# Batching out repeatable 36" x 5" x 3/4" pieces on table saw



## st.ryder64 (Jan 21, 2013)

So, I outfoxed myself (not particularly difficult...) After watching the Wood Whisperer's crosscut sled video, I banged one out myself, thinking this would be the perfect jig for cutting 11 pieces out of birch plywood, all EXACTLY the same length. However, if I'd thought about it first I'd have realized that my table saw's fence only lets me get 26" from the blade max (and I'd put a temporary stop block in between so the piece wouldn't be against the fence when it hit the blade, anyway, so that means something less than 26").

It's imperative for this project that all 11 pieces be EXACTLY the same length (36"). Any suggestions from the collective on how to pull this off?

Thanks in advance.


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## shoot summ (Feb 21, 2014)

st.ryder64 said:


> So, I outfoxed myself (not particularly difficult...) After watching the Wood Whisperer's crosscut sled video, I banged one out myself, thinking this would be the perfect jig for cutting 11 pieces out of birch plywood, all EXACTLY the same length. However, if I'd thought about it first I'd have realized that my table saw's fence only lets me get 26" from the blade max (and I'd put a temporary stop block in between so the piece wouldn't be against the fence when it hit the blade, anyway, so that means something less than 26").
> 
> It's imperative for this project that all 11 pieces be EXACTLY the same length (36"). Any suggestions from the collective on how to pull this off?
> 
> Thanks in advance.


5" wide I would have set a stop block on my miter saw.

Otherwise mark them and cut them on the table saw and sled. Or again, only 5" wide you could use the miter gauge on the table saw after marking them.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*don't worry*

Get out your miter gauge and attach a 40" long fence to it that extends to the left and somewhat to the right. The saw will make a kerf when you first saw into it.. 
The left side of the kerf is your "0" point, so then hook your tape measure and run it out to 36" and clamp a stop block to the fence. Now you can make identical pieces 36' long.

It will look something like this:


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

I second what woodnthings said. Clamp a really long piece of wood to your sled, then clamp a stop block to that. Works like a charm


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## st.ryder64 (Jan 21, 2013)

shoot summ said:


> 5" wide I would have set a stop block on my miter saw.
> 
> Otherwise mark them and cut them on the table saw and sled. Or again, only 5" wide you could use the miter gauge on the table saw after marking them.


Thanks for your quick reply! 

I'm concerned about accuracy if I have to mark and align to that mark with the table saw. 

I do have a miter saw and could build an extension on one side where I could throw a stop block. That might work best.


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## st.ryder64 (Jan 21, 2013)

epicfail48 said:


> I second what woodnthings said. Clamp a really long piece of wood to your sled, then clamp a stop block to that. Works like a charm


These other replies came in while I was replyin' to the first guy.

Clamping a piece of wood to the miter gauge is a solid idea as well, as long as I don't loose the true 90 at the blade due to the 36" of deflection hanging off one side of the miter gauge.


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## Ghidrah (Mar 2, 2010)

If no one mentioned it yet, and you already have the rips at 5", I'd stack, square and end clamp however many boards your TS blade can cut when fully extended then mark the cut end on the bottom edge, slide it to the smart side of the blade then slide the fence up to the cut off, lock it and push it through with the TS miter gauge. Repeat


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

I would use a stop block on a board attached to the sled on the left, you don't have to worry as much about a square cut with a sled as you do with the miter gauge.


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

st.ryder64 said:


> These other replies came in while I was replyin' to the first guy.
> 
> Clamping a piece of wood to the miter gauge is a solid idea as well, as long as I don't loose the true 90 at the blade due to the 36" of deflection hanging off one side of the miter gauge.


Hmm... guess i half-second woodnthings idea. The sled would work a lot better than a miter gauge would for that wide a piece, but the concept is the same regardless


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## st.ryder64 (Jan 21, 2013)

epicfail48 said:


> Hmm... guess i half-second woodnthings idea. The sled would work a lot better than a miter gauge would for that wide a piece, but the concept is the same regardless


Thanks to everyone who replied. I think this is the best choice for my application. The sled will practically eliminate the chance that the longer support piece will deflect and screw up the 90 on the cuts.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*If it were me ....*



st.ryder64 said:


> Thanks to everyone who replied. I think this is the best choice for my application. The sled will practically eliminate the chance that the longer support piece will deflect and screw up the 90 on the cuts.


I would use my RAS with table extensions and a fence stop. The table extension will support the work, so a long piece can be bumped to the stop. For a piece 8 ft long, I just add an additional support rest on the right side which happens to be a table with a block to raise it to the correct height.

In your case, you will want an additional support regardless IF you are cutting them in a one cut to exact size operation. Once you have your support in place it won't matter if you use a miter gauge with a extended fence or a sled. I doubt if your sled will have enough fence for a 36" stop on the left, it would be massive. So, I would opt for the miter gauge and extended fence. I leave my fence on permanently until the kerf gets "wollered out" and then I replace it.

Another way to do this is to cut the pieces LONG or rough. No matter how you cut them from a 4 X 8 sheet you can't get more than 2 from a rip, and only 1 from a cross cut. Cutting a 5" rip will result in a 96" long piece from which you can rough cut the desired 36" piece by cutting them at 38" or so., then finish squaring them to 36" afterwards, which will be easier to support and cut squarely.


Now you can use any method that will give you a square cut on the ends... miter saw, tablesaw/sled, tablesaw/mitergauge .....:yes: BTW, if you can't get a square cut on the end, no matter which method you use, you will need to make some minor adjustments.... just sayin'


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

st.ryder64 said:


> Thanks to everyone who replied. I think this is the best choice for my application. The sled will practically eliminate the chance that the longer support piece will deflect and screw up the 90 on the cuts.


Good choice, it is much easier to precisely move the board sitting on the sled than it is to move it across the table top with a miter gauge as you have eliminated any friction between the board and table top.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*in that case ....*

I'm throwin' out all my miter gauges.... just sayin' :smile:

http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f2/miter-gauges-one-13121/




FrankC said:


> Good choice, it is much easier to precisely move the board sitting on the sled than it is to move it across the table top with a miter gauge as you have eliminated any friction between the board and table top.


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## st.ryder64 (Jan 21, 2013)

Here's the final jig. I batched out 12 perfect shelves in less time than it takes to type this (well, not really, but I do love my hyperbole...)

Thanks again for all the suggestions!


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## Ghidrah (Mar 2, 2010)

Here's my sled with built in telescoping stop. It's a modified version of John Nixon's sled. I was in the process of building a crap load of built in shelving back in 09, it made the process somewhat easier. It weighs a ton but slides amazingly easy on the table


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## TimPa (Jan 27, 2010)

st.ryder64 said:


> Here's the final jig. I batched out 12 perfect shelves in less time than it takes to type this (well, not really, but I do love my hyperbole...)
> 
> Thanks again for all the suggestions!


 that's what I do. but I clamp mine on the back of the sled, with a thicker block.


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