"Jon Endres, PE" wrote:

Hi all,

In conversation with the guy who's building a timberframe house for me, we
were discussing materials for the pegs for the joints. I mentioned that I
had a large white oak tree that had been cut to make room for the
foundation, and if it could be used.

He said yes, to have it cut 5/4 and kiln-dried, and cut into 5/4 x 5/4 x 12
blanks. He suggested making up a jig for the tablesaw such that the blank
could be held in place, indexed and then fed through to produce octagonal
shapes about 1" in least diameter. Basically, cutting an eight-sided piece
instead of a dowel for increased friction (the frame will be white pine).

Any ideas on how I could rig up a simple yet reliable indexing jig to hold a
square blank and turn it into an octagonal (or maybe even 16 sided) peg? If
I can do that successfully, I'm going to experiment with maybe some locust
or hickory pegs as well.

--
Jon Endres, PE
Reply To: wmengineer (at) adelphia (dot) net

Set up your table saw at 90 degrees, adjust your fence and rip
all your stock so that it is square and square. Meaning all the corners are
90 degrees and all the sides are the same width.
Tilt the saw to 45 degrees and set the fence on the side away from the tilt.
With the saw off, (stated for legal reasons), lay a piece of stock on the blade

so that one edge just touches the table and the opposite edge points straight
up.
Move the fence carefully up to the edge of the stock that is pointing at it and
lock the fence down.
Now set up a feather board to keep the stock against the fence and rip off the
four 90 degree corners. If you set the fence correctly the four new faces will
be
the same width as the remainder of the four origional faces if not adjust the
fence until they are.
This is a lot easier to do than it is to explain.
I do agree with one other poster, do not cut to length until all ripping is
complete.

ARM
edress needs to be untied (remove the nots)