How much wood can a Jig cut cut if a.........

[Arc Light]

I wanted to post an update on how I am making out with my new table saw.  Well I don't like it....... I LOVE IT!    I have included some photos.  The first is my attempt at making a cross cut jig.  The Jig was built for multitasking and I was able to do just about everything on it except make breakfast    I have now exhausted it as the photo shows    so I am off to build a better one!  Hmmmm now all I have to figure out is how to mount more toggle clamps to it 

The second photo is a little device to hold my deflection gauge.  This device is great for making sure my blade is perfectly parallel with my miter slots.  It will also extend out to allow the deflection gauge to tilt down and measure the arbor shaft for trueness.

The last photo shows my new blade compliments of John Devost  I made a zero clearance insert with the ability to adjust it from the top for perfect flatness.

I am having a blast with the saw and have really gotten hooked on making puzzles!

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[Sipper25]

Jig looks great.   That looks like a ridgid ts3650 i bought mine last Nov. and just love it also bought the dubby crosscut sled (pic bellow)at the woodworking show last jan. but that is where the problem started at the wood show i wondered into the CUSA booth and my wife signed up to turn a pen she loved it so the next day i gave it a try went home and ordered my Jet 1220 and it has been all down hill from there  i have always enjoyed woodworking but this pen think is like CRACK but i keep telling myself i can quit any time i like.   if the puzzle think is any thing like pens im going to need one of two things,  a second job or a good divorce lawer



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[Arc Light]

Yep your right it's the Ridgid saw, fantastic saw for the money!  Thanks for posting the jig. I like the idea of an adjustable angle, very cool! 

I've always liked building things, but woodworking is addictive.  I don't own a lathe, and try to look the other way when I walk past them  They are too tempting!

[Canuck]

Hey Peter, nice to see your fully addicted   Now when are you goin' to pick up a lathe?

[Sipper25]

for the money i dont think you can beat the ridgid i got mine 460.00 free shiping from georgia best money ive spent in a long while

[Arc Light]

Well I have finally gotten around to making myself a new cross cut jig for the table saw.  I have attached some photos.  I ended up using 3/4 inch MDF for the base and UHMW runners for the miter slot tracks.  When it came time for the stop block I was unsure about how to proceed, I like the idea of having a fairly clean bed with as few holes as possible, but I could not think how to go about mounting the toggle clamp hold downs, and decided the best route was to mount them on an adjustable stop block.  Additionally I did receive two 123 gauge blocks as a birthday gift and I figured I could replace the adjustable stop block with a fixed one in cases where I wanted to work with the 123 gauge blocks.  But this still left me wondering how to best mount the toggle clamps?

I have several questions for others on the forum that have created cross cut jigs.  How have you attached your toggle clamps?  Is a toggle clamp require both on the piece your cutting, and the cut off piece on the opposite side of the blade?  With using MDF as a base material should I lacquer or clear coat it? or will the unfinished MDF stand up without any treatment?

It is difficult to build one crosscut jig to do all type of cuts, but I want to try and maximize what I can do with the one jig.  If others have photos or suggestions I would love to see and hear them.

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[Canuck]

I really like your crosscut jig Peter!  That's a good idea to have the stop adjustable...my thoughts is you would need a toggle clamp on both ends of the cut.  I personally prefer a hold down block instead however, simply because I find it more convenient for my particular sled (which is an incra miter express with a 'Veritas' router fence attached)

I know you're trying to maximize your use of that one particular jig but really I've had to make so many that I started making and harvesting from one to another or outright discarding them to suit different projects.  I just finished making two specialized jigs for my current project and once I'm done with them they'll likely end up where a lot of others have, in the scrap pile     

[Arc Light]

Thanks John, Im curious, what do you mean by a hold down block? And how is that attached and used?

[Canuck]

Peter, the 'hold down block' I mentioned is simply a block of wood to hold down the piece you're cutting and I usually make them so they wrap around to eliminate any tearout that could occur...I don't have pics at the moment as my current jigs are not very representative of what I'm talking about, but you can probably figure it out 

[Arc Light]

Hii John, thanks for your respose.  I understand the use of a block to hold the material your cutting down, but I'm unsure how that block is being attached?  Are you hand holding this block, or is it attached some how to the jig?

[Canuck]

Hii John, thanks for your respose.  I understand the use of a block to hold the material your cutting down, but I'm unsure how that block is being attached?  Are you hand holding this block, or is it attached some how to the jig?

Well, if you can use a toggle clamp...that's your best bet, however in some situtations I find them a bit of a nuissance  especially if I have a lot of pieces to cut, I'm somewhat of an impatient hack! 

[Arc Light]

Well it's been a while since I posted here and thought it's time for an update.  With IPP not far off I have been busy making puzzles and testing out my new cross cut jig.  I revisited the Lacewood box and made some more of them.  The original box I cut on a compound miter saw, and I am very happy with the increased accuracy that the table saw and cross cut jig brought to them.  I also used Scott Peterson's suggestion of using the table saw blade at 45 degrees and dropped into the table to put the detail work on the boxes.  It was much more precise than my hack saw blade method  Thanks Scott!

I also have admired the "2 in 2 with Frame puzzle" designed by M. Uyematsu, and happened on the plans for it on Ishino's "Puzzles would be Played" website.  I made the puzzle out of walnut and maple.  They turned out better than I was expecting and the solution has a small trick to it which makes them fun to solve.

A quick word about Ishino's "Puzzles Would Be Played" website, this site is absolutely fantastic and a wealth of great designs.  If Ishino happens to read this; thank you very much for your work on putting this site together.  It's great to be able to make a copy of these wonderful puzzles for personal collections.  I also am not planning on selling the 2 in 2 with frame, because it is not my design, but I appreciate the chance to try out my wood working skills and make the design!

Hope you enjoy the pictures!

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[Chinnomotto]

Oh you are getting so good. You won't need Ishinos site, you'll be designing your own puzzles soon

Like the %$#@!& at the IPP comp, opps, not allowed to mention it

Seeing your work, even I am tempted to get a good table saw, and make jigs

Don't forget to sign and date your work, ltd edition No3 of 12, 963!

[Roby]

Very nice.   I am jealous.

[Canuck]

So...how does one get an original 'Wiltshire', here I'll say like Chinny; I want, I want, I want or peep,peep,peep 

Seriously Peter, those look fantastic!!  Quit the Paparazzi business and make puzzles/boxes full time....