Can I make this cut on my TS?

[Mike Manning]

My bandsaw is currently under repair. I'm making a bookrack for my future daughter-in-law. She teaches first graders and this is for her classroom. The two sides are 30" tall, 12" wide at the base and appx 3" wide at the top. So I a piece of plywood appx 15" wide and 30" tall. I want to make a diagonal cut which will then give me both sides. I don't have a sled or a miter gauge big enough to hand 30". I doubt I'm making myself clear but is there a way for me to do this on my table saw relatively safely? I'm considering using a jigsaw with a level clamped to the plywood as a fence. Thoughts and ideas appreciated!

Thanks, Mike

[Leo Graywacz]

Take a pc of plywood that is about 14" wide. Set your tablesaw fence to 14". Place the bookrack side on the 14" plywood at the desired angle and screw some stops around it to keep it stable. Then keeping the 14" plywood against the fence and the bookrack side on it (secured) all you need to do is push it through the blade. You might want to take a scrap of the plywood and put it under the side of the bookrack that is on the drop side of the blade to keep it level and supported.

[Kelby Van Patten]

You need a tapering jig. You can make it yourself. Plenty of plans online.

[Mike Manning]

Take a pc of plywood that is about 14" wide. Set your tablesaw fence to 14". Place the bookrack side on the 14" plywood at the desired angle and screw some stops around it to keep it stable. Then keeping the 14" plywood against the fence and the bookrack side on it (secured) all you need to do is push it through the blade. You might want to take a scrap of the plywood and put it under the side of the bookrack that is on the drop side of the blade to keep it level and supported.

Sounds like this would require me to already have one of the sides or am I misunderstanding?

[Mike Manning]

You need a tapering jig. You can make it yourself. Plenty of plans online.

I will research tapering jigs. Thanks Kerby.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Know anybody with a track saw?

[Curt Harms]

You may be misunderstanding. I saw a trick recently on Woodsmith Shop that used this technique. You're starting with 2 rectangular pieces. You attach one rectangular piece to the other at the desired angle. Woodsmith Shop used their old standby, double sided tape. You then run the assembly through the table saw with the piece you don't want tapered against the fence. The piece you do want tapered will pass through the blade at the angle determined by how the two pieces are fastened. You might be able to fasten the 'non-cut' piece above the piece to be cut in such a way that the workpiece could lie flat on the table and not be cut as the assembly passes through the blade. Hope this makes sense, this is a case where a picture with worth a 1000 words and a video more than that.

I made a tapering sled some years ago using plywood and T track to create a clamping system. It has been well worth the time and modest materials investment.

[Mike Manning]

You may be misunderstanding. I saw a trick recently on Woodsmith Shop that used this technique. You're starting with 2 rectangular pieces. You attach one rectangular piece to the other at the desired angle. Woodsmith Shop used their old standby, double sided tape. You then run the assembly through the table saw with the piece you don't want tapered against the fence. The piece you do want tapered will pass through the blade at the angle determined by how the two pieces are fastened. You might be able to fasten the 'non-cut' piece above the piece to be cut in such a way that the workpiece could lie flat on the table and not be cut as the assembly passes through the blade. Hope this makes sense, this is a case where a picture with worth a 1000 words and a video more than that.

I made a tapering sled some years ago using plywood and T track to create a clamping system. It has been well worth the time and modest materials investment.

I'm visualizing something that I think could work. Probably what you're referring to. I'll think about it some more. This is probably the solution for me. Thanks Curt!

[scott vroom]

Mike, 2 things:

1. If you don't already have a tapering jig and don't plan to use one again, your idea of "using a jigsaw with a level clamped to the plywood as a fence" will work fine...sort of a poor man's track saw. After your straight edge is clamped in place, place some tape firmly over the cut line to minimize tear out...I use blue painter's tape and a sharp plywood blade, and go very slow on the cut with minimal orbiting.

2. If you think you might be making tapered cuts on future projects, you might want to take the time now to make a jig. Google "tablesaw tapering jig" and you'll see many examples of the 2 different methods described above.

[Jerry Miner]

I would use Leo's method (post #2). Here is a sketch of the set-up. Ideally, you would use a couple of toggle clamps to hold the work piece in place during the cut.

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[lowell holmes]

You could put a good blade in a circular saw (skilsaw) and use a straight edge.

[Mike Manning]

You could put a good blade in a circular saw (skilsaw) and use a straight edge.

Another option I shoulda/woulda/coulda thought of! I think I'm going to try as Curt suggested but I've checked out some tapering jig videos and I will definitely be making a tapering jig for my tablesaw.

Thanks guys!!