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Thread: Octagon Leg Blank Jig

  1. #16
    Thanks, Ken. I'll follow your lead.

  2. #17
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    That's a nice jig for straight octagonal legs. I did some tapered hexagonal legs a couple months back, and knocked together a sled for the bandsaw that rides in the miter slot. It's just a taper jig like you see for tablesaws basically, can be used for all sorts of things. For tapered octagons you'd set the table at 90 and make a tapered square blank first, then tilt the table to 45 and do the facets. You have to use the cutoffs to shim for some of the cuts. A bit of setup and head scratching, and for a one-off or two-off it would be faster (and more fun) to plane. Much more than that and the jig is nice to use.

  3. #18
    Thanks for this, Ken. I am in need of such a jig right now. The notch idea is great; Without it, one would need a different jig for each diameter leg.

  4. #19
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    I would rip a square leg on my contractors saw and the tilt the blade to 45 degrees and rip the corner off of the square piece I just made.

  5. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by lowell holmes View Post
    I would rip a square leg on my contractors saw and the tilt the blade to 45 degrees and rip the corner off of the square piece I just made.
    Lowell,

    While I have a table saw and even use it some, for most operations I try to find a better way. That way I avoid loss of fingers and being penetrated by wood projectiles. I'm not saying your way is unsafe, just most of the time a bandsaw will do the job safer.

    ken

  6. #21
    Quote Originally Posted by Robert Hazelwood View Post
    That's a nice jig for straight octagonal legs. I did some tapered hexagonal legs a couple months back, and knocked together a sled for the bandsaw that rides in the miter slot. It's just a taper jig like you see for tablesaws basically, can be used for all sorts of things. For tapered octagons you'd set the table at 90 and make a tapered square blank first, then tilt the table to 45 and do the facets. You have to use the cutoffs to shim for some of the cuts. A bit of setup and head scratching, and for a one-off or two-off it would be faster (and more fun) to plane. Much more than that and the jig is nice to use.
    Robert,

    Depending on the wood and number I agree, most of the time I will just grab a woodie and beaver away. Sometimes a jig is nice to use.

    ken

  7. #22
    I for one appreciate the bandsaw solution. My ts is a sawstop, and I am making a chair from green wood. While I can bypass the detector, I prefer to cut green wood at the bandsaw.

  8. #23
    Why not just tilt the BS table, no jig required?

  9. #24
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    Ken, make one of these. I did and my fingers never get close to the blade.

    https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=...w=1443&bih=696

  10. #25
    Quote Originally Posted by lowell holmes View Post
    Ken, make one of these. I did and my fingers never get close to the blade.

    https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=...w=1443&bih=696
    Lowell,

    My push sticks are bigger and better than most of those. Still doesn't change the fact that a band saw is safer with no kickback. I'm not knocking how you do it, I just think my way is safer.

    ken

  11. #26
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    You could do it on a jointer .

  12. #27
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    Safer on the bandsaw.....tip the table to 45 degrees....run the blank along a fence, make a cut, rotate, and make each cut....maybe a little clean up with a small plane afterwards...

  13. #28
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    I also have band saw but the table saw makes a smooth cut with my carbide tooth blade.

  14. Quote Originally Posted by lowell holmes View Post
    I also have band saw but the table saw makes a smooth cut with my carbide tooth blade.
    If your band saw cuts aren't pretty smooth, get a better blade and feed more smoothly. I do a lot of resawing, using a 1/2" carbide toothed blade, 3ppi hook, with a full height fence on both sides; result needs a couple of passes with a fine set smoother. Not quite as good as a table saw, but not far behind. And I'd be taking a pass or two with a smoothing plane off the table saw too. The plane leaves a finer surface than either saw.
    Fair winds and following seas,
    Jim Waldron

  15. #30
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    If your band saw cuts aren't pretty smooth, get a better blade and feed more smoothly.
    Some blades also come with more set than others. The set can be reduced with a vise and a little work.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

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