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gigelus2k13

noob table saw question

12 years ago

Hello,

What is the proper way of feeding a plank when ripping at an angle? IOW, if my saw is leaning to the left (dewalt 7480), do I place the fence on the left or on the right of the blade?

A friend of mine needs a 7 degrees rip into a 1x3 oak plank (i.e. 7* from vertical when the plank sits on the narrow side). It's a very shallow cut and he previously has used a planer for the job, but we're hoping that a table saw is faster and more accurate.

We're just not sure if cutting so that the base is wider than the top will create kickback.

Thank you for any advice you may have.

Comments (3)

  • 12 years ago

    You don't want to make a trapping cut against the fence. IOW, the top of the blade should be tipping away from the fence. And you should always cut with the workpiece against the fence, not the drop-off. It's important to plan out unusual cuts carefully with these basic rules in mind. They are not inviolate, but at least you can be mentally prepared when using the saw outside them.
    Casey

  • 12 years ago

    Fence _board_ blade slanting away from fence_cutoff piece is the lineup.

    :=====/= The part between the fence and blade can easily pop up if it jams, and the waste piece has an escape route

    :=====\= Doing it this way catches the board between fence and blade. Bad idea.

    If he does this often, buying a router bit with the slant he needs would be faster and more accurate.

    http://www.toolstoday.com/p-4941-bevel-trim-router-bits-3-flute.aspx sells various bevels

  • 12 years ago

    All valid suggestions: also - a joiner would not be less accurate than a table saw given you use it properly, and would leave a truly straight surface.The problem with the saw is that you can force a piece through the cut, and create a 7 degrees on a bowed plank.Joiner not only will make the angle: it'll also leave a straight edge.Back to table saw,remember: anytime a cut seems dangerous it probably is.Like the previous posters pointed out, avoid the situation where the saw would pinch the piece into the fence thus creating kickback.If the piece is small use a proper pusher, some saws have one when you buy, if not copy an existing push stick so it will push and press down the piece at the same time.Don't just use whatever wood lays around for pushing. I once saw a very experienced woodworker who would push anything of smaller size with two push sticks. When asked about it he said that push-sticks are disposable, fingers are not.