best of woodworkers tablesaw jigs and tips

8/4/2019 Best of Woodworkers Tablesaw Jigs and Tips

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WOOD Magazine'sB e s t

TablesawDOSek .... P S

C O N T E N T S

10 Ways to Tablesaw Success. 13 Must-have Tables.aw Jigs. 4Rip-fence saddle 10Ho w to Clean an d Lube

Your Tables.aw 11A Safe Way to Make

Raised PaneIs. 12

SHOPTlPSCtamp-on Edge Guide 15Compound Miter Jig 15Sure-shootin' Hold-Down 16Making Stronger Doors. 16Rip Fence on Wheels. 17Tune in to J-channel 17Extension Table 17Rabbeted Tablesaw Fence 18Glue Your Setscrews. 18Tables.aw Shelves. 18CIearH:Ut Uds fo r Boxes. 19Cu t Slats fo r Toy Trucks. 19Safety Tongue Stay Put 19Micro-adjust Your Saw 20Coffee-can saw-blade Spacers. 20Pushblock fo r Small Pieces. .20Extend th e SCope of Your saw. 21Cutting Cove Moldings. 21

Editor-In-ChiefBill

Executive Editor JIMManaging Editor MARLEI

Publication Designer RAY

Senior Vice PresldentJPublishing IIirec8r OlSDNGroup Publisher TOM

Publisher MARKHAGBI

MEREDITH PUBLISHINGGROll'President JACK GRiffiN

Editorial Director MIKELAFAVURE

Finance and Administration KARLAJEfRESManufacturing BRUCE HESTlIlI

Consumer Marketing DAVID BAllCreative Services ELLEN de LATHOUIIBI

Corporate Sales JACK BRAMBERGER

Interactive Media LAUREN WIENERCorporate Marketing NANCYWEBER

Reasearch BRmA WARE

A 1 ~ ~ ~ ~President and Chief Executive Officer STEPHEN M. LACY

Chairman of the Board WIWAMT. KERR

In Memoriam - E. T. Meredith III (1933-2003)

OCopyright Meredith Corporation2007All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.

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T a b l e s a w J i g s ac Ti p s 2007



3 Finesse the fence. I

To set the fence paral le l to the blade, s tart by cuttingtwo 2"- long blocks to f it snugly in one miter gauge slot.

Position the fence against them, an d use a thin s him to c he ckf or an equal gap at both ends , as shown a t left. Setting thefence exactly parallel yields the best results, especially withdadoes. If the workpiece bums or binds, cant the outfeedend away from the blade between .010" and .030" (about thethickness of a business card).

2True the blade and table.Fo r straight, bum-free cuts, the

saw blade must run parallel tothe miter-gauge slots and the fence. Toalign the blade, mark one blade toothand measure, at the front of the throatopening, from one miter gauge slot to itusing a combination square, as shown atleft. Then rotate the blade and measureto the same tooth at the back of thethroat opening. I f the distances vary,reposition either the trunnions or thesaw table. Check your owner's manualto see which method applies. Also checkand adjust the blade's 45° and 90° bevelstops. Procedures for this vary widely,so checkyour owner's manual.

1 Get blade height right.Everyone has a different idea onhow far saw-blade teeth should

protrude above the stock. As a gen-eral rule, raise the blade Yz" above the

surface of softwood stock to reduce heatbuildup. For hardwoods, raise it to 3/4"

above the surface. You want the bladeto eject waste from the gullets betweenthe teeth. That means that the bottomof the blade's gullets should at least beflush with the surface of the stock, asshown above.

ALITTLE FINE TUNING AND SOME SHOP-BUILT

ACCESSORIESAREALLYOU NEEDFORASWEET

RUNNING MACHINE. TRY THESETIPS FORSMOOTH AND SAFE CUTS.

1

tablesaw success

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4Cover the angles.To ensure accurate crosscuts, make sure the miter gauge isaccurate at 90° and 45°. Rest one edge of a plastic drafting

triangle on the blade body-not on the teeth. Loosen the miter gaugeknob, slide the head against the triangle, and then lock the knob, asshown at left. Do the same at 45°. These triangles are available inartist's supply stores and are very accurate. Adjustable models alsoare available.

5 Get proper clearance.The standard throat plate on most saws has a wideopening to allow tilting the blade. This leaves the

underside of the workpiece unsupported and susceptible tochip-out, and can allow thin wood strips to drop into thegap. To minimize these problems, make a zero-clearanceinsert. Just trace your insert onto plywood of the proper

thickness (you may have to plane it down) and cut it torough shape. Plywood is better than solid stock, whichmay warp. Either sand the insert to exact shape, or attachit to the throat plate using double-faced tape and shape itusing a pattern-routing bit in a table-mounted router, asshown in the inset, left. You also can use thinner plywood

and drive short flathead scre\ into thebottom face to act as levelers.

Lower your saw blade all the way, andcheck the insert's fit. If the blade doesn'tretract far enough to allow the insert tosit flush with the table surface. reinstallthe standard throat plate and cut a kerfin the underside of the zero-clearanceinsert. Recheck the fit, and then clampthe insert in place using a long board.Tu m on the saw and slowly rai e theblade to full height to cut through theplate, as shown at left. Use the arne procedures to make a dado insert.

2

6Add function to the fence.For some operation . uch as when cutting tenons witha dado blade or cutting with the blade against the rip

fence, you'll appreciate having an auxiliary fence face. Easyto make, thi acces ory prevents damage to the fence, and cansupport a tall face for cutting wide workpieces on edge.

For general u e. cut a ¥4" plywood face 4"-wide by thelength of your fence. How you attach the face depends onyour fence. If your fence has holes through it, attach the facewith bolts. Just counterbore the holes in the face so the boltheads sit below the urface. Or make a "saddle" that lipsover the fence, as shown at left. Clamp it at the outfeed end,or mount a pair ofT-nuts in the saddle's back "leg," and use

short bolts as setscrews to secure the saddle.

Ta b l e s a w J igs ok Tips 2007



7 reate a mightier gauge.When crosscutting long boards orcutting multiple pieces to the same

ength, an auxiliary extension boardor the miter gauge is a must. Make

one from scrap 314" plywood, about 3"

wide and up to 36" long, such as theone shown at right. For even greateraccuracy, give the extension a grip onhe workpiece by covering the face

with adhesive-backed sandpaper. Screwhe extension to the miter gauge so it

protrudes beyond the blade, and then cuta kerf through it. Next, make a clampon stopblock about 1/4" shorter than theence height to prevent sawdust from

building up and causing inaccurate cuts.

8Make sacrificial guides.Any time you are ripping piecesnarrower than 6", use a pushblock

o guide your stock while keeping yourhands safely away from the blade.Make your own by simply cuttinga birdsmouth notch in one end of a

/ 4x2x12" piece of stock. I f you haveo rip pieces narrower than 1", make a

wide pushblock from a 2x4 and a pieceof hardboard, as shown at right. Theblade will cut into the pushblock, buthe hardboard "heel" pushes both the

workpiece and waste safely past theblade. Rather than getting fancy, makeyour pushblocks from scrap stock, andsacrifice them to the blade instead of

your fingers.

