Microjig Mj splitter User manual

Micro Jig, Inc.

PO Box 195607

Winter Springs, FL 32719, USA.

Tel: 1-407-696-6695

Web site: www.microjig.com

Email: [email protected]

Low Profile Splitter with “Feather Board” Effect

Installation Manual (V2.0) 0804

For Installation on Zero Clearance Insert with no existing splitter opening ONLY!

For making 90º cuts ONLY – MJ Splitter will NOT accommodate cuts with a tilted arbor!

Standard 1/8” Kerf and Thin Kerf models are available separately!

Made in USA - Patent Pending

#8 x 1/2”

Wood Screws

(4 pieces)

Drill Guide

(1 piece)

7/64” Drill Bit (1 piece)

MJ Splitters (2 pieces)

with four (4) alignment surfaces

Model # SP-0125 (Green)

For full 1/8” standard Kerf saw blade

Green MJ Splitter thickness : 0.118” (± 0.001”)

Kerf Range 0.118” - 0.145” (3 - 3.2mm)

Package contents

5/32” Drill Bit (1 piece)

TK Drill Guide

(1 piece)

MJ Splitters TK (2 pieces)

with four (4) alignment surfaces

#8 x 1/2”

Wood Screws

(4 pieces)

Model # SP-0100TK (Yellow)

For Thin Kerf Kerf saw blade

Yellow MJ Splitter thickness : 0.088” (± 0.001”)

Kerf Range 0.090” - 0.118” (2.29 - 3mm)

Package contents

Preparation - For best results, we suggest that you read this Installation Manual thoroughly before you start.

- Rip fence must be parallel to the saw blade if the MJ Splitter is used with the GRR-Ripper® System.

- Zero Clearance Insert (ZCI) must be leveled with the table saw top.

- To achieve a “feather board” effect, the ZCI must fit snugly in the opening.

- A kerf in the ZCI must be created at 90º with the saw blade (without stiffener) raised to its highest setting for maximum cutting depth.

Note: ZCI used should be made of sturdy material, as any deflection on the ZCI when downward pressure is applied may cause the work piece to be pulled away from

the fence, resulting in a cut that is not parallel to the fence.

RTD10000019AA

21505

37477

Pencil Line

Front

Rear

15”

3”

4 1/8”

1/2”

MDF

Installation Procedure

These procedures are for use with a standard 10” diameter with either 1/8” kerf or Thin Kerf saw blade depends on the

model you purchased. Please follow the exact order of steps and sequences.

Step 1 (for both models) - Prepare a Setup Board

Prepare a Setup Board from a 1/2" thick man-made sheet stock (preferably 1/2" MDF) - 15" L x 4-1/8" W.

The front edge must be 90˚to the long edges. Draw a pencil line across the width that is 3" from the rear

end.

Note: Better grade 1/2” plywood with no void can also be used - it must be flat and dimensionally stable.

Step 2 (for both models) - Create a Saw Kerf on the Setup Board

1) Set the saw blade at 1/4" above the top surface of the setup board. Be sure the table saw top is clean and free from sawdust

and other debris.

2) Secure the rip fence at 2” to the right of and parallel to the saw blade.

IMPORTANT: Keep the rip fence locked in position until the installation is complete.

The saw kerf that you are going to create in the next step will be the alignment path for the Drill Guide. It is extremely important that the

saw kerf is parallel to the right edge of the Setup Board. Using the GRR-Ripper® for this ripping procedure is the best way to ensure a

parallel cut.

3) Feed the Setup Board through the saw blade and stop at the pencil line.

4) Turn off the saw motor while maintaining firm pressure on the GRR-Ripper®, and wait until the saw blade comes to a com-

plete stop.

Model SP-0125

1/8” Kerf Splitter - Green

Follow drawings under here Ð

Model SP-0100TK

Thin Kerf Splitter - Yellow

Follow drawings under here Ð

Line up carbide

tooth with

alignment mark.

Line up carbide

tooth with

alignment mark.

Step 3 - Establish the Guide Hole Distance from the Saw Blade

1) Disconnect the power to the table saw.

2) Pull back the Setup Board so the saw blade (without stiffener) can be raised to

its maximum height within the saw kerf.

