# Panel beveling



## holsterguy (Jul 3, 2015)

I'm in the process of reproducing an early Gustav Stickley piece. The top is 23 1/4×45, 1 1/16 thick qswo. As with a lot of Gus pcs., it requires a bevel around three sides of the top.
Was going to try using a 3" panel raising router bit with a spacer under one side of the router to get the right angle (35*) and run it handheld. The more I thought about it, the more I thought how stupid it would be.
I'm trying to come up with a tall auxillary fence to do it safely on the table saw. My idea is an H shaped fence to set over the saw fence (vega pro) and bolted in place using the holes in the fence.
I thought 18" tall, and maybe 42" long, and maybe an L shaped pc. that could be clamped to the panel to trap it against the fence.
What do you guys think?
Sorry for the long post!
Thanks


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## jmos (Nov 30, 2011)

A 3" panel raising bit is pretty big for a hand held router. If you were going to try it, I would take small bites and make multiple passes.

Using a tall auxiliary fence on the tabelsaw for panel raising is a very valid method. If you want the traditional 'step' (a small right-angle shoulder before the taper begins) you can run the panel flat on the table first, making a shallow cut 90* to the table to define the raised area. Then bevel the blade and set up your tall fence and bevel away.

If you have a panel raising bit and a router table that is also a great way to do it. You can buy bits that will do the whole profile at one time, so you don't have to worry about trying to add shims. I'd still do it in stages. Not a cut I'd do in a single pass.


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## bandit571 (Jan 20, 2011)

Some of us just use a hand plane…


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## splintergroup (Jan 20, 2015)

I second Bandit's plane suggestion. The top is a bit large to handle easily on a TS without some help (and you would probably still get some burn marks).

Your router method could be done with a smaller diameter bit with a flat tip and multiple passes (then clean up with a planer pass or a scraper)


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## PPK (Mar 8, 2016)

Boy, I'd sure stay away from putting a 3" bit in a handheld router. I think that's asking for a trip to the ER with severed something or other. Router table would be my first recommendation too, even if it was something simple. (A router table can just be a simple thick board or countertop with a hole cut in it, and a makeshift fence. Could be clamped down to sturdy saw horses or something.

Or, What about the tablesaw method, and then cleaning it up with a handplane? Hybrid!!


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## Kirk650 (May 8, 2016)

I've done it with a TS and with a router table. I got a better result with the router table. If I didn't have a router table, I would build a simple one like I built and used prior to building a big fancy one.

All that said, the TS approach worked fine, but that is a big chunk of wood to manhandle over the saw.


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## Unknowncraftsman (Jun 23, 2013)

Handplane is the obvious tool for the job. But it's looking like it's not something you have. Or you wouldn't have asked many of us look for any reason or time to use our planes.
The next best thing would be a rasp and file. Then grind it smooth with small rocks glued to paper.  
I hate routers


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## canadianchips (Mar 12, 2010)

My question would be
What kind of table saw do you have ?
If you have a decent table saw that is the way I would make that bevel.
Hand plane is nice BUT…...you will be cutting across the grain 2 edges…....unless your plane is really sharp you might get tear out.


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## holsterguy (Jul 3, 2015)

Sorry for not getting back sooner, for some reason, I didn't get any email notifications.
PPK- thats the route I was thinking. I can always clean it up with maybe a low angle block? And cabinet scraper.
Canadianchips- sorry to say getting a razor edge on a plane is definately not my strong suit. The saw is a Delta 34-444(?)contractor. If I don't really feel comfortable, I can take it to our shop at work. They have a Powermatic cabinet saw, but it doesn'tcut as smooth as my tuned up Delta.


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

If your not a hand tool guy.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=panel+raising+on+the+table+saw

If you are or wannabe

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=rasied+a+panel+with+a+hand+plane


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## AlaskaGuy (Jan 29, 2012)

You might try building an angled sled and leave you saw blade at 90


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## theart (Nov 18, 2016)

That's about a thirty pound slab, so any jig that would safely move it across a table saw is going to have to be pretty hefty. And it sounds like you're only doing one of these. Maybe rough cut with circular saw and straight edge, then clean it up with a hand plane? Or even a belt sander if planes aren't your thing.


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## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

Check a guy on YouTube named Timothy Wilmots and look for his video on the round table.

He has a jig for making a bevel that is pretty clever.


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## holsterguy (Jul 3, 2015)

Now that's a neet jig!


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## Kirk650 (May 8, 2016)

After thinking on this a bit more, a board that size is just too big to bevel on the table saw. I think this is a router table job, or maybe Theart's suggestion about the circular saw and a guide jig. I think I'd try the circular saw idea. It'll need some cleanup, since the cut won't be perfect. I think I could make that approach work..


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## runswithscissors (Nov 8, 2012)

Since nobody's mentioned this, there is another way. There are several brands of rotary planes, Wagner and Stew Mac being a couple of them. These happen to look exactly the same. They are called a "safety" plane because only a tiny amount of edge is exposed, which prevents kickback. Some older designs were pretty dangerous because they lacked this feature.

I used one on a radial drill press to make coved cuts for a raised panel roll top desk. It required tilting the horizontal arm to get the profile I wanted. It worked easily, but needed a lot of sanding to eliminate the swirl marks. Lacking a radial drill press, you could probably achieve the desired effect by tilting the drill press table.

These are (were?) also available for the radial arm saw. Google Stew Mack or Wagner Safety Plane to see one in action.


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## holsterguy (Jul 3, 2015)

After looking at all the replies 3 or 4 times, maybe if I take the time to make a track saw of sorts, it might work a lot better. Maybe use a 40 tooth "finish" blade to avoid tear out?


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## holsterguy (Jul 3, 2015)

Actually found a video this morning from the woodsmith shop showing this jig. Worked great on my test piece!


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