- How To Cut Angled Slots In Wood Floors
- How To Cut Angled Slots In Wood Doors
- How To Cut Angle Slots In Wood
- How To Cut Angled Slots In Wood Dowels
- How To Cut Angled Slots In Wood Lathe
Cal, I like simple. Cut this on a table saw with an angled dado blade. Better if you have a Wixey or some such electronic angle gauge. Have some stock for sample cuts to check your blade position, height, and angle. Cut the groove the full length of the leg and just fill in the upper part that you don’t need. I want to cut an angled slot in some plywood. Its about 1m long, 4mm wide and 8mm deep. It needs to be 30 deg from vertical. My first thought was setting the router up at an angle using a wedge but the bit needs to protrude a bit too far.
This article is from Issue 35 of Woodcraft Magazine.
Solid connectors that allow wood movement
I need to cut a 3/16' 45 degree angled slot along the length of a 4' by 26' by 3/4 piece of oak. The slot is located approximately 1' in from the long edge and runs the length of that edge. Slot goes all the way from edge to edge, so can be done without a plunge. The 45 degree slots are most often used for making those tricky corner cuts. Window and door trim goes together like a picture frame. Measure the top of the opening, then mark that dimension on your board, indicating the direction of the angled cut. Make the cut the same way as shown above, but line the mark up with the 45 degree slot instead. Finish the OD in the lathe and leave it long so you have something to hold, place in a suitable holding device on the rotary table and nod the head and cut the slots with a saw.
Many woodworkers have learned the hard way not to glue or screw a solid wood tabletop to its base. This can be a painful lesson in wood movement because a secured tabletop that shrinks during the dry season can crack in response. On the other hand, expansion during the humid months can cause the joint to blow apart at the apron.
The solution is to use fasteners designed for the job. The three most common forms are store-bought 'figure-8' and 'Z-clips' and shop-made wooden 'buttons.' They’re all easy to install and allow the wood to expand and contract seasonally. Keep in mind that wood moves only across the grain, so mount the fasteners appropriately, as shown in Figure 1.
Figure-8 fasteners
Figure-8 or “desktop” fasteners screw to both the apron and the tabletop, and can pivot slightly to allow some wood movement. These work well for smaller tables but, due to their limited swing, I wouldn’t use them for tops wider than about 18'.
To allow tabletop-to-apron contact, drill a recess for each fastener in the top edge of the aprons on the drill press before attaching the legs (Photo A). Position the screw location about 3⁄16' in from the inside edge of the apron. Chisel the edges of the recess to allow for swing, and then install the fastener with a flathead screw (Photo B). After assembling the table base, orient the side apron fasteners at an angle before screwing them to the underside of the tabletop.
Determine the necessary offset of the apron slot by measuring the clip offset and adding 1⁄32'.
A 1⁄8' slot cutter can rout clip grooves after the table base is assembled. Clamp a board to the apron to prevent router tip.
Z-clip fasteners
Z-clips are strong and offer a good choice for all sorts of tables (although they’re not very attractive). One end is screwed to the tabletop, while the other sits freely in a slot cut into the apron. To locate the apron slot, measure the offset of the clip (Photo C), and then add 1⁄32', which will ensure that the clip pulls the top tightly to the apron.
The apron can be slotted various ways. One approach is to cut a 1⁄8'-wide × 3⁄8'-deep groove on the tablesaw before attaching the table legs. Alternatively, cut the slots after assembly with a biscuit joiner set for a #20 biscuit or with a router outfitted with a 3⁄8'-deep slot-cutting bit and bearing (Photo D).
When attaching the tabletop, position the clips far enough from the side aprons to allow the appropriate amount of cross-grain wood movement. The end-apron clips should be seated fully in their slots. Attach the clips with panhead screws long enough to provide a good bite into the wood.
How much movement?
When calculating seasonal movement of a tabletop, figure roughly 3⁄16' per foot of board width. This determines how deep to place the fasteners in their side-apron grooves. For example, if you’re attaching a 24'-wide tabletop during the most humid time of the year, seat side-apron clips fully in their grooves. In the driest season, set them back 3⁄16' to allow for future expansion. For wide tabletops, use large buttons with longer tongues that slip into deeper apron grooves.
Wooden buttons
Wooden buttons are used to attach tabletops on much high-end furniture. They’re very strong and exude an aura of fine craftsmanship. You can make a bunch at one time and save some for use on future projects. Install them in the same manner as Z-clips.
