# How Can I Safely Cut Butterfly Patches on a Right-Tilt TS?



## Ynot (Jan 22, 2014)

I have a right tilt TS (Uni). I need to [safely] cut what would end up being a block of stock (or several species) that can be sliced into individual butterfly patches. The stock starts out being roughly 7/8" x 3/4×6". If you know a butterfly patch, it's basically four 15° cuts around the block, which makes up the shape of a butterfly or bowtie. The reason I want to use the TS is mainly for finish, not to mention ending up with enough pre-made patches for future use. I read an article in a ten year old magazine where the author describes the process, but [I feel] falls short in describing exactly and safely how to make the cuts on the TS.

If I move my fence to the other side, to stop trapping the stock in between the fence and blade, then the blade ends up angling in the wrong direction. Of course if I leave the fence on the right side of the blade I have the trapping problem. Will the stock get trapped if I used a push block that goes over and around the fence?

Would you make a sled for this specific cut?

Am I working for nothing and since not that much material is being taken away from the stock that there's not a safety issue of being trapped?

I do not want to use a router, BS or other for this part of the process. I simply want to know how to safely make the cuts on my TS. If someone has pics describing how they would do it, that would help tremendously. Thanks


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## ElChe (Sep 28, 2014)

How about tilting the blade to desired angle and clamp stock vertically to a tall sacrificial fence on miter gauge that you can clamp the stock to? Use a stop block also clamped to sacrificial fence to register stock. Flip stock to make second cut. Then repeat on other end of the stock. If you are making a butterfly that is more than 5" long finish with a handsaw?


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## firefighterontheside (Apr 26, 2013)

I dont understand the thing youre making, but cant you turn the piece over? Then the angle will be correct.


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

If you angle the blade on a left tilt, and have the fence on the right of the blade.. there is no difference in doing it on a right tilt machine.. you just tilt the blade and put the fence on the left of the blade. I'm not seeing how it would be any different other than the side you use. Any 'problem' would be the same, regardless of which way your blade tilts. What are we missing?

Cheers,
Brad


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

I think r v l tilt has nothing to do with it. The problem is how to cut a butterfly key vertically when the apparent way to do it would trap the key between the blade and the fence. Right or left tilt, the solution will be the same-just the fence on one side or the other.


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

Ditto what others have said about it NOT being a right/left tilt issue. As I think about it, I'd probably make a sled that carried the piece and would allow you to flip it edge to edge for both of the cuts to make one V, then flip it around to make the same cuts on the other side. It might pay to leave a 1/2" flat at each edge to register against the side of the sled, and then rip that off after the V is cut. Once you decide on an approach, please post back with some pics.


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## kaerlighedsbamsen (Sep 16, 2013)

A solution could be this: Glue together a pile of piezes on top of another in order to have a long pieze of cross grain wood. This is then easily clamped to a sled and cut to a butterfly cross section shape. slivers of this is then cut from the end of the stock. No fingers harmed and you get prezise butterflies. Hope this makes sense? Should think it is a fast way to work too..

Let ud know how it ends!


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## Ynot (Jan 22, 2014)

Thanks a bunch for the replies. Lot's to consider.

While my post was in limbo, waiting to be okay'd by the admin, I made a push block that slides/cradles on my fence. That along with two feather-boards, one at feed and the other at out-feed, seem to do the trick. I was still apprehensive about making the cut, so I wore a face mask just in case. If I had a catchers chest protector I would have worn that also. I ended up with some really nice blocks of butterfly stock that I can now take slices from.

There are some additional tweaks that I'll be making. One, make one more FB to go where the blade is since this is the only spot with no additional coverage. And two, make another push block that's height adjustable this time. I may still consider a sled as others have mentioned; even if it's for the sole purpose of making butterfly stock. The only question is how to hold such a small piece, that gets smaller as the process goes on and not have that hold-down get too close to blade.?

Again, thanks for all the info


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## Johnny_Yuma (Nov 29, 2009)

Just for the record….

A "butterfly patch", also referred to as a "bowtie" is actually called a *Dutchman Joint*.


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## CharlesA (Jun 24, 2013)

or . . . a butterfly, a bowtie, and a dutchman's joint are three ways of referring to the same thing.


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## Ynot (Jan 22, 2014)

aka Pewa Patch


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## TheFridge (May 1, 2014)

I'd just rip away and take me time. But that's me.


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