Why does nobody talk about split jigs failing on mitre saws

I was cutting crown molding for a master bedroom remodel in Austin last Tuesday. Everything was going smooth until my 15 year old DeWalt mitre saw started binding up on the third cut. The wood kicked back so hard it nearly knocked me off my feet. Turns out the split jig I made from scrap plywood had a hairline crack that finally gave out under pressure. I had to spend 45 minutes rebuilding the jig from scratch using a piece of 3/4 inch birch plywood I had left over from another job. Has anyone else had a jig fail mid-cut like that or is it just me being cheap with materials?

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elliot_allen654mo ago

Hold up - you mentioned using a split jig made from scrap plywood, but what kind of blade were you running on that 15 year old DeWalt? I've seen guys try to push a dull 60 tooth blade through thick crown and it puts way more stress on the jig than it should (since the blade gets hot and warps, the wood binds easier). Did you check if the arbor nut was torqued down right before you started cutting? That little hairline crack might have been there from a previous cut where the blade wobbled just enough to start the damage.

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anthony_wells4mo ago

That "little hairline crack" you mentioned, @elliot_allen65, brings back a memory of a buddy of mine who had a similar issue. He was running a cheap 40 tooth framing blade on an old Milwaukee saw, and the jig he built from OSB practically exploded mid cut. Turns out the blade was dull as a spoon, and the jig was just barely holding together. Did you check the blade's tension or the saw's alignment before you started?

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