Crosscutting >18"

[Hobiedog]

I've had my BT3000 since ~1995, but never needed to crosscut anything more than 18". What have you guys done in this case?

Thanks,

JT

[ragswl4]

I've had my BT3000 since ~1995, but never needed to crosscut anything more than 18". What have you guys done in this case?

Thanks,

JT

I use an edge guide, like this one: http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?p...r=edge%20guide
and a circular saw. Make sure to support the wood on both sides of the cut and tape the cut line with painter's or masking tape to reduce tear out.

[LCHIEN]

If it has a square end and the crosscut is not too long, I use the rip fence.

The BT3 FAQ lists some ways of making the std crosscut width a few inches larger.

[pecker]

I recently had to square up some plywood drawer bottoms that would be 22" wide. I used a board, or a stick, really, about 3/4" x 1" x 24", and clamped it to the front edge of SMT usin 1" C-clamps. This became the miter fence.

I squared the fence to the blade using a large drafting triangle. It worked great, and the small 1" C-clamps, with the tightening lever on the top side, allowed the SMT to make the entire crosscut. If you used larger clamps, they would hit the fence rail before the cut was finished.

[gary]

I have a big crosscut sled I made for my BT3100 - lets me cut up to 26" so I can make cabinets if I need to. It's one heavy sucker!

[Thom2]

I followed in Lee's footsteps ...

Several years ago Lee Styron had drilled a hole in the SMT as an auxiliary location for the fence pivot. IIRC, this mod gave about 22" or so of crosscut capability.

I can't check for sure as the BT has been sold

[Hobiedog]

Looking at the options

I ‘ve thought about one of those clamping guides too. I am interested in the other options and have a few questions for you guys.

I recall that using the fence when crosscutting is a little risky, but I can’t remember why. However I don’t see a problem if the crosscut piece is at least square, or the cut/fence edges are longer than the fence guided edge.

Regarding the front-edge miter fence SMT method, at least on my saw it looks like that’d gain three inches or so, allowing for ~1” fence and depending on the blade height.

Gary, how did you guide our crosscut sled? I have only one miter slot table and since the slots are fairly close together, would that provide sufficient alignment?

Thanks for all of the recommendations. I'll lookup the FAQs as well.

[gary]

Gary, how did you guide our crosscut sled? I have only one miter slot table and since the slots are fairly close together, would that provide sufficient alignment?

I have two miter slot tables on my saw. I'm not sure it would be stable enough without one on each side of the blade.

[pecker]

Regarding the front-edge miter fence SMT method, at least on my saw it looks like that’d gain three inches or so, allowing for ~1” fence and depending on the blade height.

You can gain another inch or so by lowering the blade all the way, positioning your stock, then raising the spinning blade up into the wood. Then push the SMT to complete the cut.

[Sid]

A trick I read years ago, probably on the old Ryobi forum: Remove the whole SMT assembly from the rails and reverse it end-for-end, so the overhang is now on the rear of the saw. The workpiece is held against the miter gauge as usual, but now the gauge goes past the blade ahead of the workpiece, just guiding it, not pushing it. You gain a few inches, more as the blade is set higher.

Sid

[Sawduster]

I'll generally rough cut oversized by hand, then use a router with a flush cutting bit guided by a straight piece of stock clamped to the workpiece.

[Cabotcat]

Edge guide all the way. I have an excellent Rigid circular saw with an excellent blade. It cuts as well as any saw I have used.

[dkerfoot]

Several years ago Lee Styron had drilled a hole in the SMT as an auxiliary location for the fence pivot. IIRC, this mod gave about 22" or so of crosscut capability.

I just found out about another "improvement" for the 21829! It has the second hole for extended crosscutting that Thom2 is describing. It also has a 2nd flip-up stop on the other side for easy zero refernce. Capacity is about 21 1/2" with the blade fully raised.

I knew about it, but didn't realize it wasn't "stock" on the BT3's.

I'd also not be concerned about using the rip-fence for that deep a piece.

Otherwise I have a home made edge guide similar to this: http://members.aol.com/woodmiser1/sawbd.htm

The only difference is mine has two sides - one for my circular saw and the other for my 3/4" plywood router bit - the one I most often use for dados.

By far the most useful jig I have ever made. Clamp it right up to the cut-line and rip away. Before I bought my table saw, I built a large (80"x48'x24") pantry cabinet using nothing but that guide, a router and a circular saw.