Print PDF
Favorite
Email
Step 7Cutting the bottom of the leg (while you're at it)
As long as you have the table saw set at 15 degrees, cut the angle onto the bottom of the legs! The top will be left square.
Secret anti-kickback trick. A clearance block is a piece of scrap wood used, when using the miter gauge with the fence as a stop. This insures that you do not have a part trapped between the blade and the fence (kick-back time!) when you are pulling the part back toward you or if the part tips side-ways while being cut. (This usually happens just after the part is severed while it is still between the blade and the fence.)
You will set up the length of the leg, with the clearance block between the fence and the leg.. The leg is held in place and the clearance block is removed prior to making the cut.
Set up
Attach a nice long fence to your miter gauge and square it up to 90 degrees (perpendicular to the blade).
Set the height of the blade to around 1-3/4". It should just be above the top of the leg when the leg is laid flat.
Turn the saw on and cut through the fence on the miter gauge so you can use the slot to set up the length for the leg.
Using a clearance block set the fence so you will trim a small bit off the end.
Cutting
Place the clearance block against the fence and a leg against the miter gauge.
Slide the leg against the miter gauge and up against the clearance block, trapping the block between the leg and the fence.
Without moving the leg, remove the clearance block and set it away from the path of the board.
Slowly, keeping your hands away from the path of the cut, pass the leg over the blade.
After the blade has passed through the wood, carefully slide the leg away from the blade and pull it and the miter gauge back toward you.
Secret anti-kickback trick. A clearance block is a piece of scrap wood used, when using the miter gauge with the fence as a stop. This insures that you do not have a part trapped between the blade and the fence (kick-back time!) when you are pulling the part back toward you or if the part tips side-ways while being cut. (This usually happens just after the part is severed while it is still between the blade and the fence.)
You will set up the length of the leg, with the clearance block between the fence and the leg.. The leg is held in place and the clearance block is removed prior to making the cut.
Set up
Attach a nice long fence to your miter gauge and square it up to 90 degrees (perpendicular to the blade).
Set the height of the blade to around 1-3/4". It should just be above the top of the leg when the leg is laid flat.
Turn the saw on and cut through the fence on the miter gauge so you can use the slot to set up the length for the leg.
Using a clearance block set the fence so you will trim a small bit off the end.
Cutting
Place the clearance block against the fence and a leg against the miter gauge.
Slide the leg against the miter gauge and up against the clearance block, trapping the block between the leg and the fence.
Without moving the leg, remove the clearance block and set it away from the path of the board.
Slowly, keeping your hands away from the path of the cut, pass the leg over the blade.
After the blade has passed through the wood, carefully slide the leg away from the blade and pull it and the miter gauge back toward you.
| « Previous Step | Download PDFView All Steps | Next Step » |
Safely.