Safety Question: Tilt Table Cut

[jamie shard]

I need to cut some backing blocks for crown moulding. As I was setting this cut up, I felt that curious feeling of realizing there is probably a good and bad way to set this up... and I knew neither. So I'm looking for any advice.

Here's the cut I'm making and it's use:

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And here's the way I was starting to set up the cut. (Note: don't get confused by the featherboards, I hadn't reversed them yet.)

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Here is the shot looking backwards into the blade from the back of the tablesaw:

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Basically the "kept" piece is trapped between the fence and blade. Doesn't look right to me.

What's the right way to set this up? The angles on the block are 56* and 34*. Right now the table is set up at 56*, which sounds strange, but remember this is a tilt table.

Thanks for any help and fingers/wood saved! :D

-jamie

[johnny means]

I would not make that cut with that set-up. With that saw, you really don't have any good options. Rather, I would set up a cradle type sled.

[Eric Schubert]

I agree that having that wedge trapped against the fence is a bad idea. Can you position the fence on the other side of the blade, so that it tilts away from the fence? Perhaps you could even temporarily adhere the block to a sliding fence in your miter slot to help support it.

As the newbie here, I can't say if this is also a horrible idea. So anyone, please weigh in and tell me if it is!

Think something like this:

Red is the blade, black is your crown blocking, and the white is the sliding fence in your miter slot.

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t314/Mr_Spiffy/Woodshop/CM_zps687910b7.jpg

[Loren Woirhaye]

I used a tilt-top INCA saw for awhile and when I wanted to make an angled rip, I placed the fence downhill from the blade and often stuck a 78" magnetic level to the fence to make a long fence. This made the stock easier to push through without fighting gravity. You can try ripping it a little oversized then going back and making a "skim" cut to the final bevel dimension.

[steven taggart]

Every time I have tried to cut with an angled piece trapped between fence and blade, I get a new hole in the sheetrock behind the saw. I usually have the small angled piece on the free side of the blade. (Away from the fence). With my old craftsman ( not tilt table) the cut is a bit rough. So I leave about a 16th" oversize, and use the joiner to clean it up tilting the fence to the correct angle. I know it is another step, and another setup, but I was always taught to find the safest way, not the easiest

[John Lanciani]

Do you have a bandsaw? Those types of cuts are much safer on a bandsaw and plenty accurate for what you're doing.

[Jerry Miner]

How about a sled-type jig like this?: (be sure to keep fasteners out of the path of the blade, or use double-stick tape instead)

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[jamie shard]

Thanks for all the replies. I know there are alternative ways of making the cut (bandsaw, for example) but I'm trying to use this as an opportunity to get a little smarter on using my vintage tilting-table saw. So far, the idea of attaching a block and using a sliding jig seems to make the most sense. Working from the right side of the blade (fence on the downhill side of the blade also seems to be the way to go.

The real challenge with working on the right side is the angle of the blade cuts off the base of what's sliding (I'm trying to keep the right corner of the piece of wood.) So for example, eric's cut wouldn't work because there can't be a small base by the side of the fence. (I'm using 2x material, and need to keep the full 1.5" of the base).

Johnny Means, could you post a picture/link to a cradle type sled?

[Jerry Miner]

Ok. I had the tilt direction wrong. Sorry. How about this?: (you still need to be careful about fastener placement, and you would cut a small portion of the jig, but that's ok, IMHO)

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Second cut is square, at the bevel point, with the waste against the fence.