# Cutting Small Parts



## patlaw (Jan 4, 2010)

Recently, when repairing a door, I needed to cut a small block of wood that was 10mm x 10mm x 20mm. How do people make small parts like that with power tools? (You don't want to see me with a chisel.) They'll fly through the room if you try to cut them with an SCMS. I don't have a jig saw or table saw yet.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Mike , I would cut the largest size (20mm)first on my tablesaw , using the fence . I would go with a long piece so I had something to work with .
Then I'd cut the 10mm by pushing the piece threw the tablesaw using its fence . But I'd finish off using my Miter gauge for the last 10mm cut . 
Don't know if this makes any sense the way I explained it


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## vindaloo (May 30, 2009)

I use my tablesaw sled for parts that small holding them with a longer stick. The end of the stick away from the part is raised on a block, higher than the workpiece. I saw somewhere a stick for holding down small parts that had 2 screws in the end, designed to just slightly pierce the workpiece to ensure it didn't move, can't remember the guys name who did it.


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

*Hold down*

You can buy this hold down or build your own keep your fingers away the SCMS this one has rubber tips to hold the wood about 12.00


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## sunnybob (Apr 3, 2015)




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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

hand cut it...


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

I'd likely try sanding it, probably with a sanding stick.


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## TWheels (May 26, 2006)

patlaw said:


> Recently, when repairing a door, I needed to cut a small block of wood that was 10mm x 10mm x 20mm. How do people make small parts like that with power tools? (You don't want to see me with a chisel.) They'll fly through the room if you try to cut them with an SCMS. I don't have a jig saw or table saw yet.


From your profile I cannot tell what power tools you do have, but since you are a member of RouterForums I assume you own a router and a router table. There are devices specifically made for holding small parts. One rather versatile example is:Small Parts Miter Jig - Lee Valley Tools 
I quote the last line of the description: 
"Great for avoiding impromptu manicures."


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

patlaw said:


> Recently, when repairing a door, I needed to cut a small block of wood that was 10mm x 10mm x 20mm. How do people make small parts like that with power tools? (You don't want to see me with a chisel.) They'll fly through the room if you try to cut them with an SCMS. I don't have a jig saw or table saw yet.


I use my scroll saw and a piece of sandpaper stuck to the top of my table saw. Scrollsaw cuts small parts safely, but can be difficult to get a perfect straight cut. A couple of passes over the sandpaper makes everything look perfect.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I'm guessing that you needed to fill in a mortise so you could move the striker plate or something similar. You would want the grain running with the 20mm dimension so I would cut a piece that was 10mm x 10mm and then cut a 20mm piece off of it. Jobs like that is why I keep some scrap around. If you threw away the other 400mm you needed to safely hold onto it's no big loss.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

What Charles said. I realize you don't have a TS or jigsaw, but do you have a small bandsaw or sabresaw (I'm guessing you were calling a scrollsaw a jigsaw(?)...)
Stick pointed out that this is exactly where hand tools excel. A handsaw and plane would be perfect.


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## DonkeyHody (Jan 22, 2015)

Stick486 said:


> hand cut it...


The hand tool that gets the most use in my shop is probably my Japanese ryoba (not Ryobi) saw. Super thin, Super sharp, and Super accurate. You can buy them online for $35 or so.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

DonkeyHody said:


> The hand tool that gets the most use in my shop is probably my Japanese ryoba (not Ryobi) saw. Super thin, Super sharp, and Super accurate. You can buy them online for $35 or so.


nothing like those style saws...


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## JFPNCM (Dec 13, 2009)

Don't forget the videos that Ted Baldwin posted some time back. Excellent tutorial on how to cut small pieces. 

See post by Gaffboat copied below. 


Videos: Cutting small pieces Safely
If you cut a lot of, small stuff like I do, you'll find these two videos by Ted Baldwin very helpful. He shows you how to cut small pieces safely on the miter saw and table saw. You'll have to set some time aside to watch them. Part one is 50 minutes long and part two is 55 minutes.

I learned a lot of techniques for cutting small parts and thin strips safely as well as how to build boxes without using a ruler. Part Two shows how he can rip a small piece about 3/4" wide by 3" long and only 3/8" thick on the table saw ... SAFELY. I highly recommend spending the time to watch these.


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## vindaloo (May 30, 2009)

JFPNCM said:


> ............If you cut a lot of, small stuff like I do, you'll find these two videos by Ted Baldwin very helpful. ................