9Wax tables for smooth sliding.Cast-iron saw tables will rust if leftbare, which prevents workpieces

from sliding freely. You can get rid of

ust by spraying the table with penetratng oil (such as WD-40) and scrubbing

with a synthetic steel-wool pad or 220-gritwet/dry sandpaper. Form a barrier to newrust by coating the table with a commercial product such as Top-Cote (availablefrom Woodcraft at 800/225-1153), or byapplying a couple coats of paste wax to

he table and buffing it out well. Recoathe table every few months to prevent rust

from coming back.


10Take time for regular maintenance.Your saw will run better and last longer if you take care of iton a rrgular basis. Do the following every month or two:

• Wipe sawdust and debris from the saw table. Spray protectant orpolish the table with wax several times per year.• Vacuum, blow, or brush sawdust from the trunnions and lubricateper the manufacturers instructions.• Tu m blade-height and bevel handwheels through their full range of

motion, and check 45° and 90° stops.• Use blade-and-bit cleaner to remove pitch from your saw blade.Oven cleaner works, but is caustic. Try Formula 409-brand cleaner forminor cleanups.• Check the condition of drive belts, and replace them if cracked orworn. Check pulley setscrews, and tighten if necessary.• Make sure all electrical cords and connections are in good condition . •

3



3must-havetablesawjigsBuildone or all, and boost yourprecisionfor pennies.

Ak a few seasoned woodwork-

ers about the benefits of stocking your shop with a variety of

hardworking jigs. They'll likely tellyou that some jigs get used again andagain, while others gather dust. These

three, we guarantee, won't gather dust.We designed and thoroughly tested

4

this trio of tablesaw jigs, buildingthem from scrap to save on cost. Takean evening or two to make them, andwe predict that you'll use the crosscutsled constantly, especially for repetitive cuts. The thin-strip ripping jig and

the four-sided taper jig provide youwith more specialized services.

See the Buying Guide on page 9

for the sources of the inexpensivehardware items you'll need. We usedBaltic birch plywood and hard maplefor the wood parts. I f you prefer, youcan substitute medium-density fiber

board (MDF) for plywood and anotherdense hardwood for maple.

Ta b l e s a w J igs &: Tips 2007



To make a cursor, scr ibe a l ine across

the middle of the acryl ic indicator with asharp knife and a combination square.Color the scribed line with a permanentmarker. Wipe of f the excess ink with acloth or paper towel, leaving a fine line.

Miter-slot guide bar

o THIN-STRIP RIPPING JIG

:y.'

slot on your tablesaw. Loosen the knob,set the cursor to zero (the bottom endof the rule), and retighten the knob.Slide the jig so that the brass screwhead is beside the saw blade. Tum thescrew in or out with a screwdriver untilthe head lightly contacts a left-leaning

tooth. Pull the jig toward you, loosenthe knob, set the cursor for the desired

Four-arm knob with V4' insert

)

: ~ V 4 'flat washer

#8 x 314' F.H. wood screW)C§Jt'0/"32" shank hole,

, countersunkIndicator ~ :

2" I

~

cut. Drive a brass screw halfway intothe wood. (We used brass to avoidany chance of damaging a tablesawblade.) You'l l tum this screw in or outto fine-tune your jig's basic "zero"setting, or to adjust it for a blade ofdifferent thickness or with a differenttooth set.

S From the bottom side of theassembly, drill and countersink a

1;4" hole through the miter-slot guidebar and base for the machine screwthat holds the plastic knob. Sand all ofthe wood parts to 180 grit, and applythree coats of clear finish.

6 Make a mark 1" from the left endof the sliding bar. Cut the first

1Yz" from an inexpensive steel rule,align its left end with the mark, andattach it with epoxy.

7 Cut a piece of 1;4" acrylic plastic tothe dimensions shown for the indi

cator. Drill and countersink the twomounting holes, and scribe and mark acursor line, as described in the captionof Photo A. Attach the indicator to thebase, and add the knob.

Now,cut some stripsTo cut a thin strip with the jig, place itsguide bar in the left-hand miter gauge

Sometimes you need to rip severalthin strips of wood to equal thicknessto serve as edging, veneer, or bendingstock, but slicing off thin stock on thefence side of the blade could proveunsafe. That's because it becomes awk

ward to use your blade guard and pushstick when you cut close to the fence.The solution: Run the wide portion ofyour workpiece between the fence andblade, cutting the strips on the side ofthe blade opposite the fence. You couldaccomplish this by measuring for eachcut, but that's tedious and inaccurate.This thin-strip ripping jig does the jobsafely, accurately, and quickly.

First,buildthe jig

1Cut a piece of 314" plywood to thedimensions shown for the base on

Drawing 1. Cut a dado on the bottomside of the base for the guide bar, whereshown. Now, cut the %" dado on thetop side of the base for the sliding bar.

2 Cut two pieces of maple to size forthe miter-slot guide bar (adjust the

dimensions shown if necessary to fityour tablesaw's slots) and the slidingbar. Center the miter-slot guide bar inthe bottom dado, and glue it in place.Drill a pair of 5 / 16" holes in the sliding

bar where shown, scrollsaw the material between them, and smooth the insideof the slot with a file.

3 Set the jig in your tablesaw's leftmiter-gauge slot. Place the sliding

bar in the dado with its lef t end flushwith the base. Slide the jig forward,and mark the point where a left-leaning sawblade tooth touches the bar.Make a second mark 1h" closer to thebase. Remove the bar, and crosscut itat the second mark.

4 Drill aY64"

pilot hole in the slidingbar, centered on the end you just

Simple, handy thin-strip ripping jig

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5



strip thickness, and retighten the knob.Position your workpiece against the

rip fence, and move the fence to bringthe left edge of the workpiece againstthe screw head, as shown in Photo B.Lock the fence in place, set the jig outof the way, and you're ready to cut astrip, as shown in Photo C.

After completing the cut, clean upthe workpiece on the jointer. Replacethe jig in the slot. Then unlock the ripfence, move it to bring the jointed edgeagainst the screw head, lock the ripfence, remove the jig, and saw anotherstrip. Repeat the process as many timesas necessary to produce all of the stripsthat you need for your project.

Size your thin-strip ripping jig to suit yourtablesaw, so that a 1" screw in the guidebar can contact the blade. Install a zeroclearance throat plate to prevent the sawnstrip from falling into the saw.

Remove the jig before making the cu t sothe workpiece doesn't bind between therip fence and the screw head. Replace thej ig in the slot without making any adjustments to set up the next cut .

