I am having trouble and would like someone’s expertise on cutting angle cuts on plywwood. Lets say for example that the the dimensions are 24 inches on the backside of the board and 21 inches on the front of the board, in other words the board tapers from 24 inches to 21 inches from back to front. I have tried to do this with the miter gauge with an auxillary fence and never get the right angle. I am becoming very frustrated. What works best based on your experience with these types of cuts. Oh by the way I have only tried this with the table saw, not a circular saw.
Replies
A taper jig on the TS can do the job .
dusty
After you have laid-out your 21 and 24 marks, lay the piece on the TS and align it to an edge of the miter slot. Holding it in place, advance the loosened miter gauge to the panel and with your third hand tighten it down.
If the piece is larger than the TS table, you may have to use a straight edge laid across the panel to eyeball the alignment to the slot. Then clamp this straight edge under the overhang and tight against the edge of the saw's table edge.
Practice...'till you can do it right the first time.
What if the table edge isn't parallel to the blade? Sounds like a recipe for kick-back.
Draw a straight line from the 24" mark to the 21" mark (or whatever the measurements are). Cut just outside the line with a jigsaw or bandsaw. Line up a 1/4" thick straight edged piece of MDF to the line on the plywood and clamp it in place. Use a pattern cutting bit in your router and trim the edge straight and square.
This way you don't have to worry about trying to line the piece up exactly with a miter gauge or taper jig on your tablesaw, and you get the cut exactly where you want it.
Ditto what Woodood said in post 4.
Another option would be to set the tablesaw up for "pattern cutting." It would be hard to describe in words, and I don't have time right now to upload a pic, but if you send me an email, I'll send a scan back later today.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
This is why Festool sells so many expensive circular saw and guides. Although this could be done with a table saw, it's easier with a straight piece of wood and a circular saw. Table saws are dangerous enough without introducing even more risk.
"Table saws are dangerous enough without introducing even more risk." Absolutely true. However, pattern cutting is not risky. Sorry I can't post a pic right now. Later.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
A long time ago I made a large sled from 1/2" plywood.
When I need to do angled cuts or cuts on pieces that are otherwise to awkward to hold, I tack a few strips of wood to position the piece to be cut or tack the piece directly to the sled and make the cuts.
When the sled kerf gets worn, instead of aligning the cut to it, I measure to the blade at that location from the left/right edge as needed and note it on the sled. When your aligning the piece to be cut, you use the measurement from the edge of the sled, to the cut marks on the piece and tack down the temporary stops.
Hands are well clear of the blade and there are no kickbacks.
The method works well for multiples and because it doesn't take much time to setup, works for a few pieces too.
Since it's not a show piece tool any remaining nail or screw holes are of no consequence and can be sanded if there is a bump left around the hole when the 'jigging' is removed.
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