I had a 1/8 x 2 x 14 inch straight edge

[Bill Huber]

I can not believe this happened, I just can not believe it.......

I was setting up to cut some blocks of purple heart and I have to put my CMS on my bench to use it for anything over abut 24 inches long. I put my straight edge on the CMS against the fence and measured the height so I could put a support out at the end of the board. Got a call from work and had to go in the house and remote in to the server to fix a users password.

Went back out to the shop put the board on the saw and cut it right on the line. The problem was the straight edge was still there and it cut it right in half just as clean as it could be.

Now this was a nice straight edge, a stainless steel one that had been cut for the end of a high dollar drafting T Square.

I could not believe it, it did mess up the blade a little but I was sill about to make the rest of the cuts and they looked good. The carbide looks good but right behind some of the teeth there is a little spick sticking up so I am going to replace it.

So who needs a 4 inch and a 10 inch straight edge..

[Jason Beam]

hmm ... first .. .that really really sucks

But ... are you sure that was stainless steel? Does a magnet stick to it? Any stainless i've ever run across was much harder to accidentally cut through, it took some effort. I apologize for fretting over details, but it seems more like aluminum to me. If that's the case, you should be able to just clean the fragments off the blade and it'll work well as a nailfinder for awhile.

again ... man that sucks!!! I hate when I do stuff like that

[Luciano Burtini]

hmm ... first .. .that really really sucks

But ... are you sure that was stainless steel? Does a magnet stick to it?

For the record, many types of stainless are actually magnetic, some more so than others. Take a magnet to your local Big Box and check out the BBQ's. You can get a rough idea of the grade of stainless used by how well the magnet sticks.

PS. Sorry to hear about the straight edge - that sucks!

[Kyle Kraft]

That's true. The 400 series (and possibly some others, I'd have to check the Machinery's Handbook) stainless steels are magnetic. 304 and 316 stainless is not. Sounds like the straightedge was probably polished aluminum, and the specks on the carbide are what's known as "buildup". It occurs on turning and milling inserts when the aluminum "welds" itself to the cutting edge.

[Bill Huber]

Yes the old magnet sucked right up to it....

It is soft magnetic stainless steel, there are many type of stainless and this one is a soft magnetic. It will not hold a magnet like normal steel but will hold it.

The blade did'nt loose a tooth but it has now been retired to the scrap pile and replaced with an 80 tooth, been wanting a reason to get a new 80 tooth anyway.

[Wes Bischel]

Bill,
You're not alone . I did something similar setting up dados - interrupted as you were, and then, when I got back to it, promptly cut into my rule. This was a good Starrett rule too!

Oh well, you're in good company!

Wes

[Richard M. Wolfe]

I have a two part suggestion:

1. Next time use an aluminum rule
2. Use a circular saw. The blade is cheaper to replace but when cutting aluminum it probably won't be hurt.

Worked for me when I laid a board down on mine!

[David DeCristoforo]

Rule #400596722204.7: Don't answer the phone!

Or if you can't do that, start over when you get back. DO NOT TRY TO JUST "PICK UP WHERE YOU LEFT OFF"! You got lucky. All you lost was a ruler and a saw blade. I got one of those flashing light things for the shop phone (which has an answering machine built into it) and the phone ringer is turned off. When I'm in the middle of a process and the light flashes, I let the machine get it and return the call when I'm done. If that is not possible, for some reason, I "go back to square one" when I return to whatever I was doing. Once I was setting up a shaper and was interrupted by a phone call. When I came back, I fired up the shaper and started feeding stock only to realize that I had forgotten to snug up the clamps holding the fence to the shaper table. For the sake of any young children who might be listening, I will leave out the expletives I uttered when the fence slipped back, exposing a bit (lot) more of the cutter that I wanted, ruined the stock and scared the holy ##$$%%^^&&* out of me. Not worth the risk!

[Leo Graywacz]

Yes the old magnet sucked right up to it....

It is soft magnetic stainless steel, there are many type of stainless and this one is a soft magnetic. It will not hold a magnet like normal steel but will hold it.

The blade did'nt loose a tooth but it has now been retired to the scrap pile and replaced with an 80 tooth, been wanting a reason to get a new 80 tooth anyway.

Bill it's Leo, is this you (Oly forum)??

It's a woodworking machine, not a metal working machine, get with the program. How the heck are you doing?

If it's not you---never mind.

[Bill Huber]

Bill it's Leo, is this you (Oly forum)??

It's a woodworking machine, not a metal working machine, get with the program. How the heck are you doing?

If it's not you---never mind.

It could be........ LOL

I am doing great and just having a ball with learning all of this woodworking stuff that I thought I could never do.

Now again I am not even close to you and 99% of the rest of the guys on this forum but I am sure having a lot of fun and making a bunch of saw dust and scrap lumber.

[Leo Graywacz]

Come on Bill, I saw that set of drawers you built, to to shabby if I say so myself - and I do. I think you'll do fine in the world of wood. It is fun and when you complete a project it give you great satisfaction. And you will usually forget that you sawed your straight edge in half. Need a new saw blade now? Get an Amana 60 tooth, good blade at a real good price. Keep those blades spinning Bill.

Leo

[Mike Parzych]

So who needs a 4 inch and a 10 inch straight edge..

No thanks. I already have a 7" and 29".