How do I get a good fit with a cut on the bias?

[cjthomas]

I tried to join two different pieces together that I had cut on a bias. I had trouble getting the two surfaces to mate tightly. What method of cutting / prepared does anyone do to get a tight fit when joining on a bias? TIA (Thanks in advance)

 

[Daniel]

Chris,
most of my pleasure turning has been along this line this year. so I am also a newcomer to it. I have found my radial arm saw to do the best job. giving me gluable joints right from the saw. it helps to try and true up the sides of the blank so it all comes out straight. my best stratagy is to use very large blanks. I tried using a Power miter saw. take it from me it doesn't work. don't know if it is the type of blade in the saw or what but it throws the blank around the shop at the end of the cut. I do not get the same thing from my radial arm saw.
a hand miter saw might work as well. I would also try the band saw using the mitre gauge and the largest blade your saw will accept.

 

[wpenm]

I use my radial arm saw as well. It gives me a good smooth cut ready to join. I have found that a block of wood with a large v groove in it also helps to line everything up. I put wax paper in the groove so that my pieces will not stick.

 

[tipusnr]

You can use a power miter saw but you have to clamp up a zero clearance fence to keep from shooting the blanks around the shop.

 

[Gregory Huey]

I use a sliding compound miter saw (works like a radial arm saw only backwards) I also use a vee block with wax paper laid in it for glue up.

 

[Fred in NC]

Wood glue such as Titebond is good for joints along the grain, but does not hold so well on end grain. I use epoxy for end to end joints. Also, I wipe the wood with alcohol if the wood is oily.

 

[KKingery]

I use the good ole' hand miter saw, and do the glue ups with CA. It works great. No problems.

 

[KKingery]

I use the good ole' hand miter saw, and do the glue ups with CA. It works great. No problems.

 

[William Young]

Chris;
Are you referring to cutting pieces on the bias for pen blanks? I just cut them with the mitre guage on my bandsaw and then I use the mitre guage on my disk sander to make them smooth at the same angle.
Then I glue them together with CA. I have never had a failure with that method yet. Here is what a few of them look like.
W.Y.

 

[TheHeretic]

sled on the table saw also works. I just recently started doing it this way. I put double stick tape down to hold the blank while I cut. I still use a pencil as a hold down to help things out as well. Works so far.

Dean
Columbus OH

 

[jwoodwright]

The Blade matters. Radial Arm Saws tend to be almost zero clearance. A Chop Miter saw (CMS) can be if you use a piece of Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) and screw or tape it down. Make it long enough to go from wing to wing and you will have a very stable surface.[8D] There are many articles on CMS and some show use of a replaceable center section.[]

 

[Gary]

Originally posted by jwoodwright
<br />The Blade matters. Radial Arm Saws tend to be almost zero clearance. A Chop Miter saw (CMS) can be if you use a piece of Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) and screw or tape it down. Make it long enough to go from wing to wing and you will have a very stable surface.[8D] There are many articles on CMS and some show use of a replaceable center section.[]

I use the miter saw with a finish cut-off blade and double-sided tape...works just fine.

 

[cjthomas]

Thanks for all of the great feedback. It looks like the biggest thing that I was missing was double-sided tape.