# Elliptical wood slices



## bil549 (Mar 13, 2011)

I am new to the forum so hope I am in the correct place. I need to make many elliptical wood slices from various sized red cedar branches. Is anyone here familiar with a jig or the best tool for the task? I have hand held branches on my table saw to get some slices but I don't think that is the best/safest way. Thanks for any help.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Do you have a miter saw? The irregular shape of a branch would be safer cut with a miter saw. Still the blade would need to be sharp and you would need to make the cut slow. If any type saw were to grab the branch it would tend to spin it. I would stop at the last foot of branch. You don't want to get too close to the blade as cutting something round is never completely safe.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*I would stick with the table saw*

I would use an extended fence on my mitergauge.... which I always have and that way you can push the slices safely past the blade without using a push stick or your fingers. Make certain the "thin" slices can NOT fall into the throat plate gap on the table saw. Use a zero clearance throat plate ... which I always do.








If you want to get a little more fancy, direct the blower on your shop vac so it blows the slices away and off the table.

I would not use a miter saw because the thin slices can get stuck in the slot where the blade travels OR get hung up in the retractable blade guard and cause it to not to function. :surprise2:


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

woodnthings said:


> I would use an extended fence on my mitergauge.... which I always have and that way you can push the slices safely past the blade without using a push stick or your fingers. Make certain the "thin" slices can NOT fall into the throat plate gap on the table saw. Use a zero clearance throat plate ... which I always do.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


If he would just put a wood fence and table on the miterbox it would be zero clearance so the thin slices wouldn't go anywhere. If a problem developed with the miter saw as soon as the trigger was released the saw would stop. The table saw has so much more power and it would take time to reach for the off switch if a problem developed.


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## m.n.j.chell (May 12, 2016)

How "deep" of an elliptical are you going for? If you're only going off square a small amount, then build a sled for the table saw, with a jig to hold the branch at the right angle. You can cut thin pieces and just move the branch a little for the next slice ... very efficient.

I recently learned about table saw sleds on this sight, and I now LOVE mine. Super safe way to get odd cuts on branches.
I use mine to cut thin strips from old branches to make knife handles.


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## TimPa (Jan 27, 2010)

as mentioned the miter saw works well. to get an oval cookie, just angle the blade left or right til you get the ovalness you like.
since branches are irregular in shape. I like to orient the branch so that it is against the fence near where the blade will cut it.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*it's not about the cut ...*

For me, the cut isn't the issue, it's about the cutoffs/loose slices and getting them out of the return path of the blade and keeping them out of the places they will get wedged into. Either method will work, but you have to take precautions to prevent a jammed slice or a lost finger retrieving one of them. :surprise2:


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

Do you have a band saw, that would be my tool of choice.


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