# Chamfer thick top with right tilting table saw



## JoshinDC (May 19, 2017)

I have a large-ish (20"x50"x1") cherry panel, that I'd like to shape so that it has a 1/4" roundover on the top side, and a 45 degree, 3/4" chamfer on the bottom. I tried to cut the chamfer with a hand-held router, but the bit is a bear to handle when cutting near the 3/4" depth, and the roundover has removed the wood that the bearing needs to ride along. I'd like to cut the chamfer on my table saw, but my blade tilts right (toward the side that my fence normally resides), and the fence doesn't allow a 20" cut when moved to the left.

I have a unifence (European style), so I can adjust the fence length so that it only extends a bit beyond the front of the blade, minimizing the chances of pinching the panel. Obviously having a small cutoff between a tilted blade and the fence is a bad idea, but I don't see this panel getting out of control given it's larger size. Is it a terrible idea to try and cut with the fence to the right, and the blade tilted towards the fence? Any other ideas or suggestions?

Thanks!
Josh


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## John Smith_inFL (Dec 15, 2017)

photos of what you are doing will help the gallery help you.
also - what HP is your router and what size bit ??
Edit: a 3/4" chamfer and the 1/4" roundover does not leave much room
for a safe surface for the bearings to rest on. I would go with the 1/2" chamfer if it is not too late.

when doing free-hand routing: are you trying to take off the whole profile
in one pass ?? hardwoods and dull bits require several passes with increasing
depth to achieve a nice smooth splinter and burn free finish.

are you moving the router in a counter-clockwise direction ? (from right to left).
small bites with free moving bearings should do the job satisfactorily

and yes ~ "having a small cutoff between a tilted blade and the fence is a bad idea", = Very Bad idea.


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## Fthis (Feb 11, 2018)

When cutting under the tilt of the blade, the blade tries to run away from the material. It'll flex and "pin" the piece down. This will result in a burned edge. The way to combat it is to use full kerf (1/8") blade and go very slow.

And like Mr. Smith mentioned, make several passes with your router. I think you'll find yourself happy with the final results.


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## John Smith_inFL (Dec 15, 2017)

is this what you are trying to achieve ??









practice first on scrap wood so you will understand the profile procedure.

this can be challenging if you are not comfortable or experienced with hand-held routers.
a large router table with a fence would be better and safer.

I think I would cut the 3/4" chamfer first ~ then clamp a stick/guide to the router faceplate
as a guide for the 1/4" round over bit. (the stick has to have a notch cut out for the bit to clear).
this would be removing the larger profile first, which takes more power and control.
then do the round-over as it removes less material and the machine is easier to control.


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## CaptainKlutz (Apr 23, 2014)

#1 There is technique that makes cutting 45 degree edge on right tilt saw safer for large panels. It uses a jig where tip of saw is buried inside fence and you cut (only) the 45 degree angle after cutting panel to size. The "trick" to minimizing kickback issues due wood trapped under the blade is elevating the bottom of fence (about 1/2-3/4 of cut height) so that the small angle cut off has some space to push away from the blade. This does not completely stop kick back, but reduces the frequency and velocity of the cutoff kicking back.
I am unable to find an internet reference that shows this technique. Did find an instructables post that shows the basic idea of using buried fence, except it does not show the bottom of fence elevated.

#2 Shaping top/bottom of a panel typically requires a router table (or a shaper). By using a fixed table and fence means you no longer need to rely on bearing to guide the cut. Using a solid fence also makes it easier to shape the edges in several passes, which typically eliminates tear out/burning encountered shaping the edge in one pass. For woods that can burn easily like cherry, taking several passes is best way to avoid need to sand delicate shaped edges.

#3 You can also use table saw set at 90 degrees to make miter cuts, just need a miter sled jig for table saw like this one.

Best Luck


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## JoshinDC (May 19, 2017)

> is this what you are trying to achieve ??


Yes, that's exactly it.

I'm using a 2 1/4 HP Bosch router. I have a router table but since the panel is unwieldy I figured I'd bring the router to the work piece. I'm using a brand new Whiteside bit, and making multiple passes without climb cutting. I actually tried the stick-to-router plate idea (basically an upside down router table fence) and still struggled getting it lined up correctly with the bearing. I think that was partially my poor jig-making though.

What about the safety of doing what Fthis suggested, going slow with the big part of the panel under the blade and against the fence? I've already cut the panel to size, so this would just cut the bevel.

I'll think about the sacrificial fence idea. I think that might be the easiest and most precise way to do this.

Thanks for your help!


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## 000 (Dec 9, 2015)

I would just use a sacrifice fence, and let the drop kickback, done it many a time.
Just stay to the side and that small of a piece ain't going to do nothing.
But, that's just me. YMMV

Or make/use a sled.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Clamp a straight board to the bottom of the 
panel and run it against the left edge of the 
saw table. Check the table saw edge for 
parallelism to the miter slot first.

I've never done this, just seen it described.


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## cabmaker (Sep 16, 2010)

Just set the bevel you want

move fence to left of blade

run panel on edge ( 20 X 50,....not large ) should be easy to handle

You have an outfeed it table …..right ?


