I have been watching several "urn building" videos and came across this one that was very interesting.
This post relates to his use of a jig for cutting bevels (that part starts around the 40 second mark). Screenshot below of the setup: I like the idea of the blade remaining at it's 90 degree position. Has anyone incorporated this design into their sled?
I have mine set with the blade at 45 and am not getting perfect cuts (even after spending much of an afternoon trying to adjust the back fence) so wondering if I need to flip my approach. For latest project, I made my cuts with the sled (feels more secure) and then used my miter gauge to fine tune.
The only issue I’ve seen with these type jigs, Barb, is that they really only work on smaller pieces. Once the workpiece gets too big, it gets ungainly to have it hanging out in space. For small stuff, they look they work great! So it may just depend on what size work you’re doing.
Ryan/// ~sigh~ I blew up another bowl. Moke told me "I made the inside bigger than the outside".
A lot of the same issues that keep you from getting perfect cuts with the blade tilted, also apply to the jig. Movement of the workpiece is HUGE. Some call it creep, just any movement as the cut is making it's way through the stock adds insult to that perfect angle, so some way to lock the board down is needed. Fingers sometimes work, but often not. The obvious is it's a jig that needs to be made absolutely perfectly, anything less than dead nutz on, is the start of an insult. Also using an angle block (digital) to figure your angle on the blade might not be a good plan. The more I read about those cubes is they "kinda" work. I have quit using mine, and find better 45's is the result. I am using a plastic 45/90. Again from reading it appears the rate of NON-45's and 90's is higher on metal and wood, than the laser cut plastic ones. The last being that sometimes it's just averages. How many times have you made 3 perfect corners, but that last one just won't work? Is it all of them, or really just that one?
For what it is worth my 45 degree sled needs adjustment. I am thinking of replacing the runners to the adjustable ones. I think Kreg sells them with a nylon screw on the side to make small adjustments. I have to look into that.
Definitely a handy solution for smaller box/frame parts. I also hate tilting my blade. If you can measure the miter, you can shim the ramp with tape to dial it in. I do that on miter gauges by corners on to long strips of stable material (masonite) then checking for a 90 when the corners are joined perfectly tight. If you use an accurate square to check the 90, you can use a feeler gauge that is as think as a piece of tape. Slide the feeler along the gap until it stops, measure this distance from the corner, and then you know how far to place the shim tape on your jig.
What I find messes me up more than anything when cutting miters on the table saw is having a work piece that is not perfectly flat or when I haven't perfectly set the table insert perfectly flat. Any imperfection will give you an imperfect joint. Also, when using your miter gauge, if friction with the table as you push through the cut causes any movement at all, you will also get an imperfect joint. A sled can help with both issues. It will eliminate the friction issue and the table insert issue and it also makes it easier to press the piece down flat as you make the cut. The next time I make a sled, I am going to make it with a replaceable zero clearance insert so that I an use it for miter and dado cuts without messing it up for standard cross cuts.
--Nathan, TX. Hire the lazy man. He may not do as much work but that's because he will find a better way.
The blade insert is a biggie! A (flat) sled that can fully straddle the opening really makes a difference and if your insert is higher that the table, lower it or remove it so the sled can maintain contact with the table and not ride up.
Definitely a size limitation with this design but, thinking about it, that might be a positive with very small parts that would be hard to hold otherwise.
Very much agree that ANY movement of the piece is a deal breaker - whether due to the board shifting, runners not snug, friction, milling of the board (and likely other factors). I was trying to hold the test board firmly when trying to dial in my sled (flat - not like the one in the video) but was apparently not 100% as my cuts improved just by putting some 200 grit sandpaper on the back fence face (the kind that comes in a roll with a bit of adhesive on the back).
Bevels are a challenge so appreciate everyone's thoughts and suggestions.
yes I have those and the ones I have allow for a small screw to fit into the side of the bar to tighten the fit in the saw slot. I need to play with that fit today
Petey - have fun! I spent most of a Saturday afternoon and finally settled on "ok" with cleanup of the bevel using my miter gauge. Just feels safer using the sled for those initial cuts (had a bad situation with a cutoff jamming in the plate and flying across the room when cutting larger sections with the miter gauge).
Best hack I found for runners: use hardwood and keep them just a hair under-width, then make up the difference with blue painters tape. Cheap. Easy to make. Never have to fight with getting the width just perfect and, if they shrink or swell, you just add or subtract layers of tape. Works like a charm!
I’ve got a couple not-cheap metal sets, a plastic set or two, a perfectly fit hardwood set that took forever to get right, and several with the painters tape hack 👍🏼
Ryan/// ~sigh~ I blew up another bowl. Moke told me "I made the inside bigger than the outside".
Petey- pictures of it please! Helpful to see other setups. Glad you have it in good working order again. I have come to see the value in stopping a project to build needed jigs.
Petey - always nice to have old supplies at hand. I'm assuming the surface is a bit slick. Do you find any problem with that allowing wood movement? Guessing your holddowns are pretty solid so maybe not an issue.
