Tool Review - Delta Unisaw Splitter
Delta’s Disappearing Unisaw Splitter
I have had my Delta Unisaw for about 18 years and I love it; it is the central workhorse in my shop. However, there was always one annoying thing with this saw that drove me crazy; the splitter and blade guard. Whenever I needed to use the dado blade or make a kerf cut, not through the board, I had to unbolt the the guard and splitter to get it off and then bolt it back on; super annoying! Recently I started searching for an easy to remove splitter then...I finally found it! Enter the Delta 34-868 disappearing splitter with anti-kickback fingers!
What is a Splitter?
First, a little bit about what a splitter is and is not. Most table saws have a splitter built into the blade guard. On its own, a splitter sits behind the blade and helps prevent a board from drifting back into the blade, once it has been cut, which would cause serious kickback and potential injury. Let’s say you didn’t have a splitter and were ripping a board that had tension in it and as you were cutting the board, it started to pinch itself back together, behind the blade, as you were cutting it. This would cause the board to also pinch against the blade and potentially cause the blade to catch on the board and send it flying...at you!
Now, a splitter is not a riving knife. Many table saws today have a riving knife. A riving knife is like a splitter except it only sticks up to just below the top of the blade and moves up and down with the blade as you raise and lower the blade. You can still do a kerf cut with the riving knife in place. A splitter is fixed; it doesn’t move with the blade.
Needless to say, a splitter or a riving knife are essential safety mechanisms in a table saw.
Anti Kick-Back Fingers
The Delta 34-868 splitter also has built-in anti kick-back fingers. These fingers have “teeth” on them that if, for some reason, a board tries to come backwards from the saw, the fingers catch the board and prevent it from sliding backwards. Again, this can prevent a board from launching back at you and causing injury.
Unisaw Splitter Review
So, with some knowledge of what a splitter is and what anti-kickback fingers do, let’s take a look at why I love this Delta 34-868 splitter!
Installation:
Installing the Unisaw splitter couldn’t be easier. The instructions that come with the splitter are fine, but it really is very easy to install. Basically, remove the old splitter mount. It is held on with two bolts. In the photo below you can see the old splitter mount and the two mounting holes.
Old Splitter Installed
Old Splitter Assembly Removed
Old Splitter Mounting Bracket
Now, using the same bolts, mount the new spitter on, align it per the directions, then tighten. Whoala! That’s it!
For more detailed instructions, here is a link to the actual installation manual...
Features
The main purpose of the Delta 34-868 is to act as a splitter. It keeps pieces of material from coming back into the path of the blade. Secondarily, the splitter also has the anti-kickback fingers on the right side. This keeps any material that is between the blade and the fence from getting trapped and moving backwards towards you. The teeth on the fingers catch on the board if it does try and move backwards. The splitter features four fingers, of varying height, for different materials.
Anti-Kickback Fingers
The best feature though...it disappears! This is the best! If you need to make a dado cut, or a non-through kerf cut, you do not have to remove the splitter anymore. Simply remove your table saw insert and push down on the splitter and it drops below the table. How cool is that! When you are done, simply lift it back up into position. I am telling you, if you have a compatible Delta saw, you have to have this!
Splitter in the Up position
Splitter in the Down position
Splitter in the Down position inside the saw
Now, I must say that I have a right-tilt Unisaw and I think this splitter is designed for right-tilt only, but I am not 100% sure. I am not sure why it would matter, but in the reviews some people say it would not work on their left-tilt saws.
Conclusion
A splitter, or riving knife, is an essential safety feature of any table saw. Without them, it is just a matter of time before you get a nasty kickback accident that could severely hurt you. The splitter, or riving knife, helps keep material from coming back into the path of the blade. With the Delta 34-868 splitter, you also get the piece of mind of also having the anti-kickback fingers, which further help prevent boards from sliding backwards, which can cause the board from hitting the blade and then come flying at you.
The safety features are great, obviously, but the real attraction, and why I bought it, was for the fact that you can easily drop it down below the table when you don’t need it. No more having to un-bolt and re-bolt the old splitter on and off. This thing is pure magic and I cannot recommend it enough for Delta Unisaw owners, right-tilting that is.
Disclosure: Some links in this article are affiliate links meaning, I may get a small commission if you purchase anything from these links. Thank you for your support!
About Me…
Welcome to my blog. My name is Derik VanVleet and I am the owner/builder of VanVleet Woodworking llc. I hope you find this blog useful and insightful. Feel free to leave a comment in the bottom. Thank you!
