How do I stop my CMS from launching cutoffs?

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello,
What's the best way to prevent small cutoff pieces from being launched by the miter saw blade?
It seems like every time I have to cut an inch or so off the end of a small piece the blade pickes it up and tosses it. One piece hit the fence so hard it knocked it out of alignment.
How can I stop this?

[Al Killian]

Either you can use a zero clearance plate or you can attach it to a second peice with tape. This would keep it from flying across the shop.

[Mike Henderson]

Make a zero clearance fence for the back of the miter saw. Take a piece of MDF or whatever, about as high as the existing fence on your CMS. Put it against your existing fence, all the way across the CMS. Clamp it on both sides of the fence. Now set the CMS to the angle you want to cut (usually 90* but could be something else). Turn the CMS on and make a cut through the zero clearance fence.

Proceed to cut the actual wood. The ZCF will support the cutoff and prevent it from being flung across the shop. It will also minimize tearout on your cuts. I use this especially when making miter cuts to prevent tearout.

I keep a few pieces of MDF cut to size by my miter saw and put them on when needed. Good use for scrap MDF.

Mike

[glenn bradley]

I use a ZCI:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=54160

For small or thin work I build a sacraficial fence and bed out of scrap and mount it to the CMS bed/fence.

[Steve Clardy]

I don't raise my saw blade back up till the blade has stopped ;) , with small cutoffs

[Roy Harding]

I don't raise my saw blade back up till the blade has stopped ;) , with small cutoffs

Absolutely. After the cut is complete, just hold the saw in place, release the trigger, and wait for the blade to stop spinning - no launch will be initiated.

The zero clearance fence helps as well - it will also reduce tear out in your lumber.

[Jason Roehl]

Huh. I thought the fliers were part of the fun of using a miter saw. You know, kind of like a tamer version of Russian Roulette. :D

[Ken Milhinch]

I don't raise my saw blade back up till the blade has stopped ;) , with small cutoffs

There's your answer - plain and simple.

[Bart Leetch]

"I don't raise my saw blade back up till the blade has stopped ."

Bingo

[Barry A. Johnson]

I ran into this very problem tonight when using a stop block to make a bunch of small parts. What I noticed is that when I wait for the blade to stop just like everyone here suggested it didn't launch the pieces, BUT I also noticed that if I left the saw running and raised the blade it didn't launch the piece..

I was a little confused at first then I noticed that the pieces that got launch happened when I was releasing the trigger and raising the blade at the same time. My guess is that the combo of raising the blade and the the blade brake appying created some strange kickback condition. After I figured this out the next 100 cuts were without any flying wood.

YMMV, but only do what you feel safe with...

Does your saw have a blade brake?

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello,
I've tried letting the blade come to a stop with mixed results.
Sometimes it still throws a smaal piece no matter what I do.
Looks like the ZCF is my next step.

FWIW - my old Delta 8 1/2" CMS doesn't seem to have this problem. It's only the 10" ones.

[paidin fain]

just a shot in the dark but if your blade is bent, the centrifical force of the spinning blade would straighten it out somewhat but as it slowed, it could deflect again which is enough to take a bite and fling your cutoff.

paidin

[Ted Miller]

I would check blade alignment to the fence...

[Bart Leetch]

Blade alignment to the fence could be a problem but the above stated operating procedure of letting the saw up out the throat plate & movement toward the fully up position with the blade still spinning it what is causing the problem. I spent some time testing this theory. The carbide teeth catch the little piece of material as they start up through the bottom & zing its gone. As long as I let the blade come to a full stop before letting it up out of the throat plate the saw never launched the piece of material.

Also I prefer to use a zero clearance throat plate.

[Ken Milhinch]

You don't have the cutoff piece between the stop block and the blade do you ?:eek:

[Michael Schwartz]

You don't have the cutoff piece between the stop block and the blade do you ?:eek:

Heh, I had to learn that the hard way while making a 2" endgrain maple butcher block. :rolleyes:

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello,
Nope - not between the stop block and the blade either.
Also, I have the blade as square to the fence as I believe it's possible to get.

[Dino Makropoulos]

Rich.
Motor viabration and blade air flow pulls the cut-off like a magnet.
A. Tilt your saw 5 degrees (Gravity always works)
B. Clamp the cut-off.

Good luck.

[Kelly C. Hanna]

I cut small pieces with a backer board next to the fence....works great!

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello,
I believe the mystery is solved.
The answer to it looks like it's a combination of adding an aux. fence and holding the blade in the down position until it stops.
I noticed that the thicker the aux fence is (within reason), the more it positions the workpiece towards the center of the saw blade - and the more it does that, the deeper into the recess the teeth of the blade go,,which lessens the chance that one of the teeth will grab the cutoff.

I added a piece of 3/4" plywood to the fence and adjusted it so it wouldn't interfere with the rotation of the miter saw base. My first attempt was too tight and I couldn't move the saw from 90 degrees to 45 degrees. I shimmed the bottom with a small piece of cardboard and reattached it. Works like a champ now.

I had to cut some 1/2" wide trim pieces last night and am happy to report that not only one "took off like a rocket", and that one was due to my lifting the blade too soon.

Thanks to everyone, I'm good to go now.

[CPeter James]

One thing that will cause this and I have the dent in my chin to prove it is using the wrong blade. Get a good blade with a NEGATIVE hook angle. This is critical on miter saws and RAS. It makes a lot of difference.

CPeter