Hi,
I’m in the middle of building a small Bar Clamp rack for my quick grip clamps. But I’ve run into a problem.
I was wondering if there was any other way to cut the slots. The way they describe it in the instructions sounds very dangerous to me. To make the Notches 1 5/8″ on center they say to Mount a 3/8 inch dado blade to the tablesaw, and raise the blade 2″ above the saw tble. Mount a wood extension to the miter gauge and make the cuts where marked. I have enclosed a picture of the diagram so you know what I am referring to. Kind of difficult to hold a large 7 1/4 inch board against an auxilary miter fence. I don’t have an aux. fence that big. What I’m concerned with is the blade being so exposed. My stacked 8″ dado blade is exactly 2 inches above the table when fully extended. I don’t like having a blade that exposed.
I have cut the horizontal support to shape and have routed a 3/8 inch round-over along the edges and corners. I have marked the notches 5/8″ on center So I’m ready to make the cuts (slots).
Surely there must be a safer way of doing this. I have the dado blade set up on my table saw. But after raising the full 2″….. looks very hazardous. Using a miter gauge to run the wood through the saw would be tricky. Can anyone suggest a better way to cut the slots?
Wendy
Replies
My rule is that if it is scary, don't do it.
But if you find is scary only because you haven't seen that much blade above the table, especially with a non-through cut (so many guards don't work), I do it all the time.
Most miter gauges have slots so you can screw on an auxiliary fence - in my case a grungy old scrap of 3/4 inch plywood, perhaps 4 inches high and 18 inches long.
Run the aux fence through the dado blade, keeping your hands back on the factory part of the miter gauge - you now have an exact marking where the blade will cut.
Clamp your workpiece to the aux fence attached to the miter gauge so your hands stay a long way away. (Given the project, you must have clamps)
________________________
Charlie Plesums Austin, Texas
http://www.plesums.com/wood
HI Charlie,
I was thinking of doing it the way BG described. I'm a bit confued. What do you mean by Non-through cut. I'm assuming the board here is on edge and clamped to a high auxilary fence, not laid on it's face. Certainly would be easier having the board on edge and clamped. I could just push it across the tablesaw holding onto the miter gauge. My hands well away from the blade. Wouldn't that be a "through cut?
I've never cut a piece of board with that much blade exposed before. I've always been told when ripping boards and cross cutting to have as little of the blade exposed.. a pinkie width above the thickness of the board. I've only used the stacked dado blade to cut dadoes and rabbits. So it's perfectly ok to go ahead and raise the blade to its Max. (which in my case is 2 inches. since I'm using a 8 " stacked dado blade.
Wendy
In a through cut the blade goes all the way through the wood, so you end up with two pieces when done. But since the blade goes through, the traditional american guard that attaches to the splitter behind the blade can be left in place, and the blade is well protected from trespassing fingers.
Non-through cuts (sometimes called blind cuts) are considered dangerous in some circles, since they don't go all the way through the board, leading to two potential problems. First, you don't see the blade coming out the bottom as you push the board forward, so your thumb or other body part could be in the wrong place. Second, nothing can extend above the blade, so on most American saws you not only have to remove the guard, but also have to remove the splitter (the fixed metal piece behind the blade that reduces the chance of kickback). The American solution is a short home made splitter and an overhead guard that may cost half as much as the complete saw.
I have heard that safety rules in Europe prohibit use of a dado blade (which is normally not a through cut), or any blind cut. European saws usually have a riving knife (splitter) that is close to the saw blade, and rises and falls with the saw, so it can stay in place with most cuts. The European saws only recently have added dado blade capability, specifically for the American market.
I make extensive use of non-through cuts, often making a couple saw cuts rather than changing to a dado blade, so rarely use the guard or splitter. But I stay extremely aware of the blade, and where I might slip if I lost balance or a piece shifted. And I am considering going to a European saw.
So back to your challenge.
I believe that the intent in the instructions was to create a two inch deep slot in a three inch (or whatever) board by raising the dado blade two inches, and pushing the board through the blade. This non-through cut can be done safely IF
The board stays firmly on the table (not that hard)
The board stays vertical (the miter gauge can do that, especially with a taller sacrificial fence
The board goes straight through the blade (doesn't rotate) (the miter gauge again)
Your fingers stay away from the blade (hence my suggestion to use a clamp to do the holding above
You never stand in line with the blade (for any cut), in case the wood splits or something, that leaves a loose piece that can fly.
This sure makes me feel like the safety police (sorry), but I feel comfortable with the idea of that cut. If you can't visualize it, send me a note!
