Cross cutting 2 x 4's and the Craftsman 21829

[balzac.thegreat]

Hey Guys,

Back from a long hiatus at the forum.

Here's the story - I moved into a loft and had to do some wall construction. My father in law was there to help me. Long story short, I have a bunch of 12 foot studs left over that I'd like to use, but find it intimidating to handle them by myself with the CM21829. When my FIL was around, it was easier because he held up one end and helped guide it through the blade. I experienced some blade-binding when I was cutting some pieces by myself and I have since figured there has to be a better and much safer way. I suppose I could buy a hand held chop saw (I have one, but it's not big enough for 2x4s), but that's not the most accurate.

Any tips for cutting 2x4s, especially long ones?

[LCHIEN]

depends a lot on whether you are cutting them in half or trying to cut 8 inches off the end.

If you are cutting them in half then it all balances around the cut point and there's no binding but the 6' end pieces want to fall off onto the floor.

When cutting a small piece off the end, it hard to support the long piece and push it straight - an extended miter fence would help but still its way off balance.

Really, in this case I think of the moving wood/fixed blade vs. fixed wood/moving blade issues.
I find the wood stationary on a chop saw (compound miter saw) where the blade moves up and down is the best way to break down long pieces of lumber. Otherwise you need to rig up some special support for your work.

I use an 10" miter saw a lot... you can frequently find them starting around $100.

[Garasaki]

Yeah crosscutting anythign longer then a couple feet is a real PIA and IMO dangerous on a tablesaw (unless you have a setup made specifically do to it). The danger comes from the pieces always wanting to lift, especially as they are cut.

I picked up a hitachi reconditioned mitersaw for my basement finishing project, and a stand to go with it (which provides plenty of infeed/outfeed support). You could also just get a circular saw (this is what many many contractors do to cut 2x4's for walls), or if you have a jigsaw and a lot of patience....

A tablesaw just really isn't the right tool for this job IMO.

[Mr__Bill]

Hand saw

I have two roller support things. I place them to the left of the saw with a long board on top, places so it can roll forward, the height set so the top of the board is just a bit above the top of the table saw. Set board to be cut on top. As you push the board through the saw the other end rides on the rollers via the other board. If you have a long cut off on the other side do the same with another two roller things and another long board.

This also works for support a sheet of plywood, you just need a very long board.

Bill, over here in the rain

[LinuxRandal]

For just crosscutting these, make (or buy) some saw horses, then use your circular saw and a carpenters square (triangle) as a guide. Place the sawhorses on either side of your cut, and some towards the end (four on something large allows the weight to be better balanced).

A miter saw is fine, but for just 2x's seems to be a bit much. Now when you start doing crown molding (moulding for our British friends), or base, picture frame, etc. you will want a miter saw.

[dbhost]

For just crosscutting these, make (or buy) some saw horses, then use your circular saw and a carpenters square (triangle) as a guide. Place the sawhorses on either side of your cut, and some towards the end (four on something large allows the weight to be better balanced).

A miter saw is fine, but for just 2x's seems to be a bit much. Now when you start doing crown molding (moulding for our British friends), or base, picture frame, etc. you will want a miter saw.

Now if you are going to spell things for the British contingent here, shouldn't it be Mitre saw?

[dkerfoot]

You may be forgetting that you can move the rails. I love being able to slide the rails on my 21829 all the way to one side for cross-cutting long boards. for 12' pieces you still want some sort of outboard support, but sliding the rails, then clamping the work piece to the SMT will get you most of the way there.

[pelligrini]

I don't have a miter saw either.

I've crosscut and halflapped 12' long 2x12s on my 21829 with the SMT. I also have a set of half rails on one end and I put another extension set on the other and I was using the long miter fence too. Sometimes I'll need a rigid flip-top stand or two. I will clamp the board to the fence.

I prefer to rough cut the long pieces with a circular saw & speed square, or a hand saw for smaller boards, then take them to my 21829

This is about 9'-3" of surface length.

[Ed62]

I'm with Linux. IMO, a circular saw and a square is the way to go for crosscutting 2X4s.

Ed

[Charlie]

Deleted by me.

[balzac.thegreat]

Hand saw

I have two roller support things. I place them to the left of the saw with a long board on top, places so it can roll forward, the height set so the top of the board is just a bit above the top of the table saw. Set board to be cut on top. As you push the board through the saw the other end rides on the rollers via the other board. If you have a long cut off on the other side do the same with another two roller things and another long board.

This also works for support a sheet of plywood, you just need a very long board.

Bill, over here in the rain

That's a great idea for big stock. I used to have a roller, but had to ditch it when I moved cross country. But I never used 2 to make a giant rolling table.

Thanks for all the advice. Probably will either get a miter saw or upgrade my circular saw to something that can handle 2x4's.

[crokett]

Charlie, lighten up. He knows a TS is not the best alternative so he is asking for a better way.

I would use a handsaw unless you often have need for a circular saw. A good handsaw will cut those down into manageable lengths pretty quickly. Even a 10" powered miter saw will have the same issues your tablesaw does without proper support.

[leehljp]

The best quick tool if you don't have a miter saw, IMO, is a speed square and the circular saw. I have a 6 inch and 12 inch speed square and use them all the time for cross cutting. When I want precision down to the 1/128, I clamp the speed square after considerable measurements.

Then I got smart! . . .
I recently made a mini-saw board with a squared guide glued to the underside of one end. It acts like a speed square but gives me the precise line of cross cut.

[Ed62]

The best quick tool if you don't have a miter saw, IMO, is a speed square and the circular saw. I have a 6 inch and 12 inch speed square and use them all the time for cross cutting.

Yeah, me too.

I recently made a mini-saw board with a squared guide glued to the underside of one end. It acts like a speed square but gives me the precise line of cross cut.

Now why didn't I think of that?

Ed

[twistsol]

Then I got smart! . . .
I recently made a mini-saw board with a squared guide glued to the underside of one end. It acts like a speed square but gives me the precise line of cross cut.

I'm so glad I can read. It saves a lot of thinking things out on my own.