Another day like yesterday and I 'll sell all my equipment!

Bay Area Dave · 2004-01-20T17:24:13+00:00

SIGH... all I wanted to make yesterday is an inbox for my desk. I want it to have sides that slope outward at 12 degrees.FIRST ATTEMPT: ROUTER TABLE - DOVETAILSFirst I tried my router table to make dovetails. I cut the ends at 12 degrees first and cut the tails. So far so good. The I cut the pins but they were cut at the wrong angle. So I recut them but the DT don't fit together, even if I pare the triangles as indicated in the Incra through dovetail instructions.SECOND ATTEMPT: BAND SAW BOX JOINTSSo I tried box joints on the band saw by tilting the table to 12 degrees. To make a long story short, I didn't appreciate the results...THIRD ATTEMPT: MITERSBy trial and error I came "close" to a workable miter joint but I don't like the look of miter joints and cringe at the thought of securing it correctly during glue up, as the joint is sloped 12 degrees. I tried a number zero biscuit which holds the corner in alignment but how do I put pressure on the joint?Finally, a question: can anyone point me to a book or net source that describes (I need pictures) how to make a box with sloping sides with a joint other than a miter?(Maybe I'm not really cut out for woodworking...)oh, and please don't suggest a multi router. :)bummed, dave

Jan 20, 2004 25 Replies

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skeezics 22 years ago

as far as the sloped side all you need is a miter box. set up some stop blocks on the miter saw as you would for crown molding. whatever angle you want will work. you set it up so the wood sits at an angle and only have to cut 45's just as you would cut crown on a standard miter saw. this saves all the figuring of angles. i have a compound miter saw BUT i almost never set it on a bevel. instead i use one of my standard miter saws. the compound saw collects dust most of the time. its not that i cant figure out the angles its mostly because its easier to do it the old fasioned way for me. skeez

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Bay Area Dave 22 years ago

actually, 45 degrees won't work. the correct angle is somewhere between

44 and 45. I've tried several tries, but end up with gaps due to incorrect bevel angle...

I didn't have near this much trouble when doing crown molding! :)

dave

snipped-for-privacy@home.com wrote:

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skeezics 22 years ago

????????????? is this a square box with beveled sides or a trapazoid with beveled side? check the accuracy of your miter saw. sounds like something is amiss there. also check to see that all sides are the correct length. coresponding sides must be exactly the same length. if all is right with the world i assure you 45's will work..... and then sometimes life just sucks!!!!!!!!!!! skeez

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Bay Area Dave 22 years ago

it's rectangular, but just like crown molding, because the sides are angled (12 degrees) a 45 isn't quite correct for the bevel. and 44 isn't gonna do it either. :) believe me the saw is accurate. check the owners manual, page 13 for the 705. there are 3 arcs drawn across a chart. the top arc is for square boxes with sloping sides. 90 minus 12 is 78. find 78 on the top arc and it corresponds with about 44.3 or thereabouts. The trick is to read the bevel scale to that degree of accuracy when you are setting the bevel angle on the saw. there's no margin for error for a tight joint...sigh

dave

snipped-for-privacy@home.com wrote:

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Robert Bonomi 22 years ago

That is *if* you're laying the stock flat.

Make a jig that holds the stock to the 12 degree angle, and *then* cut with the saw at 45 degrees.

It's just like either: cutting crown moldings with the molding laying flat, and the 'funny' angles, or propping the molding up at the actual angle it will be at on the wall, and cutting it 'square' (i.e. 45 degree angle)

The two methods *are* equivalent. Fudge the saw to 'funny' angles to compensate for the different (simple/sane) orientation of the board, or hold the board at the 'appropriate' "funny angle", and cut to the 'intuitive' (aka sane/simple) angles.

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GeeDubb 22 years ago

I was just typing practically the same thing when I thought I'd better read some more replies. Good info Robert.

Gary

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