Untitled - Wood Tools

TIPS FROMTHE
HOP
circulqr sqw
CUTTINGUIDE
Ti
-_
>The hiongulor
corner blocks
for the potting
bench require
occurote miter
cuts - on both
sides of o 4x4.
Our shopmode
guide mokeshot
o simple tosk.
5ide
(/2" ply. x 61/2" x
24" rgh.)
Baak
(l\z"x3lz"x
24" rgh.)
26
Fenae
Uz" ply.)
Using a circular saw to crosscut a 4x4 post is a comnon
operation.To cut all the way through the post,you have to
make rwo passes.This often leaves a small ridge of material
on the end of the post where the cuts aren't aligned.
To create a clean, accurate cut, I use a shop-made
guide. Basically, itt a U-shaped "saddle" that clamps to
the post (Photo, right).Two fences, one on each side,
guide the saw to ensure perfectly aligned cuts. These
fences allow you to make either 45o and 90o cuts,
which comes in handy for cutting the 4x4 corner
blocks and legs ofour potting bench (page 58)
The cutting guide consists of two
sides (A), a back (B), and rwo identical
fences (C), each with a 90o and a
45" edge. Start with extra-long
pieces for the sides and back.
They'll be trimmed to length
later with the circular saw,
forming reference edges that will
be used to position the guide on
a workpiece. Carefully lay out the locations
of the Gnces on each side of the guide so they align
with each other. Then attach the fences and trim the
waste with a circular saw to create the reference edges.
To use the guide, align the appropriate reference
edge with a layout line on the post, clar.np the guide, and
make a cut. Then, without removing the guide, turn
the post over and make a fina1 pass on the opposite side.
I
9U
refercnce
edgea .,
]
4x4 ?osl
Side
NOfE:
lo create relerenae edgeo
on autting Ouide,6tart
wilh extra-lonq sidea
and baak, then trim to
lenOlh wiLh airaular aaw
AWhen using o circulor sow to crosscut or miter o
4x4 post, this U-shoped cutting guide lets you moke
two perfectly oligned cuts - one from eoch side.
45'MITERS
To miter the
thick corner
blocks for the
potting bench,
slip the cutting
guide oround o
4x4 post. Then,
using the 45'
fence to guide
the bose of the
sow, moke lwo
posses, onefrom
eoch side.
cRosscr,T5
The cullin guide
olso simplifies
the iob of trimming
the 4x4
legs of the potting
bench to
length. Onlyhis
time, ofier you
clomp the guide
to lhe posl, use
the 90'bnce frc
guide the bose
of the sow.
wor{KltENCr.r ft luNe 2004