Replies

1. 
   joinerswork | Sep 05, 2010 09:56am | #1

   Michael,

   Sometimes the easiest way is the most direct.  I'd simply use a bevel square (bevel guage, sliding T-bevel), set to the splay angle, lay out the cut to be made on the ends of the legs, and saw the angle by hand.

   Ray 

1. 
   mrossk | Sep 06, 2010 04:38pm | #2

   Of course one could cut to lay out lines. That's not much different, in effect, to setting the miter gauge and tilting the blade to the requisite angles. The reason the math or trig comes in handy is, what happens when trying to cut the shoulders of the aprons or rails? There are compound cuts that are (slightly) different than the initial angles marked with a bevel gauge, or the angles of the blade or miter gauge. 

        I imagine it's the same, say, as for the side rail of a chair- if the seat  tapers in width from front to back and is also lower from back to front, the angles that one cuts on the ends of the rails are not simply the angles one could read off of a side view or plan view.  I wonder if that is clear, it's hard to talk 3-d...

   Best,

   MK

1. 
   joinerswork | Sep 06, 2010 10:58pm | #3

   MK,

   Google "compound angle

   MK,

   Google "compound angle tables"

   plethora of charts out there to get you where you want to go.

   Ray

2. 
   JiminFla | Sep 07, 2010 10:50am | #4

   I agree with Ray that using a bevel gauge may be the easiest way, but if you use the protractor in SketchUp it will give you the exact angle.  On a compound angle, measure one direction and then the other. 

   Jim

3. 
   textures | Sep 11, 2010 03:36pm | #5

   compound legs

   I like to lay this kind of thing out full scale on a peice of plywood,   take a good look at what I have and take my angles off the drawing