That's the guy! Ted Baldwin.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

But Mike(patlaw) doesn't _have_ a TS. So...
The next project is _getting_ Mike a TS! 
Let us help you spend your money, Mike.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

I would never consider cutting such a small part with a power tool. Just too likely to turn out badly, either for the part or for me. Some time ago I made a little pull saw miter box project from WoodSmith, which uses a Japanese pull saw while holding the angles you want to cut. 

Without a table saw to cut the first two dimensions, I would consider finding a piece of stock about the size I wanted and trim it down with a hand plane. You could also cut the two dimensions with a small saw with a stiffener so you can pull it straight, plane or sand it flat to exact thickness and width, then cut it to length.

If you had a table saw, it would be easier to cut width and height in the saw, then cut to length with a miter box.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Wow...nice mitre box, Tom! A thing of beauty. Everything about it looks totally functional.


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## patlaw (Jan 4, 2010)

DaninVan said:


> But Mike(patlaw) doesn't _have_ a TS. So...
> The next project is _getting_ Mike a TS!
> Let us help you spend your money, Mike.


Actually, Dan, I own a Sears table saw that is in storage. It has only been used by a friend to do some light remodeling at his home. The problem is, I have no place to set it up or use it. Even then, when I get my garage cleaned, assuming I do, I'm going for either a SawStop or a Bosch. Table saws scare me. 

I tried doing a small project this weekend. Without a table saw, it's grueling.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

patlaw said:


> ...Table saws scare me.


This is a good thing. There are many ways to increase safety on a table saw. Grr-Ripper is one that really helps. Keep the blade guards on even when they're annoying. 

Develop a habit of keeping thumbs folded in, NEVER OUT. Think through your cuts and rehearse them so you don't do something that will put your parts in the path of the blade. Make a sled. Pop for a good miter gauge. Make a number of different kinds of push blocks, shapes, thicknesses. 

Treat the saw with real respect. Someone on here mentioned hanging a laser above the saw with the line going across the blade, so you are aware when you cross into the path of the blade. Don't get any soft parts in that path, ever, including reaching over or across the blade.

I can't bring myself to put my hands closer than about 6 inches from the blade without some sort of safety device.

It doesn't matter whether you have the SawStop or something like it, if you ever discharge the cartdriige, you've violated one of these safety rules and practices and put yourself in danger.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Mike my TS is the number one machine in my shop. Do like the others say and focus on safe work practices and you'll eventually replace fear with respect. Just never replace the respect with complacency.


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## CharleyL (Feb 28, 2009)

In addition to Grrippers, I also frequently use one of these 

https://www.rockler.com/rockler-small-piece-holder 

But mine is yellow and came from somewhere else many years ago. A search of many of the woodworking websites will find others who carry them, probably in a different color. Rockler likes blue. To improve it for small parts holding, I applied 80 grit sticky backed sandpaper to all four holding surfaces. 

I also sometimes use one of the smaller old style 2 screw wooden clamps like these, especially if trying to hold against two non parallel sides. I also apply the sandpaper to these when using them this way.

https://www.amazon.com/Jorgensen-Size-2-Inch-Handscrews-Clamp/dp/B0000224CS

Another way is to make your small part on the end of a long board, do everything that you can to it and then cut it off the long board as a last step.

Charley


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## JFPNCM (Dec 13, 2009)

@DesertRatTom

I agree with your approach on cutting small parts but also admit I use both the power and hand tool approaches depending on the project. I would appreciate a reference to the WoodSmith article on the miter box. That looks far superior to the one I built up. 

Thanks.
Jon


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## vindaloo (May 30, 2009)

@JFPNCM shopnotes issue 115 Jan-Feb 2011 page 36, or you can buy the plans alone for $9.95 from https://www.woodsmithplans.com/plan/pull-saw-miter-box/


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

I'm likin' that pullsaw miter box DRT made....The more I look at that thing, the more I like it. 

Now, I'm wondering if I could incorporate my MiterSet as the reference...hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Thanks Angie for posting the link. I had a lot of fun making it. A fairly precise project. Also got me started painting all my shop door knobs red. Don't really use it very much, but it is very nice for cutting thin trim. Theoretically, you can set any angle you want, but it's not quite as easy as that. I only cut 90 and 45s with it. Love those Japanese pull saws.


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## patlaw (Jan 4, 2010)

Chuck, it's in the plan if I can ever clear enough space.


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## JFPNCM (Dec 13, 2009)

@vindaloo

Thanks Angie.


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## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

I'll second the motion on using pull saws for cutting small parts. That exactly what I did when I made this very small box a few years ago. I could not have made it with power tools.


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