Cutting small parts on a TS

ScottM

Scott
Staff member
Corporate Member
While I own a SawStop but I would rather not test the design. I have a need to cut some very small pieces. By small I mean roughly 1". I have cut a few pieces using my Incra miter gauge but I am thinking there might be a better and safer way. How do you guys cut small pieces?
 

hoodoo

Roger
Senior User
Hopefully you are not using the miter gauge and the fence together. You could set a stop block prior to the cut so the off piece is free after the cut.

Or, what I usually use is a crosscut sled. It supports the piece and off cut through the entire process of the cut.
 

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
Sled with hold downs.
Small parts are the easiest way to get hurt. I plan on never getting my hands within 6 inches of the blade.
 

cyclopentadiene

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User
A crosscut sled for cross cuts or angled cuts

the microjig Gripper works great for thin rip and short pieces. I use with the table saw,router table and band saw. They make push blocks that are great for the jointer

the only drawbacks are it is overpriced for a piece of plastic and the edge to catch the piece is sometimes too wide. It would be nice to have a second base with a smaller catch
 

tvrgeek

Scott
Corporate Member
Scott, I cut all my segmenting pieces on my crosscut sled. Some as small as 3/16"
Of course. My suggestion is if your stock is very small, holdowns in the sled are much safer. Somewhere around 4 inches I would not hold by hand.
 

Canuck

Wayne
Corporate Member
Hi Scott

I built this small cross cut sled out of scrap plywood. It’s about 12” x 15”. Has come in handy for safer cuts in small pieces.

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89B97393-44CD-4E03-8BE8-9CBA2449B966.jpeg

Wayne
 

Hmerkle

Board of Directors, Development Director
Hank
Staff member
Corporate Member
yup - what they all said - Charlie's sled is probably one of the best out there for small parts and varying angles...
Not sure if that was his design or someone else's that he adopted...

He would likely give you the info, but for a quick look, check out the YT video:
right away (2:19) shows the sled...
 

Oka

Casey
Corporate Member
Second this. This is the best approach to safely securing the piece. As a rule, TVRGeek is correct hands need to be 4"min away from the blade. Never put your hand between the blade and fence.

Could secure on a bigger piece of wood, but a clumsy slow way to do it.



Sled with hold downs.
Small parts are the easiest way to get hurt. I plan on never getting my hands within 6 inches of the blade.
 

Charles Lent

Charley
Corporate Member
I use one of these. https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/sho...ries/41780-small-parts-miter-jig?item=04K0101 or sometimes a 2 screw wood clamp of a size that will work best. For the clamp in the link, I cut some squares of sticky back 80 grit sand paper and applied it to the surfaces that hold the wood to make the clamp hold the work even better. One side of the clamp is an aluminum angle that you can ride along the fence while making the cut. It's about 1 ft long, so the clamp is quite stable when used this way. There is an adjustment for this to move it to an angle if you should want to cut the small piece at an angle, and I like the two handles that help you keep your hands high and away from the cutting area. This tool is a "must have" in my shop, and if I ever break it, I'll be ordering a replacement very soon. There are other sources for these and prices vary, so shop around. Lee Valley seems to be one of the better sources. Rockler has a blue version for the highest price that I've seen, or over double what Lee Valley wants for the yellow version, and as far as I can tell there is no difference between them, other than the color.

Charley
 
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Hmerkle

Board of Directors, Development Director
Hank
Staff member
Corporate Member
I was looking for a commercial version I recently saw with a de-sta-co like cam-action clamp to hold the part, but I cannot find it...
While looking for it, I saw this one from the Woodsmith Shop and think it is REALLY cool

 

cyclopentadiene

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User
I use one of these. https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/sho...ries/41780-small-parts-miter-jig?item=04K0101 or sometimes a 2 screw wood clamp of a size that will work best. For the clamp in the link, I cut some squares of sticky back 80 grit sand paper and applied it to the surfaces that hold the wood to make the clamp hold the work even better. One side of the clamp is an aluminum angle that you can ride along the fence while making the cut. It's about 1 ft long, so the clamp is quite stable when used this way. There is an adjustment for this to move it to an angle if you should want to cut the small piece at an angle, and I like the two handles that help you keep your hands high and away from the cutting area. This tool is a "must have" in my shop, and if I ever break it, I'll be ordering a replacement very soon. There are other sources for these and prices vary, so shop around. Lee Valley seems to be one of the better sources. Rockler has a blue version for the highest price that I've seen, or over double what Lee Valley wants for the yellow version, and as far as I can tell there is no difference between them, other than the color.

Charley
These are great for the router table
 

Bas

Recovering tool addict
Bas
Corporate Member
Could secure on a bigger piece of wood, but a clumsy slow way to do it.
Sometimes this is the best way. Super glue is your friend, glue your work piece to a 2x4 cutoff, make the cut, break it off. Double sided tape (or super glue between two layers of blue tape) also works.
 

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
My thin strip vacuum sled works so well, I would probably design one for small parts if I needed to cut lots of small parts.
 

Hmerkle

Board of Directors, Development Director
Hank
Staff member
Corporate Member
My thin strip vacuum sled works so well, I would probably design one for small parts if I needed to cut lots of small parts.
what the heck is a "thin strip vacuum sled"?
 

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