Wood – How to cut a piece of 2×3 wood crossways perfectly

sawwoodworking

I'm planning to build a simple stool from pieces of 2×3 wood for the legs. It's my first foray into woodworking as an adult so I'm trying to plan everything to aim for a decent result.

Bearing in mind I'm inexperienced with a saw and not gifted with my hands. How can I make the straightest cuts possible?

My current plan is to

  1. Mark the lines to cut with a set square and sharp pencil.
  2. Mount the wood to a Mitre box with a G clamp.
  3. Clamp the Mitre box to an adjustable workbench.
  4. Make the cuts on the 'waste side' with a tenon saw using long 'back strokes' to make each cut. Focus on elbow to make sure arm is not moving around wildly.
  5. Sand down any excess with an electric sander.

Best Answer

One of the most important things about making a stool is getting the legs the same length. I would suggest you modify the miter box something like this:

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Keep everything square when building the stop piece. Then when you actually go to cut the legs, butt a square end to the stop, clamp it down, and cut. You will get three or four legs precisely the same length.

Keep the stop piece. You can move the stop around easily, and you will use it again.

Time spent making a jig or a stop is never wasted.

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