Presenting: The RAS Miter Table

[jteneyck]

I needed to make some off angle parts the other day.  That is not as easy with a RAS as it is with a CMS since the RAS only has detents at 90 and 45 degrees.  Yes, the angle gage I made helps for standard angles, but for other angles it's suck and seek.  That started me thinking about a better way.  Around the same time, I watched a YouTube guy demonstrate the Duby Sled.  Eureka, I can adapt that idea to the RAS.  And here it is:



It's just about exactly the size of two Duby sleds, side by side, 38" wide by 27" deep with 30" fences.  It uses the same pivot system concept that I use on my shooting boards, which keeps the edge of the fence exactly at the edge of the blade no matter the angle.  The miter table is held in place by a cleat on the bottom at the back that goes into the space normally occupied by the fence in the normal setup.  It slides in and out easily.     

You can cut any angle up to 50 degrees w/o moving the saw arm and the fences never need to be replaced because the saw always travels the same path. For 90 degree cuts, leave both fences in place.  Angled trim cuts also can be made with both fences in place by rotating one fence.  For angled cutoffs, however, one fence needs to be removed.  This is easily done by removing the holding knobs and lifting the fence off.  



The above photo also shows the stops behind both fences, which are used to calibrate the fences to exactly 0 degrees.  

There is an angle scale on both sides of the table for setting the fence at the correct angle.  I put lines on it for 4 sided (45 deg) to 20 sided (10 deg) frames, plus a couple of other angles.  



This has nothing to do with the miter table, but cut quality of this saw/blade is outstanding. 

 
The miter sled is going to make it much easier to produce high quality miter cuts for angles besides 45 degrees.  Not having to swivel the saw arm assures calibration remains unaffected.  Now I need to add a length stop system.  

John

[fredhargis]

Seems to me like another advantage of that set up would be that dust collection is easier. On my RAS I need a fairly wide hood to catch the angled cuts as i swing the arm. You're set up keeping the arm at 90° would allow a much smaller hood in the back. Well done.

[greenacres2]

Looking at the first picture before starting to read the text--i thought it looked like a Dubby sled. Great work on that--i may have to try my hand at copying!!
earl

[tablesawtom]

I love your miter table. It is one of the best ideas to come along in quite q while.

Tom

[jteneyck]

I love your miter table. It is one of the best ideas to come along in quite q while.

Tom

Thank you, Tom.  

John

[jteneyck]

Looking at the first picture before starting to read the text--i thought it looked like a Dubby sled.  Great work on that--i may have to try my hand at copying!!
earl

Thanks.  It's not as straight forward to make as you might first think.  The pivot system I first developed for my shooting boards works such that the front corner of the fence, where it meets the blade, stays in the same spot as it rotates.  If it doesn't stay there the scales won't be accurate.         

John

[jteneyck]

If there was an interest, I could supply the plastic pivot parts, fences, angle scales, and a set of plans to those who want to build the miter table.  

John

[jteneyck]

Seems to me like another advantage of that set up would be that dust collection is easier. On my RAS I need a fairly wide hood to catch the angled cuts as i swing the arm. You're set up keeping the arm at 90° would allow a much smaller hood in the back. Well done.

Yes, exactly.  You only need a narrow hood to collect the sawdust.  And since the saw arm stays at 90 degrees it doesn't go out of calibration.  There are times when I'll remove the miter table for other jobs, but for most of my needs I think this is going to work great.  In that regard, the miter table just slides in/out, or if you can raise the arm high enough, just slides over the lower table until the fence underneath drops into the gap where the stock fence was.  It's held in place by the same system that secures the stock fence.  Nothing needs to change with your standard setup, except maybe redoing the DC a little.  If you remove the miter table, just put the stock fence back in and you're back to normal.  

John

[fredhargis]

I've been toying with the idea of trying segmented bowls on the lathe. Using a table like that on the RAS would be easier (to me) than a table saw sled for cutting the segments.

[greenacres2]

If there was an interest, I could supply the plastic pivot parts, fences, angle scales, and a set of plans to those who want to build the miter table.  

John

Put me down for one if/when you decide to do that.  Like Fred Hargis, my greatest use would be in segmenting for turnings.  

When i read your initial comment on the pivot edge stay constant i was stumped since it's away from the pivot point.  Hadn't thought through it yet, but recognized the challenge!!