# Cutting Blanks With a Mitre Saw



## snmhanson (Jun 22, 2012)

Can anyone offer some advice on how to cut blanks with a 12" mitre saw?  Or maybe more appropriately, how to safely hold the blanks when I am cutting them.  It is a little unerving holding the small blank with my fingers mere inches from a saw blade that will indiscriminately chop one or two of them off if something slips.  I tried using a ~12" piece of wood as an extension of my hand to hold the blank with, but that was almost scarier than holding the blank itself.  If the blank slipped in that case my entire hand was at risk of going into the blade.  I don't have anything else to cut the blanks with right now so my mitre saw will have to do.  I would almost consider going to a mitre box and hand saw but that is so slow.  Any good idea for a jig or anything else that takes my hands out of the equation while using my 12" mitre saw?  It should be quick and easy to set up, otherwise I will be discouraged from using it on all cuts.  Pictures of jigs that others use would be great.

Thanks,

Matt


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## azamiryou (Jun 22, 2012)

As often as not, I cut mine on the lathe with a parting tool. Reasonably quick and I  _know_ it's square.


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## Rifleman1776 (Jun 22, 2012)

My best advice is simply "don't". Hope you have other tools, like a bandsaw. What you are suggesting is simply too dangerous to consider. The non-powered miter saw would work OK. Not fast but safer.


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## KBs Pensnmore (Jun 22, 2012)

Welcome to the forum.
Make a jig using some 3/4" ply as a base (4" bigger than the base (2" each side) of the saw so that pieces can be screwed underneath to locate it on the saw in the same place each time) with a piece of 2x1 on the back (2" high, this will be a spot as well to clamp it onto the back fence), this will also give a place for the blade to cut through (and will be able to cut thin pieces if you want to do segmented pens later). Use a couple of toggle push clamps to hold the small pieces in place. On the back edge you could also set up a stop block that is slotted  to make it adjustable to cut different size blanks.
Unfortunately I don't have any pics of the type of jig you are looking for. 
If you have any problems , please contact me.
Kryn


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## warreng8170 (Jun 22, 2012)

Would this work?
Pen Blank Sizing & Cutting Jig at Penn State Industries


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## ALA (Jun 22, 2012)

I tried a couple on the miter saw but, as others said, it's dangerous. If that's your only recourse I would suggest using a blade with more teeth per inch so that it doesn't "grab" so much. Also, it should be pretty easy to set up a stop block and jig ...any thing to keep your fingers away from the blade. I think I would use a manual miter box saw if that was my only two choices. It wouldn't take all that long...Just my 2 cents worth.


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## Joe Burns (Jun 22, 2012)

I use spring clamps to hold it to the fence when cutting on my 10" DeWalt miter saw.  Be sure to let the blade stop before lifting or the blank will go flying.  Moving to using a scroll saw to cut them instead.

Joe


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## George417 (Jun 22, 2012)

Be VERY careful and let the blade stop before lifting. I'm speaking from experience and a broken window.

:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:


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## wood-of-1kind (Jun 22, 2012)

I use a 12" mitre saw with a specialty made hold down jig. Have cut thousands of pen blanks and feel safe when doing so. Will try to find a pix in my photo album and post. See link below to see what works for me.

http://www.penturners.org/forum/f30/safety-cutting-19486/


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## KenV (Jun 22, 2012)

Ripping cuts should be avoided -- cross cuts need a hold down.

A lot of segmented turners use miter style saws to cut pieces of wood at an angle.   The Festool saw is considered the top of the line.   Malcolm Tibbits shows such jigs in his book and in his videos.

As Kryn suggests -- make a false cradle.  Unse a hold-down on the main part of the blank.  After completing the cut wait for the saw blade to stop turning before returning the saw to the ready position.  The reason to wait is that the blade can catch the wood on the return.


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## SteveG (Jun 22, 2012)

I strongly suggest you use Craigslist to cut your blanks. By that I mean go get a low end, used tablesaw for low cost on CL.  That way you will always be able to count to 10 without taking off your shoes! Cross cutting to length is relatively safe on the chop saw, but you still may be at risk of only counting to 9.5.


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## StephenM (Jun 22, 2012)

I use my 10" Delta all the time but only if there is 5 or so inches against 1 fence (for squaring) or a couple of inches against both fences (for dividing).  Hold your fingers well away from the blade, turn on the saw, let it come up to speed and then watch it all the way down.  No problem.

