Cutting Hand Holds in Supers

[Rob-bee]

I recently built some supers out of some old scrap lumber. All went well until I noticed I didn't have any hand hold on the sides. {after they were assembled is when I got the epiphany}. So any one know how I can do this on a table saw?
Thanks :confused:

[honeyman46408]

I use a dado blade on my table saw.

I have a "jig" made to set in the miter groves and set the bade to the depth I want then I set the box (assembled) to the back edge of the jig and kind of rock the box down on the blade them move it on the blade till I get the length I want.

((""warning"")) this can be dangerous so BEE CAREFUL

[Ardilla]

Check out this tutorial on Beemaster:
Cutting handles

[Rob-bee]

Thanks Ardilla! I knew there was an easy way to do it!

[wayacoyote]

Rob-bee,
I'm not so skilled with the table saw and don't have a dado blade. I use scrap wood to make handles:
When I rip down a 1-by board (standard demisions) to the depth of the hive part, it leaves me strips of stock which come in handy in all sorts of beekeeping projects. I'll cut a bevel to one edge of some of this stock at about 35 degrees and cut it 4 inches long. This gives me handles which I glue and screw to the hive parts. The beveled edge provides a place for my fingers to grasp without slipping.

Just another way for those of us less skilled or limited in tools.

Waya

[tarheit]

I have the table saw and dado blade, but I prefer the cleats myself (just a 1x2 cut to the width of the hive). I simply find them easier to hold than the dado handles (and they are safer to make).

If you had to, 1x2 material is available at the hardware store, you just need to cut to length with a hand or circular saw.

-Tim

[John F]

The plunge cut with the dado on the tablesaw seems like a great way to fire off a kickback. Be careful.

If I were to make these with plunge cuts I would use the router table.

The method described at beemaster seems wwaayyyyyysssllllooooowwwwwwwwwwww. And I think I would have a Popeye forearm on my right arm after doing just a few of those.

I like the cleat idea. I don't have to save material because I can get cleat stuff for free.

[Rob-bee]

Actually the table-saw didn't try to kick it out at all. And after figuring out how many turns to make on each cut it went pretty fast. And the results were excellent. I will make a jig to hold the board and use that method again. I was very pleased with the results. [img]smile.gif[/img] [img]smile.gif[/img] [img]smile.gif[/img]

[wayacoyote]

Congrats, Rob-Bee! Perhaps I'll get that courageous one day.

Waya

[Bizzybee]

I cut mine the same way Honeyman. And, the preferred method is to make the cuts after the boxes are assembled. Gives you plenty of material to hang on to so you can control the stock. I've never once had a problem with kickback. And that's not to say that it hasn't occured, or started to, that I couldn't very quickly get it under control.

Disclaimer, if you are not the handyman, woodworker or new too the whole concept of woodworking and table saws and don't have a clue what kickback is all about. Get with someone to give you learning, use a router, or like these other fine folks suggest. Use cleats! You can get yourself in a lot of hurt in a hurry!!!!

Good Luck!!

[John F]

<Bizzybee>

that I couldn't very quickly get it under control.

Followed:

I've never once had a problem with kickback.

I should guess not. You ain't gonna stop it when it happens. It is violent and sudden.

On another forum I have a friend that had two fingers sewed back on after a kickback accident. When I heard this I thought, as you may have, that he hit the blade with his hand. (Very common in kickback accidents for the left hand to find the blade.) Was not the case for him. The kickback was so violent that it tore off two of his fingers.

I've experienced a kickback. My saw is in my garage and faces in. One day I was out making something (It was awhile ago, my girls were small then.) and the girls were playing in the driveway. This made me nervous so I closed the garage door. First thing that happened when I went back to work was a kickback. The piece flew like an arrow into the garage door and broke the panel out. Just one minute prior the neighbor girl was standing in that very spot.

The dropping the work piece into the dado blade is the technique that I suggested caution. I'm not saying don't do it. Plunge cuts are done like this all the time. Just be aware that you may be launching the workpiece and leave room for it to fly without hurting someone or yourself. Also, don't ever ever ever use a body part to hold a piece into the fence such that if the piece were to suddenly disappear your pressure will run your body part into the blade. Use push sticks, feather boards, etc. If you use your left hand to hold work into the fence it is a good idea to hook your thumb over the fence rails/table edge.

I would suggest always using the guard but that would be most hypocritical of me. I hate the guard on my saw, it's always in the way and I feel creates more problem then it solves.

I wish for a riving knife. Kickback is the number one table saw accident. Riving knives stop them cold.

Check out the videos at www.sawstop.com

Someday I'll get me one of those saws.

I would use the router table because it is safer and because for this sort of operation it is more comfortable. Hard to explain but on the router table you get to be in front of the work.

For the technique of raising the blade and milling the angle I can imagine a jig to use when doing this with boxes that are already made. It would be sort of a fork that is clamped to the fence such that you slide the box over it with the jig holding down the side that is to be milled. Wouldn't have to jockey clamps so much.

[BerkeyDavid]

I use the plunge cut with the dado blade, but agree you must use caution. It can be going great but if y ou hit a knot or something next thing you know the piece will take off your head.

If you want to experience kick back first hand try ripping with a radial arm saw that is not set up with a perfectly aligned fence, or use a blade that is not sharp, or even a table saw with a poorly aligned fence.

My first saw was a Sears craftsman Radial Arm saw. For years I struggled with it, and learned to always stay out of range of the potential kickback. I will give it to the first beekeeper that shows up at the door and promises to haul it away!