How to create a bevel on a wide board

wannabewoodworker · Post by **wannabewoodworker** » Sat Oct 15, 2011 11:34 pm

So the wife wanted me to make a new window sill plate for a big plate glass window we have in the living room as the old wooden sill plate was rotten and not sealed well. So she took all the old wood out and then springs this little project on me out of the blue just as we are getting ready to put a new roof on the house????:mad:

So I take measurements etc. and I find an old piece of oak that was part of an old water bed frame that was collecting dust. It is a beautiful board and I may not use it nut it is cut perfect and fits like a glove. The only problem is the sill plate should have a bevel to it so that water that collects on it will spill away from the house/window.

My problem is I don't have a clue as to how to cut a bevel on a board this big and thick. It is 70" long by 8" deep by 2.25" thick and i figured it should be about 1.25"/1.5" thick at the front of the sill to allow good flow off of it's face? Anyway I am hopeful someone here can give me some good advice as to how to cut this bevel across the entire top face of the board.

As always many thanks for any and all input to my query.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 12:28 am

14 degrees is 'typical slope.

Usually only the outer portion(weather exposed portion) is sloped.

A thickness planer is a good method(shim up the desired narrow edge temporarily).

A good fashioned hand saw(the kind that string bean from NC would use:D), but you want to finish cutting it by spring.

I am sure this is not popular, but ripping it and cutting the bevel on the two halves reduces the depth of cut.

Then there is finding someone with a bandsaw that can cut that deep(thick).

wannabewoodworker · Post by **wannabewoodworker** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 12:36 am

I had not thought of the thickness planer. That would probably be the best route to take although i do not have one I do have a good friend close by who has a nice Dewalt top of the line planer which i have used before. He also has a nice Delta bandsaw which could handle this board no problem. How would you cut the bevel on a bandsaw? I was trying to envision the method by which I could cut this angle on this board using a bandsaw and just couldn't visualize the procedure. That is probably because I am just plain exhasted from working on the roof for 5 straight days........hehehehe! Not the best vacation I think I could of had but I did get a huge headache resolved.

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 12:55 am

Tilt the bandsaw table 14 degrees(or whatever), mount the fence, then stand the board on edge and saw away.

The planer may work better although slower(multiple passes), but that deep a slice with the band saw is likely to be affected by blade drift. You could get it sorta close, then finish with the planer. How 'old'(hard) is that oak?

I would be inclined to use a 'clear' 2x10.(white 'pine' or clear western cedar$$:eek:$$)

Or sandwich two 1x10.???

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 7:00 am

My first thought would be to use the surface planer. To do so you would need to develop some method of achieving the tile. I narrow strip of wood along one edge of the board would do that. Getting the correct thickness may be trial and error.

Feeding this long a board through the planer straight could also become an issue. At least in my planer. When I run something through the planer the material does not remain straight. You would have to find a way to keep it properly oriented in order to maintain the proper sloped surface.

Another thin strip of wood attached this time to the top of the table would act as a fence. You would then have the challenge of keeping the stock against the fence as it passes through the planer.

Some would say "Far too much work"! "Use a hand plane".

pennview · Post by **pennview** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 7:09 am

If that's white oak you have, it's OK for exterior use, but avoid using red oak outside as it's too porous and won't hold up well. In any event, you're better off using a softwood like pine, fir or cedar. Appearance wise, the oak won't take paint as well as soft wood because of the coarse grain.

wannabewoodworker · Post by **wannabewoodworker** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 8:03 am

dusty wrote:My first thought would be to use the surface planer. To do so you would need to develop some method of achieving the tile. I narrow strip of wood along one edge of the board would do that. Getting the correct thickness may be trial and error.

Feeding this long a board through the planer straight could also become an issue. At least in my planer. When I run something through the planer the material does not remain straight. You would have to find a way to keep it properly oriented in order to maintain the proper sloped surface.

Another thin strip of wood attached this time to the top of the table would act as a fence. You would then have the challenge of keeping the stock against the fence as it passes through the planer.

Some would say "Far too much work"! "Use a hand plane".

Thanks Dusty I was kind of thinkig the same thing. I may have to just get me a good hand plane and just toil away removing the required amount of stock to achieve my goal.

wannabewoodworker · Post by **wannabewoodworker** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 8:12 am

pennview wrote:If that's white oak you have, it's OK for exterior use, but avoid using red oak outside as it's too porous and won't hold up well. In any event, you're better off using a softwood like pine, fir or cedar. Appearance wise, the oak won't take paint as well as soft wood because of the coarse grain.

Pennview,
I was thinking that may be the case. I don't know if it is red or white oak how would I tell? In any event it is really a nice piece of wood and I would rather not use it for this project. It was the only piece of wood I had laying aroound that had the right dimensions for what I am trying to do. I sanded it all down yesterday and routed some nice rounded edges on the outer perimeter and then put a coat of Thompsons water seal on it and once that was complete I kept looking at how nice the wood was and that it was such a waste to use it on a sill plate. So I think I am going to run over to the local Lowes and pick up a piece of cheaper wood that is softer and easier to work with and won't hurt so much to nail into the sill.

The wood was used by a guy my mother used to be in a relationship with many, many years ago. He was a pretty gifted woodworker and made my mother a King sized oak water bed frame complete with a huge head board that contained cabinets and recessed lighting etc. He used all beautiful oak that is really thick for almost everything. The base of the bed also contained 6 drawers on either side which all had nice oak drawer fronts. When my mother passed away back in 1991 I was given the bed and it has sat in my garage all ths time just collecting dust. So I knew that I would never use the bed as designed which is when I disassembled all the pieces and saved all of the oak pieces for a rainy day project. I think I am going to save the oak for a better purpose the wife has a really large mirror with angled corners and beveled edges that she wants me to make a new frame for and that is one perfect use for this beautiful wood in it's natural state once sanded it really is something to behold. I am pretty sure in order to get oak stock like what he used back then now woould cost a huge amount of money.

pennview · Post by **pennview** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 9:04 am

If you look at the end grain and you see tiny holes in the wood, it's red oak. Those holes in white oak are filled. Here's a photo --
[ATTACH]14496[/ATTACH]

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Sun Oct 16, 2011 12:46 pm

pennview wrote:If you look at the end grain and you see tiny holes in the wood, it's red oak. Those holes in white oak are filled. Here's a photo --
[ATTACH]14496[/ATTACH]

Dip one end in bubble soap. Blow on the opposite end. If bubbles appear, tis red oak!:D

Them holes be open ended!