Stumped - How to make the cross cut

[Jay Yoder]

I am working on my router table dust bucket and have gotten myself stumped. I want to cut an access door in the front panel so I will have zero waste (other than the sawdust of course). The panel is 23/32 oak plywood that is 17-3/4" tall and 16-15/16 wide. Basically, I will rip from the bottom up and stop 2" short of the opposite side for each of the side cuts. I am planning on using my bandsaw with fence for these cuts. Where I am stumped is the cross cut; how do I make this cut so that the center piece can be used as a door? Normally I would drill an access hole in each corner and finish the cut with a sabre saw, but in this case that would screw up the corners of the door. I also thought about using my table saw by clamping the piece down and then raising the blade though the piece in the middle of board so that I could use a sabre saw to finish the cuts to the corners. I guess this is kind of like what one does with a ZCI. My concern is safety and the fact that the table saw kerf is full would leave a mismatch. Is there any ideas out there that would be easier and provide better results?

[Peter Quinn]

Have a scroll saw? Could drill a very fine hole and do it that way, or perhaps with a coping saw by hand. A plunge saw works if thats available, I've done the raise the saw blade thing, throw a skill saw blade on there, its a very thin kerf similar to a BS blade, make sure the work is well secured, not as scary in reality as it is in the mind. Last resort, just cut all the way through, then cut the rail part off the top of the door, then glue it back together, make the door a hair smaller to fit. Like is usually done with a drawer cut from an apron so grain matches.

[Jay Yoder]

Peter, I do not have one that I would trust for that sort of precision. In fact, I have started looking around at what is available b/c there are times where they are about the only way to go. I never thought of the circular saw blades, I thought their arbor was smaller?

[Dave Zellers]

You can always drill a series of holes anywhere along the top line that is the same diameter as the thickness of your saber saw blade and go from there. A drill press and fence setup helps make this more accurate.

But I think your best bet is the table saw as you described. I don't raise the blade into the work but carefully drop the work onto the TS blade. Yes the kerf is wider but you will need to raise the bottom of the door 1/32 to 1/16 anyway for clearance.

You can mark exactly where the blade enters the wood by putting a flat square like a framing square against the fence and flat on the TS and while moving the blade by hand, bring the square in closer until it just nicks the blade. Mark that spot on the fence and square it up onto the fence. Mark the front and back of the blade. Just stay 1/4" inside those marks and finish by hand.

[Jay Yoder]

I am thinking I will go with the blade, just not sure if I should use my standard kerf blade which will leave me with ~1/16" clearance top and bottom. Although I am still kicking around the idea of picking up a good crosscut circ saw blade to keep on hand for times like these.

[Floyd Mah]

Use the bandsaw and cut the panel as two "L"'s, like a face frame with one rail-stile pair joined (for example, top and left) and also the other (bottom and right). Join the two pieces using splines, pocket screws or whatever you like. The door is the piece that drops out when you cut the "L"'s. Oh, you have to make one of the "L"'s larger to use straight cuts. Done this way, the only wasted wood is in the saw kerfs. Also no risky maneuvers. Scroll saw will also work. You could start with a table saw and use a scroll saw or hand saw to separate the pieces.

[Reinis Kanders]

Plunge router with edge guide could do it. You could use 1/8 straight or even 1/16 bit if you are careful. You would not even have route all of it. Just route enough for the sabre saw to have a good start.

[Pat Barry]

If the width of even a fine kerf circular saw or table saw blade is too much for you then there is no other good way unless you are willing to use a fine tooth handsaw and do it the neanderthal way.

[Jim Matthews]

Plunge router with edge guide could do it.

+1 on the router.
Drop it in, and go.

Take small passes, down to the desired depth.

Finish to the corners with a coping saw.

(If it was me, I would just drill a hole where the hinges will go and use a coping saw for the whole thing.)

