I am working on a project for a guy making a octagonal shped poker
table.
The outer edge on the top is made of 8 segments cut to 67.5 degrees on
each edge. These board are about 9 inches wide, so it is crutial to
get the angle perfect so there are no gaps on the inside or outside. I
was trying to set my miter gauge last night to make this cut. I cut
some sample segments in scrap MDF and trial fit them to see if i got
the angle right. It took about 3 iterations before I got the angle
close enough to not cause gaps. The first time I set it, the miter
gauge said 67.5 and after every tweek, I could not tell that I had
changed anything on the scale. (Probably a few hundreths of a degree
off make the joints unacceptable.) So, I got what I needed in the end,
but it took a while. Does anyone have any advice on how to do this
more efficiently in the future? I suppose just getting it close and
then sanding the parts until they fit right is another option, but
that seems time consuming too.
The fancy miter gauges that index at certain angles would probably
make it faster in the future, but I think getting it perfectly
calibrated the first time would take just as long.
I appreciate any advice if anyone has found a better solution.
Thanks,
Joe in Denver
No matter how you tweak the mitre guage/saw you still have to make 16 cuts
that may not all be perfect. I would get around that possibility by
assembling the pieces 4 at a time. In other words create two halves
disregarding possibility of errors. Now when you put the two halves together
you only have to adjust two joints instead of eight.
Woodpecker
"Joe Wilding" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I am working on a project for a guy making a octagonal shped poker
> table.
>
> The outer edge on the top is made of 8 segments cut to 67.5 degrees on
> each edge. These board are about 9 inches wide, so it is crutial to
> get the angle perfect so there are no gaps on the inside or outside. I
> was trying to set my miter gauge last night to make this cut. I cut
> some sample segments in scrap MDF and trial fit them to see if i got
> the angle right. It took about 3 iterations before I got the angle
> close enough to not cause gaps. The first time I set it, the miter
> gauge said 67.5 and after every tweek, I could not tell that I had
> changed anything on the scale. (Probably a few hundreths of a degree
> off make the joints unacceptable.) So, I got what I needed in the end,
> but it took a while. Does anyone have any advice on how to do this
> more efficiently in the future? I suppose just getting it close and
> then sanding the parts until they fit right is another option, but
> that seems time consuming too.
>
> The fancy miter gauges that index at certain angles would probably
> make it faster in the future, but I think getting it perfectly
> calibrated the first time would take just as long.
>
> I appreciate any advice if anyone has found a better solution.
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Joe in Denver
I just put the damn thing together then fill the gaps with putty, but that's
just me.
Good luck.
Joe kb8qlr
--
Be sure to check-out our webpages...
http://www.angelfire.com/jazz/kb8qlrjoe/index.html
New pictures & links being added frequently.
"Woodpecker" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> No matter how you tweak the mitre guage/saw you still have to make 16 cuts
> that may not all be perfect. I would get around that possibility by
> assembling the pieces 4 at a time. In other words create two halves
> disregarding possibility of errors. Now when you put the two halves
together
> you only have to adjust two joints instead of eight.
>
> Woodpecker
>
>
> "Joe Wilding" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > I am working on a project for a guy making a octagonal shped poker
> > table.
> >
> > The outer edge on the top is made of 8 segments cut to 67.5 degrees on
> > each edge. These board are about 9 inches wide, so it is crutial to
> > get the angle perfect so there are no gaps on the inside or outside. I
> > was trying to set my miter gauge last night to make this cut. I cut
> > some sample segments in scrap MDF and trial fit them to see if i got
> > the angle right. It took about 3 iterations before I got the angle
> > close enough to not cause gaps. The first time I set it, the miter
> > gauge said 67.5 and after every tweek, I could not tell that I had
> > changed anything on the scale. (Probably a few hundreths of a degree
> > off make the joints unacceptable.) So, I got what I needed in the end,
> > but it took a while. Does anyone have any advice on how to do this
> > more efficiently in the future? I suppose just getting it close and
> > then sanding the parts until they fit right is another option, but
> > that seems time consuming too.
> >
> > The fancy miter gauges that index at certain angles would probably
> > make it faster in the future, but I think getting it perfectly
> > calibrated the first time would take just as long.
> >
> > I appreciate any advice if anyone has found a better solution.
> >
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Joe in Denver
>
>
I'm now using an EB-3 miter gauge and have never had as much good luck as
I'm having now. However, I have to admit that I haven't put anything
together with more than 4 sides yet. Even so, no gaps so far.
Don
Eric Johnson <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'd make a "sliding table" mitre fence for my table saw with some 1/2
> plywood. Lay out the 67.5 degree angle on the plywood screw a cleat onto
the
> lay outline
> on one end tight enough to hold the angle and make a couple of fine tuning
> test cuts then screw it down tight. Depending on the length this could
also
> have a stop block applied and get your length cut at the same time.
