# Improvements to a SIP 10" Cast Iron Table Saw



## Lord Nibbo (21 Oct 2007)

Fed up of having to remove the riving knife every time I wanted to use my tenoning jig I decided to cut the knife off just below the level of the blade. But the riving knife holds the guard in place and the guard is also designed to suck up any stray sawdust above the table, not that the suction was any good anyway  So I decided to do something about it, here's what I done.

I cut of the riving knife just below the blade height and added this frame to hold the guard. 












In raised position. If I need clearance for using my tenoning jig it really easy to remove one bolt in the struts of the frame and swing the cover out of the way. This pic shows how high it will lift without removing the bolt.







While I was at it I thought about the rubbish suction that the guard/cover generates so using a small piece of plastic cut from an old white spirit bottle is pushed into the pipe end to create a ventury effect. It works but I'm going to experiment with different sizes to see what is best to add suction to the blade cover.





I also added a zero clearance kerf slot.






Finally I though I'd stop any dust blowing around the workshop by filling the gaps between the feet on the base.
So using just some scrap MDF I did this.






No fixings they just sit on the floor.






I got the box tube and flat bar out of an offcuts bin at a local farm engineering company, cost £5  The pipe is from an old knackered Dyson  The paint I already had, I probably used about half a can so that cost was about £3 plus £2.50 for the gate spring so in all I've spent about £10.50p 

This morning I added these two shelves.


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## speed (21 Oct 2007)

i was thinking about cutting down the riving knife this morning but i got no further than thinking due to not having a guard fitted if i did cut,

so quick question, i have 3'' max cut on my t/s, if i trimmed the riving knife like you have would i be able to rip a 6x2 into 6x1 by cutting 3'' from both sides safely? if you think its doable safely would save me buying a bigish bandsaw

also whilst were on this subject how do you cut the slot for the zero clerance kerf slot? screw it on then slowly lift the blade while spinning


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## Fecn (21 Oct 2007)

Looks like a good set of improvements there - How have you attached the guard to the side of the TS? My only concern with this kind of blade guard is how it would stand up to something like a push stick getting caught on the blade and pulling your hand across. The bit the crown guard's attached to seems to be flat rather than box section.

Good idea blocking in the bottom of the cabinet like that. 

If you put a small lip on the outer edge of your shelves, then things will be less likely to fall off from the vibration.


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## devonwoody (22 Oct 2007)

I wondered what you had been doing this week! Thought you had taken the week off.

Where you have boxed in the base of your tablesaw I have been thinking of placing a tray that would pull out loaded with the sawdust that accumulates.

Now you have chopped up your riving knife have you fitted up a splitter that comes up through the table, I've seen versions that seem to be only an inch high above the table?


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## Slim (22 Oct 2007)

Very nice solution LN. I must admit that I hate having to remove the riving knife as well. I just wish I had the time to do things like this.


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## devonwoody (22 Oct 2007)

LN. thinking of your tablesaw panel enclosure, wont the electric motor be starved of air flow and might even drag up sawdust from inside the cabinet?


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## druster (25 Oct 2007)

how are you finding that saw, I was looking at this and the 12" version, haven't seen one in the flesh and would like an idea of the quality of the machine if possible, do like your mods though, I was looking at axminsters overhead saw guard/extraction unit to go with it. I would like a bigger rip capacity, I would include a router table in the extension, does anyone know of a good rip fence that would do this?
cheers,
Dru


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## John McM (25 Oct 2007)

druster":229y4ojw said:


> I would include a router table in the extension, does anyone know of a good rip fence that would do this?



See here
https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/view ... hp?t=19906

The saw if great for the money, dust extraction lets it down.


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