Help needed-60 deg cut

[Jay Yoder]

I need to crosscut a piece of hardboard with a 60 degree edge. obviously my table saw can only cut to 45 degree. any suggestions? thanks!

[Russ Kay]

Unless it's a really big sheet, I'd cut a 30* wedge on your table saw, then put that up against your miter gauge set to 30* and bingo. If it is a big sheet, then supporting the workpiece may be difficult. You could try cutting two 30* wedges and putting them together to provide a guide for a circular saw. One way or the other should do the trick.

[Todd Burch]

I think he meant a 60 degree bevel cut.

If the hardboard can be stood on edge, upright, then the tilt on your blade only needs to be 30 degrees.

Actually, this could also be a job for a block plane.

[Rob Price]

I had to cut some 55 degree bevels once. I agree with the last post, if you put the blade at 30 and then run the wood through vertically, it will work. You want to be careful though, not to drop the wood onto the back of the blade.

I built a simple specific sled for this. First you need an accessory fence, I made a tall 12" high fence for my saw for this and panels and other stuff.

Do you need 60 on both sides or just one? It's easier to cut the bevel first and then cut the other end to length.

Then, place the workpiece vertically on your TS against the fence. Then I placed a piece of straight scrap on top of the fence, against the work piece. Clamp this piece to the work piece, so when the bevel gets cut out, the piece doesn't drop. It will keep moving across the fence at the same height and keep from binding on the blade. A splittler/riving knife really helps here as well. Then all you need to do is keep horizontal pressure on the piece with your left hand, and push the 'sled' through with the right.

I will try to post a pic of my setup.

[Jay Yoder]

Todd,
I guess i should have thought of that one! DUH! i guess 30+60 = 90! i guess i should have remembered my high school geometry! I will try that first. i only have one piece that is not too big. All are good ideas, thank!

[Myk Rian]

I built a simple specific sled for this. First you need an accessory fence, I made a tall 12" high fence for my saw for this and panels and other stuff.
Yep. This is the way to do it.

[Peter Quinn]

Depending on the variables (thickness of sheet, size of sheet, height of fence, size of hole in the TS throat plate) there are a lot of things that could go wrong using a TS in that scenario, so think that through real carefully before proceeding. You are going to have the blade right up against the fence, and most hardboard is 1/4" or less and likes to flop around quite a bit. I rarely try to be the voice of caution, but I recently had a sheet of MD lite thrown back at my face, so I'm in a cautious mood these days.

Freud among others makes a 30 degree chamfer bit that will do the same thing and might give better, safer results. Same idea as the TS, use a tall fence to support the stock vertically, maybe some feather boards to keep it tight to the fence near the cutter. If you go with the TS (maybe you already have) use a ZCI, a tall fence, and a fair bit of caution. On the plus side there won't be much blade exposed in any event.

http://www.freudtools.com/p-151-chamfer-bits.aspx

[Myk Rian]

The blade won't be against the fence if you use a 1/4" backer board.
People do this all the time making door panels. I just had to make a 25º cut, and used this method.

[Dick Strauss]

How about a tenoning jig to hold it while cutting with a tilted blade?

[Myk Rian]

I thought about using my T jig and nixed the idea. On my LT table the blade would be toward the jig, unless I went through the hassle of removing the miter bar and setting it up for the right side of the blade.
The cutoff would also be trapped in the jig.
That's why I went with the panel fence.

[Jay Yoder]

Well folks. I am glad i only had one to cut. it worked, barely! I won't do that again! I got it cut, but it wanted to dive into the rear of the blade. I was very cautious and got it done. I think next time i will just use a block plane! Thanks again all!