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Wedge cutting jig advice pls

challenger

Stainless
Joined
Mar 6, 2003
Location
Hampstead, NC-S.E. Coast
I need to cut Above the 100 wedges. These are 20" long cut from 3/4" stock. They are thin wedges which is the main problem I think. The thick end is 3/8" tapering to 0".. I made a rudimentary jig from some scrap pieces of 3/8" thick stock and a toggle clamp. This worked OK but I have to lift the jib and wedge from the table to remove it and this doesn't fe l safe. I did about 30 like this. Can someone offer a better solution?
BTW I am not much of a woodworker. I'm using a portable table saw for these if that matters. I run the jig along the fence which I don't move once it is set.
Thanks.

Galaxy S4, Slimkat
If I wasn't married I'd quit fishing :)
 
Look up "scarfing jig" on Google. Using a router, it'll cut nice tapers all day long, safely. Save your tablesaw for cutting the newly-tapered (ply)wood into the widths you'll need.
Used by boatbuilders everywhere...

Chip
 
If you have, or can glue the blanks up to wider stock, it is easier and safer to use the miter gage than the fence.

Caveat: well, assuming the miter slot is parallel to blade cut - many cheap saws were never set up so they are.

Fasten a long board to the miter gage fence that is at least twice as tall as the cut as an auxilliary fence. Set the miter at the 1/2 angle. Run it through the saw without anything on it so a kerf is registered * the fence board straddles the kerf/is not trimmed off. Now clamp a thin batten (like only 1/8" thick) to the outside part of the aux fence with one end of the batten spaced the thickness of the butt, from the kerf.

Put your dead square/parallel length blank against the miter fence, stopped by the batten, and run it through. Your first piece will only be 1/2 the desired angle, 'cause that is what you set the miter, remember?

Now flip the blank over, forward to back (this is why you made it dead parallel)with the butt end agains the stop, and cut again. Keep flipping and cutting. Keep your fingers away from the sharp parts. When the blank gets too narrow to register well, start the next (squared) blank against it for support. Keep your fingers away from the sharp spinning bits. When the blank gets too thin for comfort, toss it. Blanks are disposable, fingers are not.

smt
 
Build yourself a sled. Take a piece of plywood maybe 24" x 48". Add two pieces of hardwood that will ride in the mitre gauge slots in your table saw top. Be sure to fasten these so the plywood is perfectly square to the blade and the blade is centred on the 48" dimension (not critical).Add a couple pieces of hardwood across the to 48" to add stability and act as a handle for pushing and pulling the sled.
Now take your work piece and set it at the angle you need and put a stop on one end of the sled. Add a couple toggle clamps for safety and you can cut wedges all day long.
Hope you can get the picture of what I am describing
Martin W
 
That's a good set up I think. Thanks
I'll try it when I run out of the 16" shingle shims I bought. I couldn't picture some of the other methods so I opted to purchase shims. I really Need 20" long but these will do OK.

Galaxy S4, Slimkat
If I wasn't married I'd quit fishing :)
 
take a piece of 24" long by 3/4" thick by 2 or 3" wide junk stock- flat and straight. One long edge of this will ride the fence. On the other edge, cut a tapered notch, 20" long, 3/8" wide, wide end to operator. The end of this notch will catch the shim stock. Fasten a piece of ply over the whole bit, notch and all. Put a handle on it- I usually just drill a 1" hole and stick a dowel in.

Then set the tablesaw fence to skim the edge of the jig. Actually cut a 1/32" or so off- this is important-there should be no clearance between blade and jig. Set the blade to run a bit high Use a low clearance insert in the saw table. Use a sharp thin kerf blade.

IN operation, a piece of blank stock 20"+ x 3/4" will be set into the jig, and run through the saw- the resulting wedge will be trapped between the saw blade and the taper of the jig, and between the ply top of the jig and the saw table. Obviously a different jig will be used if the stock thickness changes.
flip the blank every pass to keep it roughly parallel sided till it is too small to handle safely.
 








 
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