I am. This is just proof of concept. Cutting the edge is easier on the blade; I just wanted to save myself a resharpening.
I am. This is just proof of concept. Cutting the edge is easier on the blade; I just wanted to save myself a resharpening.
Seems like you're figuring it all out... but one less satisfying solution is to take it to a high end cabinet shop with a top of the line sliding table saw and have them make the cuts for you. Obviously you'll have to pay them and it will eat into your margin, but you should be able to make up for it via time savings. Think about how much time you've already spent trying to come up with a solution.
But if you're set on doing it yourself, it seems to me you're on the right track.
Time to set the bevel for the two legs and my shooting ramp.
I'm not sure how you guys do this, but for me, I don't have a decent gauge to test my bevels for true 45 degrees.
I did it this way:
I cut a bevel at what-i-think-is 45 degrees at the tablesaw, then cross cut that piece in half. I then clamped the two sides together to make what should be a perfect 90 degree roof.
May be obvious to most, but...
Good for you. You will learn something new before it all done and will have a new tool in your mental tool box. Nice Plane by the way. I have an original Stanley and use it almost daily when I am in the shop.
Later buddy......
Larry
I must be missing something. Why can't you miter the ends with a 12" SCMS? Do the maximum cut, flip board over, rotate saw and finish the cut.
I dont have an SCMS. I appreciate all the advice about the SCMS and RAS being the right tool for the job. If I have to do this more often, I'll consider making the investment. I'm always open to new ideas, so I'm grateful for those suggestions. I was trying though to work with the stuff I had. It's always a balance isn't it? Trying to work with what you have is gratifying, but I always love the excuse to buy a new tool...
Last edited by Prashun Patel; 12-27-2014 at 3:08 PM.
I realize this is pretty involved, but for those of us without certain capacity on our saws, this method seems to be working ok...
I first cut the bevel as deep as possible with my circular saw, using a framing square to guide the cut.
Next, I completed the cut with a hand saw.
Then I made the shooting jig: I clamped a 3/4" plywood fence to the bench, then butted a 1/4" plywood sled against it. The end of the sled is cut square to the edge, which therefore provides a reference to clamp the bevel guide against.
Once the fence and the ramp are clamped square to each other, I pulled the sled back away from the ramp edge. This is critical, because shooting boards require some clearance.
Next, I glued a 45deg backer to the end of the seat. I wanted to eliminate tearout.
Finally, I positioned the piece against the fence. It must be close enough that the left edge of the plane blade fully engages the top, but low enough so the right side of the blade engages the bottom of the bevel. Setting this distance was the only slightly tricky part; because the blade width is only a tad wider than the cut width, there's not a lot of wiggle room. If you don't get it just right, the blade won't cut, giving the impression that the depth of cut is the culprit. If you get to aggressive with the depth of cut, it just gouges badly. If you get the distance from the fence perfect, then a sharp blade cuts pretty easily.
It worked pretty well...
One lesson (that I should have) learned (the last 50 times) is to mask the top of the initial cut with the circ saw...
Last edited by Prashun Patel; 12-27-2014 at 3:10 PM.
Hi P. You probably know, but a reasonable quality and decent sized drawing square will often function as a very accurate 90 deg and 45 deg reference.
Another route is to use a drawing compass to lay out first a right angle (90 deg), and then split that in half:
http://www.mathopenref.com/constperpextpoint.html
http://www.mathopenref.com/constbisectangle.html
The latter will again be very accurate if you have a good big/long reach compass with sharp point and pencil - you can make one if you need to from a strip of wood.
Do it on a sheet of good quality ply and you have the basis of a DIY square.....
Thanks for all the help, guys.
Here's the finished product.
Because the final length, 88", was too long for a single long piece, the grain matching on the ends is not perfect.
I reinforced the joints with Dominos. I used epoxy for the adhesive.
There is a center stretcher (2x3) under the top which (intended) you can't really see from most vantage points.
Last edited by Prashun Patel; 12-27-2014 at 3:01 PM.
Oops, deleted
Last edited by Frank Pratt; 12-27-2014 at 3:12 PM.
Looks great! Dan
Looks great. Well done.
"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Robert Heinlein
"[H]e had at home a lathe, and amused himself by turning napkin rings, with which he filled up his house, with the jealousy of an artist and the egotism of a bourgeois." Gustave Flaubert, Madame Bovary