Miter saw question

[THyman]

Hello Everyone,

I must first say that I love this forum. I have learned a lot about woodworking by just reading.

My question is this. I was working with my miter saw this past weekend and I had to cut off osme 2 and 3 inch pieces and almost veerytime when I would bring the saw back up, my wood would get caught in the blade. I eventually just shut the blade off and once the brake stopped the blade, I would lift the saw. Is there a better way to do this?

Also, I was using a stop to make accurate and consistant cuts.

Thanks for your input!

[LarryG]

quote:Originally posted by THyman

I eventually just shut the blade off and once the brake stopped the blade, I would lift the saw.

That's the proper way to do it, especially when using a stop block. Without a stop block, the offcut is free to float away from the blade. But with a stop block, it has nowhere to go and often will rise up with a moving blade.

[monte]

I agree with Larry. It is much safer to let the blade come to a stop before letting it back up.

[LCHIEN]

yup. either what those experst just said OR clamp the cutoff piece to the fence or table.

[Tequila]

Agreed - proper technique is to let the blade stop before lifting it.

[Jim Boyd]

One of the reasons behind a blade brake. So you don't have to wait long before the blade stops.

[THyman]

Thanks to all for the insite.

[Tom Miller]

Well, this is new to me (not to say that that should be surprising). I don't think I ever let the MS blade stop before I raise it. And I guess I'm not 100% convinced I need to.

But, I only use a stop block on the side of the blade that I'm holding the stock (either by hand or with a clamp). I don't think I'd be inclined to ever use a stop block without having the stock secured. Is this the main reason not to raise the blade until it is stopped?

Regards,
Tom

[scorrpio]

My understanding of how this happens is following: you use a certain amount of pressure to push the workpiece into the stopblock, which likely compresses the wood and/or deflects the stopblock by maybe a micron or so (less than .001").

When holding piece on other side of blade from stopblock, and pushing towards blade, once wider blade teeth cut the kerf and go below, the cutoff 'bounces back' from the stopblock. - and gets caught by the teeth when blade rises.

When the hand is on same from blade as stopblock, pushing the piece away from the blade, compression is between hand and block, and area under the blade is not compressed - so no bounce back occurs.

[LarryG]

quote:Originally posted by Tom Miller

Well, this is new to me (not to say that that should be surprising). I don't think I ever let the MS blade stop before I raise it. And I guess I'm not 100% convinced I need to.

When the saw is running, the blade rotation pushes the stock down and into the fence; and when you pull the head down to make the cut, the motion is in the same direction. When you lift the head with the blade still moving, the blade is essentially moving past the cut end of the workpiece in two directions simultaneously. It only takes a slight movement of the offcut piece -- up off the table, or away from the fence -- to allow a tooth to catch on it and yank it crooked it and fling it somewhere. The dynamics are somewhat similar to kickback on a table saw, although not nearly as violent.

IME the most careful woodworkers and carpenters (in real life and on TV) allow the blade to stop before lifting it. Also, the owner's manual for my Delta 36-255L says to do it this way.

On a closely-related issue, I try to avoid any offcuts that don't bridge across the gap in the fence. I will confess to sometimes violating my own rule ... but it seems like at least half the time I do so, the narrow offcut gets grabbed by the blade and flung up inside the blade guard and dust nozzle.

[Tom Miller]

quote:Originally posted by scorrpio

....When holding piece on other side of blade from stopblock, and pushing towards blade, once wider blade teeth cut the kerf and go below, the cutoff 'bounces back' from the stopblock. - and gets caught by the teeth when blade rises....

I think a jam is nearly guaranteed if you raise the blade before it's stopped in this case. But I wouldn't have an unsupported piece between a stop block and the blade, regardless of whether or not I wait for the blade to stop before raising.

However, I don't hesitate to raise the blade before it stops when I'm holding the piece that's against the stop block. It seems like the only scenario that would present danger is if I were to let go, or otherwise lose control of the workpiece.

I'll have to analyze this a little more the next time a use the MS. I seem to recall a time or two when the workpiece was a little difficult to hold for one reason or another -- I may very well have waited for the blade to stop in those cases. I'm definitely mindful of the catches you can get when a piece gets trapped.

Regards,
Tom