bevel cut ?

[jkristia]

Hi, this is the first time I check in in a very long time. I haven't done any work around the house for a couple of years, but now I just started a bookcase - (or at least I hope it will end up as a bookcase eventually).

The problem I have now is for the french cleat where I need to cut a 45 degree bevel cut.
My cleat is 3/4" thick and 3" wide. I have just the basic saw (3100), with no feather boards, and I realized 1/2 way thought the cut that using just a pushstick but no featherboard seemed to be a bit dangerous, so I wont do the second cut until I have either got myself a feather board or found a better way to do the cut

Any suggestions, is it possible on such a narrow board without getting a top-feather board ?

Jesper

[LCHIEN]

since its 45° you can do the cut withthe piece either standing up on edge or lying down (with the 3" side on the table). Personally I'd do it lying down and you can use a equal width board to push the last of it through. Or better yet, a push block.

[jkristia]

hmm, thats what I did, but I felt like I needed something to 'hold it down' so I was thinking of the featherboard.

[Uncle Cracker]

"Board Buddies" would be a good thing for this cut, but are pricey, and not a good spend for just one project. If you are really uncomfortable with that cut, you could always cut square, and then do the bevel with a router.

[SARGE..g-47]

If you don't have a Grrrper or whatever they are called and obviously you don't... clamp a piece of 1 1/2" scrap stock on the fence so the stock being ripped in the bevel is held down firmly on the table so it can't ride up. Use another piece of 3/4" stock (or ply strip which is just short of 3/4") as the push stick.

Make the sacrificial push stick wider than 3". Lay it flat on the table and push the real stock through keeping constant pressure on the push board to the fence until the tail of the live stock is severed. The sacrificial push stick will probably be severed on the front slightly and has to be held firmly to the fence. And.. as soon as the live piece is severed (you don't have to push it all the way through)... stop all motion and hit the kill switch with your knee or one hand. Wait motionless until the blade stops spinning.

Good luck...

[pecker]

Instead of making the bevel cut on a 3" wide piece, start out with something much wider. Cut the 45 degree edge first. Then set the blade back to 0 degrees, and rip off the 3" wide section you desire.

[sweensdv]

I take it you don't own a miter saw? If you do own one, I'd make the cut on it.

[JR]

I take it you don't own a miter saw? If you do own one, I'd make the cut on it.

That doesn't sound right for a french cleat. It's normally a rip cut.

JR

[jkristia]

yes it is a rip cut. I just ordered a t-track and a pair of feather boards so I can make myself a rip-fence attachement, for now I will do as suggested and clamp a piece of scrap to the fence

thanks for you help

[Uncle Cracker]

I take it you don't own a miter saw? If you do own one, I'd make the cut on it.

The bevel goes on the long edge of the board. Would take one helluva miter saw to make that cut...

[cabinetman]

If all you have is a 3" piece that you need from it two pieces with a 45 degree cut on one long edge, set the blade at 45 degrees. Screw on a vertical piece of anything 2'"-3" wide by 3/4" thick and close to the length of the 3" piece, on edge along the edge that rides against the fence (it will look like an upside down "T").

If you make one "bevel" cut (which makes two pieces with a bevel) to divide the 3" piece, you can hold on to the vertical piece as you pass it through the blade. The "bevel" angle doesn't have to be an exact 45 deg, as the two pieces will fit together to make the cleat work.

It would be nice to have a wider piece to start with, and that I would recommend.
.

[sweensdv]

That doesn't sound right for a french cleat. It's normally a rip cut.

JR

Ooops......... My bad.

[Black wallnut]

To add to what the gentleman from Flordia said (Cabinetman) you might think about using a bevel much flatter than 45°. If you are splitting one board for both parts then a bevel of even 20° will work and may feel safer. With the added bonus that the edges will not be as sharp.