How do I make this cut safely?

[Alan Lightstone]

I have a few miter cuts I need to make on some molding for a table. My Kapex won't allow the hold-downs to be used when in miter mode. There is no area to clamp the wood to hold one side down. If I try to do it without a clamp, the dust shroud from the Kapex moves the wood before I even get to a cut.

Here's a picture of the Kapex and the molding.

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My question is, how do I make this cut safely? Is there a way to clamp / hold down the wood that I'm just not thinking of?

[Julie Moriarty]

You could secure the piece with turner's tape. It will definitely hold but you could also break the piece trying to remove it, depending on how you pry it off vs. the grain orientation.

[johnny means]

I've stopped doing bevel cuts on my mitersaw years ago. My first question is "Can that cut be made vertically?" If not the tablesaw does a better job and is safer.

[Dave Zellers]

If not the tablesaw does a better job and is safer.
Yeah- looks like a job for a sled with a hold down clamp. Or two.

[Myk Rian]

Flip it end-for-end and make the cut from the other direction. Isn't that a clamp on the left side?

[Peter Quinn]

I've done similar using a second piece of wood to act as a clamp. A piece of sandpaper stuck to the table keeps things from shifting, you can put the clamp out on the right side, run a long skinny board with a few thicknesses of sand paper stuck to it, put a little piece of stock the same thickness or similar to your workpiece just past the clamp, the sand paper lifts the inboard side of this board up just a bit, gives the clamping pressure like a cam effect. We have a kapex at work, sometimes I'd like to throw it in a dumpster. $1400 later and it can't do what my el chepo makita at home does with ease. That blade guard is obnoxious on miters, especially long miters. Sometimes I need to shave a long miter on some trim, that silly hood grabs the leading edge every time. What good is so much safety and dust collection if you can't make your cut? Its really the only green koolaid I've ever used that failed to impress me. End of rant. Have you tried taking the that guard off for this cut? A guy at work took it off accidentally with long board (oops) and while the DC was diminished, I found it actually worked better for miters.

[Jay Rasmussen]

I would use a table saw or band saw.
If you don’t ether of those I would use a larger piece of scrap and secure a wood fence to it. Then make a thin hold down with a screw to hold your finished stock securely.

[Cody Colston]

Yeah, you can hold it with your hand on the right side while operating the saw with your left hand. Sheesh. (note: your hands don't have to be in a different area code to make a cut safely)

[Alan Lightstone]

Flip it end-for-end and make the cut from the other direction. Isn't that a clamp on the left side?

The piece isn't long enough for the opposite clamp to hold it down, unfortunately.

[zayd alle]

Alan,

I'm assuming one side of the moulding will be hidden, so I'd screw a longer scrap board to the hidden side (keeping the screws out of the path of the blade) and clamp down that longer board. Cut then unscrew.

[Alan Lightstone]

The piece isn't long enough for the opposite clamp to hold it down, unfortunately.

Oooh. That could work.

[Rich Engelhardt]

I'd slap together a miter box & use a backsaw.

Nothing says you have to use power tools all the time for everything.

[Jeff Monson]

I'd opt for the tablesaw and a mitre gauge. I don't like bevel cuts on my SCMS either.

[Peter Stahl]

I would use a sled with a hold down clamp and cut it on my table saw. I also liked Julie's idea too. One of the reason I save scraps (besides being cheap).

[Larry Edgerton]

Hot melt glue. Make the cut and peel off the glue.

Larry

[Alan Bienlein]

Yeah, you can hold it with your hand on the right side while operating the saw with your left hand. Sheesh. (note: your hands don't have to be in a different area code to make a cut safely)
Have you cut it yet as this is what I would have done what Cody said here by 3:26 pm yesterday.

[Alan Lightstone]

I spend way too much time every year watching surgeons attempt to reattach digits, so I skipped on your suggestion. Respectfully. I always choose a different area code for digits / limbs if at all possible. Even with the Sawstop. Just seen too much.

I used the table saw, although with the jig I had, (an Incra) it was lifted in the air, so it took several trial and error attempts to get it right. Wasn't dial in like it was with the SCMS on the longer/safer pieces.

I have one more set to do tonight. I'll likely try one of the other methods.

If I had seen the screwing to another piece of wood suggestion, I would have used that. The turning tape one I feel would likely work, but adjusting the wood to be in the exact right spot would render the tape less sticky, which would have issues (although the turning tape I have is impressively sticky).

[Alan Lightstone]

OK, all the contest entries are in, and the Grand Prize Winner is:

Julie Moriarty.

Congratulations, Julie. Not sure what the prize will be, but...

I tried Turner's Tape. Worked like a charm. A bit fussy to get the piece in just the right position (even with the laser), but it held the small piece of wood like glue. A combination of Turner's Tape and a longer piece of wood could come in handy also.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Finally got the miter done. Whew!!!

[Julie Moriarty]

OK, all the contest entries are in, and the Grand Prize Winner is:

Julie Moriarty.

Congratulations, Julie. Not sure what the prize will be, but...

I tried Turner's Tape. Worked like a charm. A bit fussy to get the piece in just the right position (even with the laser), but it held the small piece of wood like glue. A combination of Turner's Tape and a longer piece of wood could come in handy also.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Finally got the miter done. Whew!!!

If you happen to have a blue-water sailboat lying around, that would be okay. ;) If not a hearty handclasp will do.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iisMlRGigIE

Glad to hear it worked out Alan.