Shopsmith Forums

A while back, I attempted to cut a bevel in the top of the phone stand I was building with terrible results. Well, my next project, I needed to cut a 39 degree bevel the lenghth of a 64 inch board. I kept looking at the SS, thinking, man I really don't want to try this on that. I looked at the router table, nope, that's not going to work either. Then I was eyeing the the bandsaw, remembering someone saying that is what they use. Finally, I went back to the SS, removed the Incra Fence System, tilted the table. Set the fence up. After checking everything several times, turned it on, took a deep breath and started feeding the board through. And lo and behold, a really nice cut, bevel angle was perfect.

I think after this, I won't be so hesitant to cut bevels on the SS.

I agree it really is no big deal. Lately I have removing the vacuum cover and the the anti kick back part of the guard and just use the riving knife and it really is a sweet setup. I found if I do not just use the riving knife the vacuum cover would swing down with fravity and just get in the way of the cut. If I did not use the riving knife the fear factor goes way up as the ripped off section of the cut pushes against the blade.
I think the SS gets a bum rap as being a poor table saw because of the tilting table.

Okay, so my question is (and maybe I should already know this ) but do you tilt the table so the majority of the wood is above or below the saw?

What I mean by this is where does the cutoff go? Above or below the blade? That's the main problem I've always had with the table tilt.

tango wrote:Okay, so my question is (and maybe I should already know this ) but do you tilt the table so the majority of the wood is above or below the saw?

What I mean by this is where does the cutoff go? Above or below the blade? That's the main problem I've always had with the table tilt.

First let me say that either way there must be a riving knife in the setup to achieve safety of any kind. Without a riving knife, the piece that is above the blade (on the tilted table) is going to be inclined to slide down into the blade. The riving serves to 'reduce' the hazards when this happens.

Now, to the cutoff. What is a "cutoff"? Is it the scrape?, or is it the good wood?, or is it the wood to the right of the blade?, or ...... . You get the drift.

I normally thing of the cutoff as being that piece that is on that side of the blade opposite where the rip fence is or if crosscutting it is that piece I did not measure (do not want), (will not become part of the project).

Bottom line. It does not matter. You must perform the task in a manner that allows it to be done safely.

tango wrote:Okay, so my question is (and maybe I should already know this ) but do you tilt the table so the majority of the wood is above or below the saw?

What I mean by this is where does the cutoff go? Above or below the blade? That's the main problem I've always had with the table tilt.

The piece between the the fence and the blade has less chance of variations in width than the piece on the opposite side of the blade particularily on bevel cuts.

Reason gravity may allow the piece on the free side of the blade to slide down into the blade ever so slightly. Actually the saw kerf can get slightly wider usually near the end of the cut.

Therefore I always try to position the piece I'm cutting to dimension to be between the fence and the blade when cutting bevels.

I usually do this even on none bevel cuts also but there is an exception. When I have a wide stock and I'm cutting multiple pieces and I don't want to have to run the cut side each time through the jointer I will keep the factory edge against the fence and take my dimensioned cuts from the free side of the blade. This requires a fence change after each cut. But I believe (in my mind) that it produces pieces more closely similar to each other. I guess it all comes from the fact I believe it is hard to keep a piece perfectly pressed against the fence without minute changes.

This might be helpful.

And this too.