Thread: Slicing triangular 45 degree strips on a table saw

Is this what you are trying to create?

Triangle.JPG

It’s great to make everything yourself but you can get that profile in a variety of sizes all finished and various timbers
would save heaps of time and maybe the risk of finger injuries
good luck

Originally Posted by Pauls321

I've been racking my brain for hours and then thought, why not ask the experts. I want to be able to slice lengths of triangular strips,preferably on my De Walt table saw. Ideally the thickness of these would be 6mm on the right angle. So I am guessing each face of the triangle would be 8mm or something like that.
.....

Hi Paul

Is this what you are trying to do:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxvOMHoLRBY


Cheers

Graeme

Here with an 8mm side https://www.porta.com.au/porta-product-type/tri-quad-4/ I doubt you'll find smaller

Just watched the u-tube clip of the 'Japan Hakone Marquetry ... fascinating!

Originally Posted by Pauls321

I've been racking my brain for hours and then thought, why not ask the experts. I want to be able to slice lengths of triangular strips,preferably on my De Walt table saw. Ideally the thickness of these would be 6mm on the right angle. So I am guessing each face of the triangle would be 8mm or something like that.

I want these to make inlays for boxes. Cut up two different types of timbers, make little blocks from them, glue them all up, make strips for the edging etc.

I've tried setting up a jig to cross cut on the 45 degree angle but that just spat the pieces out with chips or just broke them. I tried doing it on my 35 year old bandsaw, but that was not accurate enough.

Surely there must be a method to run pieces through my table saw and they all come out the same. Then after that I slice them into 50mm or 60mm lengths or whatever and start the glueing process.

Any suggestions would be very welcome,

Paul

Hi Paul.
I'm thinking your wanting to do something like this ?

IMG_6647.jpgIMG_6648.jpg

I haven't seen the way Copper Pig Cuts them . Id have to do more searching . Worth a look there though .

I'm thinking two cuts , the second on a cradle . It depends on how you saw tilts as well .

Edit again . I just realized the cradle does it all and no blade tilt needed. Like drawn if at 60 Degrees.


His individual pieces aren't equal sided triangles either . some adjustment needed.

Its not 45 degree either . Some more adjustments needed there as well .

edit . You can change the degree angles as long as they add up to 180 degree I think its fine .

IMG_6644.JPGIMG_6645.JPGIMG_6646.JPG

IMG_6649.JPG

Rob

hi and thanks everyone, blown away here by the replies. Sitting here having lunch and reading them after playing in my shed all morning. Now that I have my router table up and running again. I did spend some time working on another brainwave for my question then run out of time. I have to head up to Coffs Harbour for the afternoon very shortly, but later tonight I will sit down and study all your comments. And yes Dallas, that's what I am trying to create. And Auscab yes, but I dont think I want to be that complicated. You are right though about the angles. It's not an equilateral triangle. I think to get what I want the longest side would be about 12mm and the two shorter sides would be about 10mm.

I'll re read all these later on, thanks again

Paul

a newly sharpened blade will also help.

Originally Posted by Pauls321

I think to get what I want the longest side would be about 12mm and the two shorter sides would be about 10mm.

If you want a right angle triangle, the ratio of short side to long side is √2 or roughly 1.41

Not long back from Coffs Harbour. I actually live 40kms south of Coffs in a small seaside village. I just watched that video with the Japanese chap. That all looks pretty simple to me, the only thing I would have difficulty in doing is sitting down like that with my legs crossed, as my knees kill me these days from too much bowling.

I am joking really, (cept for my knees), that is pretty amazing being able to do all that with hand tools. And we worry about making jigs to put onto our table saws and routers etc,.....geeez eh.

And thanks for that maths formula also Elanjacobs.

I've got plenty of things to think about here now.

Thanks again,

Paul

I should add that 1.41 is only if both short sides of the right angle are equal

I guess your saw has a right tilt blade? I find things like this are much more easily done using a 'fence' located in the left hand mitre slot so the blade is tilted away from the work. Of course you have to make the 'fence' so something adjustable that can be put to future use is the way to go, and a zero clearance plate is pretty much mandatory.

Cut a piece of rectangular stock slightly wider then you need to get four triangles. Using some suitable guides, featherboards for instance, cut a triangle off each side of your stock with the bulk of the stock to the left of the blade running against the fence you have made. Reset your blade to 90 degrees and cut another triangle off the remaining stock using your regular fence. If you're able to guide the then remaining piece of stock without it slipping under the fence it's possible to get four triangles out of this one piece of stock. In my experience this may not be achievable, but hey you got three triangles out of it. Because you're working with a more substantial piece of stock at each step it's a lot safer.

And if you have several pieces of stock to cut you don't need to change the blade tilt as often.

Hi Aldav,

Thanks for that,I think I follow what you mean. My blade tilts to the left, away from the fence. I'll have a think about your suggestion. I have another idea I am working on, started it this morning. If it works I'll take some pics, if not, thats Plan C down the drain.

I've seen youtube videos of blokes sitting there cutting out every piece by hand with a home made mitre box and a very fine saw. Not really sure I want to do that.

Thanks Dave,

Paul