Results 1 to 15 of 15

Thread: To Kick (Toe) or Not plus Fence or No Fence

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Comfort, TX
    Posts
    557
    Blog Entries
    1

    To Kick (Toe) or Not plus Fence or No Fence

    Starting planning for a miter saw station. I am loosely following Jay Bates miter saw station where his base cabinets did not have toe kicks. What is the general consensus on SMC? Jay also created a fence for his station, but in doing so loses about 5" of height for his back cabinets. On the otherhand, Marc Sapg and others believe that a fence on the miter saw station is bad in case you have crooked boards and then you just use the fence on the miter saw. Again suggestions always welcomed.

    TIA.
    Tim in Hill Country of Texas

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    Waterford, PA
    Posts
    1,225
    I went fenceless on my miter saw several years ago after seeing Marc's. I love it without a fence. That said, you will want to embed some T-slot somewhere in the extensions to allow for stop blocks.

    As for toe kicks, my rule is if I'm going to need to stand in front of the cabinet to work, it gets a toe kick. If I'm just going to get something out of the cabinet and use it elsewhere, no toe kick.

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by tim walker View Post
    Starting planning for a miter saw station. I am loosely following Jay Bates miter saw station where his base cabinets did not have toe kicks. What is the general consensus on SMC? Jay also created a fence for his station, but in doing so loses about 5" of height for his back cabinets. On the otherhand, Marc Sapg and others believe that a fence on the miter saw station is bad in case you have crooked boards and then you just use the fence on the miter saw. Again suggestions always welcomed.

    TIA.
    You need a way to have a track with a scale and a stop block setup. Even if you go with no fence you will still have to have a way to add a stop block and make sure that it stays square to the miter saw fence down it’s entire length. For me this is much easier with a fence because it would be difficult to have say an 8ft long t track and having to figure out if your t track and stop are square at 8ft out from the miter saw fence.

  4. #4
    I should note that I mostly use an upcut saw for my 90 degree cuts and I set it up with an Original Saw Company extension table and fence + stop. It is flat, square and extremely accurate. I bought the Fast Cap best fence for my miter saw station but honestly do not feel it is made for accuracy. Mine has too much play in the precision adjustment blocks and it won’t stay square and accurate with the settings when tightening the adjustments. Their fences and stops are great I should say but their expensive precision adjustment blocks are not. If I have it to do over again I would get their cheapo $11 each bench mount brackets and build my station to accommodate the fences bolted directly to a bench and forgo their precision adjustment blocks.

    I am personally saving up for the Original Saw Company miter saw stand with an 8ft left extension and a 4ft right extension. It’s pricey but I was so impressed with their upcut saw extension I decided to save up for their miter saw station.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
    Posts
    65,696
    Relative to your "toe kick" question, my standard build method is to build a separate platform to support cabinet boxes that are simple rectangles. I would do the same for a built-in miter station simply because you may need to stand close enough for detail work that your, um...toes...might get constrained without a little space under the front of the cabinet. But I'd build it that way even if there was no space required with the front of the platform flush with the front of the cabinets simply because I find that easier to level and provides a solid tie-in between cabinet boxes.

    I had a longer Incra fence system on the stationary miter station I had for many years at my old shop. I've been using the miter saw more now because of my temporary shop situation and honestly, I don't miss the longer fence. I find that support "under" the longer material is more important and not having a long fence means minor variations in some materials (rough lumber being cut down) doesn't cause binding like it did with the hard, long fence.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Comfort, TX
    Posts
    557
    Blog Entries
    1
    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Becker View Post
    Relative to your "toe kick" question, my standard build method is to build a separate platform to support cabinet boxes that are simple rectangles. I would do the same for a built-in miter station simply because you may need to stand close enough for detail work that your, um...toes...might get constrained without a little space under the front of the cabinet. But I'd build it that way even if there was no space required with the front of the platform flush with the front of the cabinets simply because I find that easier to level and provides a solid tie-in between cabinet boxes.

