Cutting half laps with a dado blade?

[Upscale]

That was suggested by one person who emailed me privately. I'm going to try (or at least examine) the method of pulling the wood from the back left hand corner of the table saw into the blade where I can watch it hit the reference points. If I feel that's too unsafe or I'm not very comfortable with it, then it shouldn't be too much problem for me to jury rig a mirror that I can use to see the cut.

Coincidentally, I've been looking for an excuse to buy a better mitre than the stock one that came with the saw over thirty-five years ago. Ideally, I feel one *should* be able to line up a cut properly and cut wood without the need to see it feed. I want to buy a new mitre for the saw and this will be my reason to do so.

It will be a few days before I get over there to use the table saw. My worry right now when thinking about it is that it's a contractor type table saw with the belt and motor hanging off the back, things I really don't want to be near when the saw is running. I'll see how it goes.

[Swingman]

WoodHaven ... best value for the price, IMO. Nothing fancy, just simple, solid and accurate.

[Robatoy]

As mentioned by others, some sort of 1/2 sled that rides in the mitre- slot. Could be purpose-built for that project if quantities justify..or make it versatile enough for all your lap-joint needs. I wish I knew more about what your requirements are... in terms of a more long-term utility.

[Upscale]

You can probably guess most of my requirements and as I'm sure you know, the bottom line with me and woodworking is all centred around control ~ another hand on the particular tool I'm using since if mine are often occupied, I can't move around much. That difficulty is a frequent problem in my world and the problem with the half lap cuts is just one of many similar ones. I'm going to Lee Valley tomorrow and I'll probably pick up the Kreg mitre jig after a little hands on examination. It's something I should have done a long time ago, but I kept putting it off.

The saw is a contractor's type table saw sold to my friend about ten years ago and it lives in his garage. So, it gets used on a non regular basis as I refuse to take advantage of his good will. I build something for myself and then I attempt to talk him into letting me build or help him to build something for himself. When the time comes that I can rent my own workshop somewhere, then I'll upgrade to a cabinet saw and maybe a few other pieces of big iron. Until then, I'll have to be mostly satisfied with what I've got because I just don't have the space to store it all.

[MikeWhy]

I think you're much better off just installing the fence and using the fence. I don't think I'm being a Safety Nazi in suggesting this. The usual safety-nazi stuff just comes from rote following the "rules" crap. *This* evokes a response somewhat more akin to "ARE YOU F*CKING KIDDING ME? Just shove your arm into the blade and be done with it." Not your usual SN response.

Give some serious thought to using a rabbet bit and featherboard on the router table. There's so much less setup and so much less to get wrong.

[MikeWhy]

Hmmm. Not in regards the RAS. That's perfectly reasonable. Just in general, the whole dancing around not having a fence ...

[dpb]

...

The upclimb cut into the blade is too dangerous to even contemplate standing w/ two hands and body for bracing/control what more w/ the work essentially at eye level and hands/arms above/level w/ shoulders or thereabouts. It's just _NOT_ a good idea at all as it has far too much potential to grab and pull (if you've ever used a RAS you'll have an idea; that you'd contemplate it probably indicates you haven't, at least recently).

The mirror would be good, measurement and a stop block clamped to the table would be good, most suggestions would be good--climb cutting is not a good suggestion...

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[Upscale]

Yup, the climb cutting did occur to me. If I attempted it, I'd be using the magnetic featherboard set that I've got.

far, I've been hogging out 3/8" of cedar which isn't the most difficult wood to cut, but I am mindful of your concerns and you've made some valid points. I will be taking a mirror with me and I'll try that first and then the suggestion to clamp down a temporary wooden fence. If either lets me eyeball the cuts easily enough, I won't even consider the backwards cutting. I've got a total of six more tenons to cut, so there's not a great deal of work left.

[Doug Miller]

I agree with Mike -- that is NOT even CLOSE to safe. I might not have put it quite the way he did... but I entirely agree. Climb-cutting like you propose is just *begging* to get the workpiece, and the miter gauge along with it, thrown back into your teeth.

