Replies

1. 
   flairwoodworks | May 23, 2009 10:55am | #1

   Jonnie,

   One of these protractors will work
   http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=1&cat=1,43513,51657,32581&p=32581
   or you can simply take a scrap piece of wood and sit it along surface A and contacting the point of surface B, then get a second scrap with two parallel sides and butt it along the surface of B and mark along the opposite edge on the first scrap. I use this trick a lot, but am not sure if you can envision it.

   Chris @ www.flairwoodwork.spaces.live.com
   and now www.flairwoodworks.com)

    - Success is not the key to happiness.  Happiness is the key to success.  If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. - Albert Schweitzer

1. 
   jonnieboy | May 23, 2009 11:15am | #2

   Chris,

   Ah yes, I think I understand about the two scraps of wood. I'll try that tomorrow (today) and let you know.

   Strangely, I'm not sure that protractor would do the trick. It has that same "bullnose" that a bevel gauge has. Maybe I'm just overlooking the highly obvious.  I'll think about this suggestion as well.

   Thanks.

   --Jonnieboy.

1. 
   knuts | May 24, 2009 05:11am | #3

   I've had to take an inside angle where I could only get one hand in. I put a spot of hot melt glue on 2 pieces of scrap, like popsicle sticks and held them in tight for a minute. Take the angle on a school protractor.

2. 
   roc | May 24, 2009 08:00am | #4

   See an elementary drafting or geometry book. Measure one unit from the corner out on each face on the inside faces of your part to be measured. Unit = one inch. Then between those two points set the points of a divider. To copy this distance so you can transfer it.

   Refer to the triangle I posted in the link at

   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Triangle_with_notations_2.svg

   On a piece of paper draw a line six or so inches long. Put a dot on that line. see large "A". From the center of that dot set a compass to one unit; Draw an arc across the line. The intersection of the arc and the line is B. Set the compass to the same measure as the distance between your divider points. Put the pivot of compass on center of B and draw an arc that crosses the first arc. This is point C

   Put a straight edge between A and point C and draw a line six or so inches long.

   Measure the angle using a small clear protractor or various other angle detection tools from a drafting supply.

   You have the angle of the object in question.

   I like one of these Adjustable Triangle True-Angle Clear 10"

   http://www.draftingsteals.com/20177.html

   PS: for dividers I mean these needle pointed ones

   http://www.draftingsteals.com/20021.html

   PPS: Compass should have very sharp pencil point or 2mm lead sharpened to a chisel edge ( just file one flat at an angle to the axis of the lead ) see

   http://books.google.com/books?id=QbdMOM89qv0C&pg=PA32lpg=PA32&dq=drafting+lead+point&source=bl&ots=a17pxGhbwk&sig=1oILFAvV-TFq61V31U2rREBPC5o&hl=enei=jNcYSuiIEaSwtAOJyN2SDw&sa=Xoi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3#PPA33,M1

   If blank gray page don't panic. Click on the little white page forward or back triangle buttons.

   Find page 33

   see figure 2.5 " elliptical compass " lead

   roc

   Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln ( 54° shaves )

   Edited 5/24/2009 1:18 am by roc

   Edited 5/24/2009 1:22 am by roc

   Edited 5/24/2009 1:24 am by roc

   
   

   ---

   Edited 5/24/2009 1:25 am by roc

1. 
   jonnieboy | May 24, 2009 09:17am | #5

   Oh man! That drafting and design book is great! What I really need is a book on basic shop math, and one on basic drafting.

   Also the Adjustable Triangle looks really useful. I've been prowling around internet today for small bevel gauges that might have worked in that situation, but didn't have much luck.

   I've tried to download Sketchup but this computer is a 32-bit and the program calls for 64. Anyway, I see I need to know this stuff better. What little I ever did know is long-forgotten.

   Thanks for the info!

   --Jon

1. 
   roc | May 24, 2009 11:30am | #6

   Just for conversation sake here is another way to go about it but expensive and blocks may not fit in length into the space you have. Maybe you could find a cheepy Joe set and cut them to fit in length as required.One rubs these blocks and the surfaces are so flat they adhere to each other to make up a manageable stack.http://catalog.starrett.com/catalog/images/objects/4200/4153.pdfrocGive me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. Abraham Lincoln ( 54° shaves )Edited 5/24/2009 4:31 am by roc

   Edited 5/24/2009 4:33 am by roc