Building Crosscut Sleds

[sooty]

Hi I am thinking of building the above for my table saw I have looked at quite a few plans for doing this but they all seem to be missing the riving knife at the back of the blade.

My question is - is it accepable to remove the riving knife when using the jig or is there a way of building the jig so the knife can stay on.

Phil

 

[Steve Maskery]

Hi Phil
Provided that the riving knife is lower than your jig, there is no reason why you have to remove it for use with a sled. Having said that, using a sled without a riving knife is not the same heinous crime that ripping without one is. A riving knife prevents the timber from binding on the back edge of the blade. This does not happen to anything like the same extent when you are cross-cutting timber or cutting man-made boards. I'm not saying it's a good idea, exactly, but the risks are certainly lower, and for "normal" cross-cutting jobs, I wouldn't care whether there was a riving knife or not. After all, your average cross-cut SCMS saw doesn't have a riving knife.

I suspect that the RK was removed because it doesn't rise and fall with the blade. I can't think of another reason.

Cheers
Steve

 

[OLD]

I have the SIP saw and purchased a spare knife which i cut down to just below height of the saw its no problem then just takes set up time.

 

[Chems]

I have to take the knife off for my one, firstly because it is higher than the blade for the saw guard to attach to and also its a fair bit thicker than the kerf of the blade so it would make initial set up of the sled a bit harder.

 

[OLD]

You must have the wrong type of blade fitted the kerf should be greater than the knife thickness or the knife is trying to force the wood apart this happens when narrow kerf blades are fitted.Axminster cat. has kerf width info.

 

[Niki]

I did not remove the RK but it's lower by ~3mm so it doesn't interfere.

As Steve Maskery said, the RK is not so imported when cross-cutting with a sled because there is no danger of "reaction" as with ripping and the sled fence gives very good support and guide to the workpiece.

Chems
As OLD said

The pic below is from HSE

Regards
niki

 

[Chems]

I may have just misunderstood, its a recently bought saw and has all the safety kit on it.

 

[sooty]

Thanks for your replies I will try and order a spare R/K I dont hold out much hope though its a MacAllister T/S from B&Q they are not very good with spares.
If I cannot get a spare will go ahead and build it without one
Thanks again
Phil