scrasch Posted May 5, 2015 Report Share Posted May 5, 2015 So, I'm working on a table and am trying to include an angled support brace off of a leg positioned in the center of the width of the table up to a cross member that will hold the table top. I know where I want the support to intersect with both the vertical member and the horizontal member and have worked out the math (with a little help from an online calculator) to get the right length of the angled piece as well as work out the angles at the point of contact with the vertical/horizontal. An image of that is attached below. My problem is that I cut the 63.4 degree angle and then cut the 26.6 degree angle and it matches perfectly on one side but terribly on the other. The angle isn't right on the second. The only way i've been able to figure to cut the damn thing and get it to meet properly is by cutting the first angle on the miter saw, setting the miter saw back to 0 degrees, putting the cut end flush against the miter saw fence and eyeballing a straight cut across the now angled piece. To me, it just seems wrong...however it works. I was wondering what I'm doing wrong that I can't cut these two angles on a single piece of wood and have them successfully intersect with the vertical and horizontal members. I'm obviously doing something wrong. Can someone offer some advice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 5, 2015 Report Share Posted May 5, 2015 Without a picture of your miscut stock I really can't help. But there is nothing wrong with simply drawing a line where you want to cut and cutting to that line, which is what it sounds like ended up doing. Woodworking doesn't need to be a math problem. Although I wouldn't make the cut marked #8 (the hypetenous in your drawing) on your miter saw, I don't think it will be a safe cut. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrasch Posted May 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2015 I will put a picture up of the cut piece where it's supposed to go and show what it looks like. As for the drawing, that's just what the online calculator page drew it as. In actuality, it would be pivoted on the bottom right corner to make the 4" side perpendicular to the "floor" and the 8" side being parallel to the "floor". the piece I'm attempting to fit is the one marked 8.944" and the two angles are the non-90 degree angles. i don't know if it's because the piece I'm cutting isn't a line but rather a piece of material with 3-dimensions and so the angle doesn't meet right or what. I will continue to work and maybe have to make a jig but I have to imagine I'm not the first a-hole that's ever had this problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisG-Canada Posted May 5, 2015 Report Share Posted May 5, 2015 How are you measuring the cut angle? Without a very good (and properly tuned up) jig on a perfectly tuned up saw I think it would be almost impossible to be accurate. Even a few degrees off each cut could make a huge difference. I ask, not because I'm some sort of expert, but becausee I want to learn something. I would also love to see a picture of what you are actually trying to build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrasch Posted May 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2015 "trying" is the key word. My issue is I'm pretty confident at this point that this is NOT the best way to approach this and that I'm not describing what I'm doing well enough to get the feedback I'm hoping for. Attached is a quick sketch of what I'm trying to do -- the Angled support is what I'm trying to cut right and install. Maybe this is overkill but I don't want the very long and relatively wide table sagging so I'm trying to build the thing with some support to prevent that. This is my plan to accomplish that. Please note that this is not to scale and is not 100% accurate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted May 5, 2015 Report Share Posted May 5, 2015 I would simplify the math to 30° and 60°. If you were not so close already it might make a difference, but you are close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrasch Posted May 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2015 yeah, I think 30/60 is probably easier on the mind. I'll do that. Not sure why i have to make everything so darn difficult with these projects. I just don't know if that is going to solve my problem. below is the depiction of how the cuts I'm doing with the current angles turn out. struggling to figure out how the top side connect flush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted May 5, 2015 Report Share Posted May 5, 2015 I would use the bevel on a table saw with a miter gauge or sled to sneak up on the perfect fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinF Posted May 5, 2015 Report Share Posted May 5, 2015 I would use the bevel on a table saw with a miter gauge or sled to sneak up on the perfect fit. this is good advice, I wouldn't worry about doing the math, just put it up there and mark it off the existing structure. As long as your joints are tight your good to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick Posted May 6, 2015 Report Share Posted May 6, 2015 I would put my support piece up on the outside..clamp it, and then mark the pencil lines on it..then go cut it. no math. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapid Roger Posted May 6, 2015 Report Share Posted May 6, 2015 It doesn't matter what angle you are using, the cut angle on the lower end and the angle on the upper end MUST add up to 90 degrees. If you use 45 degrees, both ends should be cut at 45 degrees in opposite directions. 30/60 or 50/40 or 25/65, they all add up to 90! Rog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrasch Posted May 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 6, 2015 thanks for all the responses...after cutting the two angles on a test piece i stumbled upon the realization that the two angles are X and 180-X. So, in this case and using a 30/60/90 triangle's 60 degree angle that gives me angles of 60 and 120. That led me to ask the internets a question about cutting angles greater than 90 degrees on a miter saw. That pulled up this article: http://www.finewoodworking.com/workshop/tip/cut-all-angles-on-the-miter-saw.aspx Quickly made the "fixture" described and the cut matched up perfectly. Since I need to cut 6 of these braces, this will make my life easier. maybe someone else will get a benefit out of this. maybe I'm the only one that didn't know this, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted May 6, 2015 Report Share Posted May 6, 2015 I built a jig like that with a vertical board to clamp the workpiece to. I was trying to cut angles to wrap exposed roof trusses in mahogany for a skylight. By having the workpiece clamped in place and making sure the saw wouldn't hit a clamp it was much safer to cut the long pointy angles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrasch Posted May 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 Steve...that's basically what I did. Nothing fancy, of course, since it didn't have to be exactly perfect and I only needed six. the material was about 2 1/2 inches wide so the cut was pretty long. I don't think it would have been very safe without the jig and clamps. Thank God for C Shaffer for recommending not going with the odd angles and moving more to the 30/60/90 route otherwise I'd have been really screwed. With this, it didn't matter if the cuts were dead on a measurement for them to meet flush with the other surfaces. Thanks for all the help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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