Louvers not the same thickness

[Jim Hunter Jr]

Using a table saw with a 10 inch piece of plywood as a jig to cut 3/16 inch thick louvers for some doors The thickness is not the same on both ends. Is my table saw out of alignment? Anybody have a suggestion. Thanks

[carl zietz]

Can you post pictures of your jig and saw? it would help in the diagnosis. does the jig run along a fence, or in slots?

[frank shic]

try a regular rip cut and measure the ends with calipers or a ruler with 32nd marks on it.

[Lee Schierer]

Check your piece of ply wood, chances are that is where the problem is. Measure the two diagonals on the plywood to see if it is square.

[Jim Hunter Jr]

223412
Here is a picture of the jig I am using

[frank shic]

jim, that's an interesting jig! how does it work with the louvres? are you building shutters???

[HANK METZ]

Is it across the width that the thickness varies or along the length, i.e. the begininig cut is correct, the ending cut is thinner?
I'm working on louvered shutters for around the whole house, so far I've cut about 300 using my radial arm saw to resaw into oversized billets them finish plane down to 5/16" thick x 2- 1/2" wide. Very consistant size with this method. I use a triple- chip blade, 8" in diameter and part the stock in 2 passes with a flip. Using the smallest blade possible with the correct tooth geometry is paramount to getting the product you want, more isn't necesarily better in a blade as harmonics and wander may be your problem.

223438

- Beachside Hank

[frank shic]

i assume both of you guys are building FIXED louvre shutters?

[Lee Schierer]

It sounds like your fence is not parallel to the blade and as you push your jig through the cut the fence is pushing it closer to the blade at the back of the saw. Mount a dial indicator to your miter guage with a piece of wood and a couple of wood screws. Then check your fence. It should be parallel to the miter slot. Then check your blade to insure it is also parallel to the same miter slot. You can get an adequate dial indicator from Harbor Freight for $20 or less.

[Steve Baumgartner]

From the picture, I presume you ripped the plywood and then attached stops to the near end and top? If so, it seems to me that the most likely cause is that the strips are drifting off the jig at one end or the other during the cut. I'd put a featherboard just before the blade to keep the piece against the jig and also to keep the jig against the fence.

[Rod Sheridan]

A jig that uses the rip fence as the reference is a poor design as it's only constrained in one direction.

A better design would be to use the mitre slot as the reference as it's constrained in both directions.

If you have a shaper, an outboard fence and a feeder would also be great.............Regards, Rod.

[Tom Ewell]

Modifying your jig to use the miter slot is good advice.
If the top block also serves as a hold down, add another to secure the rip full length.
If you have sufficient materials on hand, rough rip, dress and edge profile longer pieces to desired thickness and shape before cutting to length needed for project.

[HANK METZ]

i assume both of you guys are building FIXED louvre shutters?



Here's one of mine Frank:

223449

[Jim Hunter Jr]

OK found that my fence is off by a 16th, Going to adjust or use the miter slot, Thanks for everyones reponse:rolleyes: