# Looking for help with creating octagon



## widdle (Mar 10, 2010)

Hi…Looking for a jig or some sort of carriage , to create 1 1/2" by 12" +- octagon( rip) on the table saw….Router not an option…thanks


----------



## rkober (Feb 15, 2012)

I just made some hexagon material for a project but the steps are similar. Start with stock wider than 1.5" (say 3"). Cut the 45's on one side with the blade just high enough to clear the cut (ie knock the corners off). Flip the piece end for end, readjust the fence to make the remaining 45 deg cuts. Lastly cut the hexagon loose with a 90 deg cut. I don't really think you need a jig unless I'm misunderstanding your question.


----------



## stnich (May 24, 2010)

If I'm understanding what you want you might try to make a jig similar to what you would make a Pencil Post Bed Post with. Take your 1 1/2×1`12" blank and mount it on a jig similar to a lathe. Find the center of the 1 1/2 dimension and attach it with screws on both sides. Then just rotate the blank around in 22 1/2 degree increments. Check out MikeDe's project http://lumberjocks.com/projects/56002 He has a jig for a tapered Pencil Post Post. Just make one smaller and not for a taper.


----------



## widdle (Mar 10, 2010)

Thanks Ray..My stock is already 1 5/8", soo not alot of extra material…I mentioned jig or carriage because a bunch of 22 1/2 dgree rips…felt a bit sketchy


----------



## widdle (Mar 10, 2010)

Thanks stnich, But not understanding that set up…thanks


----------



## JustJoe (Oct 26, 2012)

If you google: No-hassle octagon cutting
One of the first results will be a google book link to a preview of a FWW article on how to do it with pictures and diagrams.


----------



## widdle (Mar 10, 2010)

Thanks Joe..and google…Still not alot of support on that technique…mabye..


----------



## DaveinCA (Feb 23, 2010)

You could make a jig similar to this










If I understand your description you want the finished result to be an octagon approx. 12" across. If you use the dimensions in the sketch, start with the fence about 18-1/2" away from the blade, put your squared work piece in the V-notch and clip off all four corners. The rotate the work piece 1/8 turn and repeat the process. I may be over thinking this, but that's how I would do it if I only had a tablesaw.


----------



## widdle (Mar 10, 2010)

Thanks Dave,,cali boy..right on…Actually i was doing more of a rip cut..Sort if like a chisel handle with octagonal sides… thanks..


----------



## DaveinCA (Feb 23, 2010)

Sorry for the confusion, I must have looked beyond the rip cut description earlier. In that case I wouldn't use a jig at all. Just square up the stock and then tilt your tablesaw blade to 45 degrees (away from the fence). Set the fence 1-1/16" away from the blade at the table (base of the cut) and proceed to make your first rip. Rotate 1/4 turn and repeat … After ripping off all four corners, rotate 1/8 of a turn and dress the four existing faces if within reach of the blade. If the blade is just beyond the existing faces, then move the fence in a few thou and repeat the process. This should work if your stock is square, and I would suggest using a feather board to keep it tight to the fence.


----------



## DanLyke (Feb 8, 2007)

For my dodecagonal plate frame, I cut the ends of my pieces to as close to 15° as I could, glued up two halves, clamped those halves together and ran a saw down the remaining joint to make sure the remaining edges were as parallel as possible. It's possible that it's just a little out of round, but some judicious sanding took care of that.

(Luckily, the plate isn't exactly round either… grin)

Next time I'll consider adding a half a sawblade width to the pieces that end up on the ends to be joined together, on the other hand that's also in the range where sanding can take care of it.


----------

