Zero Clearance Insert

I needed a zero clearance insert for use with a dado blade, 5/16" wide. I used a piece of baltic birch plywood and made it.

When cutting the kerf in the insert, I positioned my "T" square fence (Biesemeyer) to the left of the cut (My saw is a right tilt.) but over the solid part of the ZC insert. Slowly I raised the dado through the ZC insert. It was so much easier than clamping a timber across the ZC insert and saw table.

Just my 2 cents worth..

I didn't trust the way any of the supplied inserts are held in, so I tapped four threads in the rebate where the insert sits, and all of my Zero clearance inserts are are held down with 4 counter sunk screws.........risk eliminated.

I made mine so it wasn't an issue. I just drilled holes to match the original metal insert and fasten them down with the screws from that.

I swap mine around all the time for various jobs so undoing screws would be a pain in the backside. Mine just friction fit. I drilled a hole at each corner and glued in a plug that I cut from a bit of rubber I had lying around. I still put the fence over to cut the slot though.

I used this link to build mine:

http://www.woodsmith.com/issues/146/...e-dado-insert/

Uses rip fence + wedges to hold the insert as blade is raised. Pretty easy and safe.

Regards,
Scott