Is this Safe??????

Hi all,

 

Please can you help -

 

I have only had my table saw a few months and want to use it as safely as possible, hence the purchase of the tenoning jig.

 

I thought i could also use it like a sled for cutting like this, but I am concerned if this is going to give me any issues when I try and cut it.

 

I spent hours tonight getting the tenoning jig set up square, but will this bind when I make my cuts and potentially giving me an injury?

 

Your thoughts please.

 

many thanks - Steve

 

I'm no expert but, I've seen this being done a few times with caution.

 

If I remember correctly, the box has an elastic band around the box and is held with the cutting edge on the far side......(ie, turn your sled to the other side of the table so the cutting blade only cuts the farthest edge.You also have a jig with a back stop to help push the box through the saw without having it shooting back at you.

If you use the clamp as it is, it will cause the wood to bind the blade whereas the elastic band will give a little.

 

Cut each edge then move the elastic band around and then cut the next and so on until you have the last cut to make. You then need to pack the front, top and back with something the thickness of the saw blade, this will keep the box from closing when cutting the last side......Also, make sure the saw blade is just high enough to cut the thickness of the wood, this will help stop a nasty gouge up the front and back edge......if you get my drift.

 

I'm sure somebody who has done this before will give you more details on the correct procedure.

 

Looking good and looking forward to seeing it finished.

 

Marc

Steve

 

If you don't have a bandsaw with sufficient depth of cut then use a handsaw.  You will do it in a fraction of the time it takes just to set up method you propose!  You have to plane and or sand the sawn edge to a finish either way.

 

Richard

Thanks Sparky, although I am not entirley sure what you mean!

 

Richard - with regret my hand skills are not very good , that's why have invested in the equipment to provide me with neat and accurate cuts, once they are set up they will save me many hours, as I do not get that much time to spend on my hobby.

Yeah, sorry about that, I'm better showing than telling 

 

I also agree wholeheartedly with Richard. Having machines to cut down time isn't really becoming a competent woodworker......practise cutting straight on off cuts once marked square around the wood.......this would be no different that cutting the box just on a larger scale. Sawing skills as well as planing will, at some point, be your saviour......5-10 minutes wont hurt every time you get a chance in the workshop.

 

I learnt that from my old tutor at college and only now fully understand why he said it even though we were using machines.

 

Marc

 

 

Steve

 

You said - "with regret my hand skills are not very good "

 

I am quite confident that if you can accurately set up that expensive looking tenoning jig then you can saw the lid off a box!  You may be a little short of practice but not skills.  Practice a little as Marc suggests on some bits of scrap and then have a go.

 

When sawing remember to relax - breathe naturally - with a smoot action and take your time.  Watch the saw and your working lines and don't apply any downward pressure on the saw.  You won't regret it.

 

Richard 

I wouldn`t try that with the tenon jig,  if you`ve got to do it on the table saw (which i wouldn`t) I`d have run the base of the box against a full fence, with the depth of blade just higher than the thickness of the side of the box.

 

At least that way both hands could be on the box & held high away from the blade.

 

Though as i`ve said i wouldn`t cut a box apart on a table saw.

 

 

Good luck.

 

Baz  

Back in my apprenticeship days, we had to build our own Sapele tool box (roughly 4ft x 18" x 18") and had made the box complete (all 4 sides) and then cut the lid off with a hand saw....not an easy task due to its size but, planing the edges soon made everything square.

 

I must get some pictures of it as its still in pretty good order after 32 years.........used as storage now though.

Marc

 

'Don't find fault, find a remedy!'

 

Argh!!!!! just spent ages again making a posting only to loose it all because I wanted to check a phrase in my profile - I do hate it when it does that!

 

I cannot begin to even start again - but thanks for your very kind words of encouragement -

 

 

Steve

 

I have done some daft things  in my time and have the scars to prove it ! 

 

This is one i did do once ! it dose work but not advisable, althought the one main point i would say with your set up is the clamp ? you are going to pinch the blade as soon as you have cut through the wall of the box.

 

I would go with Baz's idea and work off the fence, but with no guarding watch where your hands are and use push sticks, that blade will apear quickly out of the back end of the cut !

 

It is far safer to cut by hand, or a bandsaw if you have acess to one.

 

Ralph

Steve

The problem is the clamp. I would use the rip fence and set the blade height to about 2mm less than the thickness of the timber. Cut all 4 sides, you then have a minimal amount of material to remove by hand and the added advantage of a groove to guide the handsaw.

Jan

I'll second Jan's idea - don't cut all the way through or else you'll risk kickback as the box pinches on the blade during the final cut!

 

My preferred method is actually to use a router table with slotting cutter fitted. Again, don't cut full thickness and finish it off by hand (you could even then part it on the bandsaw). You would need to take in to account the thickness of the cutter before sizing your timber though. The wider your cutter, the less accurate you need to be sawing it later.

Many apologies and thank you for all these postings, I have been on MY christmas holidays as i do not get muach time off, just got back from Madeira, what a very bad time they have had - lucky to get away from it all unscathed!

 

The box sits, still on the table, has i have not had the opportunity to get back in yet, but very much appreciate the comments and confirmed my suspicions that I would recieve a nasty bite if i continue with this cut!

 

I like OPJ's use of the router table, but will - somewhat reluctantly - to cut it by hand!

 

Can anyone identify the wood?

Hi Steve

Nasty weather out there wasn't it.

 

Regarding the wood.......not to sure mate but, first guess would be Ash, Teak or tree

 

 

I'm sure the others will give you the correct name.

Marc