# Cutting angles for mini arcade project



## Gannicus (Dec 26, 2012)

Hey guys,

I'm trying to wrap my head around cutting angles. Here is a picture of the template I used to cut the side panels. These are out of 1/2 birch ply.










My question is, how do I affix all the panels inbetween the two sides?

I can't leave the long edges all to 90 degrees, it just won't line up.
As you can see in the picture, I've drawn lines of varying angles leaving as many 90's as I can. But it just doesn't look right. Can someone shed some light on how to properly create the angles for the long edges of these cross members?


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## tcleve4911 (Dec 16, 2006)

Gannicus said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> I'm trying to wrap my head around cutting angles. Here is a picture of the template I used to cut the side panels. These are out of 1/2 birch ply.
> 
> ...


Not clear on what you are trying to do


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## mikeintexas (Oct 25, 2011)

:blink: I think he's asking how to secure the horizontal panels that go inbetween the two side panels?


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## Gannicus (Dec 26, 2012)

mikeintexas said:


> :blink: I think he's asking how to secure the horizontal panels that go inbetween the two side panels?


Well I know HOW to secure them. My question is in regard to the angles.

They are not 90 degree angles. So cutting two 45's won't work.

Some are like 32 degrees etc.
My question is. How to cut these correctly? Do I have the angle, and cut each side that half angle?

Meaning, if I have a 30 degree angle, do I cut 15 degree bevel cuts on each length of the boards to connect them to a 30?

I've never done angled cuts before. My saw also only goes to 45 degrees. So how would I cut greater than a 45 degree? Like...a 20?


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## RogerInColorado (Jan 16, 2013)

I don't know what you are asking, either. Are you trying to make an "enclosure" with these as ends, such that the pieces that join these ends share the same shape (like a round column, viewed from the ends, looks like a circle)?

Are the "long edges" panels or stretchers?

If so, are you asking how to set up a table saw to cut them? Are you asking how to fasten them? Is it structural or simply decorative?>


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## mikeintexas (Oct 25, 2011)

Are you wanting to cut along the lines you've drawn? You can do that with a jigsaw, no problem. Jigsaws are cheap, too. Just clamp a guideboard for the saw's shoe to ride against and you're good to go.


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## RogerInColorado (Jan 16, 2013)

Ok, you were answering my questions while I was posting. 

I only know how to do this on a table saw. 

I once had to build a triangular kiosk that was about 6 ft. tall. The three corners had to, of course, be beveled and glued up to be the "posts" or stiles. It was an equilateral triangle, so each corner = 60 degrees and so each cut needed to be 30 degrees. Confusion sets in with the 90 degree math for cutting a 60 degree angle that's actually 30 degrees because of the reference angle of the blade to the table 

This is further confused by the fact that some table saws treat a blade square to the table as "0" and some table saws treat it as "90". 

Here is how I did it. I built a 7 foot sled out of MDF (stable, flat and cheap). The side that would run against the fence had an inverted "U" that straddled the fence to keep it from wandering. I did this so that I could stand the board on its EDGE (with the saw set for a 30 degree cut) and run it through the saw while it was clamped to the sled. That provided stability to get a good, smooth cut and it made it safe since my hands were away from the blade. By the board being captured by the sled which was captured by the fence, kickback was prevented.

In your case, you need to figure each of the angles for each of the edges to figure out which of your pieces need to be run face to the table and which need to be run face to the fence and what the angles for each of the pieces are. You must bisect the angles first so that you know the angle for the edge(s) of each piece.

I suggest after you bisect each of the angles you then make a RIGHT TRIANGLE cardboard or hardboard template for each edge. If you do this, each of your triangle templates will give you a blade set-up template for both table to blade and blade to fence.

Use the templates to run scrap stock samples to validate your calculations and measurements before you use the good stuff.


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## mikeintexas (Oct 25, 2011)

Holy cow, that's a lot of work!  Good luck with that! But good on you, Roger for posting such a detailed explanation. :thumbsup:


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## Gannicus (Dec 26, 2012)

Yeah my saw registers 90 at 0.

So what is the math to figure out what the blade should be set at? Is there a youtube video or something that goes over this? I understand the idea of the sled that wraps over your fence, and slides the piece down.

It's weird to me we have all these guys here that don't know what an arcade looks like. haha. Basically, I'm skinning the arcade. I have those sides up, attached to a base with feet. And runners in between the two sides holding it up. Now I have to cut the panels to cover the whole thing.

Here's the front plans that I'm using. Obviously, I've took liberties to it, cut it half, shrunk it down, etc...but this may help give an idea. You'd think with plans they would include the angles of the bevels needed. /shrug

For anyone wishing to look at the FULL plans, you can check them out here: http://www.jakobud.com/plan.php?id=26


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## RogerInColorado (Jan 16, 2013)

I assumed you had cut the angles so you knew what they were. You need to get an angle gauge, but the mechanical ones require some "interpretation" I'd suggest you seek out a digital version. Rockler has one that will work but I don't know where it fits into your budget http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=24525&rrt=1

After you know the angle, you divide it by two to get the cut angle for each of the two edges in the angle. The cut angle is the angle you set your saw to, or, if it is more than 45 degrees, the compliment of that angle. That is, if your cut angel is 50 degrees you can't do that, so 90-50 = 40 so set your saw angle to 40 and put the edge to the table and the face to the fence.


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## Gannicus (Dec 26, 2012)

RogerInColorado said:


> I assumed you had cut the angles so you knew what they were. You need to get an angle gauge, but the mechanical ones require some "interpretation" I'd suggest you seek out a digital version. Rockler has one that will work but I don't know where it fits into your budget http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=24525&rrt=1
> 
> After you know the angle, you divide it by two to get the cut angle for each of the two edges in the angle. The cut angle is the angle you set your saw to, or, if it is more than 45 degrees, the compliment of that angle. That is, if your cut angel is 50 degrees you can't do that, so 90-50 = 40 so set your saw angle to 40 and put the edge to the table and the face to the fence.


EXACTLY what I was looking for. And you'd recommend doing that on a sled like you mentioned previously, correct? Something that can slide the piece along the fence for safety?


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## Gannicus (Dec 26, 2012)

So I checked all the angles with a sliding bevel gauge, and I got the following angles.

30, 48, 43, and 45.

Ugh. these are going to be really tough cuts.


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## Gannicus (Dec 26, 2012)

Roger,

I went ahead and made a tenon jig tonight. Like this one.
http://www.popularwoodworking.com/projects/table_saw_tenon_jig

My only question is, how can I nail the angles? 

The saw I have is 0 at 90, and the blade leans to the left. As a test, I just swung the saw past 0, and made a cut. Here is my end result.










Turns out, it was set for 22 degrees. And that's exactly what I got using a sliding bevel gauge, and a protractor.


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## RogerInColorado (Jan 16, 2013)

You're on track. Nailing the angles (I assume you mean getting them accurate) is what the scrap is for. Saw angle indicators are not really as accurate as we would all like. Make the templates and use them. 

If by nailing the angles you mean how to fasten them together, I would not use fasteners. There is no way to maintain precision holding them together while you nail unless you have six people helping you. Modern glues are stronger than the materials they bond. I use the packing tape method. 

Lay the two "halves of the joint" fairly tight together, bevel down with the ends flush. have someone hold them while you run a strip of packing tape down the joint. Make sure the boards are dust free before you apply the tape. Now turn the assembly over, apply glue to the joint and then pull the assembly together and apply a piece of tape from one face around to the other to keep the joint in position while the glue dries. The tricky part is to apply the right amount of pressure for the joint to match the angle you need. Use your bevel gauge to verify as you go. Done lots of glue ups with this technique. It works. Practice on scrap. Practice on scrap. Practice on scrap. 

Now comes the cool finish part. When the glue has cured, lay the assembly down with the sharp edge of the bevel up. wherever you see a gap, apply a little glue. Take a piece of round stock, like a screwdriver and burnish the sharp edge, forcing the gap closed. It's best to do this a couple of inches at a time. You don't want a sharp edge there, so you may as well take advantage of the need to get rid of the sharp edge and use it to close the gap. Once the gap is closed, and while the glue is still wet, sand the flat surfaces so that the sanding dust mixes with the glue and finishes filling the joint. Let the assembly sit overnight and then you can start finish sanding.


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## Gannicus (Dec 26, 2012)

Hey Roger, 

I just wanted to thank you. I got all the cuts done perfectly. I'll post a thread once it's all done. Started part of the glue up tonight. :thumbsup:


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