Almost 3 years ago I made this mini-rail-mill to break up my slabs.



This method of cutting up the slabs works OK while the slabs are maneuverable and short enough to clamp down to my portable work table, but what happens when the slabs are longer than the table ? I can of course just clamp the rail the slab but then the clamp will interfere with the mill and I won't be able to complete the cut.

What I want to be able to do is cut the slab with the CS mill and then perch the slab just off the side of the log and slice off timber without tek screwing a guide board onto the slab.

So here is what I came up with.

I didn't have a slab at home to demonstrate this so I just demonstrate it with a piece of 4 x 2"

At one end the rail can sit flush with the end of the slab and use a conventional clamp like this. The rail overhang is just enough for the mill to perch on so the saw can be started.


At the other end is a custom clamp that can be easily repositioned to cope with different length slabs.


My next problem is what happens when the slab is longer than the rail ?
So I am in the process of making a longer rail or maybe another that joins to this one.