Shopsmith Forums

Looking at making a few ZCIs. Anyone use lauan plywood? What are you all using?

Zero clearance insert. My apologies.

I had a ZCI insert made from luan plywood for my first machine, a 500. Not sure what happened to it, might still have it somewhere. Worked OK. If I had to make another one I was considering PVC sheet but then noticed HDPE sheets available on Amazon. Not sure how well either one cuts when a blade is forced up through them.

Polyvinyl Chloride and High Density Polyethylene. My apologies

Thank you Ed. I'll give it a shot when I get a chance and report on it. I hadn't thought of PVC sheet.

Tempered hardboard works great for zci's. Rough out the shape on the bandsaw, then use drum sander and pattern sanding set-up in drill press mode to get the finished shape. You can cut out a batch of them pretty quickly. Its good to have one for the different frequently used table tilts, like 15, 30, 45, as well as one for the zero tilt and a couple of blanks for the unusual angles.

Thanks you for the tip. Hardboard would work well. I look forward to getting my 5q0 up and going. Still cleaning when time permits and waxing.

In my experience, the veneer on Lauan plywood is very splintery. But it’s darned good-looking stuff for the price.

I made a ZCI from a scrap of 1/2 Baltic Birch plywood a few years ago. That stuff machines beautifully, and so far I’ve had no need to replace it.

Nice!! I'm contemplating maple ply as well. I think if I do use the lauan ply, I will use tape to help with splittering.

BuckeyeDennis wrote: Fri Nov 08, 2024 9:28 pm In my experience, the veneer on Lauan plywood is very splintery. But it’s darned good-looking stuff for the price.

I made a ZCI from a scrap of 1/2 Baltic Birch plywood a few years ago. That stuff machines beautifully, and so far I’ve had no need to replace it.

1/2????

JPG wrote: Sun Nov 10, 2024 9:37 pm

BuckeyeDennis wrote: Fri Nov 08, 2024 9:28 pm In my experience, the veneer on Lauan plywood is very splintery. But it’s darned good-looking stuff for the price.

I made a ZCI from a scrap of 1/2 Baltic Birch plywood a few years ago. That stuff machines beautifully, and so far I’ve had no need to replace it.

1/2????

Ok, 12 mm. I rabbet around the bottom perimeter so that the top surface is flush with the table. The extra material remaining in the middle keeps it nice and stiff.

The slot fits either the blade guard or the non-through riving knife.