Cutting blocks to desired length

[bkwood]

28 minutes ago, David Burgess said:

My impression, from the photo progression was that the spacer block was removed before cutting, so there was no "fixed block". Go back about eight posts to look at the photos, and let me know whether you agree or disagree.

 

You're right about that, and that's pretty safe to do. I was thinking to what I remember from the first post.

[uncle duke]

i use the Ken method for cutting blocks -  a handsaw.

For those thinking of going out and purchasing a new saw find one that has the red or green laser light that beams down on to where the cut is to be made - makes it a little safer than without.

[Urban Luthier]

18 hours ago, David Burgess said:

That's pretty much the way I do it too. But I wouldn't consider the way I do it to automatically exclude other methods. Would you?

of course not - the way that is shown in the post above by @Geigenbauer [where did post numbers go?!!] looks practical with the added benefit of being able to cut many blocks at once (in my case enough to last decades). In the end this is a far more practical workflow

18 hours ago, David Burgess said:

When I was doing volunteer work on a "Habitat For Humanity" home-building project or two, miter saws were about the best thing we had going, whether for rough framing or picky finish work. I was not a professional home builder, so I tried to learn from those who were, who brought their miter saws. The bottom line is that I don't consider a miter saw to be nearly as dangerous as some other types of saws. I've used various sorts of saws quite a bit (including chain saws and circular saws) for decades, and 'the only saw which has drawn my blood so far has been a hand-powered saw.

regarding danger of a miter saw- i would agree. It is the table-saw that scares me. I have a miter saw and have used it extensively for home renos (trim work and mouldings). Easy stuff compared to builders who do roof framing -  all those angles and so many ways to mess up unless one knows what they are doing.

[Bill Merkel]

whatever you do guys keep all of all of your fingers.  if you think it's hard testing your violins now... the smartest guy i ever knew was missing parts of fingers and if it can happen to him it will happen to anybody.  he was a dual degreed mechanical and electrical engineer working for ibm.

[Jeff Jetson]

I think that when one has a mishap with a tool and is seriously injured it is more due to lapse of focus or concentration on where both hands are than say skill or education.

[catnip]

Interesting topic.  I was just cutting blocks yesterday for the next few violins.  I used to use my old Blacker and Decker radial arm saw with a setup shown earlier but ever since I made a sliding table for my band saw I prefer the accuracy of the band saw with the sliding table.  I measure and mark the height and store them for easy access later.