3) Place the bottom center rib of the Drill Guide into the saw kerf and push the

Drill Guide toward the saw blade until its cheek comes in contact with the front

edge of the Setup Board, and one of the carbide teeth becomes engaged in the

front opening of the Drill Guide. Align that tooth with the alignment mark on the

Drill Guide’s opening. Make sure that all guide holes are still within the ZCI. This

will establish the distance of the guide holes behind the saw blade when it is fully

raised.

Note: The Drill Guide’s opening may be wider than your saw blade, this is normal. MJ

Splitter is not designed to align to the center behind the saw blade.

Remaining installation steps are similar for both models of the

MJ Splitter - slight differences can easily be observed in their

drawings with annotations.

Model SP-0125

1/8” Kerf Splitter - Green

Follow drawings under here Ð

Model SP-0100TK

Thin Kerf Splitter - Yellow

Follow drawings under here Ð

Hold –down

Clamp

Pressurenextto

DrillGuideonly.

RipFence

Micro Jig ZeroPlay™

Guide Bar Stop

Step 4 - Securing the Setup Board

1) Lower the saw blade just below the Setup Board top surface without altering

the position of the Setup Board and the Drill Guide.

2) Clamp the Setup Board in position while applying firm finger or light feather

board pressure on the Setup Board against the fence so that the Drill Guide is

tight in the saw kerf. This ensures that the right edge of the bottom rib on the

Drill Guide is in full contact with the right edge of the saw kerf. This will also

align the centers of the guide holes at the pre-determined distance from and

parallel to the right edge of the saw kerf, regardless of the actual width of the

saw kerf. (Vibration will inevitably cause the saw kerf to be slightly wider than

the width of your saw blade.)

Note: The illustration shows a fast and simple way of clamping the Setup

Board by using a Hold-Down Clamp and the Stop from Micro Jig’s ZeroPlay™

Guide Bar System. You may also clamp a board bridged over the Setup Board

from the edge of your table saw top.

Hold –down

Clamp

RipFence

Micro Jig Zero-

Play™ Guide Bar Stop

Pressurenextto

DrillGuideonly.

RipFence

Step 5 - Securing the Drill Guide

1) Secure the Drill Guide onto the Setup Board using (4) #8 x 1/2" wood screws

(provided). Pilot holes are not required if you use a power hand drill (the bottom of

the screw holes are countersunk to accommodate any swarf from the drilling opera-

tion). DO NOT drive the screws all the way with the power drill to prevent stripping

the threads - lightly tighten the screws with a Robertson or Phillips screwdriver.

2) If you prefer pilot holes, use a 1/8” drill bit to drill the pilot holes NOT MORE than

1/8" deep, and lightly tighten the screws by hand.

Model SP-0125

1/8” Kerf Splitter - Green

Follow drawings under here Ð

Model SP-0100TK

Thin Kerf Splitter - Yellow

Follow drawings under here Ð

RipFence

Do not drill the storage

holes onto the MDF in this

step, drill them in Step 9.

Step 6 - Drilling the Splitter Location Holes

1) Make sure the Drill Guide is secured on the Setup Board and that there is no de-

bris or gap between them. The guide holes must be perpendicular to the Setup

Board. Now, lower the saw blade completely to avoid drill bit contact.

2) Chuck the provided drill bit into a power hand drill and carefully line up the drill

with one of the guide holes. Hold the hand drill as perpendicular and steady as pos-

sible and drill through the guide hole to make that MJ Splitter location hole on the

ZCI.

IMPORTANT: Drill each hole in one single quick and continuous motion. DO NOT

stop and go or re-drill the same hole, as this will enlarge the MJ Splitterlocation

hole and the guide hole, thus resulting in a loosely fitting MJ Splitter.

3) Drill the remaining holes in the same manner.

Note: The pins on the MJ Splitters are 3/8” in length. Preferably, drill through holes

on the ZCI. If your ZCI uses replaceable blanks thinner than 3/8” and has a metal

frame under the required hole locations, the pins of the MJ Splitters need to be

shortened accordingly. If your ZCI is made out of hard plastic or other material that

does not “give,” e.g., phenolic or solid surface material, you may need to ream the

location holes lightly with the same provided drill bit.

