Monday, March 17, 2014

MFT: quick tip, checking miter angles before cutting



I'm set up to make a mitered cut at a particular angle, that's not a simple 45 degree angle. The board being cut will be used for a shooting board, so having an accurate cut is important.

I could try to check the angle at the guide rail, but there's not a lot of length to register the gauge, and because the edge of the rail is higher than the edge of the board, I can't solidly register against both at the same time.

Because the rail is calibrated to be parallel/ square to the holes in the top, and the holes are all CNC cut at the factory, I can actually check the angle from anywhere on the table, using Qwas dogs and a sliding bevel gauge: The angle is the same in the middle of the table as it is at the edge of the guide rail. Additionally, I get a longer hunk of board to reference from on this side of the guide rail. That extra length generally spells better accuracy, provided the board is straight. And, having the bevel gauge on a solid surface, rather than out in thin air helps to hold the gauge steady and ensure a good read during the procedure.

In this picture, I'm using a 10" Shinwa bevel gauge. I love these things.

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