CHAPTER 2, LESSON 3 of 4
GOAL: To learn the proper setup and procedure for crosscutting wood on the table saw.
One of the four primary operations that can be performed on a table saw is crosscutting solid wood, or cutting a board across the grain. This lesson will focus on properly setting up the saw for this operation and on the techniques involved in making a successful crosscut.
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| Ease the workpiece into the teeth to avoid jarring it out of position. Hold it firmly against the miter gauge, hands about six inches apart.
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| Speed up crosscutting to a steady pace as the cut progresses. Note how the saw guard has been adjusted to protect the hands.
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Advance the workpiece past the front of the saw blade, then withdraw the workpiece and miter gauge back to the start position.
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| In theory, a blade cuts cleanest and most efficiently when raised to maximum height. When the blade is low, each tooth spends more time inside the wood, increasing the risk of burning the wood and overheating the blade. A good minimum height is for the gullets to clear the top surface of the workpiece.
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| Crosscutting to length using the fence as a stop. Note that the fence has been retracted so that the workpiece can't be trapped between blade and fence. |
Crosscutting to length using a stop clamped to the saw table. Set the stop well back to avoid trapping the workpiece. |
Crosscutting solid wood differs from ripping in two ways: The cut is across the grain and the wood is clamped or held tight against the miter gauge fence. Crosscutting to length is normally a two-step operation. First, cut one end of the wood square, then cut the second end square and to length.
Setting Up the Saw
The design of the saw's top guard might affect which side of the blade you decide to feed the workpiece from and thus affect where you stand. Use the miter gauge slot that provides the most comfortable control of the workpiece and the falling board. As with any table saw operation, it's important to establish contact between the machine and your body. Stand where you can get a clear view of the cut, but don't stand directly in line with the blade. Don't remove the splitter when using a miter gauge. It keeps the falling board from contacting the back edge of the saw blade.
Because the angle pointer on a miter gauge is a relatively crude indicator, test its accuracy by sawing a test piece and checking it with a try square. Adjust the gauge and pointer to 90° as necessary. Any miter gauge fence that you make should be constructed from straight, true stock and be at least 1" thick to ensure proper support of thin stock under the stress of sawing.
It also should be about 16" long to support the workpiece and to allow you to attach stop blocks. A 2"-high fence works well for clamping and hand-holding the workpiece.
Screw the fence to the miter gauge and cut off one end by advancing it through the saw. The sawn end now serves as an accurate indicator of where the saw will cut.
Operator Procedure
Although it's possible to hold the workpiece against the miter gauge fence by hand, you will get the most accurate result by using a clamp.
Always begin the cut slowly, so the saw eases into the wood, then speed up to a constant rate as the cut progresses. Regardless of whether the workpiece is clamped, hold the workpiece against the fence with both hands. Stand to one side so your wrist and elbow are not in line with the saw cut. As soon as the workpiece clears the front of the blade, it will be in two pieces. If you are holding the workpiece by hand, slide it away from the blade along the fence, then withdraw the miter gauge and workpiece to the start position. If you clamped the workpiece to the fence, simply pull the gauge back.
In cutting the second end square and to length, you'll want to consider whether you're cutting long parts, such as 14" coffee table legs, or short parts, such as 4" pieces from a 30" board. When you cut longer pieces, you'll hold the workpiece against the miter gauge fence with a stop attached to it.
You can cut the longer pieces with your own miter gauge, or you can use a third-party system with a flip stop.
Making the short parts requires the use of an outboard stop. If your saw's fence is adjustable fore and aft, you can retract it and set it the desired distance from the blade; the fence must be retracted so that the workpiece falls free as it's cut. If it is trapped between blade and fence, the chances are high that it will be kicked back as a projectile. You also could clamp a gauge block to the fence well behind the blade so that the workpiece falls free as it's cut or clamp a similar stop on the other side of the table.
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