How to SAFELY Cut a Long Bevel Over 45 Degrees
My process for figuring out how to safely cut a long bevel began when I had a dilemma. I needed to cut a really long bevel at greater than 45 degrees. You cannot do this on a table saw, and everything I saw online showed doing a crosscut on a 2×4. I am working with 2/4 inch plywood, so I had to get creative.
Table of Contents
The Idea
What I am going to do is use my circular saw. This can cut up to 50 degrees, and I will add a piece to the plate to increase the angle I can cut. The angle I want to cut is 60 degrees, so instead of doing 50 and cutting 10, I am doing 45 degrees on my circular saw and cutting 15 degrees to attach to the plate.
Setting Up the Circular Saw
To set up the circular saw the way I want it, I am moving the bevel on my table saw to 15 degrees and lifting the saw blade all the way. The first thing I am doing is cutting a sliver off of a 2×4 that I can attach to the plate on my circular saw. Next, I am setting my circular saw to a 45-degree angle. I still need it further, which is where the 2×4 I just cut comes in. I am attaching the shim to the faceplate by first putting down painters tape, which is going to protect my metal from getting glue on it. After the tape is in place, I am hot-gluing the wood that I cut on top of it.
Cutting the Wood
To cut my wood, I am starting by laying the plank down on a piece of foam. The foam is going to help my table saw not cut into anything, as well as stabilize the plywood. To cut the wood, I am using a straight piece of plywood and taping it down as my saw guide. When doing this, make sure you are using fresh tape so it is as grippy as it can be. I measured my blade when it was at this bevel angle, and it is 3.5 inches long, so I made sure to measure that far away from my straight edge. I am cutting my wood right on the end of the piece, so I do not take any extra material off. Because this is getting cut from the edge I need help with stabilizing. I am using another piece of 3×4-inch plywood to support the free edge. Now, you just have to cut! I am running my circular saw along the guide across my piece of plywood.
These cuts turned out amazing! I am so glad I figured out how to do this safely. I hope this method is helpful for you in your projects.
