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Thread: Angle cutting delima #323,748,975,751

  1. #1
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    Angle cutting delima #323,748,975,751

    I absolutely HATE cutting non-standard angles that I dont' have a way to cut. What do I mean? I have some 1/4" thick stock at 3/4" wide and I need to cut a 63.5 degree angle on one end. This isn't a cut "1" piece and the deal is done.....I will have to cut 24 pieces with this angle on one end. This is for solid wood inlay that I am working on.

    Question #1 is: How do YOU cut angles that are greater than say 45 degrees on small pieces?

    Question #2 is: What is the "shop math" version of how to calculate the miter angle of a piece to be cut?

    I have SIX diamond shaped (4 sides) inlays to do. 3" wide by 6" tall with 1/4" inlay.

    One of these days, I have GOT to get good at this shop math stuff. Figuring angles have caused me more DAYS of cipherin' and material loss than I could ever count. I need Shop Math for Dummies......
    Thanks & Happy Wood Chips,
    Dennis -
    Get the Benefits of Being an SMC Contributor..!
    ....DEBT is nothing more than yesterday's spending taken from tomorrow's income.

  2. #2
    Quote Originally Posted by Dennis Peacock
    I absolutely HATE cutting non-standard angles that I dont' have a way to cut. What do I mean? I have some 1/4" thick stock at 3/4" wide and I need to cut a 63.5 degree angle on one end. This isn't a cut "1" piece and the deal is done.....I will have to cut 24 pieces with this angle on one end. This is for solid wood inlay that I am working on.

    Question #1 is: How do YOU cut angles that are greater than say 45 degrees on small pieces?

    Question #2 is: What is the "shop math" version of how to calculate the miter angle of a piece to be cut?

    I have SIX diamond shaped (4 sides) inlays to do. 3" wide by 6" tall with 1/4" inlay.

    One of these days, I have GOT to get good at this shop math stuff. Figuring angles have caused me more DAYS of cipherin' and material loss than I could ever count. I need Shop Math for Dummies......
    For the 63.5 deg I would simply use my incra miter gauge. If the part is very small or very fragile, I cut it with a handsaw/chisel/carpet knife. Which ever seems the best tool for the job.

    On Q2, I would lay out the pattern based on measurement on graph paper or just notebook paper if I didn't want to bother with the math. Then cut samples to match the graphed pattern. Otherwise simple sin,cos usually does it. I keep a cheat sheet to help my failing memory with the formulas.

  3. #3
    We're using a chop saw. Here is what I would do. Subtract 63 1/2 degrees from 90 giving you 26 1/2 degrees. Move the blade left to 26 1/2 degrees. Place the stock in from the right. Make the cut and retain the right cut off. You could do the opposite by setting the blade to 26 1/2 degrees to the right. Feed your stock from the left and cut. Retain the left cut off.

    I sympathize. I can get soooooooo confused. I bought a couple nice rulers from Incra, the protractor has been the most help.

    Note: Don't trust me, try it on some scrap first!!!!
    If sawdust were gold, I'd be rich!

    Byron Trantham
    Fredericksburg, VA
    WUD WKR1

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
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    Dennis, how about making a small crosscut sled for the table saw. after cutting into it to establish your cut/kerf line lay out the diamond shape on it and tack on a couple fences. Steve
    Steve Jenkins, McKinney, TX. 469 742-9694
    Always use the word "impossible" with extreme caution

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Dennis Peacock
    I absolutely HATE cutting non-standard angles that I dont' have a way to cut. What do I mean? I have some 1/4" thick stock at 3/4" wide and I need to cut a 63.5 degree angle on one end. This isn't a cut "1" piece and the deal is done.....I will have to cut 24 pieces with this angle on one end. This is for solid wood inlay that I am working on.

    Question #1 is: How do YOU cut angles that are greater than say 45 degrees on small pieces?

    Assuming you're using a miter saw...

    90° minus 63.5° equals 26.5°

    So, set your miter saw for 26.5°. The opposite side of the angle will be 63.5°.

    If you're using the tablesaw, just set the miter gauge for 26.5°.

  6. #6
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    So what you are telling me is that I can cut a "straight" piece of wood at 26.5 degrees and the opposite side is 63.5 degrees? How can that be? A straight board miter cut at an angle yields the exact same angle on yield of both pieces.

    Board goes in like this:
    -----------------
    | |
    -----------------

    Cut the board:
    ----------------------
    | / |
    ----------------------

    Now...isn't the newly cut ends the same 26.5 degree cuts? Are you saying that the "opposite 'edge' of the board" is now at 63.5 degrees?

    Now I'm as lost as "Adams house cat".......
    Thanks & Happy Wood Chips,
    Dennis -
    Get the Benefits of Being an SMC Contributor..!
    ....DEBT is nothing more than yesterday's spending taken from tomorrow's income.

  7. #7
    Think of it this way: There is 180 deg. in a straight board. If you cut an angle thru it measured as X, then the complementary side is 180 deg - X. Make sense ?

    This applies if a 90 deg cut is actually marked 90 on your miter gauge. If it's marked as 0, then you would need to subtract the gauge marking from 90.
    Last edited by Eric Apple - Central IN; 10-08-2003 at 1:32 PM.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Eric Apple - Central IN
    Think of it this way: There is 180 deg. in a straight board. If you cut an angle thru it measured as X, then the complementary side is 180 deg - X. Make sense ?