    I had a longer Incra fence system on the stationary miter station I had for many years at my old shop. I've been using the miter saw more now because of my temporary shop situation and honestly, I don't miss the longer fence. I find that support "under" the longer material is more important and not having a long fence means minor variations in some materials (rough lumber being cut down) doesn't cause binding like it did with the hard, long fence.
    Jim, since my build is a standout from the wall (mitersaw station with a SLCMS that has long rails) would you secure those bases to the concrete floor or rely on weight to hold in place? I am thinking secured in several places.
    Tim in Hill Country of Texas

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
    Posts
    65,696
    A stable base for a heavy tool is always a good idea. If you feel there's a chance of the weight shift causing issues, there's no harm at all fastening things down, IMHO. But fastening the back to the wall will have a similar effect and should be a lot easier than drilling concrete.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Comfort, TX
    Posts
    557
    Blog Entries
    1
    The back will be about 10" in front of the wall to accommodate the depth of the miter saw like this. Ashampoo_Snap_Thursday, October 21, 2021_20h00m50s_015_.png Total distance from wall to front approx 36". Base cabinet depth 26".
    Tim in Hill Country of Texas

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
    Posts
    65,696
    If you don't want to make a deeper cabinet, make a deeper top that can, in turn, fasten to the wall. Otherwise, yea...I'd bolt to the floor.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Alberta
    Posts
    2,162
    I often use a couple dabs of Pl premium or 400 under my toekicks, that I build as Jim described usually from 3/4'' plywood ripped to width. the boxes sit on top and get a few screws through the bottom into the toekick. I screw boxes together at the front edge as well as to the wall into studs.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    odessa, missouri
    Posts
    1,910
    Blog Entries
    3
    I just make my toe kicks integrated in my cabinets. Don't waste time with separation..

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
    Posts
    65,696
    Quote Originally Posted by jack duren View Post
    I just make my toe kicks integrated in my cabinets. Don't waste time with separation..
    I think this is a "different strokes" thing. I don't find the separate base to be a waste of time because building a solid and level short base is easier for me, especially in retrofit situations where the environment isn't level and square, and building a simple rectangle cabinet box is easier for me, too. But there's nothing wrong or bad about integral toe kicks, either. Whatever works!
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    odessa, missouri
    Posts
    1,910
    Blog Entries
    3
    Not really "differentt strokes " thing.. I've just done it both ways too many times to see the + and - of it long term.

    Now this is a one time setup I believe and isn't going to make a difference, but it was asked...

    Remember in commercial boxes are units. Not exceeding 36", but there are the occasional 40", 42", 48 , etc. This is were most hobby woodworkers build from. In custom cabinetry it can be any size. I've done 12' boxes. If it can be handles it will be made as one. So a toe board is going to make this more rigid to handle...
    Last edited by jack duren; 10-30-2021 at 10:49 AM.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    East Coast of Florida
    Posts
    107
    When I built my mitersaw station I had a toe kick and a fence. But after using for a bit I eliminated the fence and went with recessed track and stop block which freed up a lot of counter space. Since then I totally changed up things by selling my miter station to make room for a FELDER sliding table saw. I put my Kapex on Festool mobile stand with extensions and it mostly sits in the corner of my shop. The slider crosscut fence I think will ultimately replace my mitersaw.
    0BB905C3-20A5-43CC-ADCB-F86565EBF394.jpgD8B75A56-3B91-4BDD-8516-D922F73FEA24.jpg

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
    Posts
    65,696
    Pat, similar situation in my previous shop...slider took over most of what I might have done previously with the miter saw, but I still had situations where I needed to use a miter saw, such as for breaking down long boards. So I parked it in the lumber storage area. If I do a formal miter station in the new shop or use a portable system...doesn't matter...I'll be sticking with the short fence model as it's just as accurate for fine work and much better suited to cutting "not straight stuff" when breaking down boards.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •