Trying to figure out a cut on a table saw

[zxcvbob]

I'm trying to make a couple of folding sawhorses. My own design. :-) Two 36" 2x4's for the top, fastened together at the bottom edge with a pair of door hinges. On each end of each 2x4, I'll cut a 20° angled notch 5 1/2" wide to inset a 30" long 1x6". (and the 1x6's will have their ends cut at 20° to make them sit better on the floor and look neater at the top.) When the sawhorses are set up, the legs will splay out and the 2x4's will close up the gap at the top. When they are hanging on the garage wall, the top will open up to a 40° V and the legs will hang down. If my geometry is right, when they are set up they'll be about 28" tall.

I'm using a 10" tablesaw to make the cuts. The blade only tilts to the left for angled cuts, with the fence on the right. I made a practice cut in a scrap of 2x4 and quickly found the one little detail that I overlooked in my design.

I fed the 2x4 into the blade to a depth of 5 1/2", removed it from the saw, and finished making the cut with a hand saw. Looks pretty good even tho' I haven't cleaned it up with a chisel yet. (the 1x6 leg will eventually be attached with construction adhesive and roofing nails.) Now how do I make the cut on the other end? I can't safely feed the board in from the back of the saw...

I think what I have to do is measure with the saw all the way up, lower the blade, clamp the board to the back of the fence, turn the saw on and raise the blade to make a plunge cut.

Maybe there's a way to use the little wedge scrap that I cut off as a shim under the 2x4 so I can cut the other end with a dado? Or set the blade back to vertical and use the shim on the rip fence?

I'm sure it's really easy, I'm just out of practice. :-/

Bob

[Ed Pawlowski]

Flip the board over and put the fence on the other side of the blade

Making a plunge cut sounds dangerous to me.

[zxcvbob]

The fence won't go on the other side. (that would be too easy :-)

Bob

[Ed Pawlowski]

Then you need a new saw. You can also make a fence by clamping a 2 x 4 in place.

[beecrofter]

then move the existing fence out of the way and clamp a straight board as a fence using a piece or two of scrap cut to use as guage blocks

[DerbyDad03]

Meaning no disrespect to anyone in a.h.r. may I suggest that you post your question in rec.woodworking?

[zxcvbob]

I thought the folk here might have the same class of tools as I do (and have to work with their limitations), and the folks over there are set-up like Norm Abrams with a top-notch specialized tool for everything. ;-)

I've about decided on using a wedge-shaped shim under the boards and cutting with a dado. Or possibly feeding the board from the back WITH A STOP CLAMPED TO THE FENCE in case it grabs the board and tries to pull it in. (The dado seems safer than either reaching over the fully-extended blade or standing at the back of the saw, but it might be OK with the stop in place. I could also stand to the side of the saw.)

Bob

[DerbyDad03]

Don't be afraid of the folks that hang in rec.woodworking. They're not all Normites and are more than willing to help out those of us with basic woodworking tools and skills.

[aemeijers]

It's a sawhorse. Use a bigger piece of wood for the top rail, and just bevel the whole board. You can infill the middle area with more of the

1x, if looks matter to you.

Or, do like you said, make a wedge and screw it temporarily to the board, and mill it it out dado style. I never owned a stacked dado cutter- we always just hogged it out with the 'universal' blade. Do the sides first to get it square, then a few middle passes, then just float it around. For cuts like this without a taper, didn't even use a table saw, just a skillsaw.

-- aem sends...