I like to build HO structures like stations, houses, etc. I like to use wood, so I mill my own materials. But when it gets down to materials that are 1/32", I find it hard to mill due to its fragility. I can cut 1/32" strips from balsa with no problem but trying to cut harder woods is a problem. For example, I need some posts that measure 1/8x1/8 cross section. If I try to cut it on my 10" table saw, the wood just fractures and gets sucked down the blade insert plate. The wood is too hard to cut with any xacto type blades. You can buy wood strips the size I'm needing but would like to make them myself. I wonder how commercial model wood suppliers produce their fine wood strips. It's not the cost of buying wood strips that bothers me. It's that I may need a small bit for a current project but ordering it from the internet takes a few days when I need it NOW.

Can anyone tell me how they deal with obtaining fine wood sections and if they mill them themselves. I'm about to go out to my shop and see if I can mill up some 1/8" square posts for a station I am building. Balsa is much too weak for sections this small. I have to use a harder wood.

Ron,
Micro Mark Offers mini table saws starting at about $130. I don't have one. I build structures two but I buy my wood from Northeastern Scale Lumber.

A 10" table saw is just to big and powerful. I think you also need a high tooth count on small blade to what you want to do.

If one of your hobbies is acquiring cool tools you might not want to check out Micro Mark on-line. Too tempting!

Regards,
Roger

Proxxon also make a mini table saw. A past member of the club I go to had one for doing similar small strip cutting.

I think it might have been this one.

Dremel make a circular saw. Then there is their normal Dremel tool, which I have the Bosch 10.8v equivalent, it's great. You could knock up a table saw to mount one of these with a very narrow clearance next to the disc.

Often one spends infinitely more time designing a tool for only a few parts, but it is still quicker and better quality than stumbling around and losing fingers.