Versatile four-sided tapering jig

Diagonal lines on the end of the workpiecelocate the hole that f its onto the indexingpin. Draw the cutline for the final shape,

and extend the lines to the edges to helpyou posit ion the workpiece on the jig.

assembly, using the previously drilledholes as guides.

4 Cut a maple blank to 3/4x2xI2" tomake the pivot block. (We begin

with an oversized piece to assuresafety during the cutting process.)Cut a rabbet on one end of the blank,where shown on Drawing 2a. Now,drill two holes to form the ends of theadjustment slot, remove the materialbetween the holes with a coping saw orscrollsaw, and clean up the slot with afile. Cut a W' groove centered on thebottom edge of the blank. Next, drilla W' hole centered in the groove 2W'from the rabbeted end. Glue in the 3W'guide bar piece, making it flush withthe rabbeted end. After the glue dries,drill a W' hole through the blank, usingthe previously drilled hole as a guide.Trim the blank to 3W' in length. Sandand finish the assembly.

After cutting dadoes in the plywood base,glue the hardboard to the dadoed face.Mount the two outside blades of a dado

setin

your tablesaw, and cut slots throughthe hardboard centered over each dado.

W'-wide cut, put an auxiliary fenceon your miter gauge, and cut a slotthrough the hardboard centered overeach plywood dado, as shown inPhoto D.

3 Cut a piece of maple toY4x 3/sxI2"; then cut two 3"

pieces and one 3 112" piece fromthis blank for the guide bars. For

the hold-down bases, cut a piece of 314"

plywood to IY2xI2". Cut a W' groovedown the center of one face of thisplywood, where dimensioned on thedrawing. Drill two W' holes near opposite ends of the groove, with each holecentered in the groove and W' fromthe end. Cut a 3" piece from each endto make two hold-down bases. Next,glue one guide bar piece in the grooveon each hold-down base. After theglue dries, drill a W' hole through each

You cantaper one side of

a table leg withoutmuch head-scratching,but tapering all four sidesequally presents more of achallenge. With this jig, however, youcan cut all four tapers without changing your setup. You simply rotate yourworkpiece between cuts.

Locate the hold-downs to suit thelength of your workpiece. (The pivotblock can sit at either end of the jig.) I f

your tablesaw has a 10" blade, you canhandle workpieces up to 2" thick.

Time to get started

1 Cut a piece of 314" plywood to thesize shown on Drawing 2, and

then cut a piece of W' hardboard to thesame dimensions for the base.

2 Cut 5/8" dadoes 3 / 16 " deep inone face of the plywood where

dimensioned. Glue the hardboard tothe dadoed face with yellow glue.Now, clamp the assembly betweentwo scraps of plywood to ensure even

pressure. After the glue dries, removethe clamps, set your dado blade for a

6 Ta b l e s a w J i g s' " Ti p s 2007



'/4' washer,file to allow

nut to engagethe rabbet

V4 x 3" panheadmachine screw

3f4 x 12 x 36" plywood

I!IPIVOT BLOCK

The width and adjustability of the taper j igallow you to handle a wide range of angle

cuts. Here, with the jig flipped end-for-end,we're shaping a simple leg.

_ _ _ . - /Four-arm knobwith '/4' insert

.J.---- W' flat washerPivot block i V4 x 1" brass roundhead

~ ' - machine screw,. . . . -: / nut and washer

9/32 " slot . ::;;; " - 0

/ ~V4' groove ~ , i "1

3/'6" deep, centered i V4 x 3/8 X 3'12"

= = - : : - ~ ~ i ~ 9 = - - u i d ebar

o TAPERING JIG

Hold the taper jig tightly against the tablesaw rip fence as you cut . Before start ing

each pass, make certain that your lefthand is well away from the line.

Raise the saw blade \14" above the leg.Butt the jig to the fence, move the fenceuntil the saw blade just clears the leftside of the jig, and then make the cut, as

shown in Photo F. To make each of thethree remaining cuts, loosen the holddown knobs, rotate the leg one-quartertum clockwise (as viewed from the pivoting end), reclamp, and cut.

This jig also serves another purpose,as shown in Photo G. When you needto cut a single taper, mark its start andstop points on the end and edge of yourworkpiece. Remove the indexing pinfrom the end block, and nest the endof the workpiece in the notch. Alignthe marks with the edge of the jig, andclamp. Place your hold-downs againstthe workpiece. Tighten the pivot blockin place, and make the cut.

Tap intotaperingTo taper a leg, cut your workpiece tofinished length, and then rip it to thesquare dimensions that you want for theuntapered section at the upper end. Drawa line on all four faces to mark wherethe taper will begin. Drill a \4" centeringhole 3/s" deep at the center of the bottom end, and add cut lines to show thefinal dimensions of that end, as shown inPhoto E. Draw cut lines on the face connecting the leg-bottom marks with thetaper-start marks, as shown in the photo,both to visualize the final shape, and to

serve as a safety reminder as you pushthe jig across the saw.

Mount the leg centering hole on theindexing pin. Slide the pivot blockuntil the planned outside face of the legaligns with the edge of the jig. Turn theknob to lock the pivot block in place.Now, near the upper end of the leg,align the taper-start cutline with theedge of the jig. Slide the hold-downblocks against the leg, and tighten thenylon nut on each one to set the block's

position. Tighten the top knob on eachhold-down to clamp the leg in place.

SAssemble the hold-downs as

shown. For the pivot block, fIleor grind one edge of the washer flat,as shown on Drawing 2a, and thenassemble the nut, screw, and washer asshown. Adjustable up or down in theslot, this screw serves as an indexingpin. Once set for a particular workpiece, it guarantees that every cut in thesequence is an equal distance from thecenter of the workpiece.

~ 1" plastic knob

~ V4' flat washerHold-down ~ C l a m p

,I." ", V4" nylon nut1/ 2 ~( ~ ~ 0/4 x 1'12 X 3" plywood------- ~ -

4" groove -.......-.-/ : V4 X 3/8 X 3"6" deep, , guide barentered

I4 x 3"-- . . . . . V4" holes 7 /

8" V4" - - - - ~ - - - - - -

panheadachine screw 1 2 " ~~

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7



Dead-on 90 0 crosscut sled

A reliable tablesaw miter gaugehandles a lot of crosscutting tasks,but not all. I t rides in just one slot,and supports the workpiece on just

one sideof

the blade, allowing forslop. This problem disappears, how-

ever, with a well-made crosscutsled. Making right-angle cuttingeasier and safer, our design is bothsimple and cheap to build. And itincludes adjustable, reliable stopsfor repeatable cuts and dead-onaccuracy.

Build a real workhorse

1 Select a flat piece of 3/4" plywood, and cut the platform to

the dimensions shown on Drawing3.

2 Cut two maple pieces for thefence, and cut a ¥s" groove

in the face of one piece, whereshown on Drawing 3a. Glue thetwo blanks together, keeping theedges flush and the groove on the

interior of the lamination. After the

glue dries, cut a W' groove centeredon the S/s" groove. Then, cut a rabbet

D CROSSCUTIING SLED

along the front of the bottom edge anda Vz" groove centered along the topedge.

