My daughter had asked me to build a small triangle table (16 in on a
side). It is equilateral 60, 60, 60. The problem that I have is that
the angles that I used, when cutting on my RAS are slightly off as one
can imagine. I now have three triangles that are 30,30,120 or so that
don't exactly meet in the middle. There is about a saw blade gap when
I try and put the three together to make the larger triangle. I was
making the table to use a bit of extra boards from a previous project.

My request is for suggestions on how to eliminate the gap and get the
three pieces to fit together tightly. I knew that this was a possible
problem when I started. One of the problems that I face is avoiding
any movement of the wood when I cut the angle using my RAS.

Hoping to learn more.

Al Holstein

Al Holstein wrote:

My daughter had asked me to build a small triangle table (16 in on a
side). It is equilateral 60, 60, 60. [snip]

Hoping to learn more.

Al Holstein

You might try filling in the gaps with strips of a contrasting color
wood. Also invest in a triangle or some such accurate angle device and
set your RAS more exactly. Buena suerte.
mahalo,
jo4hn

On 5 May 2005 19:05:45 -0700, "Al Holstein" wrote:

The problem that I have is that
the angles that I used, when cutting on my RAS are slightly off as one
can imagine.

My request is for suggestions on how to eliminate the gap and get the
three pieces to fit together tightly. I knew that this was a possible
problem when I started. One of the problems that I face is avoiding
any movement of the wood when I cut the angle using my RAS.

Aren't you answering your own question? Assuming your saw will cut
accurately, you need a hold-down clamp or two. Otherwise another cut
will give similar results.

These are not large triangles. Use a sliding jig to hold them, and
clamping is also a lesser problem if you use a table saw. The clamps
can be an integral part of the jig.

To helps avoid movement along the miter fence, besides the already mentioned
hold down clamp. Glue some fine grit sandpaper (200-400) to the whole front of
the fence. The work piece won't slide anymore, even when hand held.

JeffB

Al Holstein wrote:

My daughter had asked me to build a small triangle table (16 in on a
side). It is equilateral 60, 60, 60. The problem that I have is that
the angles that I used, when cutting on my RAS are slightly off as one
can imagine. I now have three triangles that are 30,30,120 or so that
don't exactly meet in the middle. There is about a saw blade gap when
I try and put the three together to make the larger triangle. I was
making the table to use a bit of extra boards from a previous project.

My request is for suggestions on how to eliminate the gap and get the
three pieces to fit together tightly. I knew that this was a possible
problem when I started. One of the problems that I face is avoiding
any movement of the wood when I cut the angle using my RAS.

Hoping to learn more.

Al Holstein


--
JeffB
remove no.spam. to email

You power tools got you close, now fine tune it by hand.
This is a perfect situation for a block plane. And an excuse
to buy one if you don't already have one. Just fit your pieces
together and mark one edge of 1 piece where you need to
trim it off. Trim a little, test the fit, trim some more(maybe
a different piece), test, ...
You'll have it fitting perfectly in short order.

Art


"Al Holstein" wrote in message
oups.com...
My daughter had asked me to build a small triangle table (16 in on a
side). It is equilateral 60, 60, 60. The problem that I have is that
the angles that I used, when cutting on my RAS are slightly off as one
can imagine. I now have three triangles that are 30,30,120 or so that
don't exactly meet in the middle. There is about a saw blade gap when
I try and put the three together to make the larger triangle. I was
making the table to use a bit of extra boards from a previous project.

My request is for suggestions on how to eliminate the gap and get the
three pieces to fit together tightly. I knew that this was a possible
problem when I started. One of the problems that I face is avoiding
any movement of the wood when I cut the angle using my RAS.

Hoping to learn more.

Al Holstein

On 5 May 2005 19:05:45 -0700, "Al Holstein" wrote:

My daughter had asked me to build a small triangle table (16 in on a
side). It is equilateral 60, 60, 60. The problem that I have is that
the angles that I used, when cutting on my RAS are slightly off as one
can imagine. I now have three triangles that are 30,30,120 or so that
don't exactly meet in the middle. There is about a saw blade gap when
I try and put the three together to make the larger triangle. I was
making the table to use a bit of extra boards from a previous project.

