How-To
How to Cut Coves on the Tablesaw
Learn how to use your tablesaw to safely cut cove moldings
You can’t cut a cove this big with a router bit, but a time-tested tablesaw technique handles it easily. Learn Mario Rodriguez’s technique for setting up the cut accurately and safely while taking light passes to sneak up on the profile.
I've done this on several occasions over the years, but on one occasion back in 2004 while making a cove cut frame to surround a 10 foot long bathroom mirror I had a bit of an accident. Cove cutting on the table saw challenges one's normal brain function when using the table saw. That's due to running the material through the blade on the diagonal. I have had over 45 years of experience using the table saw and always considered myself a knowledgeable, careful and safe operator. On this occasion however, I lost track of my left hand when it came time to lift the piece from the saw after passing through the blade. I did everything right when cutting the cove including the use of push blocks. The blade was only up about 1/8" from the top of the table, but it was enough to tear up my pinky and ring finger pretty bad.To this day I try to think about how this could have happened and the only conclusion I can draw relates to two things: focus and awareness. You get used to setting both of these brain functions when using the table saw for years in a straightforward and usual manner, i.e., ripping and crosscutting. When cove cutting and running work at a diagonal, the focus and awareness centers of the brain require re-setting, adjustment and fine tuning. So if I can offer one last small piece of essential advice to anyone attempting to run a table saw cove cut it would be this: Take extra care to sharply focus your attention on where your hands are at all times, especially after the work-piece is through the blade. Keep your hands on the push blocks and look at that spinning blade before your move your hands and proceed to remove the work piece from the saw. This may sound like pretty basic, and somewhat lame advice, but looking back, it seems to be something I omitted from my thinking when making a diagonal cut on the table saw. Running work through the saw in this direction with the blade hidden plays tricks on the brain and is contrary to normal hand movement through the saw. Never get comfortable when using machinery. Always think about where your hands are.