[Rich Engelhardt]

I use one of these for that type of cut:

http://www.harborfreight.com/power-tools/oscillating-tools/oscillating-multifunction-power-tool-68861-8493.html

I do a lot of that type cut BTW. That's pretty much why the tool was made.

[Dave Richards]

Use a veneer saw and some patience. Follow a straight edge and tip it up when you get to the corners. You should be able to saw into the corners nicely and have minimal waste.

[Jamie Buxton]

Here's a technique I've used to make inset drawer fronts with very small gaps around the edges.

Rip the stock the complete length twice. The middle piece is what will be your drawer front or door. Cross-cut it twice to make the door from the middle. Now glue the four not-door pieces back together. When you're gluing the short pieces from the middle rip, slide them nearly a kerf-width toward the door. The result is a rectangular door, and a panel with a hole in it that's the same size.

[Peter Quinn]

Most skill saw blades have a 5/8" arbor and work on a US style table saw, tip speed is slower due to smaller diameter, but works fine for occasional use. I'm ok with dropping the work onto the spinning blade but didn't want to recommend that technique as it's right up there with free hand ripping! Only difference to me is I do the plunge cuts on the TS, the freehand not so much.

[Dave Zellers]

I'm ok with dropping the work onto the spinning blade but didn't want to recommend that technique as it's right up there with free hand ripping! Only difference to me is I do the plunge cuts on the TS, the freehand not so much.
A plunge cut on the TS is not even close to being up there with freehand ripping. The stock is held tight against the fence and the back end is pushed down tight to the table for the plunge and the kerf remains aligned with the blade at all times.

[Robert Payne]

I would treat this the same way that I would for a drawer front in solid wood table apron when I wanted to have near exact grain match. Rip across the panel at the width you want for the top section using a thin kerf blade and repeat at the bottom if there is a solid "rail" across the front. Then make the cuts for the door from the remaining wide piece to create two "stiles". Join the rails and stiles with loose tenons, biscuits or a spline and the horizontal cuts will basically disappear if you are careful and the door. I'd do the cuts on a table saw.

BTW, there is no sin in glue-ups -- sometimes it is the most easiest and most practical method available.

[Walter Plummer]

To quote Dr. Evil, "Friggin Laser". Sorry couldn't help myself. Get a plywood blade for your circular saw and plunge through from the back, saw to the corner and finish with a handsaw from the front. You can clamp a straight board to the work to keep your plunge straight. If your panel is not to size yet I agree with the rip it apart glue it back together method being the best. Good luck.

[Jay Yoder]

thanks for all your suggestions. I ended up using a decent circular saw blade on my table saw. Worked pretty well. Unfortunately my jig saw skills were not as good as it should have been. But at the end of the day it's just a router table. Now to figure out how to keep the door still with nothing but a stop at the bottom...

[Ole Anderson]

I would treat this the same way that I would for a drawer front in solid wood table apron when I wanted to have near exact grain match. Rip across the panel at the width you want for the top section using a thin kerf blade and repeat at the bottom if there is a solid "rail" across the front. Then make the cuts for the door from the remaining wide piece to create two "stiles". Join the rails and stiles with loose tenons, biscuits or a spline and the horizontal cuts will basically disappear if you are careful and the door. I'd do the cuts on a table saw.

BTW, there is no sin in glue-ups -- sometimes it is the most easiest and most practical method available.

This and Floyd's method is really the only way to do what you want and eliminate any gap due to kerf width.

[Judson Green]

Plunge cut with the table saw. You'll have to fill in the kerf with putty on the back side if you want it really pretty.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I use one of these for that type of cut:

http://www.harborfreight.com/power-tools/oscillating-tools/oscillating-multifunction-power-tool-68861-8493.html

I do a lot of that type cut BTW. That's pretty much why the tool was made.

I own a FEIN, but the same principle. I expect that you would need to clean the edge when you are finished (unless you have better control than I), but, that would be easy with a trim bit and the router. The initial "rough" cut would probably be narrower than if you had used a router bit initially and you won't have rounded corners.