Beginning SSer

[DLB]

It is not the workpiece being cut that I was concerned about, but rather the two already cut pieces that appear to be sitting between the blade and the fence.

Me too! And those are actually the workpieces, not the cutoffs. The lesson is entitled "HOW TO CROSSCUT STOCK TO EQUAL LENGTHS." My preference is the workpiece is the one supported by the miter gauge and it always travels all the way through the blade.

I took a look at the new Mark 4/7/520 version (where it's called Assignment 2-1) YouTube video (must have been at least 30 minutes in). He makes and uses a sacrificial miter gauge extension with a stop which I like better but doesn't carry the work all the way past the blade, which I don't like.

What do others think for best practice here? I prefer a sacrificial miter gauge extension and stop, replacing the Upper Saw Guard with a Riving Knife. (I don't consider a sacrificial extension to be compatible with the SS 510 and on USG.) If I felt I really needed the USG in place I would use a non-sacrificial miter gauge extension, everything else the same.

- David

[BuckeyeDennis]

I prefer a sacrificial miter gauge extension and stop, replacing the Upper Saw Guard with a Riving Knife.

I'm with you, David. Especially when crosscutting narrow boards like that, where the anti-kickback pawls on the blade guard will never even engage during cutting. In fact, they may hinder passage after the workpiece is cut free.

Although it's good to have the blade guarded when practical, when crosscutting I think that mitigating the kickback risk is more important.

[JoeSark]

Here he is with his tongue and groove. Took him a couple of tries, but he got it!

[JoeSark]

Sorry, here's the finished product.