I used to struggle to keep a stop block located accurately while clamping it in place on my tablesaw crosscut sled.

Then, while making some cam clamps for my shop, I realized I could use the same cam-tightening idea for a stop block. With a cam-tightened block, I need only one hand to position and clamp the stop in place.

The block is a U-shaped bridge that straddles the sled’s fence and holds the pivoting cam. Size the components so that there is a 1/4-in. gap above the sled’s fence and a 1/16-in. gap between the back of the bridge and the fence.

To make the back of the bridge, rout a stepped groove to fit the cam, leaving a 1-in.-long web of 1/4-in.-thick material at the top to connect the two halves. Reinforce the glue-up with counterbored 1/4-in.-dia. carriage bolts.

The cam’s profile starts with a 1-in. circular section on the bottom. Locate the 1/4-in. steel pivot pin in the back so that 1/8 in. of the circular section protrudes on the inside. Trim the part that protrudes to a flat, then round the sharp corner to blend the flat into the circular section. The cam should lock against the fence when pushed down about 30° to 45°.

The block design can easily be adapted to a drill press, a chopsaw, or any other tool with a fence.

Jim Richey

Jim Richey

Jim Richey

Charles Green, West Des Moines, IA

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