Cutting the same length

[MichaelWisniewski]

Hi!

I have a question about cutting wood. I'd say that I'm just starting out and learning a lot. It seems like when I'm making something that requires more than one piece of the same length, I have issues cutting it at that length. I might be a 1/8" off or less. In situations like this, do you just clamp all the boards together and sand a little off the ends?

I'm using a mitre saw to cut my 90's, and a table saw to rip it long ways. My latest project is a bench that you sit on. Here's a pdf with a picture of it…

http://www.workbenchmagazine.com/main/pdf/wb287-backdoorbench.pdf

The part that you sit on is where I'm having issues with the board lengths, but I know that my problem isn't with the project, it's just cutting multiple boards the same length.

So, I was wondering, what tips do you have to do this?

Thanks!

[Pete Bennett]

Hi!

I have a question about cutting wood. I'd say that I'm just starting out and learning a lot. It seems like when I'm making something that requires more than one piece of the same length, I have issues cutting it at that length. I might be a 1/8" off or less. In situations like this, do you just clamp all the boards together and sand a little off the ends?

I'm using a mitre saw to cut my 90's, and a table saw to rip it long ways. My latest project is a bench that you sit on. Here's a pdf with a picture of it…

http://www.workbenchmagazine.com/main/pdf/wb287-backdoorbench.pdf

The part that you sit on is where I'm having issues with the board lengths, but I know that my problem isn't with the project, it's just cutting multiple boards the same length.

So, I was wondering, what tips do you have to do this?

Thanks!

If you have as much as an 1/8" in difference you'll be sanding for a hell of a while. If you have router lay the boards up as if you are already forming the top. Clamp a straight edge across the ends at the right distance back from the edge and using a straight cutter trim them all to the same length. By the 'Right Distance' I mean one of two things. If you have a guide bush then you should set the straight edge back by the amount required which will depend on (a) the bush diameter and( the cutter diameter. If you don't have a guide bush you will need to fit the cutter and with a rule carefully measure the distance from the cutter to the flat side of your router. Or if you have one with a circular base the edge of that.

Next time you are cutting a number of boards to the same length it is usually best to cut one end nice and square and then either clamp all the boards together using a Try square at the cut ends to ensure they all line up accurately, measure the top board and very carefully cut them all at once. Being sure to take several light cuts rather than plunging wildly in. A better method, especially if you have a lot of boards to cut is to set up some form of measured stop so you can cut each board individually by placing them carefully up to the stop and cutting them.

Hope this helps.

Pete

[greatrockandroll]

if its a cut on the mitre saw, you could always clamp a stopblock to the fence. Also make sure that you are cutting on "the waste side" of the line because you have to account for the 1/8'' thinckness (or less) of the blade

[Vermont Carpentry]

Michael,

If you have a dedicated mitre saw station make sure the saw fence is parallel to the wings or extensions. When making repeated cuts first measure. Measure from the blade tooth and not the flat part of the blade. Make a mark on the wing/extension and use spring clamps to hold a block in place perpendicular to the wing/extension. All cuts will now be equal and square.

Good luck,

Mark

[A_Vitale]

I would agree some kind of stop block will yield you the most accurate and efficient multiple cut.

[MichaelWisniewski]

Thanks all for the responses. I'll have to try some of these out and see what works best.

I also failed to mention two possible issues. The first is my mitre saw isn't the best quality, and when I bought it, I bought it because it was cheap. Heck, it's not even a Craftsman, it's a Champion. The second is the tape measure. There's a little give on the end where you hook it, and when I pushed it up against the blade to measure before I cut, that might be why I'm off.

I also wanted to post here and see if other people had tips or tricks on doing this, which was nice of you to share them. I can take these back and start using them, along with a new tape measure.

Thanks!!

[Sac]

The second is the tape measure. There's a little give on the end where you hook it, and when I pushed it up against the blade to measure before I cut, that might be why I'm off.

One thing you will find is that most all tape measures do this. I would recommend just marking the workpiece and lining the mark up with the blade. I dont know anything about them, but there are also the lasers that you can mount on the arbor. They turn on when you you start the saw. I think that you might get better results if you went either of those ways.

[rmac]

I think that a stop of some kind is really the best answer. No matter how careful you are with tape measures and pencils and lasers, there are just too many steps in the process, each of which gives you the opportunity for a little bit more error in your cut. Add them all together, and <*kaboom*>, you're off by an eighth of an inch.

This video explains the problem pretty clearly:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FmFKugm0dk

Although you certainly don't need the fancy system they're trying to sell in the video, I think you do need a way to clamp a block of wood to a fence so that you can butt your workpieces against the block to make sure that they all come out the same length. Heck, for your bench, you really don't care exactly how long they are, as long as they are all the same.

Two more hints:

1. Once you get you get your stop set up, make sure that you don't get sawdust trapped between it and the workpiece. That will throw your cuts off for yet another reason!

2. Once you've made your stop, drive a screw into it as shown here. That will make it easier to adjust, and will also eliminate the trapped sawdust problem.

-- Russ

[Beechwood Chip]

The second is the tape measure. There's a little give on the end where you hook it,

Most tape measures have this, so that when you push the tip against an edge you measure to the outside of the tip (where the edge is), but when you hook the tip over an edge you measure to the inside of the tip (where the edge is). The tip moves to compensate for the thickness of the hook part.