To make buttons on a tablesaw, first mill a strip of hardwood 3⁄4 × 1 × 24' long for safe handling. Set up a dado head for a 5⁄8'-wide cut, and outfit your miter gauge with an auxiliary fence that reaches to the blade. Place a thick stopblock against the fence 1' to the side of the blade. Then clamp the stopblock to the fence a few inches in front of the blade and lock the fence.
Register the strip against the miter gauge and stopblock, to saw a dado on each end. Use a spacer to reposition the fence 15⁄8' further from the blade (Photo E), and then cut the next dado on each end. Reposition the fence and repeat the process to dado the rest of the strip (Photo F).
Bore a series of clearance holes for the screws (Photo G).
Saw each button from the strip by aligning the saw teeth with the rear of the adjacent button (Photo H). (For safety, stop the saw before moving each offcut button away from the blade.) Finish up by sanding decorative chamfers on the rear ends and sides of the buttons, as shown in the lead photo.
Cut a dado in each end of the button stock and then use a 15⁄8' spacer to reset the fence and stopblock for the next cut on each end (left). Continue in this manner to dado all the buttons (right).
Photo: peakprosperity.com
A miter box is a wonderfully simple, affordable tool that allows any DIYer to make accurate crosscuts in wood. Since these tools are hand-powered, they are quiet, and they are light enough to be easily moved to any project location.
Added benefit: miter boxes minimize and contain sawdust, making the tool a viable sawing solution for those working in relatively small, indoor spaces like an apartment.
What Is a Miter Box?
How To Cut Angled Slots In Wood Floors
A miter box consists of two components—a hand saw whose teeth are set for crosscutting (cutting against the grain of the wood) and a “box” that is pre-fashioned with slots on both sides to help the woodworker make accurate angled cuts (typically 90° and 45°). A miter joint, the tool’s namesake, is made by fitting together two 45° cuts to form a right-angled corner.
A miter box is a go-to for anyone less inclined to work with power tools, whether on account of space restrictions, safety concerns, or cost. You can buy a miter box for a fraction of what it costs to purchase its powered big brother, the benchtop compound miter saw. And comparatively, the miter box is much easier and safer to operate.
Types of Miter Boxes
Historically, a carpenter or woodworker would create his own wood miter box to use in combination with his favorite saw. Today, miter boxes can be purchased in three basic designs.
How To Cut Angled Slots In Wood Doors
Photo: Stanley 20-600 Clamping Miter Box
Molded plastic miter saws
Molded plastic miter saws are readily available from brick-and-mortar hardware stores and home centers, as well as from their online storefronts. Basic models can be had for as little as $12, while more advanced options max out around $25. You can usually pick up the classic Stanley model, pictured above, for under $15 (view on Amazon). User-friendly and affordable, entry-level miter boxes like these can make quick work of simple, light-duty tasks, such as creating basic picture frames.
Photo: Empire Level Precision Mitre Box
Precision miter saws
The next level up are precision miter saws, which feature a higher-quality saw, a fuller spectrum of degree cutting (with stops for common angles), and hold-down clamps to keep the work piece in place. Rather than plastic, precision miter saws are made from machined metal for added strength and stability. This is the best option if you’re planning to install molding or trim, or if you cut the occasional length of dimensional lumber. For models like the contractor-grade Stanley, expect to pay around $30 or $50 (view on Amazon).
Photo: Rockler Mini Combo Miter Saw Set
How To Cut Angle Slots In Wood
Fine woodworking miter saws
A great hobby shop addition, fine woodworking miter saws are used for wood stock that would be damaged by the rotating blade of a power tool, or by any saw with coarser teeth. Due to its limited size, this type of miter box works best with light and small trim or decorative pieces. The Rockler Mini Combo Miter Saw Set stands out as popular favorite (view on Rockler.com).
How To Cut Angled Slots In Wood Dowels
How to Use a Miter Box
How To Cut Angled Slots In Wood Lathe
- Begin by clamping your miter box to a stable surface with a bar or quick-release clamp. Alternatively, secure the box via nut and bolt.
- Measure your cut length accurately and use a carpenter’s square or triangle to mark the cut on your wood stock, being sure to measure to the long end of any 45° miters.
- Place your wood or trim in the miter box, using any clamps or hold-downs to secure the piece to the box. Make sure to correctly orient the wood toward the angle of cut, noting whether you want the cut across the face of the wood (a bevel) or across the height of the wood (a miter).
- Using light passes, score your cut line just to the outside of your pencil mark, then increase your effort to cut through the work piece.