crosscutting little pieces

I learned an unpleasant novice lesson yesterday when I tried to crosscut a thin strip on the miter saw which was set up because I was using it for other things. I had a strip about 3/4" X 1/2" by about 3'. When I tried to cut it, it jumped up and splintered. So how/where are you supposed to crosscut thin strips? I just took out a little hand saw and did it by hand.....:rolleyes: Thanks folks.
 
Been there done that. I'll bet that you cut thru the piece then lifted the blade back thru the cut. It was the lift back up that grabbed the piece and threw it. Try cutting thru and powering off without lifting back thru the cut and letting the saw come to a stop. If your saw has a brake you can apply it and stop the blade sooner. Never had a similar repeat of flying wood since, by using this method.
 
Robert describes the proper technique for any cut with a chop saw. Sure, you see the wood butchers hacking away with a CMS like lifting the handle back up was part of making the cut and they just can't lift it up fast enough. I imagine you are not doing work that would be OK with an end-cut that looks like a cartoon-exploded-cigar :D. A shop helper that solves the small end cuts getting launched into the twilight zone might also help with your thinner material. A sacraficial fence/base or a ZCI.

CMS mini fence.jpgworn zci sm.jpg

Also, many miter saws offer holddowns. I have a low-dollar DeWalt and gladly paid the $30 for the holddown as opposed to the alternative ;). I don't use the CMS often but, it is great for doing trimwork like baseboard and door molding. If I cut long thin stock often enough, I would keep it setup but, it has been relegated to a spot behind the jointer below the wall racks. I am glad he's there when I want him though :thumb:.
 
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Thanks gentlemen. Yes, Glenn, a cartoon exploded cigar is exactly what it looked like. And yes, I always use a hold down......except this time....:eek: Robert, you're right, I must have lifted the saw. Normally I always leave the saw down until the blade stops turning....except this time....:eek: The more I'm in the shop, the more I see how accidents happen. And Dan, I don't have a BS yet...
 
Cynthia i am going to suggest a completely different tack.

Since i became more proficient in understanding and using my table saw, i think the better way to handle crosscutting small pieces is with a sled on the table saw.

A good two sleds will do you a wonderful turn in that you can set it up to have a zero clearance insert and have two sides of a small piece well protected from blow out but also have hold downs which will get your hands away from the saw.

I say two sleds because its worth having a large one for wide big pieces and a small one for smaller stock with hold downs etc.

I have a dewalt sliding compound 12 inch chop saw with a good high tooth count blade and i still prefer the table saw for cross cuts. If i am doing some thing more in the line of construction type 2x work then i like my chop saw but i think the sled is a real neat way to go. You also control how much blade sticks out which is added safety bonus.

For your info the sled would run with a guide in your saws mitre slot if you wanted to make one. :)
 
I don't use a SCMS for cutting little pieces. I use a table saw with a supplemental fence. Clamp a strip of wood, say a 1 x 3 to your fence and set it just short of the blade. Use a miter to hold the wood as you make the cut. When cut, the off-cut piece will sit out of the way and not be tempted to jump into the spinning blade because it won't be trapped between the blade and fence.

If you would like, I'll set up my table saw and take a pic for you.
 
No, Brent, I'm ashamed to say I haven't. I have a small one that I bought when I first got started, which is fine except it's only on one side of the blade. and a flimsy near worthless miter gauge thingamabob that came with the TS. Both, unfortunately, have a bit of play in the...slides?...channels....whatever you call the T-slots....so I've been nervous about building a real one that *won't* have play in the slots. It's one of those things that I need to make really badly, but haven't, and now I have a couple of things under deadline....

Okay, Bruce, I see what you mean, but how does it help you to have the fence close by if you're making a crosscut?
 
The fence has that additional piece he clamped to it. As soon as the cut piece hits the blade, it no longer touches the fence and can fall off with no chance of getting pinched or thrown.
 
What it does is let you cut multiple pieces to exactly the same length without them getting trapped between the fence and the blade. That's what causes them to get broken by the blade.

And what Brent said.
 
The guys who ride into town to send their forum posts by telegraph still use 'em, I think :D.

.. / .-. . ... . -- -... .-.. . / - .... .- - / .-. . -- .- .-. -.- / ---... .--.

http://morsecode.scphillips.com/jtranslator.html for the morse code illiterate (like me).

More seriously a sled more like this: http://woodgears.ca/delta_saw/small_sled.html would be better.
Bruces solution is good but not always sufficient in and of itself. I've had pieces get sucked down into the blade and launched so a zero clearance insert is definitely recommended and even with that in some cases the breeze from the blade can pull extra small/light pieces into it and flip them around. The slide with holddowns on both sides solves a lot of those problems and also reduces any flex in the workpiece.
 
Cynthia,
If you are going to be doing a bunch of this kind of cutting, I suggest you do your best to find a Millers-Falls Langdon-Acme miter saw. it's hand-powered (well, arm and shoulder-powered, too), accurate as the day is long, darn near noiseless and cheap. I found mine at a garage sale for $14. It's more accurate than your miter saw. They are no longer made, but they show up at garage and estate sales, CraigsList and eBay for reasonable prices.

they look like this:

Langdon_Acme_4_thumb.jpg
 
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