Shopsmith Forums

HopefulSSer wrote: ↑Wed Jun 04, 2025 7:14 am

JPG wrote: ↑Wed Jun 04, 2025 2:44 am My earlier question was regarding the tooth set on the thin kerf vs the full kerf.

How would that be relevant WRT to the riving knife?

The thickness of the riving knife vs the width of the kerf!!! Very relevant.

dusty wrote: ↑Wed Jun 04, 2025 11:48 am

HopefulSSer wrote: ↑Wed Jun 04, 2025 7:14 am

JPG wrote: ↑Wed Jun 04, 2025 2:44 am My earlier question was regarding the tooth set on the thin kerf vs the full kerf.

How would that be relevant WRT to the riving knife?

The thickness of the riving knife vs the width of the kerf!!! Very relevant.

If I understand JPG correctly, he's asking about the difference in the width of the carbide saw teeth vs the thickness of the blade plate. That would be the equivalent of the amount of set on a HSS blade. I don't think this should have any relevance to the difference between the kerf and the riving knife. Once the workpiece is off the blade, the thickness of the blade plate is out of the picture.

It isn't. The reason for the question regarding kerf width vs plate thickness is that that difference is the maximum amount of tolerance of the kerf closing. i.e. the clearance between the kerf and the plate. I was wondering if the thin kerf clearance is less than the full width clearance, hence making the thin kerf more likely to bind.

JPG wrote: ↑Wed Jun 04, 2025 10:08 pm It isn't. The reason for the question regarding kerf width vs plate thickness is that that difference is the maximum amount of tolerance of the kerf closing. i.e. the clearance between the kerf and the plate. I was wondering if the thin kerf clearance is less than the full width clearance, hence making the thin kerf more likely to bind.

I'm not trying to be argumentative, but I confess I'm not getting the question. How would the clearance at the plate, between the plate and the teeth, affect the tendency to bind at the riving knife?

Binding becomes significant when the warpage presses against the plate. This occurs because the tooth set is making additional cutting at the back side of the blade. The difference between the kerf width and the plate width defines the amount of warpage movement that may occur until pressure is being applied to the plate(squeezing).

No you are not being argumentative. It is not intuitively obvious(or I am overly imaginative[delusional?]).

JPG wrote: ↑Thu Jun 05, 2025 1:28 pm Binding becomes significant when the warpage presses against the plate. This occurs because the tooth set is making additional cutting at the back side of the blade. The difference between the kerf width and the plate width defines the amount of warpage movement that may occur until pressure is being applied to the plate(squeezing).

No you are not being argumentative. It is not intuitively obvious(or I am overly imaginative[delusional?]).

I'd have to think about that to decide if I agree, but again, how would that affect pressure applied to the riving knife?

It seems to me that binding would occur if the wood presses against either the riving knife OR the blade plate. Binding against the blade plate would tend to stall the motor, and to lift and burn the workpiece. Binding against the riving knife would mostly just make it very hard to feed the workpiece.

Yes I was not including the riving knife and agree with Dennis. That said I was merely trying to understand the potential differences between a 'normal' blade and a thin kerf one.

I need to acknowledge the riving knife as being created to prevent the squeezing scenario described above.

Getting back to the earlier subject, we must recognize the importance of a proper thickness riving knife and no one size is appropriate to all blades.

Hey guys. I got a good start on my project, which has been much harder than Initially thought. I ended up buying a Bosch ripping blade because it was dirt cheap at a big box store. So far so good. When it dulls, I may get something different.

I had another question for yall. I cut several grooves and I had two small kickbacks of the off cut. Admittedly, they were strange cuts and the saw was already powered off and slowing down. The upper saw guard was not in place as these were non through cuts.

My question is, has anyone bought the stand alone riving knife for non through cuts? If so, does it help?

https://www.shopsmith.com/product-page/ ... mark-v-500

Many thanks,
Karl

PS: I did have a feather board in place at all times.