Cutting Hexagon and Octagon

CANMIL said:

Hey everyone,

I'm trying to make a 8" Hexagon and a 6" Hexagon jig. I have tried a few times but they never come out like Ricks did. What size of board do I have to start out with for both and is 22.5 degrees the right angle to cut. I'm cutting them on a 10" chop saw. Any help would be greatly apprenciated.

Thank you in advanced

CANMIL

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CANMIL:
If you are trying to make a sort of "picture frame" with 6 equal length sides, then both ends of each side of the 6 sides will have to be cut at 60 degrees.
The formula for calculating the sum of the interior angles within the polygon, in this case a hexagon, is (number of sides minus 2) times 180 degrees, which in this case is (6 minus 2) times 180 degrees or 4 times 180 or 720 degrees. Since there are 6 interior angles, each one must be 720 divided by 6 or 120 degrees. Each end of the frame will be cut at one half of the 120 degrees, which is of course 60 degrees. Don't forget each piece will have to be the same length after the cuts are completed.
If you are trying to cut a solid hexagon out of let's say a 1 x 12, then set the chop saw at 60 degrees to make a vertical cut of 60 degrees (that is 30 degrees more one way or the other from the standard 90) and go around the board. When doing this, best pencil it up on the board before hand and the lines where to cut will be obvious and you can't go wrong (famous last words !)
regards, steveo