tip on little cutoffs at the tablesaw

[Robert Reece]

The other day I was cutting off some rails and stiles and some of them I was removing 1/2 or, some of them even less, like 1/4". I didn't want to use my zero clearance throat plate because I wanted my dust collector to be able to pull air through the throat plate since I wasn't using my overblade guard (sharkguard). I didn't want to use the sharkguard becuase sometimes the cutoffs get sucked up, but don't make it all the way up and come back down on the blade! Don't ask me how I know this.

So, at any rate, what happens to these little cutoffs is they get drawn down against the throat plate by the dust collector and the blade pushes them forward until they get sucked into the front side of the blade and eventually explode as the blade sucks them through the throat plate. Not exactly the kind of scene I like.

So my solution was to use my compressor to blow the cutoff off the table top right at the end of the cut. Worked great. A little blast of air right before the blade breaks through and the little cutoff went flying.

It also saves you any temptation to reach in there with fingers or even a little piece of wood to try to get the cutoff out.

[Lee Schierer]

It is very alarming when that cut off gets caught and the blade explodes it and shoot pieces around the room. I've had similar problems and have wondered whether a modified zero clearance insert would make the job safer. You could have zero clearance on the good piece side of the blade and a large opening to the right of the blade where the cut off would be. This would let the cut off fall free of the blade and down into the saw body. This would only work for very short cut offs. I have yet to actually try this idea on a cut.

[Hugh Jardon]

Not sure I would want a gap between the blade and the throat plate on one side specifically for cutoffs: what happens if the cutoff binds between the blade and the edge of the throat plate?

I do like the compressed air solution though.

[Lee Schierer]

Not sure I would want a gap between the blade and the throat plate on one side specifically for cutoffs: what happens if the cutoff binds between the blade and the edge of the throat plate?

I do like the compressed air solution though.

Hence my qualifier that it would only work on short pieces.

[Neil Brooks]

Has anybody actually tried drilling a series of 'vent holes' in their ZCI to see if it would adequately enhance dust collection from below??

Been meaning to try it, but.....

[Robert Reece]

I did cut one piece off that had a pretty small cutoff, enough that it went down into the saw. I can say that with the dust collector running, it was gone fast. The compressed air didn't even stop it.

I like the modified throat plate I might try that. I always cut my door rails and stiles about 1" oversive, then trim to length after joining and planing. So if I completely removed the right side of the throat plate, I'd get great airflow and not have the cut off problem.

[Kevin Groenke]

We frequently clamp a "bulldozer" on a miter gauge to push small off cuts PAST the blade. This also provides supporting material at the back of the cut to minimize tearout.

-kg

[Robert Reece]

Do you use a dust collector with that bulldozer? I'd think the dc would pull the little offcut into the blade and the offcut would get launched off the back of the blade. Interesting idea though, maybe I'll try it.

[john bateman]

I have seen instances where a shop vac hose was temporarily positioned (duct tape maybe?) so that it would draw the cutoff away from the blade.

This wouldn't work if a blade guard is being used, tho.