# How to Cut a Pyramid Post Cap



## SteveInVa (Jan 16, 2013)

I need to make two pyramid post caps to match the one in the picture here. I have made the cap base, and I have the 3/4 inch piece of wood cut for the cap, but I need to put bevels on all four sides with a plateau on the top.

Can anyone tell me the safest way to do this? I appreciate any advice that you may be able to offer. Thanks.


----------



## RonAylor1760 (Aug 17, 2016)

I'll let Paul Sellers explain …


----------



## 000 (Dec 9, 2015)

Professionals make things look easy!


----------



## mike02130 (Jul 23, 2016)

Just run it vertically though a table saw.


----------



## Lazyman (Aug 8, 2014)

Another approach is to cut on the table saw. You tilt your blade for the angle you need and put the fence on the side of the blade so that the blade is titled away from the fence. You then slide the cap piece on edge so that it cuts a wedge out one the side away from the fence being careful to to keep the bottom of the cap flat against the fence. You will probably want to have a zero clearance insert depending upon the thickness of the cap and possibly an auxiliary fence to get some additional height for stability. You can practice on a piece of scrap before cutting the actual cap to make sure it comes out correctly.


----------



## JackDuren (Oct 10, 2015)

Belt sander if you have one…


----------



## Redoak49 (Dec 15, 2012)

I would cut it on the table saw and use a tall sled that straddles the fence.


----------



## SteveInVa (Jan 16, 2013)

Thanks everyone for the varied suggestions. I'm trying to build a sled for the TS; will post pictures and results . . . if it works.


----------



## SteveInVa (Jan 16, 2013)

So, my jig worked pretty well. The jig consists of a sled and fence and three buttresses cut at 10 degrees. I attached the work piece with heavy duty double sided carpet tape, which held it firmly against the fence. The result is pictured below.










This is a slight modification from a jig in Ian Kirby's the Accurate Table Saw. I like this jig because it prevents me from having to tilt my blade. Whenever I have tilted the blade on the my 30-year old Powermatic (Artisan 63) contractor saw in the past, I have had a devil of a time realigning everything when I bring the blade back to 90 degrees.

Thanks again for the suggestions.


----------



## Cooler (Feb 3, 2016)

I made a bunch of them. I screwed a length of stock to a board the same width and set my blade on an angle into a sacrificial fence and cut the entire length. I flipped over the stock to cut the opposite side.

I removed the stock from the mounting board and cut the stock into perfect squares. I then re-mounted the squares in tandem to the mounting board and made a angle cut and flipped over for the other angle cut.

I made about 6 or 8 at a time that way. It was many years ago and I may have forgotten some details, but it was fairly easy.

I arranged it so the pyramid came to a point.


----------

