Safe way to rip bevels on 2x4's

[Jared Cuneo]

I making a balance beam for my daughter and will be laminating (3) 6 foot 2x6's. The outer edges need to have bevels (probably around 75-80 degrees on the TS) ripped onto the edges. I'm thinking that I will do them one at a time, then laminate after all angles are cut.

I've been warned of the dangers of ripping 2x6's or construction grade lumber (typically poorly dried, tensioned planks). A couple of guys I know won't rip 2x4's at all on the TS.

Am I inviting disaster here? Is this operation safe? I have a ZCI and will be using my stock guard.

Thanks!

JC

[David Giles]

Much construction lumber is wet and unstable when cut. But remember that the 2x6 itself was ripped from a larger piece. If you buy straight, kiln dried lumber, you should be fine, especially with a left tilt saw. The cut is not a steep angle to vertical. Be sure and clean your blade as the pitch from softwoods builds rapidly. I'd be tempted to glue up all the boards, joint two sides, then rip the angles.

[Randy Cohen]

i'm not sure what the danger would be? i ripped a couple of 2x4's the other day. normal safe practices should keep you safe.
i think you would have a hard time finding kiln dried construction 2x6's.

[Brian Hale]

I'd glue it up and then rip the bevels.

What you need to watch out for is the second rip on the top and the bottom since your fence is most likely not as tall as the center point on the sides. Perhaps you can stick a piece of scrap to your fence for the board to ride against.

Brian :)

[Jameel Abraham]

Also consider making a sled for your planer that holds the glued up beam at a tilt and plane off the wedge. That would be less risky.

[Rob Will]

Ripping long 2x material can't be any worse than those itsy-bitsy pieces and narrow rip cuts most of us (ahem) have done.

I would use some guide blocks clamped to the saw top and an infeed and outfeed support.

You might be better off to look at wider lumber (2x8, 2x10) and rip it down if the local 2x6's are not up to what you need.

Rob

[Paul Girouard]

Ok I'll ask again , whats a ZCI? I asked on another thread , seems to be tablesaw related or a forum joke ?

Most const garde lumber IS kiln dryed, yes some has tension.

For that balance beam that will live inside it's whole life I'd stepping up to some VG Fir ( a better grade of Fir all vertical grain on mixed grain) would be smart money. It would be kiln dried to a lower MC and should be around 6 % or lower right out of the door of the lumber yard where const. grade stock is dried to about 18 % to kill bacteria and stabilize the wood more than non- KD lumber.

Of course you could get AD stock from a better lumber yard , Home Despot surely will not have AD stock,,,,,,,,, that would be useable. :rolleyes:

I'd also square up true up the stock then glue up , again true up , joint the glued up stock , then cut the bevels on the beam on the table saw , similar to Brian idea with the fall off/ scrap . I'd use a Grizzly , without a ZCI, what ever that is , I think:confused: depends what a ZCI is:omaybe I already have one and don't know it :D :o

[Wilbur Pan]

How about using the tilt table feature on a bandsaw to do the rips, with suitable outboard support for the beam, and then using a jointer and/or hand planes to clean up the cut?

[Brian Hale]

Ok I'll ask again , whats a ZCI? I asked on another thread , seems to be tablesaw related or a forum joke ?




ZCI = Zero Clearance Insert for the table saw

Brian :)

[Paul Girouard]

ZCI = Zero Clearance Insert for the table saw

Brian :)


Oh ya I got more than one . :D What a dope I am eh:rolleyes:

[Vernon Taylor]

I would be inclined to glue up the lamination and then rip the angles,the middle two by would ride flat on the table providing greater stability. I came up with another idea that being to attach a piece of 1x to both ends of the beam in a width higher than the center line secure this with screws in the center two by and in the waste piece. The one by's horizontal width should longer than the width of the beam so that the waste piece is captured.

[Mike Cutler]

I would do the laminations first. Then rip the bevel. There is no problem ripping 2x6's on a tablesaw. It's just messy. I would definitely use kiln dried lumber.
Will a 10" tablesaw blade tilted at that anglemake a bevel 1/2 the width of a 2x6?

I do have one question though. Why 2x6's? I would be more inclined to recommend a laminated glueup of clear maple 4/4 boards. Then make the bevel(s) on the jointer.

[glenn bradley]

Oh ya I got more than one . :D What a dope I am eh:rolleyes: I hate to think how long it was before I figured DAMHIKT out. ZCI, like CMS is one of those things that makes perfect sense once you hear it. ;-)

[David Epperson]

I'd glue it up and then rip the bevels.

What you need to watch out for is the second rip on the top and the bottom since your fence is most likely not as tall as the center point on the sides. Perhaps you can stick a piece of scrap to your fence for the board to ride against.

Brian :)
Something like the scrap from the first rip?

