Cutting long angles on tablesaw

[larry cronkite]

I am trying to cut a trapezoid (6-3/4" at top and 14-1/2" on the bottom) on an 18-1/2" long piece of plywood. The angle figures out to about 12 degrees but my question is how I can safely cut this piece. I'm using the Incra 1000 SE miter gauge and when I'm ready to start the cut the miter bar is not long enough to allow the base of the gauge to sit flat on the saw table. Any suggestions?

[Prashun Patel]

I do think cutting steep angles with the mitergage is tricky and feels dangerous to me. I'd feel safer cutting it with a taper jig that runs along the fence. If you only have to do one, and have a little flexibility on the perfection of the angle, a quick way to do it without jigs is to bandsaw the cut then run it over the jointer a couple times to true on the line.

[Thom Porterfield]

A sled, maybe?

[Steve Wurster]

Have you tried running the miter gauge backwards, with the gauge body leading the cut? Might not work depending on how big the piece is.

[Gary Curtis]

Make a sled. This is one of the tasks at which a sliding table saw excels. That's the expensive route.

[Larry Edgerton]

I use a half sheet of plywood for this kind of cut. I have it hanging on the wall and once in a while it works out well. I have it cut up the middle, saw fence is always set at 2', and the saw cut stops 1' short of the back of the sheet. I draw whatever it is I need to cut on the sheet and screw the piece being cut to the sheet and run it through. I have a stop that hits the back of the table to keep me from cutting too far, it screwed to the bottom at the cut line and it hits the table. Handy for the odd kind of cuts you are making. You can use the saw kerf in the sheet to set up your cut as well.

Works for me........

[Aaron Berk]

ditch the miter gauge, it'll only result in less than perfect cuts, and possible loss of life or limb.

If you don't want to go all out custom on a sled right now, just lay a scrap of plywood down and secure your work pc to it at the proper angle and use your fence.

I have a nice taper sled I use for this type of cut.

And just because I can..... I sometimes use my Model-GA RAS for this sort of cut :D

[Joe Angrisani]

Thinking outside the box (and away from the table saw).... If you only have one to make, perhaps it's easier just using a guide board and your circular saw.

[Gary Herrmann]

Do you have a bandsaw? When was making tapered table legs, I did them on the bandsaw. Then I finally got around to making a taper sled. Much less alarming to me to use on narrow legs than those compass style taper jigs on the TS.

[Myk Rian]

I make similar cuts when making lighthouse sides. I use a jig to do it.
This piece is fastened to a bottom sled that runs against the TS fence. Dimensions are for your cut.
Lay the ply against the jig at #1 and #3. Make the cut.
Flip the ply over side to side.
Lay the ply against the jig at #2 and #3. Make the cut.

202555

[larry cronkite]

Thanks for all your suggestions.

I made the cuts by placing a straight edge along the raised table saw blade and drew a pencil line on the left side of the blade from the front to the back of the table.
I then lowered the saw blade and placed a runner in the left hand miter slot and placed double sided tape on the runner.
I lined up the cut marks on the work piece with the line on the saw table and pressed it down on the runner - instant sled!

[Rich Engelhardt]

I'm so glad I sprung for a Festool TS55EQ.

This is a job tailor made for a track saw.

[Rick Thom]

I'm so glad I sprung for a Festool TS55EQ.

This is a job tailor made for a track saw.
Don't need a Festool or tracksaw... just a straightedge and circular saw with a decent blade.
On a piece 18" long if your miter gauge is off even a fraction of a degree, the finished cut is off. If I was doing multiples rather than just one I would use a taper jig.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Don't need a Festool or tracksaw... just a straightedge and circular saw with a decent blade.

Been there - tried that - no contest. Not even close as a matter of fact
The TS55EQ delivers 100% perfect & 100% accurate cuts on even 1/4" luan. Both sides.

MDF?

Same perfection w/the added benifit that I could do them in my living room if I wanted to - no dust.

[Rick Thom]

Been there - tried that - no contest. Not even close as a matter of fact
The TS55EQ delivers 100% perfect & 100% accurate cuts on even 1/4" luan. Both sides.

MDF?

Same perfection w/the added benifit that I could do them in my living room if I wanted to - no dust.
Rich, with respect, Larry didn't say that it was 1/4" luan or MDF or that he wanted to cut it in his or your living room. There is no question that the Festool is a great setup and can produce a wonderful result, if you have one. If you don't, which is the vast majority on this forum, then what? If I had one, that's the solution i would use for sure. If I didn't, I would go to the next most practical solution that I did have the necessary tooling for.

[Myk Rian]

Isn't it something how a question turns into boasting?

[Rich Engelhardt]

Boasting?
How so?
Seriously, where do you read anything in what I posted that is a boast?

[Chris Fournier]

I'm not a fan of mitre gauges at all because they can easily be used dangerously and capacity is always a problem. A dedicated sled which you can jig up to cut any angle on is dirt cheap to make and infinitely useful in your shop. Once you make the sled and pass it through your blade, you're a protractor and some scrap away from any angle you need. I strongly recommend tah you get some Destaco clamps to hold down the stock and keep you away from the cut. If the off cut is large, have a plan for it to make sure that it clears your blade safely.

[Pat Barry]

I agree - this is the method I use for doing long cuts. Its easy, fast, and clean. All you need to do is figure the proper offset required between the straightedge and the cut line and make sure your clamps are placed out of the way of the saw, and make sure that the bottom side is in free space so you don't cut into your workbench.