Bevel a large tabletop

[Mike Tagge]

I saw a picture of a conference table that was probably 10' long, 5' wide and 1.5" thick. I imagine that would probably be about 200 lbs or more and very unwieldy to cut on say a table saw or even a sliding table saw. How would you do it? In the past I had a similar project where I used a power planer and a jig to so a shallow bevel but the table was much smaller and curved.

[Steve Jenkins]

Not too long ago I posted a couple pics of a dining table with an undercut bevel. It was 42 x 108. I used a portaplane with an adjustable fence set to 22-1/2. Worked well.

[Vijay Kumar]

I saw a picture of a conference table that was probably 10' long, 5' wide and 1.5" thick. I imagine that would probably be about 200 lbs or more and very unwieldy to cut on say a table saw or even a sliding table saw. How would you do it? In the past I had a similar project where I used a power planer and a jig to so a shallow bevel but the table was much smaller and curved.


Assuming the edges are straight, a track saw such as a Festool TS 75 would do it.

Vijay

[Jim Becker]

In this new SCM video by Sam Blasco at just past the 7 minute mark, he shows a beveling technique for a counter top which certainly could be done on a large slider for a table like you ask about...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oHoWFzKICU

[Mike Cutler]

Would a large router work? You might have to take multiple passes.

[Matthew Curtis]

Circular saw with a straight edge jig would work as long as the sides are straight.

[Wayne Lomman]

A sliding table panel saw does this easily. So does a portable circular saw, a portable power planer or a router mounted on an angled jig. The slider is the best for precision. All methods require a degree of sanding afterwards. A hoist in the workshop helps a lot with this. Cheers

[Steve Jenkins]

I considered using my slider to do the bevel but I thought that a 45 didn’t look good. With the portaplaner I was able get the 22-1/2 that I think looks much better. Personal preference. I could have used my shaper if I had more room around it although working with a 9 foot long nearly 200 pound top creates its own challenges.

[Bill Dufour]

I considered using my slider to do the bevel but I thought that a 45 didn’t look good. With the portaplaner I was able get the 22-1/2 that I think looks much better. Personal preference. I could have used my shaper if I had more room around it although working with a 9 foot long nearly 200 pound top creates its own challenges.

Why would a slider not do 22.5 degrees or any other angle for that matter. Is it just too small a blade.? I suppose a big radial arm saw might do it.

[Steve Jenkins]

The blade tilts about 46 degrees measured from vertical. I wanted 22-1/2 from horizontal which is 67-1/2 from vertical. Can’t think of any saw that will tilt that far.

[Bill Dufour]

Clamp a 4x4 to the top and run the saw on its side? Sounds like a slip up waiting to happen with gravity working against a straight line.

[Kevin Beitz]

I make tables like that... Some are 3" thick. I do my cutting with my saw mill and plane with a homemade router plane.

[Robert Engel]

Check the round table video by Timothy Wilmots. He uses a slanted router jig and a planer bit that worked quite well.