitter a littl mis-aligned.

Is this a good idea, or totally wacky?

If the splitter can move left or right of the centerline of the blade
freely, what good is it? Your ripping a board and it starts closing in
on the splitter moving the splitter left or right of the blade
centerline, (but keeping the kerf spread) it now has made contact with
the rear section of the blade and you now have a kick back situation.
The splitter would be useless in this situation IMHO. Use shims to
align the splitter center-lined with blade, and make it stationary.
(For fine adjustment, make shims cut from aluminum cans)

Kruppt