Folks -

I always end up painting myself into a corner on this one. I am building a
number of small boxes with matching grain on mitered corners. How do I cut
the miter safely. I have a 12" double tilting SCMS, but the box ends are
only about 5" long so my hand is too close to the blade for comfort. I have
the saw tilted toward the "narrow" side rather than the 135 degree side to
combat earlier problems with tearout and material damage ( there are rabbits
on both the top and bottom of the workpiece) Redwood splits and splinters
out very easily...

I could set up the table saw to crosscut the miter using the miter guage,
but I still have the same concerns.... I've done it, but it just didn't
*feel* safe, so I stopped.

To make the grain match perfectly on all four corners, I ripped 8/4 stock in
half vertically, then the inside faces of the two pieces are turned to face
outside, and then one side and one end are cut from each piece. If you are
*VERY* careful with this set up and cut the miters as close to the final
size as possible then you can have continious grain on all four corners of
the box. If you have to trim the parts very much at all, the effect is
considerably reduced.

I guess I could double stick tape the workpieces to some longer sacraficial
stock, but thought I'd ask y'all's 2c worth here. I didn't leave the stock
long and then cut each box side off sequentially as I want the grain to
match and didn't think I could get each side *dead on* that way. If it
weren't a big deal, I think that would be the way to go.

Thanks in advance for your remarks....

John Moorhead
Lakeport, CA

On Thu, 11 Dec 2003 16:13:43 GMT, "john moorhead"
wrote:


Thanks in advance for your remarks....

Lion Miter Trimmer.


Regards, Tom
Thomas J. Watson-Cabinetmaker
Gulph Mills, Pennsylvania
http://users.snip.net/~tjwatson

My Makita comes with clamps on the fence that you can be used to clamp small
pieces to the table so you can get your hands out of the way. That said,
after I made a miter sled for my table saw, I rarely use the Makita for 45d
miters any longer.

Nice thing about the sled design I have is that even if each cut is not
precisely 45d, if you cut in the right sequence, you get the complementary
angle that insures a 90d corner.

The problem then becomes making sure that each side is precisely the same
length, which is solved by stops on the fence of the sled.

IIRC, there are plans for a basic TS miter sled in the latest issue of Wood
magazine on the racks as we speak. It is not as fancy as the one I made, and
it has no blade guard, but it is basically the same idea.

Might want to check it out.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 9/21/03


"john moorhead" wrote in message
Folks -

I always end up painting myself into a corner on this one. I am building
a
number of small boxes with matching grain on mitered corners. How do I
cut
the miter safely. I have a 12" double tilting SCMS, but the box ends are
only about 5" long so my hand is too close to the blade for comfort. I
have
the saw tilted toward the "narrow" side rather than the 135 degree side to
combat earlier problems with tearout and material damage ( there are
rabbits
on both the top and bottom of the workpiece) Redwood splits and splinters
out very easily...

I could set up the table saw to crosscut the miter using the miter guage,
but I still have the same concerns.... I've done it, but it just didn't
*feel* safe, so I stopped.

To make the grain match perfectly on all four corners, I ripped 8/4 stock
in
half vertically, then the inside faces of the two pieces are turned to
face
outside, and then one side and one end are cut from each piece. If you
are
*VERY* careful with this set up and cut the miters as close to the final
size as possible then you can have continious grain on all four corners of
the box. If you have to trim the parts very much at all, the effect is
considerably reduced.

I guess I could double stick tape the workpieces to some longer
sacraficial
stock, but thought I'd ask y'all's 2c worth here. I didn't leave the
stock
long and then cut each box side off sequentially as I want the grain to
match and didn't think I could get each side *dead on* that way. If it
weren't a big deal, I think that would be the way to go.

Thanks in advance for your remarks....

John Moorhead
Lakeport, CA

I've wanted one of these since I saw them.


http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...gory=1,42 884

hoping to have one under the tree


"john moorhead" wrote in message
news:XI0Cb.510917$Fm2.492381@attbi_s04...
Folks -

I always end up painting myself into a corner on this one. I am building
a
number of small boxes with matching grain on mitered corners. How do I
cut
the miter safely. I have a 12" double tilting SCMS, but the box ends are
only about 5" long so my hand is too close to the blade for comfort. I
have
the saw tilted toward the "narrow" side rather than the 135 degree side to
combat earlier problems with tearout and material damage ( there are
rabbits
on both the top and bottom of the workpiece) Redwood splits and splinters
out very easily...

I could set up the table saw to crosscut the miter using the miter guage,
but I still have the same concerns.... I've done it, but it just didn't
*feel* safe, so I stopped.

To make the grain match perfectly on all four corners, I ripped 8/4 stock
in
half vertically, then the inside faces of the two pieces are turned to
face
outside, and then one side and one end are cut from each piece. If you
are
*VERY* careful with this set up and cut the miters as close to the final
size as possible then you can have continious grain on all four corners of
the box. If you have to trim the parts very much at all, the effect is
considerably reduced.

