Cutting angled pieces

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Not really staves but I am looking for a safe and true way of cutting pieces about 8 to 10" long on a tablesaw. I want to be able to use either 4 or 6 or 8 pieces to make a cylinder. So what I am looking to do is cut lengths of wood with both sides with the appropriate angles. Not sure what they call these but they would look like a stave but not a compound angle. Anyone have suggestions for a safe easy accurrate method??? Thanks
 
John,

That really would not be difficult. The hardest part would be getting the table saw blade tipped to the exact angle.

For using 6 pieces for example, you would cut a 30º angle on each side of your stave. I'd use a plastic drafting square with 30º, 60º and 90º angles. Use the 30º angle to set the tilt angle of the blade. Use your fence to set the width you want for the stave. Using a push block to push the stave through the cut, cut one side. Reverse the stave with the long side of the cut angle up (on top) against the fence, cut the other side. Always use a push block.
 
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Ken pretty much explained how I'd do it. :thumb: I'll add that you should set your fence up so the blade is pointing away from the fence. Something like this:

Tilted Tablesaw Narrow 800.jpg


If the fence on your saw tilts the other direction (to the right), then your fence should be on the other (left) side of the blade.
 
Ken pretty much explained how I'd do it. :thumb: I'll add that you should set your fence up so the blade is pointing away from the fence. Something like this:

Tilted Tablesaw Narrow 800.jpg


If the fence on your saw tilts the other direction (to the right), then your fence should be on the other (left) side of the blade.

Hey Vaughn, you forgot to show the splitter, or was Ned suppose to sketch that in for you. I know, I'am bad!
 
John, Ken and Vaughn both detailed how I'd do it. Ken mentioned the use of a push block and I cannot emphasize that enough. Not a push stick, but a push block. One that keeps your hand from being anywhere near the blade is best. You can build your own using of a piece of 2x4 with a "D" shaped handle placed in the middle of the top of it. I use a piece of replaceable 1/4" MDF at the back that drops down a bit to push the piece through the blade. Or you can spend a few bucks (Well worth the price) and use the Grr-Ripper.
 
to add to what they have said is to make long staves first then cut to length on a chop saw or use your mitre guage to cut to length..

vaughn how did you draw that saw blade??? you been holding out on us with your sketchup skills:)
 
Hey Vaughn, you forgot to show the splitter, or was Ned suppose to sketch that in for you. I know, I'am bad!

OK, Mr. Smart Pants, it's a MicroJig splitter, so it's low and not visible. And yes, it was specially installed at an angle for this cut. :p (I shoulda drawn in a riving knife.)

Seriously, for a cut like this I wouldn't be using an overhead guard or the factory splitter on my saw, since either would prevent me from using my Grr-ripper to push the material through the cut. And unlike Larry, I would probably cut the pieces to length before ripping them. This would reduce the chance of having a pinched blade, and by making the rip cuts on shorter (12" to 18") pieces of wood, I'd be able to do each one in a single motion, resulting in a smoother, glue-ready cut. (Or at least that was my experience making fancy cutting boards. I was more likely to have imperfections on a single 48" rip than I would have on three 16" rips. On the shorter pieces, though, the Grr-ripper becomes even more important.)

...vaughn how did you draw that saw blade??? you been holding out on us with your sketchup skills:)

Nah, I'm nowhere near that good. The SketchUp 3-D Warehouse comes to the rescue every time. :thumb:
 
Personally, if it was me, I would rip & cross cut them on the bandsaw and finish them up with a hand plane. Of course if I was Ken Werner, I would split them from the log with my froe, get them close using my drawknife and then finish it up with a hand plane.

Mr. Smarty Pants
 
Nah, I'm nowhere near that good. The SketchUp 3-D Warehouse comes to the rescue every time. :thumb:

Sounds like a homework assignment!

It was surprisingly simple! There's a tool to do this... hit the CTRL key once when using the "Rotate" tool. It makes a copy and rotates it. Then use the array copy short cut (*23 for 23 copies) and it copies and rotates all the copies. Pow! Instant saw blade. After discovering that little tool, the hardest part (for me) was getting the hook angle right and (especially) the tooth bevel angle. I still don't think I got the teeth right.... :(

SketchupSawBlade.jpg
 
Thanks everyone for the input. Ken you made it look and sound easy. Hopefully I will be able to give this a try soon and see what I can come up with. AS far as the push block that is a great idea. I have since gone to such a thing when cutting thin items. What it does it helps hold the pieces steady on both sides of the cut. Thanks again everyone.
 
We made some (4 of 8'6" & 4 of 9'1") 9 stave columns last summer/fall. All sounds good so far, but I'd double check the angle before you cut the good stuff. Angle cut one piece of scrap, chop it into 1 or 2" pieces, lay them in position on the bench, wrap a couple turns of string around, and see whether it's loose inside or out. Adjust to suit. ;)
 
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