# serious question



## old folks (Mar 13, 2005)

Please don't laugh...if I have 3/4 inch hard wood that is wide enough to cut lenghtwise into two pen blanks could I make a 3/4 inch thick miter box say 8 inches wide by 12 inches long and use only a 90 % slot to resaw the blanks ? What type of clamp would I use to hold the wood in place while cutting it ?
Thank you


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## Randy (Mar 13, 2005)

Don't you have access to a table saw? Seems like an awful lot of work to me but then I have always been kind of lazy.
But if you really want to do it that way, then any type of clamp you can get around the box and what ever you are clamping it to, should work. I have used C-clamps in the past, you might want to place a thin piece of scrap over your blank wood.


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## tipusnr (Mar 13, 2005)

Since I assume we're talking about hand sawing here (probably with a backsaw) I think it can be done but using an open ended miter box idea. I don't have a CAD package so I hope this scan of a hand drawn sketch will work.





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You could glue sandpaper to the bottom board as well to hold the wood in place.

Another idea would be to move the two slotted walls to the outer end of the floor, either side by side or divided with a spacer. That would give you, at least, an inch and a half long guide slot(depending on the thickness of the contruction lumber) and allow you to use longer strokes with the saw.


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## old folks (Mar 13, 2005)

Bill, that looks cool ! I had a pretty good idea hu ? People could resaw good woods right on the cut line and not have the blade wander like with a band saw...no wasted wood.


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## tipusnr (Mar 13, 2005)

There is a pattern for a jig for the band saw elsewhere on this site that's better than my sketch.  I was thinking hand saw as the bottom of this box would need to remain solid for it to hold together.

If your talking power saws the above sketch could be modified with a couple of guide rails on the top to allow a circular saw to be run on a parallel line to the end piece (stop block).  The side walls height would be whatever it took to allow the blade teeth about an 1/8" penetration into the bottom.


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## old folks (Mar 13, 2005)

Bill, the slot would have to be in the center of the box to allow you to center the cut but you have a real good idea.


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## tipusnr (Mar 13, 2005)

Or extend the rails past the closed ends to allow for the automatic 3/4" size to the stop block.  If you did center the slot (which would give the circular saw more stability) you could glue a stop block to the bottom of the jig 3/4" from the cut slot.  You would want the stop block not only for automatic sizing but also to keep the blade from shooting the cutoff around the box as only one side of the wood would be clamped.

My concern with the power saw idea is that wood that is narrower than the base of the circular saw could not be clamped down and therefor would need to be somehow wedged in place for any kind of safe cutting.


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## old folks (Mar 13, 2005)

Sample pic of a box full of cocobolo I need to resaw to 3/4 wide and cut in 3/4 lenghs...with hand saw ...



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## Fred in NC (Mar 13, 2005)

Tip's idea is very good.  It would cut 3/4" off the long way of the piece.


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## RockyHa (Mar 13, 2005)

If it were me and I had a bunch to try to saw, I'd probably mount a saber saw upside down under a peace of plywood (with a hole for the blade to go up and down through)and clamp on a board rip fence. A abnd saw without the band, recipricating. Saber saws can often be picked up cheap at second hand stores. 
Rocky


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## jwoodwright (Mar 14, 2005)

John,  You're a Scroller, use your scroll saw to cut those scraps.  It'll be a lot safer, due to their shapes.  []


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## Mac In Oak Ridge (Mar 14, 2005)

Cut by hand or cut by power I don't see why you would need any special jig or fixture.  Cut by hand - draw a line and saw to it leaving the line on the good side.  Cut by power - draw a line and saw to the line leaving the line on the good side.


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