Ripping angles question

Re: Ripping angles question

Yonak

David, please help me to understand the set-up you have in mind. That is, why can't you just set the fence the proper distance from the blade and rip ? ..Accounting for enough room to take off a final pass on the jointer, if necessary. Test out on scrap to get it right.

Re: Ripping angles question

David Higgins

Thanks, Yonak. Good ideas!

I was hoping for a more procedural approach.

With a left-tilt saw the fence gauge is essentially useless for anything but a straight up 90 degree rip. And, I've been too lazy to dig out my high school trigonometry to calculate the right distance from the blade to the fence for this angle (14 degrees) cut. I guess it's time to dust that off.

I had overlooked the fact that I can set the angle on my jointer fence -- DOH! However, it's a small piece (about 3 inches, 0.5 inch thick), and I'm a little concerned about the safety of trying to pass it over the jointer.

Trial cuts on scrap are always a good idea. Coming up with scrap the same thickness as the work piece can be a challenge. But there are ways around that too, I suppose.

Re: Ripping angles question

Steve jenkins

Set the fence a bit wide then sneak up on the cut

Re: Ripping angles question

David Higgins

Thanks, Steve.

That's about where I was going, too.

I'm pretty much a noob and hoped someone would have the magic answer. Yours seems to be it.

Re: Ripping angles question

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

It is not clear to me exactly what you need to do but if the piece is tiny it sounds potentially dangerous. If the piece is 3" long, or whatever your 3" is, fixing it on something with more mass is a very good idea. I don't like these kinds of cuts. I clamp all sorts of constraints on the saw to capture what I am sawing.

I cut the angles on these post caps by temporarily gluing the piece to the end of a 4 x 4 and cutting the angles with the blade tilted and the miter gauge.

Re: Ripping angles question

David Higgins

Thanks, Bill. I feel the same way.

What sort of glue did you use? I'm not sure about trusting double sided tape for this cut.

Re: Ripping angles question

Don Stephan

Can you make a carrier board with a stop and Destaco clamp, somewhat like a table leg tapering jig?

Attach a length of adhesive backed coarse sandpaper to a piece of MDF or even the saw table, and sand the bevel, or use a hand plane?

Re: Ripping angles question

David Higgins

Thanks, Don.

I've never learned to use a hand plane properly. I could sand to the line if I could control the angle well enough. I'm concerned about removing too much material.

Re: Ripping angles question

David Higgins

I feel like folks may think I'm playing "Yeah, but . . ."

I'm not. I'm storing up all these ideas. I'm learning.

Re: Ripping angles question

Barry Irby

You have gotten some good ideas and one bad one before we knew the size.

DO NOT TRY to run a piece that small over a jointer. You will get hurt.

The shop teacher at my high school, many years before my being there, Decided to show the class why you should not run a short piece over the jointer. It threw the piece away and took the last joint off his pinky. By the time I met him, he was the principal of the high school, clearly not based on his prowess as a safety consultant.

Fasten the piece to a carrier. Keep any metal out of the path of the saw. Stay out of the line of fire.

probably.....

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

.....used double sided tape, but I don't remember for sure. I find what ever kind I have often grips so well I have a problem releasing it. If I was to do it over I would use double sided tape.

Re: Ripping angles question

David Higgins

Well, it was a good idea, but he didn't know the size. Thanks for the support. And, the advice.

I already have one "shop teacher finger." I beveled the end of my left index on the jointer. So, I'm a lot more cautious now.

Re: probably.....

David Higgins

Thank you.

Re: Ripping angles question

Keith Newton

If you are ripping any thickness at a 45º angle, add the thickness to the reading on your fence. The back side will be the thickness less than the long side.

If you are ripping any other angle, just lay the piece your planning to cut beside the blade on the left, then start cranking it over to the desired angle, then lay your tape or other measuring instrument flat on top of the wood with the end touching the fence. You need to have a tooth at the right height, so your measuring from the fence to the tooth rather than the plate. You don't need any math, you just let the piece your planning to rip guide where you measure.

When ripping angles, if the wood doesn't stay flat against the table, the width will be off, so make sure to keep it flat. If there is any bow to the stock it's easier to have the crown down, rather than fighting it trying to spring up if you rip with crown up.

and a caution

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

Be wary about trapping the triangular cut-off from making the bevel. If it gets trapped between the fence and blade, or blade and any jigging it may just get pushed out or it may get to vibrating, engage the blade teeth and then exciting things can happen as pieces of it exit.

MY Solution

David Higgins

So, I trundled out my high school trigonometry and calculated the fence-to-blade distance needed to be 3.379 inches. I set it at 3.4 and made a cut -- too wide by a hair.

A couple of two-finger taps on the fence and I got my perfect angle rip cut.

This is basically the suggestion of Steve Jenkins. Thanks, Steve!

Thank you every one for your help and support.