Miter Saw Pinch Sticks and Fence

[WilliamHodge]

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Recently there was a video posted of someone using a mitre saw with fingers close to the blade. Here's an alternative.

The pinch stick is screwed to the fence behind my hand. The fences and wooden table keep the piece from wobbling. I am also using a 5 degree negative hook angle blade.

[stav]

Nice idea.  Seems very easy to use and its always present.  I'm guessing you don't do a lot of cutting that would be taller than those pinch sticks.

[Handplanesandmore]

I like the way you hook your hand to the fence which will prevent your hand from getting drawn into the blade in case of a kickback or any unanticipated incident.

Simon

[Cooler]

I like this too.  And the base becomes your "zero clearance" for cleaner cuts.  

It would seem like it would cut down the capacity somewhat.  

But I am liking the base for crown molding.  I could tack on strips to hold the molding in place.  The Dewalt setup is cumbersome and flimsy.

[WilliamHodge]

Thank you for the comments.

This set up does limit the use of the saw. However, I have 800 pieces of panel molding to miter, half of them about 7" long. The saw usually just has a fence on the back, and I use pinch sticks sitting on a block of wood, not screwed to the fence.

I didn't notice that I locked my hand on the fence. I guess I do that on a lot of machines.

The base is attached with screws through the bottom of the saw. I drilled some holes in the table. The fences attach with screws, also through drilled holes.

WH

[Cooler]

I kept my Frame Square sliding table miter saw when I closed my picture framing business.  It only makes 45 degree cuts and its motor is not set up for powering through dimensional lumber, but the clamping mechanism for the molding is excellent and the blade is too.  Back then the blades cost over $200.00 and they still cut better than my 100 tooth miter saw blade.  

Frame Square is out of business now.  If you come across one and you have the room for it, it makes perfect miters--even on prefinished molding.