Method for cutting small parts on a table saw

[Lee Schierer]

I make toys from time to time and some of the parts are quite small or odd shaped. Here is a simple sled for cutting small parts.
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It is made from a scrap piece of plywood with a single runner for the miter slot. I can cut tapers, make cuts on odd shaped pieces, cut small parts, etc.. Here it is with a holder attached, using double sided tape, to cut one of the parts I needed to make the fenders for 38 small tractors.
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The part being cut is also held in place by double sided tape. When that project is done, the temporary holders can be easily removed.

With different holders many of the other parts I've needed for toys have been made safely.
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[Tim Elett]

Nice looking tractors,some lucky kids or adults? Will have fun with those.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I agree, those are excellent. They would be very popular at tractor shows. I like the sled too!

There is a colorful group of rust gypsies and crafts people that follow tractor shows and old home fairs all around the mid west in the summer. There was a neat wooden toy booth at the Steam Engine Show. Your tractors have a classic look that reminds me of the Steam Engine Show.

https://mrvsea.com/

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[Tom Bender]

Nice but I'd be afraid the tape would let go.

[jack duren]

I won’t do it and I free hand cut on the table saw..

your cuts is why I have two miter saws on the bench…

[Lee Schierer]

Nice but I'd be afraid the tape would let go.

In making those tractors, not one piece of tape let a part move. I did renew the tape after cutting just a few pieces.

[Lee Schierer]

Here is the jig I used for the bar tread tires. Each tire has a left part and a right part. I could only cut two pieces at a time and I had to cut all of one side before switching the jig for the other half.
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Here is the jig with two blank halves mounted for cutting.
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Here is a partially cut set of two.
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Here is a close up of a completed wheel.
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This is the Indexing part of the jig.
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The two wheel parts were taped together and the pair was taped to the indexing piece so no movement could occur.

[Jerry Bruette]

Here is the jig I used for the bar tread tires. Each tire has a left part and a right part. I could only cut two pieces at a time and I had to cut all of one side before switching the jig for the other half.
IMG_0321.jpg
Here is the jig with two blank halves mounted for cutting.
IMG_0320.jpg

Here is a partially cut set of two.
IMG_0322.jpg
Here is a close up of a completed wheel.
IMG_0328.jpg
This is the Indexing part of the jig.
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The two wheel parts were taped together and the pair was taped to the indexing piece so no movement could occur.

Nice jig.
How much cypherin' did you have to do to get the even spacing for your cuts?

[Lee Schierer]

Nice jig.
How much cypherin' did you have to do to get the even spacing for your cuts?

In the photo of the indexing wheel you can see the lines from the print out of the CAD drawing I made to get the spacing I wanted based on the width of the saw cut and circumference of the wheels. The indexing wheel had to be smaller in diameter than the tractor wheels so that it wasn't damaged when making the cuts. The two wheel pieces and the indexing wheel were all anchored to each other with small pieces of double sided tape. Cutting 78 left sides and 78 right side wheel halves with 25 cuts each was a bit tedious.

[Bill Dufour]

I just now realized a milling vise would make a great saw holding clamp. Ground at 90 degrees on the sides. Make sure the handle will clear the fence and the blade.
Bill D

[Lee Schierer]

I just now realized a milling vise would make a great saw holding clamp. Ground at 90 degrees on the sides. Make sure the handle will clear the fence and the blade.
Bill D

I would not be comfortable getting that much steel near a moving blade. My Tenoning sled gets checked several times before I slide it thrpogh a cut and it runs in the miter slot.

[glenn bradley]

Very cool Lee. Nice tire tread method. A coupe of dovetail slots and a Match-Fit clamp might make things faster; no tape. I find them helpful for odd-angle cuts or small parts.

[Wes Grass]

Mount it to a sled, with 1/4" clearance to the blade. Add hardwood jaws for 'zero clearance'.

Seems I've seen a parallel clamp mounted to a sled. Adding a hold down clamp of some sort wouldn't be a bad idea.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Well done, Lee!

[Lee Schierer]

Very cool Lee. Nice tire tread method. A coupe of dovetail slots and a Match-Fit clamp might make things faster; no tape. I find them helpful for odd-angle cuts or small parts.

Because I am cutting two pieces at once and need precise spacing between cuts, the clamp would not allow the pieces and indexing wheel to be rotated 360 degrees in small increments without shifting relative to each other. Bear in mind, these wheels are only 2-1/4" in diameter.