Nothing
> fancy but effective for the cost of some scrap wood.
>
> EJ
>
>
In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] (Joe Wilding) wrote:
>I am working on a project for a guy making a octagonal shped poker
>table.
>
[snip]
>
>The fancy miter gauges that index at certain angles would probably
>make it faster in the future, but I think getting it perfectly
>calibrated the first time would take just as long.
>
I have a fancy miter gauge, the Incra 2000. Cutting dead-on accurate miters is
absolutely trivial: just set the gauge at the desired angle, and cut.
Calibrating the gauge is a simple, straightforward operation that takes less
than five minutes with an *accurate* square. Automotive feeler gauges are
helpful, but not needed. (Six bucks at NAPA for a set that measures down to
0.002 inches.)
Of course, it's also necessary to have the table saw aligned correctly, which
can be a much lengthier process -- but it's one that you need to do anyway,
regardless of what method you're using to cut your miters.
BTW, I'd like to upgrade to an Incra 3000 gauge. Email me privately (see sig
for correct address) if you'd be interested in buying a used 2000.
--
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)
How come we choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for Miss America?
I'd make a "sliding table" mitre fence for my table saw with some 1/2
plywood. Lay out the 67.5 degree angle on the plywood screw a cleat onto the
lay outline
on one end tight enough to hold the angle and make a couple of fine tuning
test cuts then screw it down tight. Depending on the length this could also
have a stop block applied and get your length cut at the same time. Nothing
fancy but effective for the cost of some scrap wood.
EJ
> The fancy miter gauges that index at certain angles would probably
> make it faster in the future, but I think getting it perfectly
> calibrated the first time would take just as long.
>
> I appreciate any advice if anyone has found a better solution.
You might be interested in the Veritas Poly Gauge.
An angle setting device for making multi-sided items.
It includes a 67.5 degree angle.
http://www.onlinetoolreviews.com/reviews/veritaspolygauge.htm
--
Regards,
Dean Bielanowski
Editor,
Online Tool Reviews
http://www.onlinetoolreviews.com
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If you make it a seven sided table, as all poker tables should be, the
angle would be 64.28571428571. Woodpecker had the best solution.
If this is the chip skirt, I'm assuming that you will have cup holders
covering the joint and then place a rim around the edge. I made my rim
overlapping then trimmed to the flat. Looks nice and much easier to get
right.
Gene
"Joe Wilding" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I am working on a project for a guy making a octagonal shped poker
> table.
>
> The outer edge on the top is made of 8 segments cut to 67.5 degrees on
> each edge. These board are about 9 inches wide, so it is crutial to
> get the angle perfect so there are no gaps on the inside or outside. I
> was trying to set my miter gauge last night to make this cut. I cut
> some sample segments in scrap MDF and trial fit them to see if i got
> the angle right. It took about 3 iterations before I got the angle
> close enough to not cause gaps. The first time I set it, the miter
> gauge said 67.5 and after every tweek, I could not tell that I had
> changed anything on the scale. (Probably a few hundreths of a degree
> off make the joints unacceptable.) So, I got what I needed in the end,
> but it took a while. Does anyone have any advice on how to do this
> more efficiently in the future? I suppose just getting it close and
> then sanding the parts until they fit right is another option, but
> that seems time consuming too.
>
> The fancy miter gauges that index at certain angles would probably
> make it faster in the future, but I think getting it perfectly
> calibrated the first time would take just as long.
>
> I appreciate any advice if anyone has found a better solution.
>
>
> Thanks,
>
> Joe in Denver
"Joe Wilding" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I am working on a project for a guy making a octagonal shped poker
> table.
>
> I suppose just getting it close and
> then sanding the parts until they fit right is another option, but
> that seems time consuming too.
>
This is one option, but a much faster option is to get it close and fine
tune with a sharp, tuned block plane. This is much much faster than
sanding.
Frank
> You might be interested in the Veritas Poly Gauge.
> An angle setting device for making multi-sided items.
> It includes a 67.5 degree angle.
> http://www.onlinetoolreviews.com/reviews/veritaspolygauge.htm
>
> --
> Regards,
>
> Dean Bielanowski
> Editor,
> Online Tool Reviews
> http://www.onlinetoolreviews.com
>
=================================
I have owned one of these Veritas poly gauges for a few years and for most
work they actually are pretty good...at least you get darn close on the
initial setup...
But like another poster responded I find myself cutting
a lot of 45 degree cuts and an ocassional 22.5 miter so I took the time
years ago to make a sled for cutting them..
took a little time to tweak the sleds......and you bet I have a few 90
degree sleds also...
Bob Griffiths