If the idea of a tall blade is the problem, note that one technique for reducing tearout in the upper layer of plywood is to raise the blade all the way, so the cut is almost vertical as the blade enters the wood. It works!________________________Charlie Plesums Austin, Texashttp://www.plesums.com/wood
Hi,
Have you ever heard of attaching a long auxilary fence to 2 miter gauges? Some people apparently would rather do that than build a sliding cross cut sled. Especially if they don't have an outfeed table with miter slots. That would be very similar to using a sliding cross cut sled. Same idea except no bottom piece. They said it's a great way to cut wide panels on the table saw.
I can't find a scrap wide enough to make an aux fence so I will either have to buy a board or do what Jason adviced and drill 3/8 inch holes the full length (2") for each slot. Then use the jigsaw to clean up the edges.
Doing it the way they instruct in the mag would be much faster. Thanks for the safety tips. I'd have that rack built and mounter on the wall right now If I had a scrap of wood wide enough to support the horizontal piece. Unfortunatley, I only have 3 1/4 " wide scraps which would not support the 7 1/4 inch board adequately.
Wendy
For a crosscut sled, I have the world's ugliest solution. A leftover piece of recycled wall paneling (the 1/4 inch plywood imitation wood paneling from the 1960s), with a strip the size of the miter slot glued to the bottom, and a 90 degree strip glued to the top. A hole for an electric outlet is jokingly called the handle. Make it wide enough that the saw blade cuts a new edge, then make the guide piece precisely a right angle to the new edge. That sled works so well that I made a larger one (about 40x50 inches) for cutting larger sheets. I suspect it is much simpler than getting two miter gauges, and certainly simpler than most cross-cut sleds I have seen.
I have so much scrap wood lying around, I find it hard to believe that you don't have a piece long enough to go from the miter gauge to the blade. Just to be sure we were in synch, I took a picture of what I was trying to describe (even though I didn't bother changing from the plywood to the dado blade). The wood could be as simple as a scrap of 2x4 or a hunk of plywood (like I used)
The solution using a drill for the corners and a jigsaw or bandsaw for the cuts should work also. ________________________Charlie Plesums Austin, Texashttp://www.plesums.com/wood
Hi Charlie,
Nice pics. Yes, it is hard to believe I don't have a scrap of lumber wide enough for the fence. The piece of board I need to cut 2 inch slots in is 7 1/4 inches wide. So I need to attach a high fence to the miter gauge in order to support the board properly. I think the auxilary fence I have attached to my miter right now is only 3" wide. I only have large pieces of plywood and mdf boards hanging around my tool room which I need for building my tenon jig. :(
I'll have to scrounge around and see if I can find a wide enough board.
Wendy
Wide enough to me is firmly attached to the miter gauge and sticking through the saw blade.
Tall enough is just so it isn't cut through by the blade (and doesn't fall off after the cut). Say 3 to 3 1/2 inches
Big enough in some direction so that a clamp can hold the fence to the stock you are cutting, to keep your hands away from the blade.
It doesn't need to be as tall or as long as your work piece - just large enough to hold the work piece steady.
Since you said you are planning to build a tenon jig, you can see pictures of my home-made tenon jig at http://www.plesums.com/wood/tips/tenonjig.html________________________Charlie Plesums Austin, Texashttp://www.plesums.com/wood
Hi Charlie,
Thank you for the tips. Your tenon jig is very similar to the one pictured in the Popular Woodworking mag. The one pictured in their mag. rides over the fence just like your jig does. But unlike your tenon jig is braced with a piece of wood to make sure the 2 side boards are square. It is made from 3/4 inch plywood.
Hopefully this weekend I'll get around to finishing the clamp rack.
Wendy
Wendy1,
I'm with you and Charlie, if it's scary, don't do it. You can make those cuts with a hand saw and chisel. Given its for the shop, I'd probably lift the dado blade up all the way and lay the board flat on the table saw...and then using the miter guage clamp and push the board forward 2" and back out. On the underside it would be slightly farther than 2" but whose looking there...
Safer ways:
1. Cut the slots with a jigsaw 1st, followed by a router to clean up.
2. Don't cut slots at all. Cut small blocks and glue them in place.
2. Don't cut slots at all. Cut small blocks and glue them in place.
************
I'd put a screw through the block also.
Leon Jester, Roanoke VA
Q: How do you know when a politician is lying?
A: His lips are moving.
Wendy,
Why cut slots for your Quick-Grips? I just clamp mine to a piece of horizontal framing. It works.
Alan
Wendy,
Cut each slot 1.25" - 1.5" deep (either will work), spaced as outlined in the plans. Open the jaws an inch or two and hang the clamps with the handles facing away from the wall (hanging from the top jaw). The handles of these clamps are slightly longer than the jaws, so you might be able to reduce the width of the actual clamp rack top.
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.
Dan Kornfeld, Owner/President - Odyssey Wood Design, Inc.
Edited 10/14/2004 12:40 am ET by Jackie Chan
I made my slots by drilling a hole at the base of the slot, then cutting down either side with the bandsaw to meet the holes, leave them round or square up with a chisel.
Jason
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