DIY Tailstock

Tailstock is produced with a table saw.

Tailstock is long, slender pieces of lumber with inconsistent width. Also known as "fall off" it is produced when lumber is straight-edged on ripsaws running multiply blades. Tailstock is often discarded, but woodworkers often sort through the pieces that are 1/4-inch wide or wider and make wooden banding to use on cabinet shelves or anywhere you might use 1/4-inch lumber. You can make your own tailstock any time you rip down rough lumber with a table saw.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Table saw
• Push stick (optional)

Instructions

1. Measure the width of a piece of lumber at the widest point. Set the table saw fence 1/4-inch less than the measurement. For example: if the width of the lumber is 6 inches, set the fence at 5 3/4 inches.

2. Turn on the saw and place the leading edge of the lumber on the saw behind the blade. Hold the lumber against the fence with your left hand. Push the lumber between the blade and the fence with your right hand as you keep pressure against the lumber with your left hand.

3. Push the lumber completely past the blade. Let go when the lumber is 6 inches past the blade. Turn off the saw. The thin piece on the left side of the blade is tailstock. Let it fall to the floor.

4. Reset the fence by pulling it 1/4-inch toward the blade and lock it down. Pull the lumber back toward you. For example: if the lumber is now 5 3/4 inches, set the saw at 5 1/2 inches. Flip it over so the fresh-cut edge is now facing the fence.

5. Run the lumber through the saw just as you did before. The thin piece on left side of the blade is tailstock. Run all of the rough lumber on hand through the saw in the same manner. Pick up all of the tailstock and run it through a planer on both sides to produce usable pieces of lumber.

Tips & Warnings

• You can make tailstock wider. You can make it up to 3/4 inch if you have a specific use for it. For tailstock any wider than that, you would simply set the table saw fence and run it normally as you would any other lumber.

• Tailstock can shear off or break due to inconsistent width. Be careful of short pieces of tailstock contacting the blade or turning vertical and entering the throat plate. This can cause kickback. Keep a small push-stick near the blade, if you see any short pieces that can cause trouble, push them off the table withe the stick before continuing.