Clever Stop Block for Crosscutting on the Table Saw
In this video, check out a magnetic stop block that makes crosscuts on the tablesaw safer, faster, and easier.
One of the cardinal safety rules of using the tablesaw is that you should never use the rip fence as a stop block when you’re crosscutting. Doing so will leave a piece of wood trapped between the fence and the blade, often leading to dangerous kickback (ricocheting a piece backwards at high speed). A common solution is to clamp a secondary stop block to the fence well behind the blade, leaving plenty of room for the free piece between the fence and the blade once it’s been sawn away.
In this video, FWW editor Tom McKenna shows you how to make reader Robert Gunn’s magnetic stop block from FWW Issue #262, which expands on this solution and makes it even more convenient by removing the need to pull out a clamp for your stop block. Rare earth magnets allow you to snap the block in place, and snap it to the side of your saw for storage between uses. Locate the magnets near an edge of the block so you can rotate it if your fence happens to be near a miter slot.
Comments
This simpler version for those with a slider is to retract the rips fence so the tail end of the rips fence lines up with the leading edge of the saw blade. No jig or sled, no maths & no fuss. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVYUss6pJqQ at the 5 minute mark.
I was about to wonder why folks don't use a radial arm saw for crosscutting.... Then I saw the video in the prior post.... here is my response:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2O7rZTBs7w
73 :>)
That magnetized stop block is a stroke of genius. What I can't understand is why you did this video without your riving knife installed.
Caution.... Before you make the cut make sure the space between the blade and the fence is wide enough to accommodate the offcut piece if it rotates at the end of the cut. If it rotates it can kick back (BIG OUCH) and possibly damage the sawblade by the deflection and effect the run-out of the blade. Good tip. The magnet idea is terrific. I'm on it now.
Charter ?
Great idea.The only change I would make with this technique is I extend the sacrificial crosscut fence (about 4" overhang) so it is closer to the rip fence. That solves the twisting problem of the off-cut and shoves it well past the blade.
I love the magnetic stop block! Rare earth magnets have opened up all kinds possibilities.
G'day,
Does not work with a non-metallic table.
You could also make the stop block with the grain running perpendicular to the rip fence rather than parallel - more dimensionally stable when the humidity changes. Not much sense in making the block an exact 2" when next week it will be 2 1/64".
Great idea but where is the riving knife that comes with that saw? I understand why safety guards are removed for visual demonstrations purposes but a riving knife doesn't pose this problem. Demonstrational videos should always show how to operate the tool or machine safely. Come on FW set the proper example.
Saw where the part ended up after the cut. Had exactly the same condition a few months ago and now I have the scars to prove it. The slight vibration of the saw let the part rotate back against the blade which then caught it and sent it back to my left hand which was at least two feet from the saw. Had the part hit me in the chest it would been just a damaged piece. Instead when it hit my left hand it severely cut the second finger and tore the top of my index finger wide open revealing the tendons and bone. It took forty five minutes to stitch the finger back together. Please watch your cut offs.
I use a 1-2-3 block and a couple of 3/4" rare earth magnets to do the same. The 1-2-3 block is also handy for 90 degree machine set up and in combination with a fractional set of setup bars.
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