I guess I could double stick tape the workpieces to some longer
sacraficial
stock, but thought I'd ask y'all's 2c worth here. I didn't leave the
stock
long and then cut each box side off sequentially as I want the grain to
match and didn't think I could get each side *dead on* that way. If it
weren't a big deal, I think that would be the way to go.

Thanks in advance for your remarks....

John Moorhead
Lakeport, CA

Too bad you didn't live in Ottawa - at the "Used, display, and damaged"
table there was a mitre cutter like that for about 1/2 the price. Not sure
what is/was wrong with it though - likely a nick in the blade for a discount
of that magnitude.


"js" wrote in message
...
I've wanted one of these since I saw them.



http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...2922&category=
1,42884

hoping to have one under the tree

aww man! nice!



"Rob" wrote in message
...
Too bad you didn't live in Ottawa - at the "Used, display, and damaged"
table there was a mitre cutter like that for about 1/2 the price. Not
sure
what is/was wrong with it though - likely a nick in the blade for a
discount
of that magnitude.


"js" wrote in message
...
I've wanted one of these since I saw them.




http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...2922&category=
1,42884

hoping to have one under the tree

john moorhead wrote:

I could set up the table saw to crosscut the miter using the miter guage,
but I still have the same concerns.... I've done it, but it just didn't
*feel* safe, so I stopped.

Like Swingman said, miter sled. For that kind of work, you'll want one of
the versions with the triangle pointing toward the back of the table.

They work great. Even with my horrible POS table saw I can get miters that
band clamp together with no stray points sticking out, and no distressingly
large gaps. Some minute gaps still, but the table saw is a boat anchor,
and this is as high as the bar goes.

--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/

"Silvan" writes:

john moorhead wrote:

I could set up the table saw to crosscut the miter using the miter
guage,
but I still have the same concerns.... I've done it, but it just didn't
*feel* safe, so I stopped.

Like Swingman said, miter sled.

You betcha.

You can cheat to make one.

Cut a corner from a sheet of 3/4" plywood, say 18" on each side and mount on
a sled base.

Check out Fred Bingham's book, "Practical Yacht Joinery", from the library,
for details.

HTH


--
Lew

S/A: Challenge, The Bullet Proof Boat, (Under Construction in the Southland)
Visit: http://home.earthlink.net/~lewhodgett for Pictures

That's what I did, and where I got the idea ... Thanks to you.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 9/21/03


"Lew Hodgett" wrote in message

You can cheat to make one.

Cut a corner from a sheet of 3/4" plywood, say 18" on each side and mount
on
a sled base.

Check out Fred Bingham's book, "Practical Yacht Joinery", from the
library,
for details.

For very accurate casework miters I prefer the TS. You can backup your work
with a sacrificial board attached to your miter gauge to eliminate splintering.
As for holding the cut offs, I like how David Marks holds the piece down with
the eraser end of a pencil as he makes the cut and then moves the piece away
from the blade.

The blade bevel setup is dead simple and super accurate; crosscut a length of
stock, orient the pieces to form a corner and check it for square, adjust as
necessary.

Work safe!

David



In article XI0Cb.510917$Fm2.492381@attbi_s04, john moorhead says...

Folks -

I always end up painting myself into a corner on this one. I am building a
number of small boxes with matching grain on mitered corners. How do I cut
the miter safely. I have a 12" double tilting SCMS, but the box ends are
only about 5" long so my hand is too close to the blade for comfort. I have
the saw tilted toward the "narrow" side rather than the 135 degree side to
combat earlier problems with tearout and material damage ( there are rabbits
on both the top and bottom of the workpiece) Redwood splits and splinters
out very easily...

I could set up the table saw to crosscut the miter using the miter guage,
but I still have the same concerns.... I've done it, but it just didn't
*feel* safe, so I stopped.

To make the grain match perfectly on all four corners, I ripped 8/4 stock in
half vertically, then the inside faces of the two pieces are turned to face
outside, and then one side and one end are cut from each piece. If you are
*VERY* careful with this set up and cut the miters as close to the final
size as possible then you can have continious grain on all four corners of
the box. If you have to trim the parts very much at all, the effect is
considerably reduced.

I guess I could double stick tape the workpieces to some longer sacraficial
stock, but thought I'd ask y'all's 2c worth here. I didn't leave the stock
long and then cut each box side off sequentially as I want the grain to
match and didn't think I could get each side *dead on* that way. If it
weren't a big deal, I think that would be the way to go.

Thanks in advance for your remarks....

John Moorhead
Lakeport, CA

Make yourself a "donkey's ear" shooting board, which is no more than a
vice-mounted jig which will hold the stock at 45 deg and provides a
reference bed along which you run a block plane. Works very well for small
items like your box.

