jim crockett
Member
- Messages
- 120
- Location
- Jay, Maine
I have a somewhat oddball table saw - Craftsman 21830 Jobsite Model - with a 3/32" steel insert plate. There are no aftermarket inserts available for this saw - believe me, I've checked! I have made inserts out of Baltic Birch, 1/2" MDF (lots of rabbeting edges and the support rod that runs the length of the insert opening and is really the determining factor for the thickness of the insert), and 1/4" hardboard. The plywood was pretty good but chipped badly when the saw blade came up through because some dummy had the grain running across rather than lengthwise. The MDF ones are probably the best inserts but require a lot of work to make them fit. The hardboard was easy but flexed and sagged in the middle where there is no support.
So, I've been looking and found a source for 3/32" & 1/8" phenolic. Never having played with this stuff, I wonder if phenolic this thin will be strong enough to not sag or flex. I know that phenolic is an extremely tough material but is that compression strength, breaking strength,?????? If anyone has any experience with this stuff, perhaps you could provide some advice. Also what would be the best/strongest grade (CE (canvas), LE (linen), XX (paper), or perhaps some of the glass grades - I know I don't want to use the carbon grade!!!).
Thanks for any advice.
Jim
So, I've been looking and found a source for 3/32" & 1/8" phenolic. Never having played with this stuff, I wonder if phenolic this thin will be strong enough to not sag or flex. I know that phenolic is an extremely tough material but is that compression strength, breaking strength,?????? If anyone has any experience with this stuff, perhaps you could provide some advice. Also what would be the best/strongest grade (CE (canvas), LE (linen), XX (paper), or perhaps some of the glass grades - I know I don't want to use the carbon grade!!!).
Thanks for any advice.
Jim