Mini Sawboard, squared

[leehljp]

In a recent thread, I made a note of a mini-sawboard I made for squarely cross cutting boards. Ed and Twistsol posted a comment, so I decided to give the Squared Mini-Sawboard its own thread here.

Originally, I used a speed square in crosscutting with a circular saw, but I hated to do the precise measuring required for perfect alignment with the cutting line on the circular saw. So I first made a sawboard like spacer and butted it up against the speed square. This gave me easy and perfect alignment. Then I misplaced my 12 in speed square. I did have my spacer, so I decided to add an edge to it, and then I added a small cross piece glued to the bottom - carefully squared to make it align perfectly.

Basically, it is a sawboard on a mini-scale for crosscutting 12 in wide and narrower boards. If I were starting from scratch again, I would make the back board on the left side - several inches wider to allow clamping from that. As it is now, I place the mini sawboard in place and use another backer board against the sawboard and clamp the backer board. I like the small size because it doesn't take a lot of space and can be stored in a quick to reach place.

Very simple and very handy for cross cutting accurately with a circular saw.

[cabinetman]

Looks good Hank, simple and effective. What's the advantage of having the saw on the board versus against the edge of a "T" square type jig?
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[Pappy]

Methinks I see another jig in my near future! Great idea, Hank.

[leehljp]

Looks good Hank, simple and effective. What's the advantage of having the saw on the board versus against the edge of a "T" square type jig?
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Basically with a square, you have to line the saw up first and then adjust the square and then clamp it. You can't just start with the square first unless you account for and use the measurements from the blade to the edge of the shoe. Lots of figureing and adjusting with the clamping everything into position for both sides of the board to be cut. With a sawboard itself, that is eliminated. The part of the sawboard that the saw sets on and slides on - the edge is originally cut off by the blade itself, leaving a perfect one side Zero Clearance line for the cut.

I may be wrong, but reading between the lines, it seems you may not be familiar with the advantages of a "Saw Board" versus square.

The edge of the sawboard lies precisely where the blade will be and therefore the precise cutoff can be determined from one end to the other visually. When on a T square or against a speed square, it is common for the far side to be off by 1/16 inch and you don't know it until you get there. But with a sawboard, you know before you begin where the finish cut will be.

Click here to see the full advantage and the principle behind it. One thing that he does not show on there is the building of the saw board. Originally the bottom where the shoe slides upon is much wider. But the edge of the bottom piece that acts as the slide - is cut with shoe against the 2nd level piece, assuring that the blade is aligned with the edge all the way over.

What I did was just make a small one for crosscutting 1x 12s. Most pictures of sawboards show them being 3 ft, 6 ft or 8. But on mine, I added a "square" to the bottom edge.

For the mini saw board, I made it to crosscut some 1x12s by 8 ft for the carcass of a bookcase that I am still working on.

[Charlie]

Deleted by me.

[cabinetman]

Basically with a square, you have to line the saw up first and then adjust the square and then clamp it. You can't just start with the square first unless you account for and use the measurements from the blade to the edge of the shoe. Lots of figureing and adjusting with the clamping everything into position for both sides of the board to be cut. With a sawboard itself, that is eliminated. The part of the sawboard that the saw sets on and slides on - the edge is originally cut off by the blade itself, leaving a perfect one side Zero Clearance line for the cut.

I may be wrong, but reading between the lines, it seems you may not be familiar with the advantages of a "Saw Board" versus square.

I am familiar with the differences. I use a simple "T" square that isn't very involved to use. I have one for short cuts and one that will do 8'.
A "T" type gets sized with the first cut, so the edge for the cut on the bottom leg of the "T" is where the blade cuts. All I do is make a mark where the cut goes, and clamp the other end, and it's not off 1/16". I don't need to mark a cut line, or make any other measurements.

A saw board may be easier to use for some, and I've made them for special applications. And, like a sawboard, I use the same blade and saw to insure the dimension for the cut. Just like a dado jig, the same router base and bit makes for the repeated accuracy.

But I have to agree with you that jigs are easier to use than just holding a speed square or a framing square.
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[Charlie]

Deleted by me.

[cabinetman]

I think it depends on how precise you want to be, theres nothing hard about useing a Speed Square, they are relatively inexpensive, compact, fast, and in the right hands can produce some pretty good cuts. Benchdog sells a PRO-CUT that works like a small sawboard if thats what your looking for.

I think accuracy has quite a bit of an influence. A speed square has a limitation on the length of cut, as well as a CMS or SCMS (if one has these tools). It's not always a 2x4 that needs to be cut, but possibly a plywood panel.

The use of jigs can be a money saver in having something that works well that can be shop made. For some with limited use of their hands it helps if the jig used can be clamped.
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[leehljp]

We are kinda getting off the original point of the sawboard. Basically what I did was add a "lip" to the bottom side of the mini sawboard so that it was self squaring, kinda like the lip on a speed square. The pencil mark and line are already there, so it is "good to go" quickly.

I add a backer board for the "clamp down" to keep it from moving. If I had made it slightly larger to begin with, I could have clamped the mini-sawboard itself.


Cab, Charlie, I know that both of you are professionals at what you do, by your comments here, whether you admit it or not. Both of you know your tools and how to use them professionally. If I were doing WW professionally, I am sure my techniques and tools would change.

I used to be able to walk into an average bed room or family room and tell the measurements within a couple of inches just by looking a couple of minutes. I used to get comments from framing construction fellows on how I could freehand crosscut a board precisely (or rip a short 2 ft piece) in the center without a measurement, mark, square or fence (yep dangerous). I can't do that now; my work has changed. I need different tools and techniques to achieve the same thing that I didn't before. The point is that I can see both of you setting forth some good arguments and techniques that benefit the very skilled and experienced WWers who do this on a daily or almost daily basis. This is almost like the argument of the Saw Stop. A skilled and experienced WW doesn't need it. But the occasional user does!

Charlie:

Clamp down a speed square?

Back to the mini sawboard with the squareing lip under it. Convenient and accurate for the occasional user. As to squares and clamps - for me with aging and tired shaky hands (from mom's side of the family), I have had squares wander as much as 1/16 inch when holding by hand and crosscutting with a circular saw sliding against it. I can't tolerate that inaccuracy, but it happens. So the only choice is to clamp it, whether it is a backer board, square, speed square or what ever, . . . and I recommend others do the same - at least those without the skill or experience that you fellows have.

A "T" square as illustrated in Cabs post will only give you the start mark. For the professional/experienced, that will be fine. But for the occasional user, a sawboard will give you the full line of the cut and you will know before the end of the line if you are going off. Running the saw against the T square can deflect the long part of the T bar on the far side of the cross cut. Yep operator error but it happens toooo frequently. For the occasional user who wants the skill and precision of the professional without the cost, jigs and clamps are the way to go.

There is a place for both.

[Ed62]

This is almost like the argument of the Saw Stop. A skilled and experienced WW doesn't need it.

I think Rod might give some first hand insight on that argument.

I use a sawboard for cutting sheet goods. But I never thought to add the self squaring lip on the bottom. Simple enough, and very effective.

Ed

[cgallery]

I use a sawboard for cutting sheet goods. But I never thought to add the self squaring lip on the bottom. Simple enough, and very effective.

Ed

Exactly. I'm absolutely going to make one of these (thanks Hank!). Actually, two (one for my battery-powered saw).

In fact, I'm going to make several and give them away to friends/relatives that don't have chop saws.

[pelligrini]

Another neat thing about a short sawboard is the ease of making angled crosscuts. I just lay the board over my layout line, clamp, and cut.

[Charlie]

Deleted by me.