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Cutting 45 degree with chamfering bit?

21K views 22 replies 12 participants last post by  gunit1400  
#1 ·
is it proper procedure to use a 45 degree chamfering bit to miter the corners for a small decorative box? better on a miter saw, or table saw rather than a router table? thanks
 
#3 · (Edited)
HI Frank

Here's your link

Chamfer Bits

Just a note if you drop the URL call than you can post your URL links.
see below
(http://???) just use the address â–Ľ
woodmagazine.com/woodworking-tips/techniques/routing/chamfer-bits/

Your browser will do it for you (auto) ,when you paste and copy the address to the line..


Just a note, the Chamfer Bits have a down fall, they are made for 3/4" thick stock the norm and as you know when you cut stock on a angle it gets longer so to speak..the thicker the stock the longer they are..that's why the MLCS bits work so well on any stock :)



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#4 ·
HI Frank

Just a note, the Chamfer Bits have a down fall, they are made for 3/4" thick stock the norm and as you know when you cut stock on a angle it gets longer so to speak..the thicker the stock the longer they are..that's why the MLCS bits work so well on any stock :)

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Bob, I'm geometrically challenged! I don't understand why a 3/4" cutting length couldn't be used on 1/2 material.
What am I missing?
 
#12 · (Edited)
I find it easier to do 45° cuts on the table saw. The problem with doing them on the router table is that you end up with as knife edge against the fence. This makes it difficult to control if you're doing the whole edge.

One work around for the router table is to leave a short flat at both the beginning and and of an oversize workiece then cut it to size. This won't work for if you're mitering adjacent edges.

On the table saw, you're cutting the edge opposite the fence, so there's no knife edge issue but you have the same problem as with the router when mitering three adjacent sides; however, I found this simple tool that alleviates this. This fits over a miter and adds 1 inch to the length. You adjust the fence to compensate for the fixture. This will keep you from mucking up the miter knife edge and will give you a flat surface to ride the fence. The fixture is dimensioned for 3/4" thick stock but you can adjust the dimensions for thinner stock (or metric); however, it doesn't work well for thicknesses below 1/2". The fixture doesn't touch the table top; it rides just shy of it. You can make it any length you need. I usually cut the 90° first, that way I'm set up to do miter cuts when I finish the fixture. Depth of the 90° cut is about 3/4". I usually adjust the depth of the miter cut by eye, just make sure you have enough thickness on top to hold it together.

I am planning on making a sled for cutting miters on 4 edges using the router table. It will use stops with this feature built into it.
 

Attachments

#11 ·
End-grain 45s on a jointer

Although theoretically possible, I don't think I'd recommend trying to cut 45° angles on the ends of narrow boards on a jointer. At least not without an auxiliary fence that could accommodate a jig to hold the work piece at 90° to the jointer blades, and that would keep the old pinkies well away from said blades, as well.
 
#13 · (Edited)
HI

" ends of narrow boards '

No big deal on the jointer, just mill them and rip the parts to size after..


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Although theoretically possible, I don't think I'd recommend trying to cut 45° angles on the ends of narrow boards on a jointer. At least not without an auxiliary fence that could accommodate a jig to hold the work piece at 90° to the jointer blades, and that would keep the old pinkies well away from said blades, as well.
 
#19 ·
is it proper procedure to use a 45 degree chamfering bit to miter the corners for a small decorative box? better on a miter saw, or table saw rather than a router table? thanks
To re-address the original question, Yes. I'd do it in multiple passes, however, using a backer board and a sled or push block. Fence positioning is critical on the last pass, though, so as not to over-cut the resulting "knife edge". A feather board mounted to the fence can help to keep the stock tight against the RT surface.

Naturally, you also will want to make sure that the corresponding sides of the box are still exactly the same length after the miters are cut. Otherwise, the miters won't fit well, and the box will be out of square.
 
#20 ·
I sure hope so,:blink:

i recently bought a 45degree cutter and a plate with a larger hole for just that purpose,

I have seen this method used on the forum. I believe Harry has a photoshoot.
 
#21 ·
You can do a very good job on a router table. You will need to get the bit depth perfect first. I would then use a piece of scrap mdf or ply wood at least six inches square (i.e. perfectly square) and place my work piece agaist it and use the scrap block to push the drawer piece past the bit. The scrap block will help keep the work piece square, help prevent blowout, and by holding the workpiece tight to the scrap block it won't have a tendency to dive into the bit when entering or exiting the cut.

Some handy math for calculating diagonals in squares. The diagonal is 1.414 times the length of a side. (The square root of 2 = 1.414) Any 45 degree diagonal is the diagonal of a square. I've always found this worth remembering as it comes up often.
 
#22 ·
I was never too fond of chunks of wood pretending to be Frisbee's. "Small" projects need special handling. I would not even consider using anything other than a nice table saw sled for this cut - EVERYTIME. Routers are great, but when an accident occurs with a router, there are no parts to sew back on - just soup on the floor. Not a pretty sight.