Why Is This a NO-NO or Is It?

[dusty]

Why is what I have depicted on the left considered a NO-NO while what is depicted on the right is standard procedure?

Or are both OKAY until I incorporate a miter gauge in the image on the left.

There is no riving knife shown in these images but I do use and highly recommend using a riving knife.

[GoNavy]

When cross cutting (image left) you need a sled preferably or at least a miter-gauge set to 90 degree, because there is so little running against the fence the likelihood of the board cocking is very high, usually results in kickback, not to mention your probably not going to get an accurate cut. This is why chop saws are needed. If you must cross cut on a table saw your best bet is to do away with the fence all together and use a cross cut sled or at least a gauge either will work fine. Ripping (image right) is what a table saw was designed to do, it has the entire length of the cut riding along the fence, probability of the board cocking is low, but a riveting knife is still a good idea to reduce kickback even further...IMHO...but I assume you know this, are we being tested...lol...how did I do

addon: you also need to consider the blade being used, most table saws are setup with a rip blade, they don't work so good cross cutting (cutting across the grain) if a cross cut blade is in they don't work very well ripping, you get the idea. You could use a combination blade, but it won't work as well as a dedicated blade for the type of cut needed, and won't be as smooth in either cut.

[dusty]

No, this is not a test. This is an honest question (from a long time wood worker).

[JPG]

I think the inclusion of the miter gauge is the necessary detail that makes the left at the very least risky behavior.

The feed force is then the miter gauge and the cutoff end is typically free to go along for the ride until the end of the cut. At that point the cutoff end is free to do as it wishes. That includes drifting onto the back edge of the blade and getting thrown by it.

IF one applies feed force to the end against the fence it becomes essentially the same as on the right. Doing so however requires applying that force so as to insure the fence end maintains contact with the fence over the entire end face.(same as ripping, but becomes more critical for an accurate cut)

The left method without the miter gauge can be done, however as with any procedure that involves risk, great care must be exercised so as to mitigate that which makes it risky. The simplest way to do that is to not engage in that behavior, but it is not the only way. It can be done safely, but not so mindlessly.

[mountainbreeze]

Would the answer be different IF on the left image, the board was much shorter such that only 1/2" were being cut off?

[JPG]

Would the answer be different IF on the left image, the board was much shorter such that only 1/2" were being cut off?

MY answer surely would be different!!!!

That would change to DON'T DO IT.

It would require the miter gauge.

Stop block free of the blade would be essential.

[GoNavy]

I'm gonna stick to my original answer of using a sled to do cross as the safest way if you must use a TS, for the reasons above, kickback is taken out of the equation since both the cut portion and the cut off portion goes completely through the cut nothing is left behind to catch a blade or kickback and your supporting the board on it's entire lenght. Can a miter gauge be used, absolutely if nothing else is available, of course this still doesn't address the problem of blade being used and quality of cut. Welcome chop saw, table saw has a rip blade and my chop has a high tooth crosscut blade I end up safer and a much better cut on both...

[dusty]

I'm gonna stick to my original answer of using a sled to do cross as the safest way if you must use a TS, for the reasons above, kickback is taken out of the equation since both the cut portion and the cut off portion goes completely through the cut nothing is left behind to catch a blade or kickback and your supporting the board on it's entire lenght. Can a miter gauge be used, absolutely if nothing else is available, of course this still doesn't address the problem of blade being used and quality of cut. Welcome chop saw, table saw has a rip blade and my chop has a high tooth crosscut blade I end up safer and a much better cut on both...

Please do not get overly complacent when using a sled. Kick back is possible, though less likely, even with a sled. Kick back occurs whenever a piece of wood (the work piece) makes contact with the blade as it comes up out from under the table (or sled) unless it is being "controlled".

This is why I move the work piece and the cutoff away from the blade before I pull the sled back to me. I piece of wood laying on the sled as it is being drawn back can very easily become a projectile.

[GoNavy]

Please do not get overly complacent when using a sled. Kick back is possible, though less likely, even with a sled. Kick back occurs whenever a piece of wood (the work piece) makes contact with the blade as it comes up out from under the table (or sled) unless it is being "controlled".

This is why I move the work piece and the cutoff away from the blade before I pull the sled back to me. I piece of wood laying on the sled as it is being drawn back can very easily become a projectile.

Ya the one major drawback to using a sled is the fact your removing the TS built in safety feature (anti-kickback pawls) but if the sled is made correctly using both miter slots on both side of the blade, the chances of the wood cocking or moving on you are extremely low and more then make up for the loss of the pawls. You have much better control then using a miter gauge which is only utilizing one miter slot and once the wood is cut, you have lost control of the waste piece, not so on the sled, to me that loss of control of the waste piece is unacceptable on a table saw....even when making normal cuts I use a GRR-Ripper because it allows me to control both pieces of wood completely through the cut..lowering the chance of either piece twisting or cocking or a waste piece left on it's own near a spinning blade.

[Gene Howe]

I'm lazy. Cross cuts on the table saw requires changing blades.
My choice for cross cuts is a miter saw. Unless it's over 12" wide.
Even then, there's usually no fence involved.