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## LesB (Dec 21, 2008)

Another method is to clamp a straight edge board (template/guide) to your panel, positioned so you can use a 45 degree chaffer bit with a guide bearing that will run along the template to cut the 45 degree cut. Then do the same with the round over bit; also with a guide bearing. 
You may want to reposition the template board once or twice while making the 45 degree chaffer so you don't remove too much at one time. On deep cuts like that I like to make one final very thin cut to smooth things up and on wood like cherry that burns easily to remove the burn spots.


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## JBrow (Nov 18, 2015)

JoshinDC,

One idea for shaping the table top using the table saw is to first cut the ¼" round over. The second step would be to cut the chamfer.

The second step starts by accurately appling a rub strip (1/4" hardboard or plywood) to the table top using double sided tape. The rub strip would need to be sufficiently wide to be securely attached to the top and extend 1" or 2" beyond edge of the table top and over the titled table saw blade. The rub strip should be little longer than the edge of the table being cut so the blade remains covered at the end of the cut.

The table top with the rub strip attached can be positioned to make the cut. The table saw fence can then be brought into contact with the rub strip. The cut is made by keeping the rub strip tight against the fence throughout the cut.

This method requires the rub strip to be parallel to the table top edge being cut and the rub strip edge riding against the fence straight. The saw blade height must be set lower than the rub strip. Since the blade is covered by the rub strip, great caution is required to keep hands well clear of the blade as the cut is being completed. The offcut will be trapped between the titled blade and table saw table, but the fence is far enough away so that the offcut is not trapped by the fence. If the off-cut kicks back, it tends to do so slowly and with little force. Additionally, you would be standing to the left of the blade and the out of the way of the off-cut.

Here is a sketch to illustrate this idea…


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

> I would just use a sacrifice fence, and let the drop kickback, done it many a time.
> Just stay to the side and that small of a piece ain t going to do nothing.
> But, that s just me. YMMV
> 
> - jbay


Yep. It's trapped under the blade so it can only go one direction and if you are off to the side where you should be, no worries.


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## WalkerR (Feb 8, 2017)

just throwing it out there… you could make the chamfer with a block plane.


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## JoshinDC (May 19, 2017)

I cut it last night using the sacrificial fence. It wasn't super consistent (I think the board lifted a bit near the end of one side) and I had a fair bit of burning, but it sanded out easily. Thanks for all the great ideas and advice!

Josh


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## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

Here's something to try:

1. Chamfer with the router (2-3 passes).

2. Round over with the router base on the edge (bearing on the surface not the edge).

Clamp a support piece for stability.

Remember with symmetrical bits like chamfers and roundovers, the bearing can be on either surface.

A palm router would be the ticket for the roundover.


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## JoshinDC (May 19, 2017)

> Here s something to try:
> 
> 1. Chamfer with the router (2-3 passes).
> 
> ...


This was actually my first plan, but when you get to a corner where the mating edge has already been routed you lose the material for the bearing the register against. This would work well for doing only 2 opposite sides of the panel though.


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## jimintx (Jan 23, 2014)

> ... I d like to cut the chamfer on my table saw, but my blade tilts right (toward the side that my fence normally resides), and the fence doesn t allow a 20" cut when moved to the left. ... ...
> - JoshinDC


Ok, the dilemma is already worked out, but I think I missed something so would like to ask:

What's the issue with laying the table top face down, and run it through on the right side of the blade, with the blade tilted to 45 deg? Wouldn't that give the desired profile?

I'll appreciate the feedback.


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## LesB (Dec 21, 2008)

There is too much hazard in having the work piece pinched under a right tilting blade and against the fence. If the blade tilted left it would work just fine. I sure wouldn't want to be standing behind that and pushing it through.

Ok, the dilemma is already worked out, but I think I missed something so would like to ask:

What s the issue with laying the table top face down, and run it through on the right side of the blade, with the blade tilted to 45 deg? Wouldn t that give the desired profile?

I ll appreciate the feedback.

- jimintx
[/QUOTE]


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## wapakfred (Jul 29, 2011)

The L fence (some of what was mentioned above) would be the easiest. Here's an article that describes some of the uses….he also uses the rub strip that Loren mentioned. While he doesn't do exactly what you are attempting, what he describes will give you the solution. There is a FWW video by the same guy using this method.


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## jimintx (Jan 23, 2014)

LesB, I get that tricky cuts with table saws can be tricky, for sure. I want to make sure I understand the issues. 
You are saying that you think there is a risk of having a 20" x 50" x 1" slab thrown backward while a 3/4" by 3/4" right triangle is being trimmed off the edge of the slab that is opposite the fence. And, this would be a risk with a Unifence set so that the fence face does not extend past the leading 1/2 inch or so of the blade. Is that correctly stated?

thanks


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## simmo (Nov 23, 2008)

50×20 isn't that big , mark out remove some waste with a power tool of your choice then final shape with a sharp well set hand plane, that's what I would do , much more satisfying 
Chrid


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## simmo (Nov 23, 2008)

50×20 isn't that big , mark out remove some waste with a power tool of your choice then final shape with a sharp well set hand plane, that's what I would do , much more satisfying 
Chrid


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