crosscutting with a tablesaw

[Andrew Melamed]

When you cross cut with a table saw how are you supposed to get an exact measurment of the cut.

[Travis Porter]

I have a tablesaw sled that I built that I have a self adhesive tape mounted into. Additionally, I use the rip fence with a block on it as well.

[Harley Lewis]

Andrew, with some fences like the unifence, you can create a stop using a short fence and get measurements using your rails for your fence system. When I had a ridgid contractors saw and wanted repeating cuts I clamped a stop on the saw table with the distance from the stop to the blade the exact distance needed for the cut. If you have only one cut to make, measure and cut using your cross cut sled or miter. If you are nervous about an exact length cut it proud and then sneak up on the exact measurement by nibbling some off with repeated passes.

[Kevin Groenke]

Depends,

When making cuts LESS than half the length of the workpiece, clamp a spacer block of a given dimension (2"+) onto the rip fence IN FRONT OF the blade. Add that dimension to where you set the ripfence. Since the spacer is in front of the blade, when the cut is made, the off cut piece rests next to the blade safely; You DO NOT need to handle the offcut piece at all (and shouldn't). Since the offcut IS NOT trapped between the blade and the fence, it will not kick back. NEVER use the rip fence alone as a stop for crosscuts, that is a recipe for disaster!

When making cuts MORE than half the length of the workpiece, make or invest in a decent miter gauge, crosscut sled or sliding table that has a scale as accurate as that on the rip fence. Set the stop on the scale, hold the stock against it, make the cut, leave the offcut alone.

If your against accurate scales (or don't have a choice), just draw (or better yet, cut) a line at the leading edge of your cut. Align your mark with the tip of a tooth on the stationary blade, turn on the saw, make your cut.

All of the techniques above include the use of a miter gauge or sliding table!!

Better yet, use a miter saw and let somebody who needs it use the tablesaw.

Good Luck

[Mike Henderson]

The best and safest way to do crosscutting on the table saw is with a crosscut sled. The most accurate way to cut pieces repeatably is to use a stop block.

Mike

[Jim Becker]

Whether using a sled, or my miter gauge with a sacrificial auxiliary fence, I mark the top of the workpiece and use the cut mark on the fence to locate the cut.

[Gary Keedwell]

I use a Dubby sled and when it was new I had to make the initial cut to trim the sled. Now I mark my wood and just put the mark at the edge of the sled....and it cuts perfect every time.

Gary K.

[Jerry Olexa]

A TS crosscut sled is one of my most valuable jigs/tools. Great accuracy...

[Steve Sawyer]

I don't have a fancy fence. Don't have a fancy sled.

I do routinely use a marking knife to mark the length of the board I'm cutting. To get the most accurate cut, I continue the scribe down the edge of the board on the edge that will face the blade. Then, I hold the work against the miter gauge and slide it forward (with the saw off!) I rotate the blade by hand so a left-pointing carbide tooth butts up against the work, and shift the work until this tooth exactly bisects the scribe line. Back the stock off of the blade, turn on the power, and slide the miter gauge forward. The blade unerringly slices along the scribe made with the marking knife.

When I'm not shooting for flawless accuracy, I simply scribe the face of the board, then follow the same process above but instead look straight down along the forward edge of the board, aligning the scribe with the left edge of my ZCI; back off, hit the power switch, and slide forward into the blade. This isn't quite as accurate because of the tiny bit of "windage" between the ZCI and the left side of the blade teeth.