Set the fence or a guide of some some sort, or use a sled or a jig. Get your measurements and setup correct, and it truly won't matter that you can't see the leading edge of the wood going into the blade. Make a few test cuts on scrap first, if you need to, to convince yourself. You really don't need to watch. Honest.

If you feel that you simply *must* line up a pencil mark on the back side of the blade, do it with the saw turned *off*. Then clamp the workpiece to the miter gauge, lower the blade below the table, pull the gauge to the front of the saw, raise the blade, and make the cut normally -- moving the wood away from you.

You don't say what you use for safety equipment, but if your eye protection consists only of goggles or safety glasses, please consider using a face shield instead. I haven't used goggles for at least ten years -- the face shield is so much more convenient, and protects so much more. Your eyes are not the only part of your face that need protection; imagine what it would feel like to take a kickback in the nose or teeth, or the larynx, where a high-speed impact could be fatal. Operating the saw from a seated position puts your face and throat that much more in the "line of fire" and makes a face shield that much more important.

[Upscale]

"Doug Miller"

I have and use a full face shield every time as well as a heavy denim smock that covers my upper body completely. There's just too many mini projectile slivers and sawdust coming off the saw blade for me to consider not using a face shield. I'm hoping to pick up the Kreg Mitre (or something similar) from Lee Valley tomorrow and with that I should be able to cut to any line, sight unseen.

That's something I didn't consider and might work well. Thanks.

[dpb]

I'm not envisioning how the featherboards are going to help in this case.

Whatever, be careful _first_....agreed, the cedar and a 3/8" cut isn't terribly much, but all it takes is once for the results of the blade grabbing your work piece to get ugly. I'm particularly concerned given the geometry in which you have to approach the saw of being low. I'm sure you've got a lot of experience in using it that way and are able; but this operation spooks me to hear it.

Is there any chance you could eventually get a platform surrounding the saw that could support the wheelchair for better access? That would seem to potentially aid if not fully resolve a lot of problems for a long time in the future...

For the immediate problem--How about taking one that is at the proper distance now and use it w/ the blade stopped to set the distance for the stop block clamped to the table?

Alternatively, how about making the pieces a tad long, cut the tenon approximately (but a little long) then trim the end for the final length?

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[Upscale]

Eventually, I plan on buying a General 650 lowered version tablesaw. They build a line of five pieces of big iron that have been lowered for wheelchair, sitting use or someone of lower stature. And the fact that they're not charging a cent over the cost of the regular version makes them a class act in my books.

Not a problem anymore. The Kreg mitre I'm going to buy will let me cut safely.

I'm putting tenons on both ends of single pieces. I can screw up one end and then adjust for length, but the opposite end would need to be exact to the line without any initial error.

[Doug Miller]

Or perhaps one of these?

had no idea they existed until very recently, when I saw someone using one.

[Robatoy]

You won't go wrong with General. I am really impressed how they're handling their Gorilla CNC manufacturing. Great bunch of people.

[Upscale]

They start at about $4000 for a basic model and go up from there.

[Tanus]

Upscale, at one time you pointed out to us that General was making a saw lower than most, specifically for people in chairs. Did you get one of those?

If not, is there any safe way that you can elevate yourself and/or chair to get over the table and blade so that you can see better when you're lining up?

Tanus

[Tanus]

I seem to have asked that last question too early. This answers it.

Tanus

[dpb]

Well how kewl is that!!!??? :) I wasn't aware of that but super...

OK, anything so I don't have to fret any longer--I really didn't like the other idea if you couldn't tell.... :)

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[Doug Miller]

Yeeee-owwwwtch!!! And I'll bet that's not covered by health insurance, either, because they'll tell you "a standard chair is good enough". Right?

[Robatoy]

Dean Kamen can help out too.

guy is farking brilliant!!