3 From 314" maple, cut the bladeguard sides and end. Glue and

screw the end to the sides. Now, screwthe blade guard to the fence, whereshown on Drawing 3.

4 Cut the front rail from 3;4" maple.Use a jigsaw to cut a notch, where

shown, for the blade to pass through.Attach the front rail and the fence tothe platform with screws.

S Cut, sand, and finish two top bladeguard supports. Using a fme

toothed tablesaw blade, cut a piece of

W' clear acrylic to size for the guardcover. Attach the cover to the supports, the front rail, and the fence.

6From 3/4" maple stock, cut two

strips to serve as miter-slot guidebars. Set your tablesaw rip fence 8lfg"to the right of the blade, and lowerthe blade below the table's surface.

#8 x 3/.' F.H .........

wood screw ""'T

V4'dado

1/4'deep7/a" f rom top edge

Blade guard

#8 x 1V2' F.H.wood screw

T T

'14 x 3'14 x 223/4"3/4 x 3/4 x 161/4' clear acrylic

supports

5/16 X 3/4 x 18"miter-slot guide bars

1fa" shank hole,countersunkT

#8 x 1/2' F.H. wood screw

3/4 X 18x30"

plywood

Top blade guardT

1'\#8 x

1'12"F.H.wood screw

(3"

t

Front rail

Platform

8 Ta b l e s a w J igs &: Ti p s 2007



L I 13f4" i7/,S" '/8 X V2' slot 1

+1"

! - - - -+ - - -___+__________ ' JScore a line on the acrylic with a knife,and color it with a permanent marker.

Keeping the right end of the platform

against the rip fence, set the sled assembly on the guides. Press down firmly tostick the bars to the platform.

EmINDICATOR DETAIL

V2" groove V's" deep(to fit measuring rule)

L ~ 17 / 8 "

'/4' groove5/1s" deep \ 5/8" groove

\ 3/,S" deep1/a" rabbet ------"""'I I I1/a" deep ----l W' wI------

Hold the workpiece firmly against the fence as you make a cut . Keep your hands outsidethe blade guard, and don' t cu t through its end.

Two pennies shim the miter-slot guide

bars slightly above the tablesaw surface.Place a couple of these stacks in eachmiter-gauge slot , and set the bars on top.

EmFENCE SECTION VIEW

Buying GuideHardware. Stainless steel rules no. 06K20.06; 1W

four-arm plastic knob no. 00M55.30. Call Lee Valley at800/871-8158, or go to www.leevalley.com.

Hold-down with bolt andknob, no. 145831; self-adhesive rule, no. 08Y42. Call Woodcraft at 8001225-1153,or go to www.woodcraft.com.

Written by J im Pollock with Jeff Mertz andKevin BoyleIllustrations: Roxanne LeMoine

to the top of each guide bar, and attachthe bars to the platform, as shown inPhotos H and I. Remove the assemblyfrom the saw, and permanently attachthe bars with screws.

7 Cut a piece for the stopblock,and cut a dado in the back, where

shown. Cut a guide bar, and glue it intothe dado. Drill a shank hole through theblock and bar, where shown. Now, cuta piece of 1/4" acrylic plastic to size forthe stopblock indicator. See Drawing3b. Drill, saw, and file smooth the slot,where shown. Make a cursor line, asshown in Photo A on page 5.

8 Remove the top blade guard,sand the jig, and apply three coats

of finish. Reattach the blade guard,assemble and. install the stopblock,place the crosscut sled on your table

saw, and make a cut from the frontedge through the fence. Use a ruleto set the stopblock 4" from the kerf.Mark the center of the stop block onits top end, align the 4" line on theself-adhesive measuring tape with thatmark, and attach the tape in the fencegroove. Use tin snips to cut of f the portion of the tape extending beyond theleft end of the fence. Place the indicator on the stopblock, align the cursorwith the tape's 4" line, and attach theindicator to the block with a screw.

Now,let's gosleddingI f a workpiece fits between the fenceand the front rail, you can cut it on yourcrosscut sled, as shown in Photo J. Usethe stop block to cut multiple pieces tothe same length, provided that lengthfalls within the stop block's range.Remove the stopblock when cuttingpieces that extend beyond that range.When you install a tablesaw blade of adifferent thickness or with a differenttooth set than the one used to calibrateyour stopblock, check the setting with arule, and adjust the cursor. •

www.woodInagazine.com 9



rip-fence

saddleAn inexpensive, shop-built jig fortop-notch machining and joinery

Bild this auxiliary wood fence andmating saddle to support stiles and otherworkpieces while machining end grain.

Use one hand to push the saddle and work-piece across the blade, and your other hand tokeep the saddle riding firmly on the auxiliary

fence. Wax the mating piecesif

necessary foreasy sliding.

Note: Our auxiliary fence is screwedsecurely to our tablesaw rip fence, with thetop edge of the fence sitting 1" above thetop edge of the sawfence. The auxiliaryfence must be 90° to the saw table. Size yoursaddle support pieces so the saddle ridessmoothly, withoutfree play, along the topedge o f the auxiliaryfence . •

% x 8 x 8" plywoodIllustration: Roxanne LeMoine; Tim CahillPhotograph: Marty Baldwin

% x 2 x 8" stock

Tablesaw rip fence

10

Positioned to cente r the work-piece over the dado blade, the jigis the perfect setup fo r machiningbridle joints or open mortises and

the mating tenons.

'h x 1 x 8" stock(vertical support)

Ta b l e s a w J igs &: Ti p s 2007



how to dean

&IubeyourtablesawDo the moving parts of your mostimportant shop tool offer peakperformance with every push ofthe "on" button? If not, perhaps

a little TLCis in order.After vacuuming most of the dust, blast compressed air into the saw cabinet todislodge the remaining deposits.

If your tablesaw creaks and groanswhen you crank the elevation andblade-tilt wheels, it's long overdue

for an inspection and tuneup. Outlinedhere is the procedure that will get yoursaw moving smoothly again, along withsome important safety issues.

First, clean yourmachineBegin by unplugging the saw. Removethe throat plate, blade guard, and theblade. Inspect the blade for resinbuildup, and clean it if necessary. Makesure that the washer and blade stabilizer(if used) are clean, smooth, and flat.

Removing the drive belt and motorfrom the back of the saw is a fast andeasy step on contractor-style models,and it dramatically improves access to

the saw's interior for cleaning andlubrication. A shop vacuum with acrevice attachment will remove most of

the chips, and an old paintbrush willhelp loosen stubborn pockets of dust.Tilt the arbor assembly to dump moredust, and use a couple of blasts of

compressed air to complete the job.Make especially certain that you'veremoved all dust near the stops that limitthe tilt control so you'll get full travel.

