# Veneer cutting jig



## VisExp (Sep 23, 2008)

I've been using a lot of wood veneers in my segmenting lately. Initially I was cutting the veneers with a utility knife and ruler. I decieded I needed something more accurate and efficient. When I think accurate and efficient, I often think of my table saw. :biggrin:

The following pictures show what I came up with. The jig has a runner which fits in the miter slot. A couple of points when building the jig:


Assemble the base, leading and trailing edges first. When attaching the leading and trailing edges don't use any metal attachments (brad nails or screws) in the area where the blade cut will be.
Attach the runner. Make sure the runner fits snugly in the miter slot with no play.
Raise the blade 1". I used 3/4" MDF so this meant the blade would be 1/4" higher than the bed of the jig.
Run the bed through the saw. You now have a cut line in the bed of the base which is perfectly parallel to the miter slot without any measuring 
Add the jig fence and hold down block with a handle. Make sure the screws attaching the handle of the hold down jig are well offset to the cut line!  The bed of my jig will accept a piece of veneer just over 12" long. I made the fence so that I could rip/crosscut a piece of veneer up to 2"
A good coat of wax on the base of the jig and runner will help it to glide smoothly.
Because the cut in the base is now a zero clearance kerf and you are supporting the top of the workpiece with the hold down block, I'm able to cut the veneer with no tear out at all.


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## Nick (Sep 23, 2008)

Nice job on the jig, what saw blade are you using? and is their any method you use to hold the material during the cut?


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## hewunch (Sep 23, 2008)

I cut mine on my band saw sandwiched between two pieces of hardboard. Works great! Your jig however is top notch!


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## Ron in Drums PA (Sep 23, 2008)

One of the nicest TS sleds I've seen. 
Well Done!


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## TribalRR (Sep 23, 2008)

Nice Jig, but I use a paper cutter designed to be used for scrapbooking. Very reliable, safe, and less waste.

Totally unrelated, it looks like you have a Ridgid TS and you made your own inserts. Mind telling me what you use for the lip in the back? Thanks.


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## VisExp (Sep 23, 2008)

Nick said:


> Nice job on the jig, what saw blade are you using? and is their any method you use to hold the material during the cut?


 
Nick, the veneer is held down with the hold down block. If you look in the second picture, you can see the cut is in progress, the blade is turning. The veneer is hidden below the hold down block that has the silver handle on it. 

The blade is a Freud Diablo 7 1/4" circular saw blade. Kerf width of 1/16"



TribalRR said:


> Nice Jig, but I use a paper cutter designed to be used for scrapbooking. Very reliable, safe, and less waste.
> 
> Totally unrelated, it looks like you have a Ridgid TS and you made your own inserts. Mind telling me what you use for the lip in the back? Thanks.


 
Chip, I use a paper cutter as well for some cuts. It works well and you are correct has less waste. However I find with the longer cuts I am able to get a more consistent width using the TS jig.

Good eye on the Ridgid. The insert is just friction fit. I did not use anything on the lip. I've read that this can cause a problem with the insert lifting up during the cut, but I have not had any issues with it at all. If you look closely at the insert you will see two cuts in it. One is for the Freud 1/16" circular saw blade. The other is for my Woodworker II blade. I just flip the insert around depending on which blade I have mounted on the saw.

I'm assuming you have a Ridgid as well. Have you made an out feed table for yours? That is on my list of things to do.


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## Texatdurango (Sep 23, 2008)

Keith, Nice sled!

If I might add to the discussion without taking away from the thread....

I made my sled from 1/2" MDF instead of 3/4".  My Delta saw doesn't allow the Diablo 7 1/4" blade to stick up above the table much.  I find that the 1/2" MDF is just as stable as the 3/4" for my needs and I get the extra 1/4" capacity for my segment slices.

I like the way you used the "lid" to hold the material in place, I just hold mine with a narrow push stick.  I think I might modify mine a little, thanks for the idea.


