Right One Did It

[Bob D.]

DOH ! !

Man did I screw up today. I ruined a perfectly good ZCI for my Unisaw. I went to make a bevel cut and I'm cranking the blade over then I realized I still had the ZCI installed, but it was too late. The phenolic ZCI cracked and is ruined. I bought a couple of these when I bought the saw 12 years ago. The others I have two for use with the dado stack, one for dados up to 7/8" and the other is for the Forrest 3/8" box joint blade set. I have one other that I have not used yet and that will now become my daily single blade ZCI. I found o few of these old style ZCIs for sale but they are crazy expensive now at around $90. When I bought them in 2010 they were just under $40 and I remember thinking that was too much but the saw was so new no one else had them yet.

Now Lee Valley and others have some but they are not as nice as the original version.

Expensive mistake, hopefully I don't do it again. I have some photos I will add later after I get done kicking myself for being such an idiot.

[PLUMBER RICK]

Bob, it could be worse. How about tripping the sawstop safety and blowing out the blade and the expensive cartridge.

Rick

[Bob D.]

True, that would have been worse. At least I didn't damage the blade.
I checked just to be sure it wasn't bent. I used a dial indicator to check
it was still flat.

What a bone head thing to do. Upside is it took me 12 years to do it.
That's how long I've had this saw.

[Bob D.]

Found an OEM insert on eBay and picked it up at a reasonable price, less than the $90 or more that everyone seems to think they are worth.

I really didn't need it because I have that one last virgin insert that I bought with the saw which I have not used yet. I figured as tough as it was to find one now 10 years from now it will be even harder so figured get it now while I am willing to spend $60 for it. The original ones were white, this one is an OEM insert and still shrink-wrapped in the original packaging but it is red which I don't really care for but there are no white ones out there that I could find so you get what you get.

One reason I like the OEM version over the aftermarket ones is the metal reinforcing plate on the rear of the insert. The space behind the blade is very thin, less than 1/4". I think the metal adds considerable strength plus it resists gouging from the kickback paws on the blade guard.