Circular saw cross cutting jig ... lessons learnt

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gidon

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I found a jig that I made following some info in this thread so useful that I thought I'd make a larger version with a angle gauge along the lines of this one (I think Alf pointed out).

I knocked up the jig and proceeded to try it out on a 1" wide scrap of oak. Next thing I knew I had an almighty bruise on my finger (felt like I had done something far worse!) The wood had been pulled up with a tremendous force and trapped my finger between the base and the oak rail. I really couldn't figure out what had happened. Only now, 2 weeks later (hols and work getting in the way), do I know what happened. I had taken a casual glance at the above link but made the jig to my own spec and had positioned the fence at the back - pushing the saw forward. Of course I was sliding the saw away from the fence with the direction of the blade. So the piece had moved and whipped the wood up from the jig base. Obvious really and looking closely at the above link I realise that the saw is being pushed towards the fence - I just quickly looked at the pics and went off to my workshop - with the wrong picture in my head of what I was making.

Ah well, lessons learnt - now need to flip the fence round. All this to save money and space in my workshop not buying a large capacity mitre saw.

Just thought I'd let you all know just in case someone makes the same mistake ...

Cheers

Gidon
 
Gidon,

Ouch. :shock: Glad it was just a bruise, and thanks for passing on the "watch out for...". One day I'll get a Tuit and make one. Probably. :roll:

Cheers, Alf
 
I bought a M.A.C. mitre board from QVC. It's a Canadian made jig for turning any circular saw into a radial arm saw with an 18" cross cut capacity. One rail is fixed & the other can be moved to accomodate any width saw base or it can by used for housings with a router.
I had seen it demonstrated so made a larger one with fixed rails for my router. This cuts up to 24" boards.
The advantage with the plastic MAC board is that it has an adjustable mitre fence that can be set to any angle.
By moving the saw to an angle & the mitre fence as well, you can make compound mitre cuts with a saw.
 
Thanks Dewy - that MAC one is what I've based the jig I've made + ideas from the popular mechanics one. Still needs some work - I'm a little cautious of it since the mishap - even though it's sorted now.

Thanks Alf for your sentiments - good as new now.

Cheers

Gidon
 
I made one using contiboard as the board with a front & back fence 1" high & 2 bits of 3x2 with a rebate screwed on at right angles to take the router.
I intend making another with a long fence that sticks past the board to take adjustable stops for repeat cuts to make all workpieces the same.

One idea I had was to have some holes accurately drilled in the fence to fit dowel in as stops so when you have cut all the housings on one setting you can move the stop for the next set of housings.

It just takes a little thought before making a jig as to what features you want in one then add them.
I spent all my adult working life as a tool maker & was able to make a jig for woodworking in my lunch break when I was using a milling machine.
My son only said today that I should have patented it 15 years ago & retired on the proceeds after selling the patent. lol
After buying a small wardrobe from MFI 30 years ago I realised that I could make chipboard 'furniture' a lot better & cheaper than I could buy them. I could get Homebase or B&Q to use their panel saws to cut everything to size (at no extra cost) then found the hardest part was accurately lining up the screw holes. The jig was the result. I can accurately drill both clearance & screw holes on the end, at right angle or the middle of boards up to 18" wide & could be used from the other side of the board for widths up to 36". I made fitted kitchen units from floor to ceiling & wardrobes the same & they were all fitted together in situ
Since going back to using real wood I realised that with a slight modification the jig can be used for dowel joints & has been used successfully to locate tops to cupboards with no visible means of support.
 
Some good ideas there Dewy.
I have my right hand rail glued and screwed and the left hand just screwed, so can just unscrew and adjust for different sized saws/routers. Not very sophisticated but works!
Cheers
Gidon
 
The most sophisticated tool in the world is useless if it doesn't work.

Unsophisticated tools that work are infinitely preferable. ;)
 
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