If you're not comfortable with that, pick up and old quality miter box and backsaw.  I have 3 of them that I take to job sites when I don't feel like lugging a miter saw for a few cuts or don't want to make a huge mess.  As long as your saw is sharp, it's not that much slower than a mitersaw, has a thinner kerf and you'll keep your blood pressure down.


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## navycop (Jun 23, 2012)

I use something like this and it works pretty good. I use a 12" and 10" mitersaw.
http://www.penturners.org/forum/f30/looking-mitersaw-blank-jig-74503/


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## KBs Pensnmore (Jun 23, 2012)

SteveG said:


> I strongly suggest you use Craigslist to cut your blanks. By that I mean go get a low end, used tablesaw for low cost on CL. That way you will always be able to count to 10 without taking off your shoes! Cross cutting to length is relatively safe on the chop saw, but you still may be at risk of only counting to 9.5.


 
It's Ok to say get a tablesaw, but SOME of us DON'T have the room for such luxuries!!!!!  :frown:
Kryn


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## ALA (Jun 23, 2012)

It's Ok to say get a tablesaw, but SOME of us DON'T have the room for such luxuries!!!!! :frown:
Kryn[/quote]

Space? How 'bout a used Shop Smith? Just kidding but they do save a lot of space and do a lot of different work. There's been some good suggestions on using the miter saw that will work...:wink:


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## fitty (Jun 23, 2012)

I was in a similar position for sometime. To be on the safe side I switched to a cutting my blanks with a hand saw. The only problem is I realized I cut everything on a angle, even with a mitre box,  so I made sure I cut a little longer just in case. I still used my mitre saw for segmenting until I got a bandsaw.


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## nativewooder (Jun 23, 2012)

A friend of mine uses a 12" chopsaw or whatever you call it and has used it for years.  Of course he has been in custom home design and construction for over 30 years and still has all his fingers.  I, on the other hand, am a klutz when it comes to contruction and, having some irregular pieces of buckeye burl that couldn't wait to be used on pens, broke out the old handsaw and in a few sessions had plenty of buckeye burl pen blanks and didn't have to worry about losing fingers(yet!).:wink:


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## snmhanson (Jun 23, 2012)

Thanks for all of the replies.  I think I am going to go for one of the jigs from PSI or a similar item.  Seems simple and effective and the right tool for the job.  I do have a nice table saw, but that seems a bit overkill for cutting blanks in half and not a whole lot safer without a jig for it anyway.  Plus, it is a heavy cabinet saw on casters and a bit of a hassle to bring out unless I am really using it.  I am headed into town today to look for a drill press so I will see the shops have available in cutting jigs as well, otherwise I'll place my PSI order when I get home.

Thanks again!

Matt


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## Wood Butcher (Jun 23, 2012)

I've done it but it was a little scary.  Use a backer board, 1/2" thick works well. and essentially make a zero clearance set up by double side taping the backer to the saw's fence.  A hold down or clamp helps too.
WB


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## Tom T (Jun 23, 2012)

I cut mine on a band saw, with a miter guage. It works very well. I would think you could pick up a very small band saw, used on the cheap.  I think you would get a better cut.  Perhaps a small table mounter jig saw would also work, with a small jig to keep the blanks straight.


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## Smitty37 (Jun 25, 2012)

warreng8170 said:


> Would this work?
> Pen Blank Sizing & Cutting Jig at Penn State Industries


 That jig works fine on my 10 inch saw and should work with a 12 inch as well.


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## Smitty37 (Jun 25, 2012)

azamiryou said:


> As often as not, I cut mine on the lathe with a parting tool. Reasonably quick and I _know_ it's square.


Am I correct in assuming you round the blank (or use already rounded blanks) first?


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## azamiryou (Jun 26, 2012)

Smitty37 said:


> azamiryou said:
> 
> 
> > As often as not, I cut mine on the lathe with a parting tool. Reasonably quick and I _know_ it's square.
> ...



Yes, although I suppose it wouldn't be necessary if you have a way to securely and repeatably hold a non-round blank centered. Basically, any setup that works for drilling on the lathe should work for cutting on the lathe.

For me, I typically (for a two-barrel pen):
1 - round the blank between centers and size it to 3/4". (A 3/4" wrench makes a great gauge - a tip I picked up here at IAP.)
2 - figure out where I want to cut the blank, and mark it up with any info I need (such as lower/upper barrel, alignment marks, etc.)
3 - put it in my collet chuck and part it off.
4 - trim any nub that's left in the middle, then drill the piece that's in the collet.
5 - if it's longer than it needs to be, I reverse the piece and either turn it down or part it to size (depending how much material needs to be removed).
6 - chuck up the other piece and repeat steps 4 and 5.


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