I f the worm gears or the rows of teethhave any residue, scrub them with abrass brush. For really tough build-up,you may have to dip the brush in paintthinner. Keep the solvent away from the

arbor bearings, which are usually sealedand need no lubrication. Afterward, wipe


Apply paste w ax t o the gearing with atoothbrush, and then remove as much aspossible. Your goal is to achieve a thinfilm with no visible residue.

any remaining residue from the wormgears in preparation for the next step.

Timefor a lubejobAfter all of the gearing is clean,lubricate it with a non-silicone automotive paste wax applied with a toothbrush.Also wax the curved slots in the frontand rear trunnions. Run the til t andelevation controls through several fullranges of motion, and remove all thewax, leaving only a thin film.

Push a plastic straw tip onto a spraycan of white lithium grease, andlubricate the pivots of the arbor assembly

(where it swings upward) and the shaftsbehind the worm gears. This aerosol,

A plastic straw delivers aerosol whitelithium grease with precision. This lubri-cant sprays and penetrates like a liquid,and congeals into grease.

available at auto-parts stores, sprays andpenetrates like a liquid and congeals intogrease. Again, wipe off all the lubricantyou can with a rag.

Inspect the arbor flange, makingcertain that it's clean and smooth. Turnthe arbor by hand, and try to wiggle it.Any noise or sideways play indicates aproblem with the bearings that requiresimmediate attention.

Blow any dust out of the fence-lockingmechanism. Give the fence and theentire surface of the table and theextension wings a coat of non-siliconepaste wax or a special product like

Boeshield T-9. (Visit boeshield.com,or call 800/962-1732.) •

11



Shoulder

PROUDPANEL

Pros • can decorate shoulderwith profile router bits

Cons • bevels are a bit moredifficult to sand

'V.' raised panels

'VB" rabbet'14" deep

Shoulder

) 1r

BACK-CUTPANEL

Pros • shoulder detailcatches the eye

C o n s ' bevels are a bit moredifficult to sand

3 / B" rabbetsV4" deep

3 POPULAR PANEL STYLES TO CHOOSE FROM

PLAIN-BEVELPANEL

Pros • contemporary look• easy-to-sand bevels

Cons • no panel detail to

catch the eye

Mark the bevelsLooking at the end of the panel blank, layout the desired bevel using a sliding bevelsquare. Also, i f your panel needs a tongueand rabbet lay them out, at this time.

Preparingthe

panelsBefore cutting the door panels to size, matchthe wood tones and arrange the grainpatterns for best appearance. For example,center the cathedral (inverse V) pattern onnarrow, single-board panels. When gluingup wider panels, use pieces cut from thesame board for consistent grain and color.

Next, decide which style of panel youwant, one that's flush with the frame, calleda back-cut panel (see the drawing at right);or a proud panel (with the panel raised abovethe frame). All will give your panels acustom look. Glue up the stock needed tomake your panel blanks. Then, cut yourpanels to finished size.Note: To minimize wood movement, wesuggest using boards no wider than 5" whengluing up yourpanels.

Cutraised panelswith a tablesawFor the woodworker who doesn't have arouter table or the budget for expensiveraised-panel bits, cutting raised panels onthe tablesaw is an effective alternative. This

method does have one drawback: You'llneed to invest time and elbow grease intofinish-sanding the panel bevels.

To solve the challenge of supportingpanels safely while cutting bevels, make theeasy-to-build panel-cutting sled shownin Drawing 1 and 2 on the opposite page.

Rised panels have long been viewedas signs of fine craftsmanship-perhaps because they appear difficult

to make. But as you'll see here, that need notbe the case. We'll show you a method forcutting a raised panel using the tablesaw.Better still, you'll find this method excels atsafety and accuracy.

asafewaytomakeraised

12 Ta b l e s a w J igs & Tips 2007



Build the basic sledCombine scrap material with a few hardware items and you'llhave a jig destined for a lifetime of service. To make the sledfollow these simple steps:1 Cut two pieces of 3/4' MDF to the dimensions in the MaterialsList to make the upright (A) and base (8). Scrollsaw or bandsaw

the1W

radii on two corners of (8), cutting outside the line, andthen sanding to it.2 Using a dado blade, cut two 3 / 4" dadoes W' deep in the top ofthe base, where shown Drawing 1.3 After adding a sacrificial auxiliary fence to your saw fence, cuta rabbet :¥4" wide and W' deep along the bottom edge of theupright (A) where shown.4 Next, drill 5116" holes in the upright (A) and at the ends of theslot locations in the base. Layout the sides of the slots, andscrollsaw them to shape with a #12 blade.S Cut two braces (C), as dimensioned in Drawing 2.6 Drill 5/32" pilot holes, and then glue and screw the sled togetherusing #8x1W brass screws, where shown. Tip: Use brassscrews anytime a jig's screws are close to the saw blade.

Now add the extras1 Cut the guide strip (D) to fit your miter-gauge slot in depthand width. Trim the piece to 28" long, and drill countersunkW' holes centered on the strip 3" from each end. Now, attachthe guide strip to the base using the hardware shown.2 Cut the upright stops (E) to size, and drill the hole and

counterbore hole, wl:lere shown in Drawing 2. Secure thestops to the ends of upright (A).3 Cut the clamping bar (F) to size and drill 5116" holes, whereshown. Layout and shape the clamping bar curve, as shownin Drawing 1, using a bandsaw. Sand smooth.4 Next, attach the clamping bar to the sled using thehardware shown. Tip: If you have trouble finding extra-longmachine screws, cu t two pieces of all-thread. Then securethe four-arm knobs to the screws using 5-minute epoxy.S Remove the hardware and the clamping bar and guidestrip, and sand all parts to 150-grit. Now apply two coats offinish, sanding between coats with 180-grit abrasive.6 Cut a piece of adhesive-backed 120-grit sandpaper, andapply it to the sled face, as shown in Drawing 1.7 Reassemble the sled.

f - - - - - - - 2 8 " - - - - - - - - - - - o - j

3 " Z~ :;;Y-<-'::j

V.-20 x 2" F.H. machine screw---"",I

10/8" ! V 1 6 " ~ O l e__~

! - ' : ' - -" ' -" ' - . . . . : : : . . : ; : : : . . : . . : .= ' - ' ' ' ' -=-=-- , - - - - - - - - - - - ' ; ' - -1" 1V..'- - - - _ - - I _ . ~

o SLED PARTS VIEW

Materials key: MDF-medium-density fiberboard, M-maple.Supplies: #8x1 W', #8x1" brassflathead wood screws; V,-20x2" (2),V4-20x4 W' (2) flathead machinescrews; V,-20 four-arm knobs(4); V4' flat washers (8); 1V2xo/a"

compression springs (2); V,-20knife thread insert (2); 4"adhesivebacked 120-grit sandpaper.Blades and bits:Stack dado cutter.

