Shopsmith Forums

For Nick Engler's infinity clock build, I'm making a mitered corner box 5" on each side,1 1/2 deep, and 1/4" thick. Since each piece is only 5" long, they are too short to use a fence with a stop block on the miter gauge. I thought about using the cross-cut sliding table with a stop block. But there seems to be too much room between the sliding table and the blade making me afraid it'll tear out the 1/4" thick piece.

Hmm. now that I'm thinking this out loud, maybe a fence on the mitergauge that is L shaped so it'd provide support underneath too?

Before I overthink this, anybody have any ideas?

hal

Do you have a bandsaw, scroll saw, or jig saw? Those pieces are pretty small for cutting those bevels on a table saw. If the material is only 1/4" thick you can probably sand or file those bevels by hand, or even use your disk sander on the Shopsmith.

thanks Ed - got all those and you present interesting alternatives. I'm concerned I wouldn't get the bevels precise enough to make the corner joints tight. However,perhaps the disk sander would do the job. Seems like it would be much easier to control. Thanks for these ideas Ed.

hal

viewtopic.php?p=269031#p269031
I rigged this up a couple of years ago.

I very much like to cut rough bevels with the bandsaw, and then fine-tune with the disk sander. Disk sanding can be done at very light touches and in a non-hurried way.

I'd clamp the pieces cut a little long on the table tilted at 45°, then use the disk sander to size by moving the sanding disk into the piece with the quill. If you're making multiple pieces you can set up you fence as a stop on the table and set the quill depth gauge for just the right size. Sand the bevel on one end first, then hold that end against the fence and sand the other side down with the disk. Put a piece of wood cut to 45° against the fence so you aren't pushing the thin edge of the beveled side directly on the fence. You can reduce the amount of dust by cutting the bevels initially with any kind of saw then finishing with the sander.

Using the fence and the sanding disk with the quill depth stop to duplicate pieces that way is one of the very best features of a Shopsmith.

With workpieces that thin sanding may be the best bet. But, if you want to try something else you might consider routing. Last year I tried cutting mitered ends with a 45 degree router bit mounted in the the speed increaser in the under-the-table mode. It took some fiddling to get the right bit height, but after a few test cuts it worked fine. I made a box with sides about 5 inches tall and about 3/8 thick. As I recall, the method included using double sided tape to attach a piece on top of the workpiece to ride against the bit's pilot. Can't recall where I saw it, but I am pretty sure there is a you tube video that shows the process. Anyway, the bit made a clean cut at the perfect angle. I also tried the same technique to make a small eight-sided "stave built" container, about 2 inches across. Again, after a few test cuts, it worked fine.

JMO I like the disc sander and or router , maybe even a hand plane being careful of the ends so you don't chip them out , once you get it close a sanding block with fine grit mounted to the table . knife marks may help as a guide .

edma194 wrote: ↑Tue Jan 31, 2023 11:37 am use your disk sander on the Shopsmith.

Hey Ed, this worked great. On the 45 degree tilted table, I locked the miter gauge in place. Then used that as a solid square fence to gently slide the piece into the disk sander. It was easy to sneak up on a perfect bevel without shortening the board.

thanks.

hal

Pretty slick sled there Larry. Thanks for sharing.

And thanks everyone. Seems like most liked using the disk sander in one way or another.

hal