4) Countersink the mounting holes on the ZCI about 1/32” deep on Thin Kerf model,

this provides relief for the radius edges on the pins.

Do not drill through

the storage holes on

the Thin Kerf model.

RipFence

1/32” deep

countersink

Step 7

Push the MJ Splitter completely down - by hand only -

so that it fits tightly in the holes.

Dip the pins in wax if the fit is very tight.

Step 8

MJ Splitter is ready for use with

or without the

GRR-Ripper®.

To remove, insert a screwdriver

through the hole and pull upward

with slight thumb pressure on the

top center of the splitter.

Model SP-0125

1/8” Kerf Splitter - Green

Follow drawings under here Ð

Model SP-0100TK

Thin Kerf Splitter - Yellow

Follow drawings under here Ð

Drill a through

hole to hang

No drilling required

for storage

Step 9

Store both MJ Splitters and the drill bit in the Drill Guide (drill through the

first two tabs at the drill bit storage channel). Shorten the MDF Setup

Board for easy storage as shown on left. The cut away portion of the

Setup Board can be used as a puller with a finger-pressure squeeze from

both sides to remove the MJ Splitter from the mounting holes.

Alternatively, drill a through hole on the Setup Board to hang as shown on

the right for reuse on the next ZCI.

Drill through MDF for splitter storage. SP-0125 Green model only.

Position of splitter with saw blade fully raised.

These holes are for illustrative purposes only.

Position of splitter with saw blade at 1” height.

Saw blade at 1” height.

Long Saw Kerf with fully

raised saw blade.

Short Saw Kerf with saw

blade at 1” height.

7/8” Finger Pull Hole

Double Kerf Bonus Trick: Some table saws allow you to rotate the ZCI from end to

end. The MJ Splitter brings valuable advantages to this feature. Now you can create two

kerfs on the same plastic or wood ZCI as shown in the drawing on the left. One kerf is cre-

ated with saw blade fully raised for thick stock, and the other with the shorter kerf is for use

with the saw blade at 1” height for 3/4” stock. In this case, install the MJ Splitter about

1 1/2” closer to the saw blade. In order to properly install the MJ Splitter for the 1” height

kerf, in Step 3, draw a line on the Setup Board that is 1/2” from the Drill Guide and align the

first carbide tooth flush with top of the Setup Board and the 1/2”

line, and then proceed to Step 4. Similarly, you can also create

one kerf for a 1/8” saw blade and the other for a thin kerf

blade. Only use the MJ Splitter designated for the thickness

of your saw blades! Make sure the ZCI has a snug fit in the

opening prior to installation. There is also a handy trick for easily

creating the kerf on the ZCI shown in the GRR-Ripper® DVD (sold

separately).

Important: All Micro Jig products are designed to increase both safety and accuracy in woodworking. Thus, an additional feature of the MJ Splitter is that it serves as

a warning device when wood is not suitable for cutting on the table saw, or when your technique is inherently unsafe. Cutting wood with internal stress on the table saw

can often lead to bodily injury as well as damage to equipment regardless of the type of safety devices in use. While closing or twisting behind the saw blade, wood

with a great amount of internal stress may grab both sides of the MJ Splitter and pull it out of its mounting holes. Unsafe cutting technique can also pull the MJ Splitter

from the ZCI, e.g., improper feeding with no downward pressure can cause the wood to lift off the table saw surface, and excessive feeding pressure from the off-cut

side toward the fence can cause the wood to pinch the MJ Splitter. Although the MJ Splitter will act as a “kerf keeper” if it is pulled out of its mounting holes during a

cutting operation – you must consider this event a warning signal! Turn off the table saw immediately to avoid personal injury and damage to equipment due to

uncontrollable wood movement, and take the appropriate corrective action before proceeding. The use of the standard kerf green MJ Splitter (SP-0125) with a Thin

Kerf blade may also cause the MJ Splitter to pop out. Using a Thin Kerf Yellow MJ Splitter (SP-0100TK) with a 1/8” saw blade may leave too much of a gap, which will