R=1W' r - 1 . ~ - - - - - - 2 : ® " B - s e - - - - - · h!V16" slot

~ J1V2

'/4:" dadoes U

14"_ j 4 ~ :t 7 ~ j pU PANEL-CUTTINGSLED EXPLODEDVIEW " , 1 W b m " k : 11 W _ ' _ , 1

1V4' F.H. wood screw ; - i

___ ~ . . . J - . - ) E i %2'Curve on this edge :0 ... ,"" 1"....... L. pilot hole

%-20 x 41/2' F.H.~

''.''

maC-lhinescre;our_arm 'V16" hole . ' ; ' ' ' t ~ c 2 k ~ ~ a 1 d ~ i - ~ ~ f - ' · " " " - -®" I sandpaper U ri ht

/ knob F 29.......

1" "- --. P g. . ~ " .

__ .. #8 x 1" b ~ ! i s-- " " " F o ~ ~ ~ r m: : . : - - = = ~ r --. '''. F.H. wood screwV4' flat washer C o m p r e s s i ~ ~~ ? '::.: . __ 3"

1" spnng ( ""V4' flat washer E Ij:_ .

!Va" counterbore V4' deep with a I ~0/16" hole centered inside -""'"0/.

%-20 knife thread insert

0/..' rabbet V4' deep

www.woodmagazine.com 13



D PANEL KERFS DEFINE SHOULDERS

PANELFACE

, \

; I

Adjustthe bladeto matchyourbevelPlace the panel into the sled with the exterior face out. To adjust the angle andheight of the saw blade, sight down the blade, and align it with the layoutmarks, as shown below. Clamp a test piece into the sled and run it through.Readjust the settings until the angle and bevel thickness are dead-on accurate.

To cut a raised panel with shoulders(the square lip on the face of the panel),first adjust the tablesaw's fence 1%" fromthe blade. Cut a saw kerf Vg"deep (3/16"deep if making proud panels) and 1%"from all four edges and ends of the panel'sface, as shown in Drawing 3. This kerfwill determine the shoulder location.

Set up the sled for smooth,accurate cutsFor your sled to function well, it must slideparallel to the saw blade with its upright ata right angle to the saw's tabletop. Witheither out of alignment, scoring and

burning will occur. The following set-upprocedure assumes that your miter-gaugeslot aligns parallel with your saw blade. I f

not, make that adjustment.Then, with a steel rule, measure the

distance from the saw blade to the sled'supright. Move the sled side to side asneeded so the distance between the bladeand the sled is the same as the panel'stongue (and rabbet) thickness. When theupright is the correct distance from theblade, and parallel to the blade, tightendown the knobs in the guide strip. Now,adjust the blade bevel. See "Adjust theblade to match your bevel," above.

Let'scut a raisedpanelClamp your panel into the sled, exteriorface out, and cut the bevels. Panels can

be cut in four passes through the saw.First , cut across the end grain to reducechip-out. Then cut the bevels on thepanel edges. Move through the blade at aconsistent speed, slowing down only ifthe saw strains.Note:-lf your saw bogs down in the cut,you may need to use a thin-kerfblade or

make the cut in stages, using successively deeper passes.

Sandthe panel bevelsRemove any saw marks with 100-gritsandpaper and a hardwood block.Finish-sand the bevels with 150- andnO-grit sandpaper. Take care whensanding not to remove the ridge at theintersection of the bevels. Stain thepanels before you assemble the door.

A %" round-nose bi t creates a distinct panel.

%" round-noserouter bit set tocut Va" deep

-_.- - --

, ; . 3 ~ ' _ r a b b e t%" deep

d ~F ~ I S H E I : >~ ~ N T O ~ R~ ~ ~ ~ - _..

'""\c- _

Adddetail to yourraisedpanelsAfter raising the panelon your tablesaw, usea 14" round-nose bit inyour router table to detail the square shoulderon the face of the panel.Set the bit 15/8" from thefence, as shown at right.Then rout the detail,starting with the endgrain first, followed bythe edge grain.




best-evershoptipsfor tablesawsUSE CLAMP-ON EDGE GUIDE FOR STRAIGHT-EDGED RIP CUTS

I tried several methods for ripping rough-edged boards on mytablesaw with mixed success. Then, while I was using a clamp-onaluminum edge guide and my circular saw to cut up some plywood, it occurred to me that the answer to my ripping dilemmawas actually right in front of me.

Now, to rip a straight edge on a board, I fust clamp the edgegu ide to the wo rkpi ece so it overhangs the edge of the boardslightly. With th e ed ge g ui de l in ed up f irmly aga inst thetablesaw fence, I get straight-edged rips every time.

By the way, I have a 48"-long Tru-Grip Clamp'n Tool Guide,

available through many woodworking catalog companies. Theguide also comes in 24" and 36" lengths.- G l e n n Sperry, Vista, Calif.

CUT COMPOUND MITERS EASILY WITH THIS TABLESAW JIG

Here's a way to cut compound miterpicture frames without an expensivecompound mitersaw. Start by making an18x28" base from a piece of Yz" plywood.Attach parallel miter-gauge guides to thebottom. Then, push this base through thesaw blade to create a kerf that extendsabout 12" across the plywood.

Using this kerf as a centerpoint, screwthe two fence pieces and the two angleblocks to the base, as shown in the drawing. You can bevel the angle blocks at anyangle you like, but 25° works well for mostpicture frames. Now, clamp or hold your

picture-frame moldings against the fenceand cut the compound angle by pushing thejig and the frame stock through the tablesaw blade.

-David Mattichak, Port Republic, Va.


SECTION VIEW

15



. . .- - - - - - - - - - - - - CAULKING GUN MAKES A SURE-SHOOTIN' HOLD-DOWN

¥4 X 1¥4 X 18" hardwood channels

45°chamfer

Bend tabs90° afterinserting

. : ~ through slots.

HARDWOOD CHANNEL DETAIL

'Or, so slide block slides freely

CLAMP"DETAIL

Open caulking- - ~ ...-....gun handle.

Cut offexcess gunparts.#8 x 3f4" P.H. ... Hole drilledwood screw ~ f o rgun shaft

ReattachCut slots to Z ( . / / pad afteraccommodate gun. ~ assembly.~

~ o Nylon nutUHMW self-adhesiveon end of pad

1 W' -thick )

saw-blade guard(centered overblade path)

3f4 X 0/'16 x 19V2"

hardwood miter-gauge guide strip 1

3f4 x 19V2 x 24" plywood base 1

When designing a panel-cutting jig for my tablesaw, I wanted a way to

clamp a workpiece fIrmly into the jig. I found the solution in the paintdepartment of a discount store.

I bought an ordinary bar-style caulking gun for less than $3, threaded offthe nylon nut that holds the plunger pad to the rod, and attached the clamp to

a hardwood block as shown in the Clamp detail drawing at right. The blockmoves back and forth in a channel on the panel jig, which I built as shown.