I agree with using a stop. Measuring will only get you "close" no matter how careful you are.

I bought a guide for my DeWalt CMS that I like a lot, instead of a laser it is a bright LED light that illuminates the area. The blade casts a shadow on the work piece, so you can easily see where both sides of the blade will hit. But a stop is really the best solution.

[mbike1356]

Depending on the size of your table saw you would benefit greatly by making a crosscut sled. they can range from a small sheet of plywood (at home I have a 18x24 sheet, at work I have a 2/3 sheet of plywood 32x54. The small one has only one runner that slides in the right miter slot,the shop has two runners. Fine woodworking has plans as does "Wood" magazine. http://benchmark.20m.com/articles/CrosscutSleds/CrosscutSledArticle.pdf and http://www.thewoodshop.20m.com/howto_crosscut.htm are two links with instructions. Then all you have to do is set a stop and cut away.

[mbike1356]

Thanks all for the responses. I'll have to try some of these out and see what works best.

I also failed to mention two possible issues. The first is my mitre saw isn't the best quality, and when I bought it, I bought it because it was cheap. Heck, it's not even a Craftsman, it's a Champion. The second is the tape measure. There's a little give on the end where you hook it, and when I pushed it up against the blade to measure before I cut, that might be why I'm off.

I also wanted to post here and see if other people had tips or tricks on doing this, which was nice of you to share them. I can take these back and start using them, along with a new tape measure.

Thanks!!

Measure and mark one piece, then transfer the mark from that piece to the others. Sharp pencils or a scribe and a good square!

[MichaelWisniewski]

Thanks again everybody for the information. I liked the Kreg measuring stop, but at 100-some bucks, I might try to use some of the other ideas. I guess part of it is just trial and error and the other experience.

I haven't done much cutting since I posted this, but I will keep these tips and hints in mind and try them out the next time!

Thanks!

Mike

[mdhills]

You're pursuing the right question -- getting your boards to match.

Just as if you're ripping on the table saw, plan ahead and make all of your cuts at the same time, with one saw setting.

If your saw has the capacity, you can gang-cut: square up one end of all pieces, then get these even and clamp the boards together, then mark at your target length and make a single cut to trim all simultaneously. (similar idea to clamping on a guide and trimming slight unevenness with a router or circular saw)

The other approach is to use a stop block. Again, square up one end of each board. Clamp/screw/affix an auxiliary fence on your miter saw, and then clamp a stop block so that your first work piece is positioned for a cut at the desired length. Subsequent boards should be cut with the squared-off ends registering against the stop block.

(note that most miter saw stands on the market include some sort of flip-up stops. Not sure that these will give you amazing tolerances, especially if you ever drop the stop and then try to return it to position)

Table-saw sled is great for crosscutting shorter pieces. I use the same stop-block approach. My sled doesn't have enough support for a 4' bench rail.

Matt

[mdhills]

On the tape measure:

As others have noted, the tab is designed to move, so that you can make both inside and outside measurements.

I still view this as approximate, and was always taught to make any measurements starting at the 1" mark.

If trying to mark boards to length, you might do better to square off one end, then lay them out on a flat work surface, bring the ends flush, and then mark across them all at once using a combination square. This is sensitive to having your wood flat and straight. Double-checking is always a good idea before cutting.

Matt

[JoeLedington]

Hello two thinks come to my mind 1st is that you may be having problems with the way you mark your boards when you measure. I use a V and I place the tip of the V on the measurement that I want to cut then place an X on the waste side so I know which side of the V to cut on, I have seen people mark their cuts with just a line, the problem with that is unless the line is square and you know which side to cut on, and how thick your pencil line is you can be off up to a 1/4". That why I use VX it tells me where to cut and which side to place the blade and doesn't matter how thick the pencil line is as long as it will make a nice point at the end of the V.

The movement in your tape measure is build in to compensate for the thickness of the end piece. it moves in when you are measuring the inside like a door opening, and slide out when you hook it on something like measuring the length of a 1 x 6, if it didn't do this the inside measurements would always be off the thickness of the end piece.

As a trim carpenter I make a lot of cuts on a miter saw with out a stop, and in the shop I do have a extension table and a stop, but on the job I just use my tape. I think with a little practice and good measure technique you will be able to cut the same size boards all day.

Joey

[MichaelWisniewski]

Again, thanks all for the information. I think I may have found my next new project... The New Yankee Workshop did an episode on a chop saw station. It was episode 0922, according to wikipedia. It's a portable chop saw station that has two arms that swing out to handle longer pieces. It's kind of nice because it also folds down for storage. It has a built-in tape measure and a stop block so you can accomplish all the same length cuts. Here's a URL for other's that are interested...

http://www.newyankee.com/getproduct.php?9809

Thanks again for all the responses.

Mike

[Vermont Carpentry]

Michael,

I built a compound miter station with wings, 3ft each side that fold down. I also put mine on casters. I'm not sure what I modeled it after but it is a great accessory to the shop!

Mark

[Jerry_in_SD]

Another comment about stop blocks. Often the exact measurement does not matter. What matters most is that all pieces are of equal length. I get a close as I can to measure the position of the stop block but in the end, if it is 1/16 off, it does not matter. Usually doors and drawers and such are measured once you have the case or frame piece done anyway.

This does not apply to all situations but to many.

Sorry, just had to chime in...