Just had a thought and DAGS, and wouldn't you know it, Jeff Gorman has
covered the DESB on his excellent website. Says it all, but your one
needn't be quite so wide.

http://www.amgron.clara.net/planingp...eysearindex.ht
m

Cheers

Frank


"john moorhead" wrote in message
news:XI0Cb.510917$Fm2.492381@attbi_s04...
Folks -

I always end up painting myself into a corner on this one. I am building
a
number of small boxes with matching grain on mitered corners. How do I
cut
the miter safely. I have a 12" double tilting SCMS, but the box ends are
only about 5" long so my hand is too close to the blade for comfort. I
have
the saw tilted toward the "narrow" side rather than the 135 degree side to
combat earlier problems with tearout and material damage ( there are
rabbits
on both the top and bottom of the workpiece) Redwood splits and splinters
out very easily...

I could set up the table saw to crosscut the miter using the miter guage,
but I still have the same concerns.... I've done it, but it just didn't
*feel* safe, so I stopped.

To make the grain match perfectly on all four corners, I ripped 8/4 stock
in
half vertically, then the inside faces of the two pieces are turned to
face
outside, and then one side and one end are cut from each piece. If you
are
*VERY* careful with this set up and cut the miters as close to the final
size as possible then you can have continious grain on all four corners of
the box. If you have to trim the parts very much at all, the effect is
considerably reduced.

I guess I could double stick tape the workpieces to some longer
sacraficial
stock, but thought I'd ask y'all's 2c worth here. I didn't leave the
stock
long and then cut each box side off sequentially as I want the grain to
match and didn't think I could get each side *dead on* that way. If it
weren't a big deal, I think that would be the way to go.

Thanks in advance for your remarks....

John Moorhead
Lakeport, CA

Swingman wrote:

That's what I did, and where I got the idea ... Thanks to you.

Me too, probably. I got it from some Wrecker. Something about this medium
causes names not to stick very well, and I usually forget who said what
when.

--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/5407/

Snip

IIRC, there are plans for a basic TS miter sled in the latest issue of Wood
magazine on the racks as we speak. It is not as fancy as the one I made, and
it has no blade guard, but it is basically the same idea.

Might want to check it out.

Snip

Well, DUDE, who wants the basic model when you've got the fancy
schmancy one? Howzabout letting us in on the secret?

-Phil Crow

Bannerstone wrote:
As for holding the cut offs, I like how David Marks holds the piece down with
the eraser end of a pencil as he makes the cut and then moves the piece away
from the blade.

I'm convinced it is a camera trick or something. If I don't hold my
workpiece as tight as I can, the piece creeps when I'm cutting

--
************************************
Chris Merrill

(remove the ZZZ to contact me)
************************************

Lew's been pushing "Practical Yacht Joinery" for a good while. I found a
used copy a year or so ago. Good, basic woodworking book with a lot of, as
the title says, "practical" tips and information.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 9/21/03


"Silvan" wrote in message
Swingman wrote:

That's what I did, and where I got the idea ... Thanks to you.

Me too, probably. I got it from some Wrecker. Something about this
medium
causes names not to stick very well, and I usually forget who said what
when.

"Swingman" writes:

Lew's been pushing "Practical Yacht Joinery" for a good while. I found a
used copy a year or so ago. Good, basic woodworking book with a lot of, as
the title says, "practical" tips and information.

That is exactly why I keep suggesting it.

Best $20 I ever spent for a book.

Any book that has a section entitled, "Happiness is a $5.00 table saw" is
definitely practical IMHO.


--
Lew

S/A: Challenge, The Bullet Proof Boat, (Under Construction in the Southland)
Visit: http://home.earthlink.net/~lewhodgett for Pictures

Router table, zero clearance fence and 45 degree chamfer bit.
A jig or two to control the stock and act as a backer board
to minimize tear out is also handy.

Bottom of this page is showing a lock miter bit but a 45
degree chamfer bit will work the same way though you
should probably do the cuts "horizontal" with the parts
flat on the table. Next page has two "sleds/jigs" for
controling the stock while cutting. If you're parts are
at least 3/8 inch thick the lock miter joint might work
for you. Posted a closed lock miter joined box to
a.b.p.w. last week you might want to check out. Let's
you wrap grain around the box and, if the original
board is wide enough, acrossed the top as well.

(all one line so watch the line wrap)

http://home.comcast.net/~charliebcz/...ngCenter4.html

This method also lets you miter thin stock.

Lot's safer than cutting miters on short pieces with the
table saw or miter saw. Like you, I get very uncomfort-
able when my body parts get close to the blade.

You've heard of "phantom limbs" - where an amputee still
"feels" the missing extremity? Well, when I can feel my hair
stand on end I stop doing whatever I was doing and try
to find another way to do whatever I was about to do.

Hope this helps.

charlie b