# Question on bevel and miter cuts



## rdbrion (Jun 25, 2015)

Okay, I am still new to furniture building, but have a fair amount of experience with other building projects; however, I am a little lost here.

The plans call for legs with the following cuts:

Both ends cut at 10 degree double bevel ends ARE parallel. 

Both ends cut at 10 degrees off square, ends NOT parallel.

This is essentially a saw horse style leg. On the first cuts, could someone explain what the double bevel and parallel means? For the second cut, can someone help with understanding the off square not parallel?


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

Without a picture or a copy of your plan, my guess is the following: 
In #1, the ends are both cut at a 10 degree angle in the same direction. 
This makes it parallel. 
After the cuts, if you hold the board straight up and down, the high side of both cuts is on the right (or same) side. 

In #2, the ends are cut at 10 degrees in the opposite direction. They will not be parallel. 
After the cuts, if you hold the board straight up and down, you have a high side on opposite sides of the board. One on the left and one on the right. 
Again, based on the info you gave, this is my guess.


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## rdbrion (Jun 25, 2015)

Sorry for the lack of picture. Here it is. The 15.5 inch cut is the "double bevel" and the 5 and change cut is the off center not parallel cut. In my head double bevel means compound miter where I set the miter to the degree AND the bevel at the same time.


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## rdbrion (Jun 25, 2015)

Try again


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*double bevel...?*



rdbrion said:


> Sorry for the lack of picture. Here it is. The 15.5 inch cut is the "double bevel" and the 5 and change cut is the off center not parallel cut.* In my head double bevel means compound miter where I set the miter to the degree AND the bevel at the same time.*


It is a compound miter.
If the legs are at angles and perpendicular to the ground it is just a miter.

If the legs are splayed out and not perpendicular to the ground, it requires a compound miter. Set your miter saw to 90 degrees minus the desired angles and it should be what you need. :yes:


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## rdbrion (Jun 25, 2015)

Thank you. So to make sure I am visualizing this correctly, for the 10 degree double bevel, I would set the miter to 90 minus 10 and the bevel to 10 degrees? Or am I over complicating this?


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*No...*

On your saw, 90 degrees is "0", so to get your "10 degrees", just set it at 10. The bevel should be set at 10 also. I kinda confused you about the "90 minus the angle" thing, but since 90 is zero it all works out... just understand that the plans gave you the "setting" for the saw, not the actual measured angles. A 10 degree setting will give you a 80 degree measured angle..... but who measures angles anyway? :blink:


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## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

*Compound Miters*

The picture helped a lot. 
Woodnthings has got you covered.


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## rdbrion (Jun 25, 2015)

Thanks to both of you. I am a bit of a nerd I guess, as I measure out my angles with a speed square then match the mitre to the measure. This is especially true at the moment since I am using family tools as I am out of town. 

Another random question. Just realized my dad's miter doesn't allow for compound miter cuts (no bevel). How would you approach the cut? I have my own idea, but interested in other ideas.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*you can't get there from here .....*

Just make the legs perpendicular to the ground, never mind the splayed out effect and compound bevels.
You won't have much accuracy if you don't use a compound miter saw. That's what I would do.

:smile:


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## rdbrion (Jun 25, 2015)

Well, that is definitely the least headache...sold...lol


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