Table saw blade binding when ripping cock beading

[woody dixon]

I am trying to make cock beading for drawers using the method Steve Latta used in fine woodworking. After routing the bead profile on a router table on top and bottom of one side of a 1 inch thick board you rip the inch beading off each end at the table. I made a zero clearance insert with a 1/8 inch splitter and used a combination blade. After about 2 ft the wood binds so much it is extremely hard to push through. I checked my fence and it appears square but i checked after i moved it after my cut. I have a jet cabinet saw with the exacta fence. To just cut the 1/8 inch beading and no more, I hold the wood against the fence while tightening. Otherwise it tends to move to the right.

I checked again setting the fence about 1/8 inch from the blade as it is when i was ripping and now the end of the fence cants to the right. Setting it 4 or 5 inches from the blade removes the cant. Does this make sense? It seems even if it toes out this would not cause binding but does the narrow rip change that? Anyone have any ideas about what i can do ? Thanks.


Woody Dixon

[Andrew Hughes]

I use the alignment of the blade to the miter slot then the fence to the miter slot straight inline or towed out a bit.
If your using the miter slot as reference already I have no idea maybe the splitter is hanging your wood up.

[Lee Schierer]

It sounds like your rail across the front of the saw is not straight or your fence does not lock in place in a repeatable manner.

I would suggest mounting a dial indicator on a piece of wood attached to your miter gauge. Then move the fence to where the dial indicator probe can touch the fence. Slide the miter gauge across your table and see how the dial indicator changes. This will accurately tell you if your fence is aligned with the miter gauge slot. You need to get the fence perfectly aligned with the miter slot or within a few thousandths of an inch with the far end of the fence slightly (no more than 0.010 inches) tailing away from the miter slot. By changing the length of the board holding the dial indicator to the miter gauge you can check your fence in different locations along the front rail.

If it hasn't already been doe, I would take the time to align the blade with the miter slot using the dial indicator. You want the alignment to be a close to perfect as you can get it. If your board is being pinched between the blade and the fence the farther you cut, it is likely that the font of the blade is closer to the left miter slot than the rear of the blade.

For precision ripping I would recommend a dedicate ripping blade such as the Freud Glue Line rip blade.

[woody dixon]

I'll check tomorrow but I did that several yrs ago. I did have to adjust the fence about a month by tightening the screws underneath.It was straight then but i didn't check it at 1/8 in from the blade. Also, since then the handle has been looser and I have to push it farther down to lock. I'll redo that also,. I am curious though since it seems to toe out and I dont know why that would cause binding. Maybe several issues are involved. Thanks

[Andy D Jones]

Your splitter should be NARROWER than the blade kerf width.

I don't know of many 10" saw blades that are wider than 1/8", and a thin kerf blade is usually <= 1/10".

-- Andy - Arlington TX

[andy bessette]

Make sure to use a fine pitch carbide blade.

[woody dixon]

Success. The problem was mostly the fence which was seriously toed out. Today I could see the 1/8 inch off cut binding about 18 inches past the splitter. A wedge there helped but after I corrected the fence and shaved off some of the wood splitter with a chisel the board fed smoothly and cut staight. Thanks everyone for your help.