Jig for a chopsaw?

[supermanotorious]

I'm pretty good at cutting steel but when I need to crank out several frames at once, I get some inconsistency with the lengths I cut which ultimately cause headaches when welding.

Has anyone made a DIY jig that somehow attaches to the saw to get consistent cuts? I should mention that my saw is portable and does not have a permanent operating location in my shop.

 

[itsid]

could you attach an image of the saw?
mainly... what does the side of the saw look like?

And how portable should the jig be?
And how precise/sturdy etc.

It's quite easy to get some square tubing and attach an arrester to it,
but depending on the size of the square tube, it can be rather bulky to carry around.
A tape ruler on the other hand is very portable but not nearly as sturdy of course.

What I once did with a chopsaw was basically this:
I took a folding ruler and measured the distance from the blade to the edge of the base;
and cut that part off.
since the folding ruler fit snuggly beneath the base I could then lay it on the floor (against a wall) and just moved the (surprisingly heavy) saw according to my needs using the wall as an arrester.
It wasn't ideal.. but it worked okay'ish, good enough for my task for sure

'sid

 

[KartFab]

Just measure better? I use a razor blade to mark a "V" to the point where I need to cut it.
I also touch the blade edge to the side that doesn't matter so the excess metal cut off is not at the spot where it matters since the chop saw blade is like 1/8" thick.

For angle cuts i mark the "V" on the side of the tube or material that the blade will touch first and line it up with the blade edge again looking down the flat part of the blade I line it up to the point of the "v" mark. It works out really well, just need to remove a few burrs before welding and you are set.

If you are making a bunch of cuts, you could also just use a "master" piece and use the razor blade to trace out where it needs to be cut. I also use a permanent marker sometimes with a fine point.

 

[supermanotorious]

I use the Harbor Freight saw which is the older, orange model. Highly portable, the jig should be relatively portable although its ok if I can only use it in my shop. I want it very precise and sturdy. I appreciate the reminder to measure more carefully but I want something simpler and more automated. Luckily for this jig, I only need to make 90 and 45 degree cuts.

 

[Poboy kartman]

Well as a custom trim carpenter we very frequently need to make multiple parts with extreme accuracy. The solution is actually very simple. 2 boards 90° to one another- attached to whatever fence you have with a secure mount. (Think of the outside trim boards on the corner of a house....turned upside down and screwed to the fence.) Then you only need to clamp a suitable block at the appropriate distance from the blade on the fence and you can make EXACTLY the same length parts all day long......

 

[OzFab]

The only flaw in that plan is there doesn't appear to be a fence on the saw...

I have two Ideas but I'm unsure whether either will work due to the construction of the saw base; correct me if I'm wrong but it looks to be only light gauge pressed sheet steel?

My first idea is to build a bench to mount the saw to, with a sliding fence; not too difficult or expensive but, it won't be as portable...

My second idea is to make a sliding fence which attaches to the saw base by way of two lengths of round bar...

 

[supermanotorious]

The only flaw in that plan is there doesn't appear to be a fence on the saw...
correct me if I'm wrong but it looks to be only light gauge pressed sheet steel?

yes, it is wimpy sheet metal

 

[Poboy kartman]

The only flaw in that plan is there doesn't appear to be a fence on the saw...

I have two Ideas but I'm unsure whether either will work due to the construction of the saw base; correct me if I'm wrong but it looks to be only light gauge pressed sheet steel?

My first idea is to build a bench to mount the saw to, with a sliding fence; not too difficult or expensive but, it won't be as portable...

My second idea is to make a sliding fence which attaches to the saw base by way of two lengths of round bar...

Ummmm- Then you screw it to the base??????? My fence that is. Trust me it's fast, cheap, reliable and easy..

 

[OzFab]

I'm not doubting that but, you did say

...attached to whatever fence you have

 

[Poboy kartman]

I'm not doubting that but, you did say

Fair enough. ..

 

[porsche930dude]

drill two holes through the base of the saw then you can slide some pipes in with a plate welded on the ends for a sliding fence. you can even have a block welded on above and below the pipes to support the long pieces of material. youll have to figure out some way to clamp it to the base so its not moving in and out when yor making a bunch. but that should solve your problem

 

[Scout]

I use the Harbor Freight saw which is the older, orange model. Highly portable, the jig should be relatively portable although its ok if I can only use it in my shop. I want it very precise and sturdy. I appreciate the reminder to measure more carefully but I want something simpler and more automated. Luckily for this jig, I only need to make 90 and 45 degree cuts.

Forget about being very precise with a friction blade, they bend and move some. You'll want a good metal blade, they are noisy but they cut quicker and don't throw sparks as long as the blade isn't dull.

I'm not sure what to tell you about repeating cuts, you'll want some kind of stop obviously. Maybe a couple pieces of angle, welded into a U shape, set wide enough for the saw to sit on and hold down. The bottom of the U would stick up high enough for the material to rest against, as long as the saw doesn't slide on the U it should stay the same distance.