My request is for suggestions on how to eliminate the gap and get the
three pieces to fit together tightly. I knew that this was a possible
problem when I started. One of the problems that I face is avoiding
any movement of the wood when I cut the angle using my RAS.

If you've got a table saw, you could do it on that instead. Get a
piece of plywood and glue or screw a couple of straight boards to it
at a 60 degree angle (if you need to lay it out and don't have an
equilateral triangle handy, just draw a line, set a compass to the
length of said line, and make an arc from each end. Where the two
arcs meet is the peak of your triangle.) Then glue or screw another
piece of scrap parallel to the centerline of the triangle on the
bottom of the ply to ride in your miter slot. Make the first cut on
one side of the jig, and the mating piece on the other side. Even if
the jig isn't perfectly straight, you'll still have a perfect 60
degree corner, because the imperfections will cancel one another out.

Same principle as a square miter jig, just with a different angle.

Hope this helps!

Aut inveniam viam aut faciam

In article .com, "Al Holstein" wrote:
My daughter had asked me to build a small triangle table (16 in on a
side). It is equilateral 60, 60, 60. The problem that I have is that
the angles that I used, when cutting on my RAS are slightly off as one
can imagine. I now have three triangles that are 30,30,120 or so that
don't exactly meet in the middle. There is about a saw blade gap when
I try and put the three together to make the larger triangle. I was
making the table to use a bit of extra boards from a previous project.

If you have a table saw, you're better off to use it instead of the radial arm
saw: the precision is inherently greater. Cutting a dead-on accurate 60 degree
angle (or any other angle) is a piece of cake with a precision miter gauge on
a table saw. Check out www.incra.com for one line of such gauges. I like the
3000. Google-search this group for other opinions.

If you're stuck with using a radial arm saw, there are a few things you can do
to improve the cut, though. First, go to an art or drafting supply store and
get a plastic 30-60-90 triangle. These are cheap, and surprisingly accurate.
(While you're there, pick up a 45-45-90 also. You'll find it useful later.)
Use this, instead of the angle gauge on the saw, to set your cut angle.

Second, test your cuts on pieces of scrap, and adjust the saw setting as
needed.

Third, use that plastic triangle and a good sharp block plane to make final
adjustments.

My request is for suggestions on how to eliminate the gap and get the
three pieces to fit together tightly. I knew that this was a possible
problem when I started.

A change in design would make the tables easier to build. It's pretty awkward
to cut a 30-degree angle (60-degree miter) on a board on either a TS or a RAS.
60-degree angles (30-degree miters) are much easier. Consider making the
tables out of *four* pieces: a small central equilateral triangle surrounded
by three 60-120-120-60 trapezoids, like I did with these tables I made a few
years ago:

http://www.milmac.com/Furniture/SycamoreEndTables.JPG

Clamping was a bit tricky... Of course, it will be with your original design,
too. I used purpose-built jigs. I'll dig them out and post photos later today
or sometime this weekend.

One of the problems that I face is avoiding
any movement of the wood when I cut the angle using my RAS.

That's a big problem. You can't possibly make accurate cuts if the wood is
moving around. You need to clamp it to the table.


--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt.
And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?

Thanks to you all of the good suggestions. I had used a plastic
triangle to set the saw up, and had made a sample run. It had the same
problem that I thought I could overcome. I think that the wood creep
when I was cutting it was the problem. The suggestion of using
sandpaper on the fence was I that I hadn't thought of. I had thought
about clamping and should have done so. It isn't too late to do a
recut of all the angles anyway.

I was thinking that if I could clamp two pieces together on a sheet of
particle board I could make a new cut down the middle of the joint and
thus remove a bit from each side that was close together and even the
spacing out. The gap that I am facing is about the width of a saw cut.
Then do it on a second side and it would then fit.

Thanks for the picture of the end tables.

Regards,

Al Holstein

Nice tables. What kind of wood?

Doug,

That was my problem. I got the pieces cut close enough using a 60 V
jig like was suggested. I didn't go ahead and make a good jig to use
to put it together. I had thought about it but thought that I could
get by without it. Lesson learned. Will likely start over.

Regards,

Al Holstein