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I've purchased one of the blades Shane arranged for and am now curious about the jigs/set-ups and procedures that people use for cutting with fret slots with a table saw.

HI Steve

Have a look in the Jigs Section, Sylvan has a sled design in there.

Steve,

I am also going to build a sled based on Bennedetto's (I think). I will document it and post it here and will also include it with any blade orders for those that want it. I will look at Sylvan's also. If you buy the Lee Valley blade stailizers they are .25 inches thick each and will allow ony .5 inches of the blade exposed. I just picked a couple of sets up yesterday at Lee Valley (got yours too Kim). They also sell a Forrest stabilizer but they are about $35 CDN for each side but are only about.125 thick. I am saying all of this because the small bit of exposed blade will have a bearing on jig design. I will design (adjust) the jig for the $20 Lee Valley stabilizers.

Shane

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Canada

Shane I used 1/4" masonite or hardboard with a piece of 3/4 x 1" maple front an back edge of the sled to stiffen it. Works fine. Sylvans and Benedettos would work just as well.

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That sound good and simple Bob. I agree that the sled does not need to be complicated. The most important part is the indexing template and the indexing pin. They both need to be accurate.

Shane

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Canada

Shane, do you think that the fret saw blade will work on my 10" Mastercraft table saw ?

Serge

Serge, as long as the miter slots are parrall to the blade, you should be fine.

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Serge

What Rod said. The the biggest thing with these blades is that the tolerance on the saw has to be spot on to gain the advantage of the high tolerance level we have requested for these blades. I have a 5 inch in this blade and tried it on a friends General International that has never really been set up since we moved it new into his shop. The result was the slot was .027. Then I went to where I have my Delta Unisaw stored and I have the saw well set up and the blade cut perfect .025 slots. So just take the time to square your saw to the mitre slots and ensure that the arbour and bearings are in good shape and running true.

Hope that helps

Shane

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Canada

[QUOTE=Shane Neifer] I just picked a couple of sets up yesterday at Lee Valley (got yours too Kim). Shane[/QUOTE]

Thanks mate, I owe you one

Cheers

Kim

Thanks Rod & Shane, i was just wondering if any of you guys had a 10" Mastercraft tablesaw cuz i don't know the shaft (or arbor?) size that i need and if that fretsaw blade will fit on that shaft ? Can u help frenchie please ?

Thanks for your patience!

SergeSerge Poirier38731.5340162037

Serge,

Your saw will have a 5/8 arbor...it's industry standard. You will notice taht all of the blades that Crappy Tire sells are 5/8 arbor also. Their little saws seem OK. I had a friend who lives on a boat buy one and he is happy with it. Me, I will stick with my uni-saw, I just love it but it is a major investment in both money and space (I need 7 feet for my 52" fence).

Shane

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Canada

My unisaw still has the original fence on it. Doesn't take cut more than 25" so I can cut a 4x8 length wise with it, and I can always cut the 4' width with a skill saw.

Off topic, does every one in Canada call canadian tire "Crappy Tire"? and if so, why do we still buy there?

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Rod,
Crappy Tire...
We are just showing true Canadian pride! I have a bunch of there stuff, knowing that they will not stand up to heavy use but seem to work just fine if you take it easy on them. The great thing about Canadain Tire is that they are in almost every small town. For a guy like me that is a bonus and that is why I support them...plus they are Canadian and locally owned and operated. On the saw, I agree I could take my big fence off but I really like it, even after the 10 years taht I have had it!

Shane

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Canada

Oh Shane, I forgot to mention that I have a 38" fence sitting against the wall waiting get put on my saw, just would rather build guitars that set up the saw.

I've have the fence for almost 2 years now.

I had a friend who calls Canadian Tire, Cambodian Tire. I still also call it crappy tire, just rings better.Rod True38731.6465740741

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Hey this yankee likes Canadian Tire. Honest guys. During the summer months when we are at our place in Fort Erie Ont. I'm always at Canadiian Tire. Of course I don't have much choice. I have found a lot of good buys there. Clamps, hammers, sabre saw and yes one of their crappy table saws. I keep most of these tools up there as I am always fixing something. Believe it or not with a good blade on that table saw it does a pretty darn good job.

_________________
Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

It's true! While I am waiting to build my shop I have to get building guitars and jigs and stuff so I recently bought one of their 4 x 36 inch belt and 8 inch (I think) disc sanders. I bolted a tilting table on the end and use it scallop/thickness brace ends and various other sundry choirs, it works great for a little machine that was about $100 CDN on sale. I have a few other portable power tools like their 4.5 inch angle grinder that has a 3 year warranty. I have built and re-built parts of my tandem axle wood trailer with it used for cutting with zip discs. If (when!) I burn them out, I take them back and they just give me another one, did I mention that I buy these on sale for about $24!

I just like the store. I still buy all of the important stuff from Lee Valley and the like!

Shane

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Canada

Shane, thanks! Good to know that my fret saw blade will fit my Crappy Tire table saw! I agree with you and Bobc about the great savings when shoppin' there, it's just a matter of finding a sales rep. when you can't find what you're lookin' for!

I also buy the important stuff from Lee Valley in Ottawa, their Veritas STUFF IS JUST AMAZING!

Serge

I imagine I am the only guy out there slotting boards on the table saw in this way - I have a 24 inch Incra Ultra Jig, which is designed to do all kinds of fancy dovetail and fingerjoints on a router table. But what it really is, is a smart fence. Incredibly accurate, fine adjust mechanism that moves the fence .001 at a time if you want. So on the right side table extension I have mounting holes to secure the Incra.

I attached a stainless 24 inch metric ruler from Lee Valley, because the Incra, being made in Texas, has only imperial sclaes as standard. So once the jig is bolted on and square to the blade, and the hairline is zeroed, I can cut as many fretboards as needed one after the other for a particular scale length by resetting the fence with the hairline and rule. Just dont mess up on reading the rule or you get a bunch of bad boards !!! But then again, its so easy to do any scale length (except multiscales) without any other jig or template or measuring - in mulitiples if need be - fast.

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