Chop Saw Adjustable Depth Stop???

[Bowhunterman]

I have a Makita 14" Abrasive Chop Saw that I am wanting to rig up an adjustable depth stop so it would make it alot easier for those repetitive cuts. Has anyone done this and had any luck with it? I am looking for any ideas that you may have. Thanks!

[piniongear]

I have a Makita 14" Abrasive Chop Saw that I am wanting to rig up an adjustable depth stop so it would make it alot easier for those repetitive cuts. Has anyone done this and had any luck with it? I am looking for any ideas that you may have. Thanks!

I gotta ask....... What advantage are you expecting to get from an adjustable depth stop? When you cut through, you cut through. I am curious to learn what you are trying to do?
pg

[DetroitRob]

The stop wouldn't be hard to do, but with the abrasive blade it gets smaller every cut. So a fixed stop would not be of much help.

[Broccoli1]

I think Mr. Bowhunter is wanting length not depth

[Bowhunterman]

I'm Sorry

I am sorry! I had my head in its normal storage compartment! I meant length stop, not depth.

[fjk]

This is commonly done in woodworking circles.
There are both home-made setups and commercially
available setups.

The basic idea is a big long table, with the cutoff saw in the middle.
The table bed is level with the bed of the saw.
There's a fence/rail on top of the table that is even with
the fence/rail on the saw.
A widget (that's a technical term :-) is clamped to the rail in some
way, at a point where you can feed the stock through, against
the back fence/rail, and when it hits the widget, the stock is
the right length. The widget can be as simple as a C-clamp and a block
of wood, or some complex, micrometer-adjusted, high-tech-alloy
that was forged on mt etna by vulcan hisself ... depends on the
size of your checkbook...

googling things like woodworking chopsaw table stop ...
might help

good luck

frank

[piniongear]

OK, that is different then.
What I do is keep a length of 3/4 inch thick wood on hand that has been predrilled with two holes for flat head screws. The flat heads are countersunk (into the wood) so they are flush, or just below flush.

Likewise, at the same time the fence was drilled too.
If I want to have an adjustable stop, I can quickly attach the fence with (2) 1/4 inch bolts and nuts.
The adjustable stop is made of a block of 3/4 inch wood and a 2-1/2 inch C clamp. The foot of the clamp has been ground flat and a hole drilled through it. A sheet metal screw through the hole secures it to the block of wood. The screw end of the C clamp secures the block to the fence. Slide it down the fence to where you want it and clamp it tight.
Mush simpler to make than my rambling description. Sorry.
pg

[Bert]

I thought I read somewhere, that that wasn't a good way to do it (though everyone does it that way...of course I forget the REAL reason, something about how the piece would bind and perhaps fly out or jerk as you lift the saw up. I forget the "safer" way they said to make it....
any ideas????
thanks,
bert

[piniongear]

I thought I read somewhere, that that wasn't a good way to do it (though everyone does it that way...of course I forget the REAL reason, something about how the piece would bind and perhaps fly out or jerk as you lift the saw up. I forget the "safer" way they said to make it....
any ideas????
thanks,
bert

First of all, the work piece is going to be clamped against the fence with the machine's clamping mechanism.

I believe what you are referring to is when someone uses a stop block to cut to a certain length and does not clamp (or hold in place with their hand if cutting wood) the piece between the stop and the blade......Bad things will happen.
The saw blade will grab the piece and jamb it between the blade and stop. The result is an explosion effect when the piece twists and comes flying out.
As long as the piece between the blade and stop is held, nothing is going to happen.
pg

[Bert]

The saw blade will grab the piece and jamb it between the blade and stop. The result is an explosion effect when the piece twists and comes flying out.
pg

EXACTLY! Thanks for explaing that better!!!!!!!!
What is a good QUICK clamping mechanism for that? I've heard guys complain that things like a quick clamp takes too long. I was thinking of using an R-11, but my chop saw table is cast aluminum and I don't want to chip or crack it...

[fjk]

with regard to things binding against the stop

what i've seen are stops that swing up out of the way.

what you do is to
swing the stop down,
slide the material to be cut up to the stop,
hold the material tightly (or clamp or whatever else)
swing the stop up and clear
cut

go look at the rockler web site

frank

[piniongear]

Here is what I was trying to describe........
First I drill two 5/16 inch holes in the saw's metal fence.........



Then I take a piece of straight oak and drill two holes to match through the oak, countersinking one side for the flat head screws..........



Over on the mill I face off the back side of a small Bessy Clamp. A regular C clamp can also be used. This facing off will allow me to drill a small hole for a #10 sheet metal screw. The screw will attach the Bessy to a stop block..........





(continued on following post)

[piniongear]

With the new wood fence attached to the saw's metal fence and the sliding stop block in place......



I now make a measurement for cutting a piece of steel to a length of 11-9/16 inches long.........



The cut is repeatable for as many pieces as you need to cut. The fence quickly removes and everything is put back in storage until needed again............



pg

[Bert]

Hey PG, great pics !!! Now what kind of clamp do you use to hold down the piece being cut??

[piniongear]

Hey PG, great pics !!! Now what kind of clamp do you use to hold down the piece being cut??

The clamp is part of the saw. Here is a pic calling out the clamp.............


pg