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## TribalRR (Sep 23, 2008)

I might have to give that insert a try. I have thought about doing it with out the lip, but it made me nervous. Seeing it done eases me a bit. 

I have not added an outfeed table to the saw. However,  I have a rolling modular cabinet I made to quickly mount / unmount bench tools to that is the same height as my saw. The only mod I've done to the saw is adding a router table to the right side where the fence rails extend past the cast wing. 

Thanks


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## Nick (Sep 23, 2008)

Keith,
Now I see how you are holding down the material. Thanks for the info.


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## gwilki (Sep 23, 2008)

Keith: I made an outfeed drop down table for my Ridgid saw. We can start another thread to discuss it, if you like.


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## VisExp (Sep 23, 2008)

Nick said:


> Nice job on the jig, what saw blade are you using? and is their any method you use to hold the material during the cut?


 


TribalRR said:


> Nice Jig, but I use a paper cutter designed to be used for scrapbooking. Very reliable, safe, and less waste.
> 
> Totally unrelated, it looks like you have a Ridgid TS and you made your own inserts. Mind telling me what you use for the lip in the back? Thanks.


 


gwilki said:


> Keith: I made an outfeed drop down table for my Ridgid saw. We can start another thread to discuss it, if you like.


 
That would be great Grant!  I've seen some done on the Ridgid forum, but I'm still not quite sure about how and where it is attached to the saw.  I need a drop down out feed table because of where my TS is situated in the garage.  It backs up to the garage door.  If I need to make a cut longer than about 24" then I have to open the garage door :biggrin:


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## Ron in Drums PA (Sep 23, 2008)

Texatdurango said:


> I made my sled from 1/2" MDF instead of 3/4".  .......  I find that the 1/2" MDF is just as stable as the 3/4" for my needs and I get the extra 1/4" capacity for my segment slices..



I use 1/4" ply for the same reasons


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## stolicky (Sep 23, 2008)

Great idea, and a nice compact/clean sled.  Thanks for sharing....


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## VisExp (Sep 23, 2008)

Texatdurango said:


> I made my sled from 1/2" MDF instead of 3/4". My Delta saw doesn't allow the Diablo 7 1/4" blade to stick up above the table much. I find that the 1/2" MDF is just as stable as the 3/4" for my needs and I get the extra 1/4" capacity for my segment slices.


 
You're right George.  1/2" MDF or as Ron pointed out 1/4" ply is more that adequate for the bed of this jig.  The main reason that I used 3/4" MDF for this jig is because that is what I had in my scrap bin at the time 

As an aside.  After watching my antics in my workshop and suffering through countless episodes of New Yankee Workshop and Woodworks with me, my wife is firmly convinced that no woodworking project can even be started without first building one or two jigs :biggrin:


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## Texatdurango (Sep 23, 2008)

VisExp said:


> You're right George. 1/2" MDF or as Ron pointed out 1/4" ply is more that adequate for the bed of this jig. The main reason that I used 3/4" MDF for this jig is because that is what I had in my scrap bin at the time
> 
> As an aside. After watching my antics in my workshop and suffering through countless episodes of New Yankee Workshop and Woodworks with me, my wife is firmly convinced that *no woodworking project can even be started without first building one or two jigs* :biggrin:


 
*Or prototypes!*  I'm making some new pen display trays with velvet lining that will fit inside a box similar to a jewelry box.  I've made two out of MDF already!  When she saw the MDF prototypes today, she said she thought they were supposed to look nice!  Girls!


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## Paul in OKC (Sep 29, 2008)

Man, you guys are good!


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## philb (Sep 29, 2008)

Does this mean eventually you need to replace the block/handle section? As you must chop a section off each time you pass the sled through?

Good job on the sled though, very professional looking!


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## VisExp (Sep 29, 2008)

philbaldwin said:


> Does this mean eventually you need to replace the block/handle section? As you must chop a section off each time you pass the sled through?
> 
> Good job on the sled though, very professional looking!


 
Yes, the hold down block is sacrificial.  Eventually it will need to be replaced.


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