When cutting multiple pieces that are longer than your sled how do you get repeatability without a stop block? Thanks brian
[OP]
Contributor
When cutting multiple pieces that are longer than your sled how do you get repeatability without a stop block? Thanks brian
Brian
Contributor
knife lines.
Sometimes it's way too big to handle on a tablesaw. Knife lines always work
Last edited by mike stenson; 02-29-2024 at 2:47 PM.
~mike
happy in my mud hut
Contributor
Yep. Knife lines and take it slow. Or build a bigger sled.
Member
I have 52" rails on the TS fence, so I use the fence as the "stop". Just have to use a spacer so that you set the cut and clamp the workpiece to the sled, but then edge of the workpiece doesn't ride along the fence as it moves through the blade. If it's longer than that allows, I'll generally use a tracksaw on a worksurface with a dog hole grid (in my case, a Bora Centipede setup).
I put a stand off block on the fence up to 50” or so. You could also roll your bandsaw or other heavy object over to act as a stop.
"A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".
– Samuel Butler
Contributor
You can tag an extension onto your sled fence and use a stop block on it.
Contributor
the Excalibur cross cut sleds had a pull outs in them. It worked well enough but first generation of them and not perfect.
The SCM pulls out to some long length not sure even likely well over 100 inches. When I made new fascias material was 16 feet long and cross cutting on a compound mitre was a measuring tape and a pencil line and my eye, accurate to probably .010 which was good enough for what it was.
When I first started I had a besmeiyer that was 8 feet or more long and still used the sled and the stock fence even if not ideal to do it. No stop block on the fence as I wanted support from both the sled and the fence. Not ideal but been on saws enough that the work got done.
Contributor
Originally Posted by Kevin Jenness
Yep...that is what I usually do...
Chris
Contributor
Tape them together and cut them all at once with a miter/RAS saw. Because of the small space I am working in now the shaper is in the way for anything over 6 foot, so I adapt.
[OP]
Contributor
Glenn, If your sled is say 30" wide, how do you use a stop block to cut multiple pieces that are say 38" long? I can measure and mark each and then cut, but in building cases it is nice to have the repeatability of a stop. thanks brian
Brian
Contributor
Use the rip fence as the stop with a short block clamped to it so that the workpiece can't get trapped between blade and fence and kick back. This is limited to your saw's rip capacity. For longer pieces extend your crosscut fence with a screwed-on 2x2 or what-have-you.
Contributor
Put a telescopic crosscut stop in your sled.
Regards, Rod
Contributor
Pretty much this and I cut multiples taped together.
[OP]
Contributor
Let me repeat back what I read to make sure I understand correctly. Cross cut on the left side of the blade, my rip fence is on the right side, I do have 36" capacity, so this is a long as It will let me cut. I understand the stop block attached to the rip fence. When the longer piece comes of the right side of the blade, does this not some times give you a wonky back edge doing it this way?
Thanks.
Brian
Brian
Contributor
No, why would it? To cut a piece with two square ends using the fence as a bump stop, cut the right end first, slide the piece over until the squared end registers the standoff on the fence, then cut the left end. Sorry if I wasn't clear- does this make sense? I am assuming you have a crosscut sled that runs in two miter gauge grooves and supports the workpiece on both sides of the blade.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
