Popular Woodworking 2009-12 № 180, страница 9

Tricks of the Trade

EDITED BY PAUL ANTHONY

THE WINNER:

Safer Sheet-goods Sawing

I use a portable circular saw to break down plywood and other sheet goods into manageable pieces before bringing them to the table saw for final sizing. I prefer to do the j ob on sawhorses rather than crouching on the floor. Unfortunately, you normally need three or four horses to provide enough support to prevent cutoffs from binding the saw blade and crashing to the floor at the end of the cut.

My trick is to use a full sheet of 2"-thick rigid foam insulation (available at home-supply stores) as a cutting platform straddling two horses. I lay my plywood on top, and clamp it and the insulation board to the sawhorses. I adjust my saw blade depth to

Offcut fully supported after cut

cut no more than ¹/8" or so into the insulation board (always cutting into the same face to preserve strength.) I can now make my cuts safely and securely with all pieces fully supported at the end of the cut. If necessary, I can clamp workpieces or straightedge guides anywhere I like by removing the jaw from a clamp, poking the bar through the foam board, then reattaching the j aw. When I'm done cutting, the lightweight insulation board stores perfectly with my other sheet goods.

— David Peterson, Hillsboro, Oregon

2" thick rigid insulationboard

Clamp plywood and insulation board to sawhorses

Vise in a Vise

I don't use my machinist's vise often enough to dedicate any of my limited bench space to it. Instead, I keep it tucked under a nearby cabinet for occasional use. I bolted the vise to a board that has a heavy cleat glued to its front edge, which allows me to clamp the whole setup in my bench vise. It's a quick and easy changeover that provides for secure mounting in use.

— Paul Anthony, PW Contributor

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Machinist's vise

Mounting board

Cleat

Cash and prizes for your tricks and tips!

Each issue we publish useful woodworking tips from our readers. Next issue's winner receives a $250 gift certificate from Lee Valley Tools, good for any item in the catalog or on the web site (leevalley.com). (The tools pictured at right are for illustration only, and are not part of the prize.)

Runners-up each receive a check for $50 to $100. When submitting a trick (either by mail or e-mail) you must include your complete mailing address and a daytime phone number. If your trick is selected for publication, an editor will need to contact you. All entries become the property of Popular Woodworking. You can send your trick by e-mail to popwoodtricks@fwmedia. com, or mail it to Tricks of the Trade, Popular Woodworking, 4700 E. Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236.

16 ■ Popular Woodworking December 2009

ILLUSTRATIONS BY MARY JANE FAVORITE