Install Thin Kerf blade on SS 500

[bobgroh]

On the question of whether the splitter needs to be as thick as the blade, I believe the answer is 'No'. i think the splitter (and the feed pawls) have several purposes:
1. Prevent the wood from skewing and binding the blade
2. Prevent the cut from closing up and binding the blade
3. (via the feed pawls - hope I used the right word there) help prevent backwards movement of the wood (i.e. kickback)
4. If the board does 'rise up', help prevent the moving teeth of the blade from catching the board and flinging it back at you.

None of these require a 'tight' fit of the splitter to the blade size and in fact it would seem that the splitter should certainly be narrower than the saw kerf for sure.

So smaller for sure but not too much so.

Bob Groh, Blue Springs, MO.

[robinson46176]

Back in 1988 when I bought my 510 new it was the first saw I had used that I felt had a usable guard. Other than a couple of RAS's I felt that the blade guard was just a claim to cover the maker's butt and possibly the most dangerous part on the saw. Most of those old tin ones on stuff like Sears saws etc. were always flopping around and at times touching the blade. Can you call that safe? The 510 guard always stays where it belongs during a cut and I did use it some. Now I don't saw much on the SS's except for stuff like dado's and joint stuff where the guard has to be removed.
I originally learned woodworking on saws without guards back in the 1950's and 1960's. None of the high school table saws had guards and neither did the ones in the shop at BSU. Probably because most of the old ones were so crappy. I doubt that any of the old antiques from high school even came with one. Riving knife? What is that? :D I didn't learn what one was until I was maybe 28 years old.
My Foley/Belsaw planer/molder/ripsaw has a nice clear guard on the ripsaw and while I NEVER reach into that part of the machine when it is running it does help a lot to keep it from throwing saw dust at you while it is cutting.
The guard on the Ridgid TS 3650 is pretty nice and is quick to mount / dismount and adjust. I have been looking at those little plastic riving knives that mount in the table insert but have never bought any yet.