Cutting knife scales with a miter saw--Safely

Fred.Rowe

Fred.Rowe

Joined
May 2, 2004
Messages
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I posted on a thread a couple of weeks ago and suggested using a miter saw to cut scales. I should have had something more useful to post at the time, but alas I did not.

Taking to heart, Stacy Alpelt's call to post valid and useful information I offer this short video on how to saw knife scales using a miter saw, safely.

Happy grinding, Fred

[video=youtube_share;VWP36Esx-UI]http://youtu.be/VWP36Esx-UI[/video]
 
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Not bad,

I would prefer gluing to a longer piece of material for more control and to keep hands farther from the blade, but this works.

EA
 
That's a great tip Fred :) What do you do with the piece still glued to the 2x6? Just keep slicing as many scales off it as you can, or cut down the glue joint to "free" it from the 2x6?
 
mgysgthath said:
That's a great tip Fred :) What do you do with the piece still glued to the 2x6? Just keep slicing as many scales off it as you can, or cut down the glue joint to "free" it from the 2x6?
Click to expand...

It depends on how it measures out, but planning the cuts so the glue joint is the last one, makes seance to me.
 
thanks for the video.. took me a while to realize you were switching on a vac everytime before you cut :D

does anyone use the miter to glue up bolster scales?? in the not to distant future I'd like to try my hand at that and was wondering...
 
I use a similar method on my table saw. I can slice a whole stack of equal scales.
A tip for using the chop saw is to set a stop on the cut side that will determine the scale thickness. Then you can make multiple cuts from a thicker block of wood, or just two cuts from a small handle block. This way both scales will be the same thickness.
 
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Fred,
Great idea! Let me suggest one more safety suggestion.
Add a zero-clearance sub fence to the saw. This will prevent
the saw from sucking up the cut off piece into the blade gap and
ruining the scale, and possibly your day! The sub fence doesn't
need to be thick, just to have no gap between the blade and
the fence.
Bill
 
Bill Hoffman said:
Fred,
Great idea! Let me suggest one more safety suggestion.
Add a zero-clearance sub fence to the saw. This will prevent
the saw from sucking up the cut off piece into the blade gap and
ruining the scale, and possibly your day! The sub fence doesn't
need to be thick, just to have no gap between the blade and
the fence.
Bill
Click to expand...

Good suggestion, Bill. :thumbup:
I think its important, on any saw, to take the time to make the actual cutting clean and safe. I've seen the results of bad or no planning, when operating a saw.

Fred
 
Yeah, saw blades are equal opportunity cutters. Wood, fingers, all the same.
Makers who are new to using power saws, really think out how you're
going to make a cut and think safety. If the little voice in your head says
"STOP", pay attention. Beware of flying pieces of wood caused by jams
or blade pinch, they can really hurt you.

Bill
Ex-science and woodshop teacher.
 
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