MFT- Bench Dogs & cutting cabinet panels

[ctbruss]

I have recently started using bench dogs, in combination with my rail saw to cut cabinet components. The side, bottom & back panels. Previously I was simply clamping the rail to the board being cut. I have also viewed numerous videos that show bench dogs used not only to align the panel square to the rail, but there is a bench dog used as a length stop. This would only be helpful if you were cutting lengths of 96mm + the offset of the guide rail... 7-5/16" or 186mm. The most common length cut for cabinets would be the height at 34-1/2" but the MFT hole spacing/ rail offset is approximately 1" short or 2-3/4" long of the 34-1/2" desired cut.....any thoughts?

 

[Dick Mahany]

I have recently started using bench dogs, in combination with my rail saw to cut cabinet components. The side, bottom & back panels. Previously I was simply clamping the rail to the board being cut. I have also viewed numerous videos that show bench dogs used not only to align the panel square to the rail, but there is a bench dog used as a length stop. This would only be helpful if you were cutting lengths of 96mm + the offset of the guide rail... 7-5/16" or 186mm. The most common length cut for cabinets would be the height at 34-1/2" but the MFT hole spacing/ rail offset is approximately 1" short or 2-3/4" long of the 34-1/2" desired cut.....any thoughts?

A very common technique is to make parallel spacer strips to adjust for the offset when cutting repetitive common dimensions.  I have used that method many times and had great results.