To use the clamp, I simply slide it over my workpiece. A few quick

squeezes of the trigger secures the piece for a safe cut.-Rusty Bentzinger, Leighton, Iowa

MAKE STRONGER DOORS WITH YOUR TABLESAW

-------------

Rail

1 ---- '!4 x 1"-longtR:==:=11 tenon

r - - - - _ YStep 1f- Cut a %" groove

V2" deep alonginside edgeof frame.

When building frame-and-paneldoors, I make them extra strongby making the tenons long. Ratherthan chisel out the deep mortises,you can cut them on a tablesaw.

Inthe stile, center a

Y4"

-deepgroove for the panel with yourdado blade. Then, raise thetablesaw cutting depth up to I".Measure the width of your tenonand clamp a stopblock to yourtablesaw fence, as shown atfarright. Then, run the stile grooveside down over the dado blade to

the stopblock.- E r v Roberts, Des Moines, Iowa

16 T a b l e s a w J igs ok Ti p s 2007



RIP FENCE GLIDES ALONGSMOOTHLY ON WHEELS - - - - - - .

TO JOINT LONG PIECES OF MATERIAL,. . . . . - - - - - - - TUNE IN TO J-CHANNEL

EXTENSION TABLE PULLS EXTENDED DUTYI already have my router mounted in the extension wing of my tablesawto save space. But when I wanted to build a downdraft sanding table, Ifigured out a way to ge t triple duty out of the extension and opening.

First, I cu t a second acrylic insert the exact size of the one for my router.Then, I marked out and drilled a gridwork of 5 /16" holes spaced 3/4" apart inthe insert. Next , I bui lt a dus t box, as shown at left. Finally, I glued thebox to the bot tom of the acrylic insert.

Now when I need to sand a project , I l if t out the router, drop in the sanding insert, connect the dust-collection hose, and sand away. My shop stayscleaner, and I sti ll have room to move around. -Mar t in Beijer, Castak, Calif.

Aluminum J-channel(¥4 x 1W' aluminum anglealso would work)

Saw blade

Saw offrough edge.

tk'Saw off flange.

1 j]AluminumJ-channel

I needed to put a straight edge on a long piece of stock, but becausethe piece was longer than my jointer's tables, I didn't have muchluck. I headed to the hardware store and bought an 8' length of alu

minum I-channel (nornlally used with aluminum siding).I sawed offthe flange, as shown below, and attached the

I-channel to my board with cloth-backed double-faced tape.Keeping the channel against my tablesaw's rip fence, I then cut astraight edge on the opposite edge of the stock.

With this one 8' piece of I-channel, I've found that I can jointstock up to 10' long. The tape will keep its tack for many boardsi f you wipe the dust from the wood before applying the channel.

- R o n Radecki, Grand Rapids, Mich.

.cR\:' insert hole--:.. - Dust box is glued

or siliconed tobottom side ofinsert plate.

'/2 x 2" stock

Hole centered . . ..........

in bottom -:::::---.::::- - 1 :Va" plywood1 ' , . ( bottom

Dust collection -sonnector or PVC #6 x 1" F.H. wood screwtube siliconedinto hole in bottom Dust collection

16" holes spaced approximately :v.' apartAcrylic insert~ plate (same size

~ ~ " i ' : . ~ : : ' " i ~ ~ ~ ~ ; ' ' : . ~ ~as router plate). _ ~ ' : . ~ ~ ~ ~ \ % ~ : . : . ' : . ' : . - .Tablesaw

extension

Self-tapping sheet-metal screws

1 )

The rip fence on my Powermatic 66 tablesaw didn'tglide as smoothly across the tabletop as I liked, so Imade a $S improvement. I bought a 2" fixed rubber

caster at the hardware store and attached it to the bottomof the far end of the fence, as shown below. The wheelrolls on the angle iron attached to the back of the saw. Iput a spacer between the cas ter and the fence to give me1/32" clearance above the tabletop. The fence now glideseffortlessly across the table.

-William Marazita, Santa Barbara, Calif.

www.woodmagazine.com 17..



TRIM PANELS FLUSH WITH A RABBETED. . .- - - - - - - - - - - - TABLESAW FENCE

SUPPORT TABLESAW SHELVES WITHANGLE-IRON RAILS

GLUE SETSCREWS FOR A TEMPORARY GRIP

Bolt shelvesto angle iron.

Every time you switch from the miter gaugeto the rip fence, you have to walk acrossthe shop to put one or the other down. Thenthere's the problem of where to store thepushstick and other tablesaw accessories.Solve this dilemma by building a pair of

shelves below your tablesaw top, using twopieces of angle iron and some 3/4" plywoodor particleboard. Cut two pieces of Ysxlxl"angle iron as long as the total length of yourtablesaw top, extensions included. Mountthe angle iron just above the joint where thelegs and the saw enclosure meet, using threeequally spaced 5 / 16X2" machine bolts. (I f thesaw's power switch or handle interferes, boltthe angle iron to the legs.)

Attach the shelves to the angle iron usingY4" machine screws, lock washers, and nuts.Countersink the heads of the screws into theshelves. A strip of lx 2 glued and screwed tothe outside end of each shelf will keep accessories from falling off.

-Marvin Ring, Corvallis, Ore.

QUICK SAWING TIPS

• Keep the good side of stock up when cutting on

a tablesaw, bandsaw, scrollsaw, radial-arm saw, orcompound mitersaw. With a portable circular saw orhandheld jigsaw, the good side should face down.

• Place a feather board in front of the blade on atablesaw. If it's next to the blade, it can pinch the stockbeing sawn against the blade, causing kickback.

flush. I f you don't have a flush-trimrouter bit, is hand-planing the onlysolution? I f you own a tablesaw,

you're just an auxiliary fence awayfrom a super-quick solution. Makea Ix6" wooden auxiliary fence foryour tablesaw and cut a rabbet inits face exactly as wide as the kerfof your blade. Attach the auxiliaryfence to your regular rip fence andposition it so that the outside edgeof the blade is flush with theoutside face of the auxiliary fence,as shown in the drawings at left andbelow. Then, run your workpiecealong the fence to trim off theexcess edging. We used a 50-tooth,carbide-tipped blade for clean,splinter-free results.

- f r o m the WOOD® magazine shop

Rip.:fence

Woodenauxiliary

fence

My tablesaw's throat insertused to cause me a lot of grief.Vibration loosened the setscrews

over time, and the insert droppeddown below the tabletop. WhenI tried to rip a board, the bottomedge of the forward end wouldcatch, resulting in an end graintear-out.

To keep the setscrews firmly inplace, I put a dab of Loctjte 242on the threads. The thread-lockerprevents the setscrews frommoving, but a hearty twist withan allen wrench break& the bond.

- R . J . Lemerise, Utic'li, Mich.

