Bandsaw Zero Clearance Insert

[Chaz]

I have a JET 14SFX bandsaw. It's about time to change out the insert. I want to replace it with a zero-clearance part.

Are there any tricks/advice for cutting the slot for the blade?

 

[areevesnc]

When I made mine, I used a forstner bit to drill a shallow hole just the depth of a zero clearance insert blank (purchased on Amazon) in a scrap of plywood. I then used the miter gauge to guide the scrap and cut a slot in the center of the insert with the blade that I intended to use with it.

A little double-sided tape would ensure that the blank doesn’t rotate during cutting, but in my case, it was a snug fit, so I didn’t use any.

 

[Mike Davis]

I make mine out of 1/4 inch birch plywood and cut the slot by hand and eye.

Next time I may make a jig like Aaron's.

 

[Dovetail]

Made a rectangular piece of material the right thickness for the zero clearance insert and the same width as the diameter of the insert hole in the saw table. I lined the rip fence up with the edge of the hole, and cut a kerf into the work piece. Then laid out a circle on the work piece that was tangent to the edges, and centered on the end of the kerf. Since my saw blade teeth were not quite at the center of the circle, I finished off the kerf by spinning the band saw by hand until the insert just fit in.

 

[Michael Mathews]

I just saw this video and thought this was a pretty neat way to cut the slot.

 

[HITCH-]

If you make a circle of paper the same size as your insert, you can fold it in half to make a template to mark the centerline on the insert.