[Paul Girouard]

I hate to think how long it was before I figured DAMHIKT out. ZCI, like

CMS

is one of those things that makes perfect sense once you hear it. ;-)


Command Master Sargent? Jeesh I'm ex USN and ya got me again :D


CMS = ..............:confused:

[James Phillips]

Command Master Sargent? Jeesh I'm ex USN and ya got me again :D


CMS = ..............:confused:

I will give a hint

Compound Miter S__

[Jared Cuneo]

Looks like we have a general consensus on jointing/gluing up before cutting the bevels, I'll do that....

Past that, I guess I will just wear a helmet (I swear I keep one in the shop), throw on a tall fence, keep my necessary parts tucked in close and go for it.... :eek:

Scary cut me thinks.....

JC

[Brian Jarnell]

[quote=
Also consider making a sled for your planer that holds the glued up beam at a tilt and plane off the wedge. That would be less risky.
[/quote]
This is the way I would go.Very easy and couldn't be safer.

Sorry,this the way I would go.

Also consider making a sled for your planer that holds the glued up beam at a tilt and plane off the wedge. That would be less risky.

[Tom Veatch]

...Will a 10" tablesaw blade tilted at that anglemake a bevel 1/2 the width of a 2x6?...

Yes - assuming the 75-80 degrees mentioned is the complement of the blade tilt angle of 15-20 degrees and the width of the 2x6 is 5.5 inches. The vertical length of the cut is then 2.25 inches.

If you're going to do it on the table saw, laminate, then rip, and if your fence is less than about 2.5 to 3 inches tall, use an auxilliary fence. Even with a tall fence, that last cut is going to be very unstable.

[Brian Hale]

Something like the scrap from the first rip?


Yes. That's what i was thinking but it just didn't come out that way. (something to do with turkey :rolleyes: )

Brian :)

[Bob Genovesi]

Oh ya I got more than one . :D What a dope I am eh:rolleyes:

Paul,

Don't feel bad, I'm right there with ya. http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/dirtbox/pics/muttley.gif

[Randy Klein]

If you haven't bought the wood yet...

Instead of using 2x6's, get 2x12's and as long as possible at Home Depot or Lowes. These SYP boards are clearer and straighter-grained then 2x4's and 2x6's. Then rip in half for your 6 inches (even though it's not really 6 inches...)

[Rick Thom]

There are lots of ways to do this job I am sure. Handling fairly long heavy boards that may have tension in them through a table saw blade traveling at 3400 rpm and maximum blade exposure seems like a more dangerous prospect than is necessary. Some might rough cut and then head for a jointer. Since I don't have a jointer, my routine would be ......plane the mating faces first, then laminate, then plane to height, then rough cut bevels on a bandsaw, then finish on a planner using a sled to set the proper angle.
btw, I expect there are very precise dimensions and standards published for these beams which I would follow particularly if the person using the beam is a competing athlete.

[Fred Woodward]

There are lots of ways to do this job I am sure. Handling fairly long heavy boards that may have tension in them through a table saw blade traveling at 3400 rpm and maximum blade exposure seems like a more dangerous prospect than is necessary. Some might rough cut and then head for a jointer. Since I don't have a jointer, my routine would be ......plane the mating faces first, then laminate, then plane to height, then rough cut bevels on a bandsaw, then finish on a planner using a sled to set the proper angle.
btw, I expect there are very precise dimensions and standards published for these beams which I would follow particularly if the person using the beam is a competing athlete.

I would think this would be the safest method to use for your bevel. The bandsaw is ideal for these cuts.

[Paul Girouard]

I will give a hint

Compound Miter S__

So this is where I say ,

DOH:D

[dale rex]

I hate to think how long it was before I figured DAMHIKT out. ZCI, like CMS is one of those things that makes perfect sense once you hear it. ;-)


I still havent figured that one out yet(DAMHIKT):rolleyes:

[Walt Caza]

Hey Dale
I will bail you out... it's...
Don't Ask Me How I Know This.
(oh, and don't ask me how I know that)
It playfully refers to something we may have learned the hard way!
Take care,
Walt
:)

[Rick Moyer]

Maybe we should have a pinned thread showing all these woodworking abreviations; or, better yet, get folks to type out what they want to say. I absolutely hate the text messaging shortcuts. Granted, many show up on forums where most people have a common interest and will know what these mean, but many new folks just get confused. It's pretty sad that we need to save 1-2 minutes at the expense of good communication. (Getting off my soapbox now. Geez, I'm only 49 and getting crotchety already)

[Randy Klein]

Maybe we should have a pinned thread showing all these woodworking abreviations

Acronym thread (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=56320)

[Ellen Benkin]

I'm certainly no expert but I'm pretty careful about what I do with a table saw. I've ripped many a 2x4 when building outdoor furniture and never had a problem. I can't think of any reason it would be more dangerous than any other piece of wood.

[Drew Armstrong]

Could you do this more easily with your Jointer?

Drew