Table Saw for cutting molding?

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dennykyser

dennykyser

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I would like to stock some length of my most popular molding and was going to build a 2 mitre saw bench but saw this video on youtube and wondered if I could use my table saw (contractors grade) and take advantage of a really nice saw and blade I already have.

Here is the video I found
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AWVjW-Da3A&feature=related

I can pick up a couple mitre saws and blades for under $300.00 so if this is a much better option will go with that, but if my table saw will do as good of a job, figure I can put that $$ in other places.
 
Well, I guess the materials the guy was demonstrating are cheap enough to be worth trying but I would not think the work would be up to professional standards.

likewise, having shelled out over $AUD10,000 for my modest double mitre saw I would think you are not going to get much of a saw for $300.
 
I got about a minute into that and that is just too much set up time. Better to build a sliding table that fits the slots in your table saw than to have to mess with a temperamental miter gauge.

If you want to use the table saw and a miter gauge, check out Incra or Kreg brands available at Woodcraft.


But all said and done, if you are going to be doing any volume of mitering you should have a dedicated system.
 
Other than the set up time it looks like that will work nicely. I think I'm going to try it out just for giggles - it isn't to expensive and if it works it would be nice for larger & deeper mouldings.
 
The FrameSquare saw works on the table saw-sled principle, but it has dedicated measuring systems and a handle to control the sled's movement.
:kaffeetrinker_2: Rick
 
When I began working in Kramer the Framer's shop in 1969, all they had to cut mouldings was a table saw with a home-made measuring system. And we were so busy in those days we had one guy cutting frames pretty much all day every day.

Big frames, little frames, deep ones, shallow ones. The miters were perfect.

I don't think her bought a double miter saw until the late seventies (when metal mouldings became more substantial than metal-clad) -

Frames were joined, BTW, in a furniture vise - one leg clamped, one leg held by hand. Oy.
 
I also started in 1969 in Chicago and we used a Sears table saw with a home made 45 degree rolling top. I use a chopper quite a bit and there are excellent used Morso and Hansen choppers available for as little as $500.
 
You can setup a table saw that will be very accurate

BUT....can it be done with construction grade table saw????? I've had 2 of them and would not wish to attempt to make deadon miter 'accurate' cuts on them. they are, by design, made cheaply/less accurately(as in maybe that's a 12* angle, and maybe it's 18*, etc)...I'm wondering if the effort to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear would be worth the aggrivation/higher blood pressure? If you get out of the 'cheap' saw category you begin to get into the 'framer grade' dual saws really fast---might be worthwhile to get a good chopsaw($300-$400) & save your $$ for one of those($2000-$4000)?
 
BILL WARD said:
You can setup a table saw that will be very accurate

BUT....can it be done with construction grade table saw????? I've had 2 of them and would not wish to attempt to make deadon miter 'accurate' cuts on them. they are, by design, made cheaply/less accurately(as in maybe that's a 12* angle, and maybe it's 18*, etc)...I'm wondering if the effort to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear would be worth the aggrivation/higher blood pressure? If you get out of the 'cheap' saw category you begin to get into the 'framer grade' dual saws really fast---might be worthwhile to get a good chopsaw($300-$400) & save your $$ for one of those($2000-$4000)?
Click to expand...

By construction grade I mean professional grade, not a home use. I have a Delta Contractors Table Saw and although I am sure you can find a more expensive model, its one of the better models available.
 
dennykyser said:
By construction grade I mean professional grade, not a home use. I have a Delta Contractors Table Saw and although I am sure you can find a more expensive model, its one of the better models available.
Click to expand...

I also have a Delta Contractors saw that I use mainly for acrylic and an EMN-12 for moulding. I have been tempted to set up the Contractors for cutting moulding using a setup like discussed in the threads mentioned above.

There are a several things that I think are critical for getting accurate cuts. They are:

1. An accurate measuring system. Haven't figured that one out. It would have t o be incorporated into #2
2. An extremely straight miter bar extension system something like this, except longer. http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=22075&filter=fence
3. A good blade stabilizer like this one. http://www.amazon.com/Freud-CDS002-Diameter-Blade-Stabilizer/dp/B001U8YJZ8
4. Better miter bars that eliminate all slop and are adjustable like these: http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=21651&filter=miter

I'm also thinking that any jig setup for this should use both miter slots for better accuracy. Possibly a sled setup

Setup properly, a Delta Contractors could be as accurate as a FrameSquare.
 
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