Cutting Bevels

sawdust101 · Post by **sawdust101** » Tue May 01, 2007 3:53 pm

I have been trying for a long time to find the right setting/technique for cutting a bevel cut with two stacked pieces of 3/4 thickness. I want the pattern to be on the top and the bottom piece to be the inlay piece that will slip tightly, hiding the kerf, into the top piece. I have tried lots of combinations of different blades, table angles and still haven't found the right combination. I can easily make the cut where the top piece will slip down into the bottom piece. But if the top piece is the inlay then it is hard to line of the cut since the pattern will be on the bottom.

There is an article at http://www.woodworkingjigsaw.com/page6.htm that talks about Cutting Bevels. One sentence I don't understand, "Cut precisely on the line, but keep the work always on the same side of the blade. It cannot be swung completely, since this would change the direction of the bevel; then the pieces wouldn't fit."

Bruce · Post by **Bruce** » Tue May 01, 2007 10:53 pm

Until I checked the link you referenced, I didn't know you were talking about the jigsaw. You should probably at least mention that for someone that searches for jigsaw posts in the future. I don't have a jigsaw, so unfortunately I can't answer your question.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Wed May 02, 2007 1:39 pm

You have to know the width of the kerf that the scrollsaw blade cuts. Once you do, the answer can be found with some simple trig:

[INDENT]sinA = K/T[/INDENT]

Where:
A is the table angle
K is the width of the kerf
T is the thickness of the stock

[ATTACH]168[/ATTACH]

With all good wishes,

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Wed May 02, 2007 1:55 pm

This is great, another trig assignment. I haven't put the books away since the previous lesson.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Wed May 02, 2007 2:06 pm

You know my motto, Dusty. "Triginometry is no substitute for common sense." Unfortunately, there are times when common sense is no substitute for trigonometry.

With all good wishes,

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Fri May 04, 2007 1:37 pm

Thanks for editing your post! I've been trying for two days (off and on) to figure out this math. Could have sworn you were first working with tangent! Sine is good!

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Fri May 04, 2007 2:22 pm

I was, Chuck.

But when I drew it out to make it clear for everyone else, it suddenly became clear to me, too. I had supposed that T was the base of the triangle when in fact, it was the hypotenuse. I try to be helpful, but I'm not infallible.

With all good wishes,