Simple, Safe Bevel/Taper Jig for Table Saw

[Jason Tuinstra]

I have always struggled with putting a bevel on the underside of table tops. It seems like all the jigs that help you with this procedure take some effort to put together - at least more effort that I have wanted to exert.

Well, here's my simple, safe, and quick solution! I'm very happy with it. It's certainly not pretty, but it works better than I could have ever imagined. The bottom plywood provides zero clearance safety, as well as the upper piece of ply. The blade is buried into the upper piece of ply allowing the safe use of both your hands during the cut to keep everything nice and tight against the fence. I was a little nervous that the fence wouldn't be high enough given the 3/4" bottom piece of ply. But that wasn't a problem at all. I elevated the second piece of ply so that it would "pinch" the board the whole way through the cut even after the bevel is cut. Worked perfect! I'm so glad that I finally have a fast, easy, and safe solution to this nagging issue in my woodworking life.

I'm sure I'm not the only one to have done something like this, but I don't recall seeing anything like this before so I wanted to share it with those who might have similar struggles (Now watch, there were 15 posts on this very thing that I missed :D ). I’m sure you could improve this jig a hundred and one different ways, but speed and end-product was key this time.

Have a great day!

[Roy Wall]

Jason,


It took me about 3 minutes..........but I get it NOW!!:cool: That does look quick & easy.....

My guess is .....a Higher Auxilary Fence adapted to the Beis would make more more stability....but I take it "the pinch" does what it needs to do!!

THanks for sharing:)

[Jason Tuinstra]

It took me about 3 minutes..........but I get it NOW!!:cool:

Roy, sorry about that. Maybe it's pretty confusing with that cutoff scrap still there. Perhaps I should have shown it with the tabletop in place for greater clarity as well. Either way, I’m glad you get it. I do have a way of making the simple complicated :p

I was actually trying to avoid making an auxiliary fence but thought I might have to when I saw that this setup didn’t leave me with much of a fence. But believe me, the “pinch” factor did the trick. After taking a dry run, there was no question as to the stability of this setup. Bigger tops might need more, but it was perfect for this 12”x18” top.

[Jim Becker]

Nice setup. I was also going to comment on a higher fence, but you answered that in your reply to Dan. And I do agree that it would be "more comfortable" to have one for a larger workpiece.

[Jason Tuinstra]

I figured I'd try to bring some clarity to what may be unclear by adding a few more pictures. I didn't attatch any clamps on this setup. When doing it for real, you would need them to hold the jig in place (insert "duh" at this point :D )

Hope this helps.

[Roy Wall]

Jason,

That's what I was envisioning:) Great pics - they are worth a 1000+ words for sure!


Beautiful bevel on the cherry!!!:cool:

[Chris Padilla]

Lookie, Ma, no burn on my cherry!!! Nice work, Cal Buddy! ;)

[Gord Graff]

Hi Jason,

First of all I’d like to say what a refreshing idea you’ve got there.

Secondly, I’m a huge fan of jigs and how they can benefit a woodworker; your jig has a lot of potential in my mind.

Thirdly, I’d like to take your idea and run with it when I get a chance, if you don’t mind.

Below is the way that I’ve always cut steep angles or relieved the underside of table tops. Crude but very effective.

Keep up the great work.

All the best
Gord
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v191/gordgraff/Photo17.jpg

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

Isn't there a panel raiser that would do the same thing? :confused:

KC doesn't like cutting things on edge. :o :(

Cool solution, though. :D

[Jason Tuinstra]

Isn't there a panel raiser that would do the same thing? :confused:

Yea, but the router takes too much time to set up and it always burns. Come on, KC, start living on the edge :p :D

[Jason Tuinstra]

Gord, before moving out to CA, I used a similar method. For reasons unknown to me, the jig didn't make the move and I didn't feel like making another. It worked fine on smaller table tops, but on larger ones, it simply wouldn't work due to the nature of the jig sliding on the fence. Even in your photo, I'm guessing that any top bigger than this and your stuck on the long grain bevel. On top of this, on occasion my table tops would catch on the back end of the table insert just enough to need a bit of a nudge. This would usually result in a handsome little burn mark. With this method, you're zero clearance and smooth sailing the whole way. So I'm glad you like it, and feel free to improve as you see fit. This was just one of those, I-need-something-fast kind of jigs.

[Jason Tuinstra]

Lookie, Ma, no burn on my cherry!!! Nice work, Cal Buddy! ;)

Now that's just scary! :eek: :D

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

Yea, but the router takes too much time to set up and it always burns. Come on, KC, start living on the edge :p :D

That's very sharp for so late at night. :)

[Jim Becker]

Isn't there a panel raiser that would do the same thing?

What Jason said. I cut the bevels on my most recent small Shaker style table with a panel raiser and had to do a ton of sanding to get rid of the burn. Next time, I'm going to use the "Tuinstra Bevelmaster"... ;)

[Joe Unni]

Jason,

Fantastic idea!! I WILL be using this in the very near future. I've got a display table that I will be submitting to a local art auction that I was asked to participate in. The table is not unlike the one in the backround of one of your photos. At the risk of high jacking - care to share any details?

Good luck,
-joe

[Vaughn McMillan]

Cool trick, Jason. the first set of pics left me confused (more than my typical baseline of confusion), but the follow-up shots cleared it all up, and the whole thing makes perfect sense.

Thanks for sharing -

- Vaughn

[Jason Tuinstra]

Joe, I hope to be posting some finished photo's in the near future. The table is actually my version of one that I saw in FWW by Garrett Hack. You can find it in the January/February 2004 issue, pages 62-67. The legs are splayed at 94 degrees. They are 25 3/4" high, tapered the whole length of the leg (1 1/4" down to 3/4"). The tabletop is 18x12. The aprons are 4" wide - front/back 10 1/2" on the long side of the 94 degree angle - 7 1/4" on the long side of the side aprons. I think those are most of the major details. It's been a fun little project so far. I'm excited to get it done and get some finish on it.


Cool trick, Jason. the first set of pics left me confused (more than my typical baseline of confusion), but the follow-up shots cleared it all up, and the whole thing makes perfect sense.

Thanks for sharing -

- Vaughn

Yea, I know, I like to complicate the obvious at times. Sorry about that. I'm glad the new photo's help.