I am trying to figure out the following:
I need to cut a long board at a small angle. The board is 6 feet long, 6 inches wides, and 1 inch thick. The board needs to be about 1 inch thiner (5 inches) at one end than the other. I have a table saw, but is there an accurate way to do this? The only method I can think of is marking the line and trying to push it through the saw at that angle. That seems very inaccurate though. Many thanks.
Adam
Replies
DO NOT ATTEMPT WHAT YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! there is no way to safely do that without a taper jig of some sort.also, the fence(please say you were not going to freehand it!) and the blade run paralell to each other.you can't get an angled cut without some jig or fixture that will hold your piece at an angle while it ( the jig)rides the fence.you could use a bandsaw, or a portable power saw and straightedge.you could rough cut oversize with a jigsaw, hand held circular saw, or even a handsaw.then clean it up with a handplane or router(with a straightedge and top mounted flush bearing). there are alot of ways to do what you want.but not the way you suggested.
http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/subscription/Workshop/WorkshopArticle.aspx?id=30371
This link will show you how to make a simple taper jig that will hold you large board at the correct angle to get a precise taper on the tablesaw. In your case, use plywood or a straight 1 x 4 or 1 x 6 that is at least as long as your board. Instead of a screw to push the board out to the correct angle, you could also use a wooden dowel cut off to the proper length.
Also, do an internet search for tablesaw taper jig for other ideas. There are several easy to make ones out there.
Adam,
DO NOT try to rip the board freehand on a tablesaw. Use a circular saw with a straightedge, or a jigsaw, or find someone with a bandsaw. If you must use the tablesaw, search the Knots archives for information on building a taper jig or clamp the board at the desired angle to another board that you can run against the rip fence.
Welcome to Knots!
-Nazard
Do you have a router, a straight bit and a straightedge at least as long as the work?
Measure the distance from the outside edge of the bit to the outside edge of the router sub base. Clamp the straightedge at exactly this distance back from the edge of the end of the board you want to be the widest. At the other end, clamp the straightedge back this distance plus one inch (or whatever taper you wish).
Then rout your taper, in multiple passes, either by lowering the bit or by "sneaking up" on the desired measurements at each end by moving and re-clamping the straightedge (bit lowered to cut through the board).
If you plan to cut more than an occasional taper, make a jig this way: glue or otherwise fasten a 1/2" x 4" x whatever length plywood or chipboard flush to a 1/4" to 1/2" x 8" x the same length piece of Masonite, chipboard (any stable piece you have handy).
Then, using a straight bit, rout through the 8" wide piece, moving left to right, with the router sub base against the 4" wide piece. You now have a custom made trim/taper jig. Simply mark your work where you want to cut, and clamp the thin edge of the jig exactly on your marks. Then rout left to right.
However, for each use, you MUST use the same router and bit.
Hope this helps.
kreuzie
Take another 6 ft board, lay it on the one you want to cut, align the one end even with the you want to cut, pull the other end 1" out from the board and nail in place along the inside edge. Place the scrap board against the fence as you straight edge and feed through the saw. That will accurately cut the taper.
Jack
Do you have a thickness planer? If so, make a sled with wedges at one end 1" higher than the other and send it through the planer taking off a little at a time till you have the desired result. Second method would be to draw a pencil line with the desired angle on both sides and use a #7 plane and take it off with a hand plane down to the drawn line (use winding sticks to keep it flat although at 6" wide it will not take much to keep it flat). You would be surprised how fast the stock will come off.
If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it.
And if it stops moving, subsidize it.
This is the most help I have ever gotten in a forum. After reading these, don't worry I have decided not to try this freehand!!! Thanks for the warning. I either do it on my band saw or with a taper jig.Again, many thanks.Adam
Use LOTS of really good double stick tape to hold the workpiece tight to another board as it goes through the tablesaw.And stick it to the other board, placed so that the taper you want will be cut.Politics is the antithesis of problem solving.
Ah, don't worry about doing it freehand. My friend Stumpy did the same thing . . . once. We now take turns feeding him. ;-)Personally, FWIW, I'd use a circular saw with an edge guide for a one-off cut of this length. That approach, to me, seems more likely to produce a reasonably straight cut, requiring only minimal smoothing with a #7 jointer plane. In contrast, pushing a 6-foot jig through a table saw, even with good outfeed support, strikes me as being far more trouble. Using a bandsaw would be safer, but keeping the cut straight and smooth would be more of a challenge.
I bet you are right. I would have to have my imaginary friend hold the piece as it comes off of the back of the table. I could just see it getting unruly as I push it through.
7 foot straight edge overlaid onto the board at the taper marks. Mark the taper.
Using a Skill Saw, Jig Saw or the like, cut to the outside of that line, about a 16th of an inch wide.
Smooth the cut with some 80 sandpaper, just to take the bumps off the rascal.
Overlay the same board onto the taper line. Use a flush trim router bit (bearing on bottom, straight edge on bottom; or pattern router bit (bearing on top, straight edge on top) to make a smooth taper. If possible, use a spiral cut bit which will reduce tear out. One inch is a lot of timber to take off at one time, even if it is a 16th wide.Regards, Scooter "I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow." WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934
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