    This applies if a 90 deg cut is actually marked 90 on your miter gauge. If it's marked as 0, then you would need to subtract the gauge marking from 90.
    Eric,

    That does make sense. I'm just trying to picture which side or edge becomes the 63.5 degree angle.
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    Thanks & Happy Wood Chips,
    Dennis -
    Get the Benefits of Being an SMC Contributor..!
    ....DEBT is nothing more than yesterday's spending taken from tomorrow's income.

  9. #9

    Yes...

    Dennis,

    Yes, if you follow the earlier advice using a miter saw then the angle you marked is 63.5 degrees. Actually, the complimentary angle (diagonally across the cut from the one you marked and at the fence side of your picture) is also 63.5 degrees. Just remember, with a miter saw you are already starting out at 90 degrees to an edge. Therefore, to leave 63.5 degrees you need to subtract 26.5 degrees from 90.

    -- Mark

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Dennis Peacock
    I absolutely HATE cutting non-standard angles that I dont' have a way to cut. What do I mean? I have some 1/4" thick stock at 3/4" wide and I need to cut a 63.5 degree angle on one end. This isn't a cut "1" piece and the deal is done.....I will have to cut 24 pieces with this angle on one end. This is for solid wood inlay that I am working on.

    Question #1 is: How do YOU cut angles that are greater than say 45 degrees on small pieces?

    Question #2 is: What is the "shop math" version of how to calculate the miter angle of a piece to be cut?

    I have SIX diamond shaped (4 sides) inlays to do. 3" wide by 6" tall with 1/4" inlay.

    One of these days, I have GOT to get good at this shop math stuff. Figuring angles have caused me more DAYS of cipherin' and material loss than I could ever count. I need Shop Math for Dummies......
    Hi Dennis,

    I've always problems with jobs like yours because I can never figure out how to cut these angles. So if I can't simply set my saw to the requested angle, I mark it on a board, go over and try to find out how to set the saw.
    Basically, every miter saw will cut an 63,5° angle. Markings on miter saws usually show 45°, 0°, 45°. In fact it is 45°, 90°, 135°. So 63,5° shouldn't be a problem at all. I guess you want to cut at 26,5°.
    What can you do?
    Set the saw to 63,5° and turn the board 90°. This would only work if you cut at the very end of the board.

    Regards,

    Christian
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  11. #11
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    OK..............

    The lights are still on...........

    and NOW somebody's at home.....

    Thanks to everyone for responding and helping and old feller get sumpin' straight in his head. I am excited now and will be going home after to and cut up a bunch of boards and various angles to test out my new found knowledge........

    THANK YOU!!!!!!!!
    Thanks & Happy Wood Chips,
    Dennis -
    Get the Benefits of Being an SMC Contributor..!
    ....DEBT is nothing more than yesterday's spending taken from tomorrow's income.

  12. #12
    The math confuse the heck out of me too but all the above look like good advice. The only other thing I would say is that if this was a cut I was gonna make often (more than three or four times a year), I would make up a jig to go in my mitre saw to enable me to cut the angle on my workpiece while leaving the blade set at 90 degrees.

    I have a couple of ditzy angle that I have to cut on my chairs and I use this method rather than trusting myself to set the saw at the correct angle each time.

  13. #13
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    My Layout Guage

    Dennis /All

    Below is a picture of a layout guage I designed and have been working on for my workshop. Note the small black dots, they are actually holes that you can put a pencil in and layout various circles and angles. The design allows you to layout any angle and to scribe most circles up to a 4.5" radius or a 9" diameter. The guage is 10" in diameter.

    If you look closely at the graphic you will see how simple this guage is and how easy it will be to use. I hope to have the first one made in a couple of days. My layout guage will be laser cut from clear acrylic, this way you will be able to see the wood below if you have knots or other imperfections that you prefer to leave on the waste side of a cut.

    If you put a pencil dot at zero, another at the origin (or center) and the third at 26.5 you simply connect the dots to draw your angle.

    Sorry that the text is so hard to read, this is the last item to correct before I make the first guage and start beta testing.

    Comments would be appreciated, constructive or otherwise.

    Copyright WorkShopTreasures.com 2003
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  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Keith Outten
    Dennis /All

    Below is a picture of a layout guage I designed and have been working on for my workshop. Note the small black dots, they are actually holes that you can put a pencil in and layout various circles and angles. The design allows you to layout any angle and to scribe most circles up to a 4.5" radius or a 9" diameter. The guage is 10" in diameter.

    If you look closely at the graphic you will see how simple this guage is and how easy it will be to use. I hope to have the first one made in a couple of days. My layout guage will be laser cut from clear acrylic, this way you will be able to see the wood below if you have knots or other imperfections that you prefer to leave on the waste side of a cut.

    If you put a pencil dot at zero, another at the origin (or center) and the third at 26.5 you simply connect the dots to draw your angle.

    Sorry that the text is so hard to read, this is the last item to correct before I make the first guage and start beta testing.

    Comments would be appreciated, constructive or otherwise.

    Copyright WorkShopTreasures.com 2003

    Keith,

    Let me know the cost to be a BETA tester and I will get one. We can include it in the bill and shipping for the diamond template.
    Thanks & Happy Wood Chips,
    Dennis -
    Get the Benefits of Being an SMC Contributor..!
    ....DEBT is nothing more than yesterday's spending taken from tomorrow's income.

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