Compound angle joinery made easy

[Mark Rainey]

Just got a Lee Valley email with a method of work tip on compound angle joinery. As I look through the process, the author states to keep the edge of the plane on the guide block. However, there is just an 1/8 of an inch of edge before the blade starts. Just putting 1/8 of an inch of a plane on the block is tricky; furthermore with so little registering on the guide block how can the angle of the plane be held constant? Help me out with this one Neanderthals.

[Jim Koepke]

Fo those interested here is a link to the article on compound angle joinery.

Mark, this is kind of like a shooting board derivative. You might take a few shavings out of the guide piece. The article did mention using a spacer between the guide piece and the work. The spacer would be a sacrificial piece.

This is kind of like a donkey ear on a shooting board without the board.

Here is an old thread on this for a 22-1/2º angle > https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?157217

jtk

[Jim Matthews]

The back half of the plane registers on the guide.

[Mark Rainey]

Mark, this is kind of like a shooting board derivative. You might take a few shavings out of the guide piece. The article did mention using a spacer between the guide piece and the work. The spacer would be a sacrificial piece.

This is kind of like a donkey ear on a shooting board without the board.



jtk

I think you are right Jim, it is sort of like a shooting board without the board.

[Mark Rainey]

The back half of the plane registers on the guide.

Jim, that makes much more sense to me. But no where in the article or the pictures do they indicate this. The plane would be held at a skew while avoiding any cutting of the guide piece.

[Robert Flowers]

Here is a link to a video that show the technique its interesting. I've been wanting to try it but for the last couple of months my wife has keep me busy(trying to kill me) add a new master bath.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcubuCSSQjc

[Mark Rainey]

Here is a link to a video that show the technique its interesting. I've been wanting to try it but for the last couple of months my wife has keep me busy(trying to kill me) add a new master bath.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcubuCSSQjc

Excellent video Robert! Thanks

[Jim Matthews]

Jim, that makes much more sense to me. But no where in the article or the pictures do they indicate this. The plane would be held at a skew while avoiding any cutting of the guide piece.

At :35 of the video, observe the handle side of the plane used. It moves quickly, so reviewing may be needed.

https://youtu.be/4Cuj-_R20xE

[Phil Mueller]

Similar in concept to the traditional angle planning guide. Albeit very simplified, longer, and with a custom angle. These guides traditionally had 45 and 90 degree faces, but could be made for any angle.

11E242A4-B55B-4240-828D-5EAA18591763.jpg

[Mark Rainey]

At :35 of the video, observe the handle side of the plane used. It moves quickly, so reviewing may be needed.

https://youtu.be/4Cuj-_R20xE

Yes, Jim, this shows it - good video.

[Mark Rainey]

Similar in concept to the traditional angle planning guide. Albeit very simplified, longer, and with a custom angle. These guides traditionally had 45 and 90 degree faces, but could be made for any angle.

11E242A4-B55B-4240-828D-5EAA18591763.jpg

Thanks Phil, very similar. Those miter jacks look nice...tempting to make.

[Warren Mickley]

Just got a Lee Valley email with a method of work tip on compound angle joinery. As I look through the process, the author states to keep the edge of the plane on the guide block. However, there is just an 1/8 of an inch of edge before the blade starts. Just putting 1/8 of an inch of a plane on the block is tricky; furthermore with so little registering on the guide block how can the angle of the plane be held constant? Help me out with this one Neanderthals.

We set a bevel gauge to the angle we want, and then plane to match the gauge. I think it is much easier than trying to use a jig. I used to make a lot of silverware trays and cradles with tapered sides. I used trigonometry to figure the angles. For instance, if the angle from the bottom to the side is 105 degrees (15 degree slant), the angle from the bottom to the edge is around 104 degrees, and the angle from the side to the edge is 93.5 degrees.

About ten years ago Bill Pavlak demonstrated a cradle at Williamsburg and I have now adopted his method:

Use a block of wood 2X2X8 or 3X3X12 and plane one side so that it has the amount of slant you want. Also taper one end of the block to the same amount. Then you have one corner of the block having the profile of the corners of you box. Use this corner to set your bevel gauge to the various angles. You can save the block to use again.

Here is a silverware tray I made around 1988:
silver.jpg

[Mark Rainey]

We set a bevel gauge to the angle we want, and then plane to match the gauge. I think it is much easier than trying to use a jig. I used to make a lot of silverware trays and cradles with tapered sides. I used trigonometry to figure the angles. For instance, if the angle from the bottom to the side is 105 degrees (15 degree slant), the angle from the bottom to the edge is around 104 degrees, and the angle from the side to the edge is 93.5 degrees.

About ten years ago Bill Pavlak demonstrated a cradle at Williamsburg and I have now adopted his method:

Use a block of wood 2X2X8 or 3X3X12 and plane one side so that it has the amount of slant you want. Also taper one end of the block to the same amount. Then you have one corner of the block having the profile of the corners of you box. Use this corner to set your bevel gauge to the various angles. You can save the block to use again.

Here is a silverware tray I made around 1988:
silver.jpg

Interesting approach Warren. Thanks for your advice!

[James Pallas]

I found when starting out that compound angles were baffling me. The best advice I ever got about it from a mentor was: “You are overthinking it. This is not curved work.,You are cutting a straight line. Do the math for your angles then cut a straight line”. I did see that block trick explained somewhere and it is a handy thing for repeatable uses.

[John Straw]

Compound angle math can be complex but if you think of it in terms of roof framing “hip and valley roof” it makes it more understandable. The angled sides of a box or serving tray represent the tail end of rafters that have square tail to the roof pitch. The fascia for the square tail rafter meeting at the hip is the compound cut you are looking for for your serving tray or box. The angle of the roof is is the angle of the splay you want.
An example is you want a splay of 22.5 degrees. That’s a 5/12 roof pitch, draw that out on paper or plywood. At 90 degrees to the roof pitch draw a line 5 inches long and connect that line to the point of 1st triangle. You now have a second triangle with one side 5 and the other side 13, this triangle gives the miter. From the hypotenuse of 2nd triangle go 90 degrees with a 12 inch line and connect to the other end so you have a 3 rd triangle that has one side 12 and the other is 13.92” long.
The 3rd triangle gives the bevel angle. No messy math all done with a framing square and degrees read with a protractor.
7827FDFF-3106-4912-964E-D9DB898CC089.jpgI figured out how to post a picture so I am adding this picture but it is not the example of a 5/12 roof that I discribed. It is my shop drawing of a serving tray a made last year.