You've glued some solid-woodedging on a set of plywood panels,and now it's time to trim the edging




CLEAN-CUT LIDS FOR CLOSED BOXES CUT SLATS FOR TOY TRUCKS EASILY

QUICKTIP

Set the dado blade heightto the same thickness asthe slat piece; then ripspaces to form slats.

• Don't have a container to put your circular-saw blades in forcleaning? Aplastic oil-change pan from an auto-parts storeworks just great.

Space and glue stakesacross slat piece with ~ - - - . E : : : ' ~ ~ ~

bottoms sticking out.

Slat piece

I build lots of toy cars and trucks, so I' m alwayslooking for simpler and faster building techniques.One particularly time-consuming job was rippingand gluing up thin strips for making slatted, stake

side panels for. truck beds. My solution: Glue thestakes to a solid piece of stock the size of thefinished slats, as shown below. When the gluedries, cut away the material between the slats witha dado set and tablesaw. This wastes a little morestock, but the time saved makes it worthwhile.

-Richard Rosencrans, Cody, Wyo.

SAFETY TONGUE HELPS INSERT STAY PUT

I read on your WOODOnline® (woodmagazine.com) forum groupsabout homemade zero-clearance tablesaw inserts sent flying whencaught by the blade. To prevent this, attach q safety tongue to theoutfeed end of the insert, as shown below. Tip the insert so thetongue catches under the saw table and drop the insert in place.

- D a v e Goldthorp, Dunrobin, Onto

One big problem with cutting the lid from a closed box on atablesaw is that the box and lid become more unstable as subsequentcuts are made. The bigger the box, the more potential for bindingand gouging and the more dangerous the operation becomes for

the woodworker.For several years I've made boxes as small as 4" square and 2"

deep for jewelry and other pieces and as large as l6x24x48" forblankets and toys.

For safe, stable lid cuts, I raise the saw blade to the correct cutting height (slightly greater than the stock thickness) and cut the twolong sides first. Next, I apply a small amount of hotmelt glue to eachkerf, where shown in the inset illustration below. I then make theend cuts and separate the box and lidby cutting the glue with a sharp utilityknife. I also use the knife to peel orshave away the glue before sanding toremove the saw marks.

- J o h n Ash, Lockport, III.

www.woodmagazine .com 19...



USE PLAYING CARDS TO MICRO-ADJUST YOUR TABLESAW FENCE

Insert a playing cardbetween the fence andthe block for fineadjustments.

My tablesaw fence doesn't have a microadjustment knob, but that doesn't stop mefrom making finely tuned cuts. To makea cut on the money, I make a test cut inscrap and check the measurement. Then, Islide a wooden block against the inboardor outboard side of the fence-<iependingon which way I need to adjust the cu t - and

clamp the block to the saw table. Next, Iloosen the fence, insert a playing card or twobetween the block and the fence, relock thefence, and make another test cut.

- K e n Kerns,Fairview, N.C.

TRY COFFEE-CAN LIDS AS SAW-BLADE SPACERS

If you stack your tablesaw or circular-saw blades for storage or transport themto a sharpener, you need spacers between them to prevent the carbide teethfrom chipping each other. But rather than go to the trouble and expense of cutting out hardboard or plywood spacers, just save a few of the plastic lids thatcome on three-pound coffee cans. Bore a hole the size of your saw's arbor inthe center of these, and place them between your blades.

- K e n Kraft, Boise, Idaho

Coffee-can lid withhole drilled

in center

CUSTOM PUSH BLOCK SAFER FOR SMALL PIECES

FRONT VIEW

I needed to chamfer the edges of a small block of wood to make a decorativepost cap. But when I tried to use my regular pushstick, the tablesaw blade

twisted the block away from thefence, gouging the workpiecebeyond repair.

To keep the workpiece undercontrol, I built a custom pushblockfrom 2x4 scrap, as shown at left.By cutting a notch in the scrap to

fit the workpiece, the pushblockholds the work firmly when makingthe cut and prevents the saw bladefrom twisting and pulling the stockaway from the fence.

-Richard Rosencrans, Cody, Wyo.

Workpiece

Cut notch depth V32"

less than the thicknessof the workpiece.

Saw blade tilted to 45°3:"']'

Cut notch to fit workpiece.

"

20 T a b l e s a w Jigs '" Ti p s 2007



EXTEND THE SCOPE OF YOUR TABLESAW

When making repetitive tablesawcrosscuts, you typically clamp astop on a miter-gauge auxiliaryfence and cut with confidence. Butwhat do you do when the length ofthe cut extends beyond the face ofthe miter gauge? To solve the problem, I made a telescoping stop formy saw, as shown at right.

In a length of W' steel pipe,I drilled a pair of holes for theknurled knobs, where indicated inthe drawing at right top, tappedthem, and threaded a knob intoeach. Then, in one end of a 1/2"

steel rod about the same length as

the pipe, I drilled a W' hole andattached a bolt as shown at right.I drilled and tapped holes in thebottom of my tablesaw top andused metal strapping to secure thepipe to the table. Now, with therod inserted in the pipe, I can slide

the stop out to whatever length I needand tighten it in place with the knobs.When not in use, the stop slides allthe way into thesteel pipe.

- D a v i d Mattichak, Port Republic, Va.

1/2' steel pipe fastened tobottom of tablesaw table

STOP DETAIL qjJCut off head.---"""

, Vi ' steel pipe

\

W' steel rod

Knurled knob (threaded into pipe)

I like to make my own cove moldings onmy tablesaw, but I found myself spendinga lot of time in trial and error setting upthe auxiliary fence for the cut. To makeit easier to find the exact location forthe diagonal fence, I cut a piece 0;- ;,ardboard the same diameter as my tablesawblade and mount it on the arbor. Then, Idraw the exact radius of the cove on the

Cove mar1<ed on en d o f stock

Cut hardboardtemplate to the same

diameter as saw blade.


HERE'S A NEW ANGLE ON CUTTING COVE MOLDINGS

end of the stock and raise the hardboardtemplate "blade" to the full depth of thecove. By sighting around the templateand aligning the stock so the markedcove matches the template, I can quicklyposition and clamp the fence.

-Michae l Burton, Ogden, Utah

Saw blade

21



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ARBOR LOCKUICK RELEASERIVING KNIFE &GUARD SYSTEM

INTEGRATEDRETRACTABLE

CASTOR SYSTEM

History ha s a tendency of repeating itself and it has with t h e r ev o lu ti o ni z in gPOWERMATIC PM2000 10 " Tablesaw. Following it s time-honored Model 66, th eP M 20 00 h as it all an d then some. Equipped with t he i n du s tr y' s f ir s t a r bo r lock,an integrated caster system, a true quick release riving knife a nd b la de g ua rdsystem, this machine is a powerhouse. Backed with the indust ry ' s most durable5-year warranty, this l in e c om es in 12 variations. Find t he m od el most suitable

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best of woodworkers tablesaw jigs and tips

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