Need help on the second half of this cut - 4x8 fibercore

[d0rktower]

Well, I'm working in a woodshop and surprisingly...I enjoy it. But I'm having problems making cuts on full 3/4 inch 4x8 fibercore or mdf sheets. I am using a good saw with a sufficient outfeed table to support it on all sides. I can do the first half perfectly, center myself to the left of the blade and hold the sheet to the fence with my left hand and just kind of push....it works fine until I get up to the saw and have to put my right hand to the right of the blade and my left hand....to the left. Then it binds up and I'm screwed. Need some tips here.

[Lew Hodgett]

[e-mail] wrote: > Well, I'm working in a woodshop and surprisingly...I enjoy it. But I'm > having problems making cuts on full 3/4 inch 4x8 fibercore or mdf > sheets. I am using a good saw with a sufficient outfeed table to > support it on all sides. I can do the first half perfectly, center > myself to the left of the blade and hold the sheet to the fence with my > left hand and just kind of push....it works fine until I get up to the > saw and have to put my right hand to the right of the blade and my left > hand....to the left. Then it binds up and I'm screwed. Need some tips > here.

Are you using a splitter?

Lew

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Sounds like you are pushing from both sides and closing up the kerf on the blade. How big of a cut are you taking? Pushing on the right side and keeping the material against the fence is correct. Pushing from the left side you are pushing the material into the side of the blade causing a bind. Thee is a lot of leverage pushing a large sheet.

Perhaps a panel saw would be best for the initial cuts.

[tom]

[Doug Miller]

Bad technique. *Never* push on the offcut side of the blade; that's what's causing your problem. Do all the pushing between the blade and fence.

[RayV]

As Lew said you need a splitter in place. I rip sheetgoods the way you are describing except when I get up to the saw I do all of the pushing with my right hand and use the left to _hold back_ the cutoff piece with _slight_ resistance.

As was also suggested a panel saw (yeah everybody has one) is the best way followed by a circular saw straightedge. I use a circular whenever possible with a guide like this one:

[N Hurst]

I agree with this in general, but what would be the correct answer when cutting a full sheet of MDF in half? If you don't push on both sides, the sheet will wind up moving into the blade anyway because the other half of the sheet won't be moving since it's so heavy, and the cutoff-side piece will shift to one side.

Would this be a time when a circular saw rough cut or sled would need to be used?

-Nathan

[Charlie M. 1958]

Okay, I'm kind of a rookie and I'm sure some of you will tell me why this is a bad idea (thanks, in advance), but here goes:

When I get to the point where more than 1/2 of the sheet is cut, I go around to the other side and gently pull the sheet through the rest of the way. Applying a very slight pulling-apart pressure keeps the blade from binding, and tends to help keep the sheet against the fence, in my limited experience.

[RayV]

A kickback can pull your hands or other parts into the blade if you are behind the saw. I have done this a few times but I have a 3' outfeed table attached to the back of my saw so I feel safe enough to do it. The key is pay attention to what you are doing and think about the worst possible outcome.

The tool that has injured me the most is a toss up between a hammer and slotted screwdriver/pry bar/chisel/scraper/can opener.

The tool that I worry the most about being hurt by is my reciprocating saw.

Scariest tool injury was caused by a utility knife slip to my thumb, hurt like hell and bled for a few hours. At first it felt as though I took my thumb right off, had to glue it up with Crazy Glue to stop the bleeding.

I consider myself very lucky.