I built a pair of Fonkens, but did not finish the 45 degree angled cuts on the front of both (the table saw I used is really cheap, and it chips up the plywood). Anyone in the area around U district have a nice table saw I could use to make four 45 degree cuts? Would really appreciate any help, a students budget prevents me from purchasing/renting a nice saw....
I'm not from your area, but I can tell you this. If your saw is chipping the plywood, then you are using a saw that is not tuned up. In other words, the material to be cut is not entering the blade straight. If you take your rip fence and make certain it is exactly in line with the blade, the cut should not be chipping as you say.
Have you ever tuned up this saw before, by using a new blade, preferably a 40-80 tooth blade, and adjusting your rip fence to ensure the wood entering the cut is lined up properly.
If it's not lined up properly, the teeth will cut the wood roughly as they exit the cut, upper side in front, and under side in rear.
It's all in how you have your saw tuned. Seriously.
Have you ever tuned up this saw before, by using a new blade, preferably a 40-80 tooth blade, and adjusting your rip fence to ensure the wood entering the cut is lined up properly.
If it's not lined up properly, the teeth will cut the wood roughly as they exit the cut, upper side in front, and under side in rear.
It's all in how you have your saw tuned. Seriously.
I have a very, very cheap table saw. I fitted it with a decent 10 inch 40t blade.
I made a table with scrap Melamine MDF and scrap steel. it is exactly the same height as my outdoor dining table so I can rip up large materials. (and it provides 2 extra place settings with extra guests)
I temporarily screwed the legless table saw from underneath with the blade guard and riving knife removed.
then switched it on, and wound the blade up through the table at 90 and 45 degrees and back down again.
then I moved the table saw forwards, and refitted the riving knife and bolted the saw in place with countersunk screws.
I wound the blade up through the table twice, at 90 and 45.
the steel at the end has been set square by measuring from the tungsten blade tips (those facing that way) with great care and welded in place.
I set the fence by measuring from the square end. My fence is another piece of steel angle iron and two pairs of locking pliers.
a large pair of vernier calipers is very handy for this. I have the offsets written on the table, I set and lock the calipers and push the fence into place with the calipers.
After this picture I made a sliding square with a piece of wood, a piece of steel flat bar and a few countersunk wood screws. I secured it with one screw, wet assembled it with liquid nails, squared it up then put the other three screws in after the glue had set. it is within 0.5 degrees.
the sliding square runs in a slot cut in the table with a router. I fill the slot with an identical piece of flat bar when the sliding square is not in use.
this picture is from before I made the sliding square.
If I started again I would leave more space in front of the blade.
the saw cost about $100 on special. if you bought all of the materials to make this it shouldn't cost more than the saw did in the first place.
I made a table with scrap Melamine MDF and scrap steel. it is exactly the same height as my outdoor dining table so I can rip up large materials. (and it provides 2 extra place settings with extra guests)
I temporarily screwed the legless table saw from underneath with the blade guard and riving knife removed.
then switched it on, and wound the blade up through the table at 90 and 45 degrees and back down again.
then I moved the table saw forwards, and refitted the riving knife and bolted the saw in place with countersunk screws.
I wound the blade up through the table twice, at 90 and 45.
the steel at the end has been set square by measuring from the tungsten blade tips (those facing that way) with great care and welded in place.
I set the fence by measuring from the square end. My fence is another piece of steel angle iron and two pairs of locking pliers.
a large pair of vernier calipers is very handy for this. I have the offsets written on the table, I set and lock the calipers and push the fence into place with the calipers.
After this picture I made a sliding square with a piece of wood, a piece of steel flat bar and a few countersunk wood screws. I secured it with one screw, wet assembled it with liquid nails, squared it up then put the other three screws in after the glue had set. it is within 0.5 degrees.
the sliding square runs in a slot cut in the table with a router. I fill the slot with an identical piece of flat bar when the sliding square is not in use.
this picture is from before I made the sliding square.
If I started again I would leave more space in front of the blade.
the saw cost about $100 on special. if you bought all of the materials to make this it shouldn't cost more than the saw did in the first place.
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You could always just call up a local cabinet shop, usually the guys there are pretty cool.. they might charge you a couple of bucks to cut it, but i would be willing to bet they would just cut it for free.. Check your phone book.
Try to do it just before lunch or just before closing time.. that way you wont interrupt what they are doing.
Jeremy
Try to do it just before lunch or just before closing time.. that way you wont interrupt what they are doing.
Jeremy
cwujek - if you find anyone to make your cuts, let me know. I'm also in the seattle area, and don't have the right tools to make good cuts. There isn't a single 90 degree angle in the last set of panels I cut :-(
I've asked for a quote from www.steinaudio.com, and it seems reasonable for custom work.
Dan
I've asked for a quote from www.steinaudio.com, and it seems reasonable for custom work.
Dan
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