Safely ripping bevels on long boards using Shopsmith?

damagi · Post by **damagi** » Thu Dec 30, 2010 8:23 pm

Would love to hear some tips about how to rip bevels in long boards (4' or more lets say). Outfeed table with riving knife? I know nick used a fixed riving knife on his outfeed table, but I am thinking you could use a modified miter guage mounted pointing up to set a longer riving knife.

any thoughts would be appreciated

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Thu Dec 30, 2010 9:16 pm

Geez! All I used to cut 4' long bevels was the Mark V, a rip fence, a featherboard clamped in front of the blade and a outfeed roller. The only time I got into trouble was when I didn't use the outfeed roller.

Always use some type of outfeed support!

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Fri Dec 31, 2010 6:35 am

The only thing to be concerned about, when cutting bevels on a tilted table, is how gravity effects the pieces that are on the outfeed side of the blade. Usually, the operator has full control over one of those pieces. The other, the cutoff, is going to go somewhere, on its own.

I try to have control of that piece even though I do not have hands on.

I use an outfeed table that is equipped with a board that acts as an extension of the rip fence.

Always when ripping, especially longer pieces, the riving knife must be in place.

Which reminds me: When I made the last set of ZCI I did not cut the kerf long enough to accommodate the riving knife. I need to do that so that when one day when I need a new ZCI, I am not tempted to go without a riving knife because I don't have time right then.

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damagi · Post by **damagi** » Fri Dec 31, 2010 7:42 am

Right - that makes sense. I watched http://www.shopsmithacademy.com/SS_Arch ... Bevels.htm and it seemed like it had some good info.

I guess my question would be since you can't really use the saw guard, why not make a standalone riving knife.

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I didn't like the sounds of Nick's comment about needing a screwdriver to keep the kerf open, so perhaps this might work better? Table side it would use the standard riving knife connection. On the outfeed table you could use a modified version of the splitter in http://www.shopsmithacademy.com/SS_Arch ... Layout.pdf to allow it to lock in place at whatever angle...not sure how that might look, maybe some sort of L-brace attached on the back side with a curved slot and matching L-bracket + set screw.

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dusty · Post by **dusty** » Fri Dec 31, 2010 8:04 am

damagi wrote:Right - that makes sense. I watched http://www.shopsmithacademy.com/SS_Archives/SS120/SS120_Ripping_Bevels.htm and it seemed like it had some good info.

I guess my question would be since you can't really use the saw guard, why not make a standalone riving knife.

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I didn't like the sounds of Nick's comment about needing a screwdriver to keep the kerf open, so perhaps this might work better? Table side it would use the standard riving knife connection. On the outfeed table you could use a modified version of the splitter in http://www.shopsmithacademy.com/SS_Archives/SS120/SS120_Common_files/Blackboard_images/Outfeed%20Table%20Layout.pdf to allow it to lock in place at whatever angle...not sure how that might look, maybe some sort of L-brace attached on the back side with a curved slot and matching L-bracket + set screw.

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This is better than the cat's meow. I like this a lot. In fact, it has taken over a top spot on "my to do list". It will be a great improvement over what I am using now (when I don't need the upper saw guard).

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robinson46176 · Post by **robinson46176** » Fri Dec 31, 2010 8:41 am

Er, uh, you might want to look at the direction of those saw teeth.

pennview · Post by **pennview** » Fri Dec 31, 2010 9:20 am

In bevel ripping, your best bet is to trim the boards you're ripping to something very close to the finished size by first ripping the boards at 90 degrees. Then when you're ripping the bevel there is very little wood to drop down into the blade when you finish the cut.

damagi · Post by **damagi** » Fri Dec 31, 2010 10:03 am

dusty wrote:The only thing to be concerned about, when cutting bevels on a tilted table, is how gravity effects the pieces that are on the outfeed side of the blade. Usually, the operator has full control over one of those pieces. The other, the cutoff, is going to go somewhere, on its own.

I try to have control of that piece even though I do not have hands on.

I use an outfeed table that is equipped with a board that acts as an extension of the rip fence.

Always when ripping, especially longer pieces, the riving knife must be in place.

Which reminds me: When I made the last set of ZCI I did not cut the kerf long enough to accommodate the riving knife. I need to do that so that when one day when I need a new ZCI, I am not tempted to go without a riving knife because I don't have time right then.

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Another thing I was realizing was that 520 users could use the back side T-slots on the fence to do the same thing as the miter guage. you could fashion a simple setup such that it could be used either infeed or outfeed...perhaps a pair if needed.

That way you are guaranteed that the fence is in line, and no worries about overtightening the set screw on the miter fence. The standard T-nut from shopsmith would work great here I think.

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Fri Dec 31, 2010 10:27 am

damagi wrote:Another thing I was realizing was that 520 users could use the back side T-slots on the fence to do the same thing as the miter guage. you could fashion a simple setup such that it could be used either infeed or outfeed...perhaps a pair if needed.

That way you are guaranteed that the fence is in line, and no worries about overtightening the set screw on the miter fence. The standard T-nut from shopsmith would work great here I think.

Along this line, I made and used a sacrificial fence for riping some long boards (on a bevel) for a neighbor. This drawing shows it about the same length as the Main Table but the one I used was about 6' long. It attached to the rip fence using the t-tracks and t-nuts.

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Ed in Tampa · Post by **Ed in Tampa** » Fri Dec 31, 2010 11:05 am

damagi wrote:Right - that makes sense. I watched http://www.shopsmithacademy.com/SS_Arch ... Bevels.htm and it seemed like it had some good info.

I guess my question would be since you can't really use the saw guard, why not make a standalone riving knife.

[ATTACH]11325[/ATTACH]

I didn't like the sounds of Nick's comment about needing a screwdriver to keep the kerf open, so perhaps this might work better? Table side it would use the standard riving knife connection. On the outfeed table you could use a modified version of the splitter in http://www.shopsmithacademy.com/SS_Arch ... Layout.pdf to allow it to lock in place at whatever angle...not sure how that might look, maybe some sort of L-brace attached on the back side with a curved slot and matching L-bracket + set screw.

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Get idea but if you going to go to the bother of building this only build the riving knife as high as blade (don't build the portion over the top of the blade) then you can use it for non through cuts.

I'm a great believer in riving knifes without the over head blade guard attached.

I will say I have cut a few bevel cuts in boards longer than 4 feet on my SS but I never felt the need for a extended riving knife.
I will also add cutting a bevel on the SS is my least favorite thing and I will go to get extents not to have to do it. Anything from reengineering the plans to cutting them with something else to taking the board to a tablesaw.