mickyd's Woodworking Projects

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 4:36 pm

Man oh man that's a good looking saw table.

Yes, I would say that you should have a ZCI. You would probably get away without one but that is a fairly large gap that leaves the stock resting on a very small portion of the table.

pennview · Post by **pennview** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 5:07 pm

I wouldn't make the cut. Without a ZCI you risk something dropping into the slot in the insert, possibly with serious consequences. Even with a ZCI, sawing such a short (8") piece has safety issues as well. At 8 inches, its hard to control the wood, especially when making the second cut. A bandsaw would be the best choice.

If the wood were a foot or longer, you could saw less than halfway through each edge, leaving a band of wood between the two saw kerfs, and then saw them in half with a hand saw. You could then clean up the surfaces with the shopsmith in the horizontal boring position and a drum sander mounted, running the wood between the drum and the table, taking very, very light passes.

heathicus · Post by **heathicus** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 5:08 pm

If you go this route, you might need to make a series of passes raising the blade a little (er, lowering the table) on each pass until you're up to half way through. How much to raise the blade each time depends on your blade and the Greenie's motor which I don't know much about.

robinson46176 · Post by **robinson46176** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 5:54 pm

I vote bandsaw or hand saw... Ripping a short piece can get you into trouble real fast. By the time you cut through it you are going to have the blade running pretty deep and even if you make small passes it could all go south pretty fast. You have no leverage on a piece that short. If it was twice that length I would just say be careful and cut it but 8"???

Scares me and I ain't scared of nuthin...

------------------------ · Thu Jan 28, 2010 7:25 pm

So lay the stock flat, mount a wooden extension on your sliding mitre gauge, put a spacer on your fence and cut 1/4" strips. Then set up your band or jig with a fence at 1/2" or whatever and cut the other dimension. Be safe!!
Mark

------------------------ · Thu Jan 28, 2010 7:40 pm

Perhaps a set-up like this. Then you only have to worry about launching one of those pieces into your face.
Mark
[ATTACH]7598[/ATTACH]

mickyd · Post by **mickyd** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 8:12 pm

OK, I am convinced not to make the table saw cut. Especially with penniview and farmers comment!!!! And mark-b, the 'only worry' you mentioned was significant enough made me pass on the 'lay it flat and cut strips' idea also.

The fact that I don't have a band saw or a handsaw is why I was looking for an alternative. A contractor that works for my company is the one that convinced me to try this approach. I have to admit watching him, he isn't the most safety conscience person I know. Unless he's using a angle grinder, he never even wears safety glasses!!! So I guess his idea was like playing Russian roulette.....it can work but it can fail also. I'll make my first woodworking project a memorable one reasons other than having an accident!!

If I were to use a handsaw, I don't think my chances are very good at hitting the 1/4" width down the whole length of the board. I supposed as long as I left it 1/4" or OVER, I could belt sand the cut side to 1/4". That surface will be an inside edge once assembled so perfection not required.

So, handsaw?? Woodworking still have a use for them? If so, I needed to buy one). If I screw up with a handsaw, I have 2 more identical pieces of mahogany.

robinson46176 · Post by **robinson46176** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 8:24 pm

mickyd wrote: The fact that I don't have a band saw or a handsaw is why I was looking for an alternative.
So, handsaw?? Woodworking still have a use for them? If so, I needed to buy one). If I screw up with a handsaw, I have 2 more identical pieces of mahogany.

I am of the opinion that every woodworker should own and learn to use a fairly complete set of hand tools.
OK, so I am old school.

a1gutterman · Post by **a1gutterman** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 8:34 pm

robinson46176 wrote:I am of the opinion that every woodworker should own and learn to use a fairly complete set of hand tools.
OK, so I am old school.

Nah...You're just old!:D Wait a minute, I think I might resemble that remark!:(

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 10:23 pm

Although I agree in principle re the cut the rabbets in a wider piece and then rip, The need to create these wider 1/4" 'boards' has led to other problems.

I suggest sawing 1/2" deep x 1/4" into both sides of an edge of the 4x8x13/16 stock that you have. This is the same as you have previously described, except only cut 1/2" deep. You can do this 4 x (2x on each edge). You can then rip out the 1/2" width(cut though the 13/16 dimension). It is better to keep the 1/2 x 1/4 pieces on the side of the blade away from the fence(you do not want them squeezed in there!). This requires careful measuring prior to each rip cut(what is 'normally' the cutaway piece is in this case the desired piece..

This gives you 1/4 x 1/2 x 8 strips. The jig solves the 'small part' handling problem even if it makes it time consuming. The [4 1/4"] rails can be cut to 4"(adjust the 1/2" rabbet to 3/8") since you will be mitering that 1/8" off anyway. A bandsaw would be preferable, however thou has not got one.

Try all this out on some cheap throwaway pine before sawing that mahagony!