BT3100 Basics -- How to do a Bevel Cut?

[Ed62]

I think your question has been answered, but....

How does everyone adjust their saw?

I like to run my fence just a touch away from the back of the blade. Others might want it spot on.

Ed

[niki]

In Europe, they are teaching to cut bevels when the workpiece is "trapped" between the rip fence and the blade but....



First use your Riving knife and second...

Use a "Low fence" and "Short fence" so the workpiece is actually not "trapped" (as you can see on the pics below)

[luteman]

Niki, glad to see you back here. We've missed your excellent posts and pix. BTW, what brand of saw are you using in these pix?

[niki]

Niki, glad to see you back here. We've missed your excellent posts and pix. BTW, what brand of saw are you using in these pix?

Thank you

The saw is "Elektra Beckum PK 255" (German) but some one year ago, Metabo bought them and the sticker changed to "Metabo PK 255" otherwise, it's the same saw.

I paid for it almost $2,000 (including sliding table) first, because as you know, we have "Euro Prices" and second, because the VAT in Poland is 22%...

You will not find it in USA but you can see the Spec here...BTW, it's one of a very few makers that gives you the "Input Power" and the "Output power" so you know what's in the "box" (what they call "motor capacity)...
http://www.dm-tools.co.uk/product.ph...n//sn/METPK255

Regards
niki

[eezlock]

BT3100 basic cut?

If you have your owners manual...look at page 29, fig. 40. It describes how to safely make different cuts, I think you are wanting to make a beveled rip cut....is that correct? Hope this helps.

[L. D. Jeffries]

Just my 2 cents worth. I have a hardwood board, thickness to match table height, insert this between stationary top, then move the right hand table to the left side after taking the sliding miter table off the saw. That way I can use the fence to the left of the right tilting blade. No problem with trapped pieces and full use of fence and table top to the left of the blade.

[tkarlmann]

The cut the OP describes could be done on the right side of the blade as the whole edge won't be beveled. I'd be really hesitant to do the 8" ends that way though.

If the entire edge was to get a bevel I wouldn't try it on the right side of the blade. The point of the bevel from the opposing edge can slide under the fence. Not only can it provide an uneven cut if that happens, that's where is can get dangerous. If the piece binds it can get pushed at an angle towards the blade.

I was only bevelling about half the board's thickness -- more of a chamfer, I guess. Still have serious problems burning the board doing this cut.

[tkarlmann]

I'm not entirely sure I'm grasping the problem. The auxiliary table is narrower than the sliding miter table. If the SMT will fit left of the blade, the aux table will fit, too ...

Mounting the dual miter slot table may be your best long-term solution, as it is made to fit snugly against the main table without leaving a gap. This will of course move the SMT about 6" farther from the blade, so you'll have to consider how that might affect your use of the saw, especially if you don't have a conventional miter gauge.

My saw is adjusted so one set of marks gives me exact inches of cut -- the SMT just fits to the left of the saw. There are 3" flanges/frame parts that extend from the saw table on the left side absolutely preventing the aux table from mounting there w/o moving the rails.

[pelligrini]

Sounds like your fence might be a little bit out of alignment, causing the burning. Dirty and dull blades can cause it too.

[tkarlmann]

Thom,

This sliding rails offers far more advantage to me than the scale does, but this is not for everyone.

Once you do this, you can put the Aux table on the left and use the rip fence on the left too.

I didn't wish to move the rails, however I may need to do this to get the bevel cut!

[tkarlmann]

If you have your owners manual...look at page 29, fig. 40. It describes how to safely make different cuts, I think you are wanting to make a beveled rip cut....is that correct? Hope this helps.

Yes, I've always had my saw the other way -- I think I'm going to try setting it up as shown in figure 40. Does anyone have dimensions/plans for the "Wooden Insert" they refer to? Is there anything tricky about the insert?

[JimD]

I used to use the scale on the rip fence for rip cuts. I even made an adjustable pointer to help with zero. But I ended up deciding I could set the fence more accurately with a steel ruler. I use the rip fence scale to get roughly where I want the fence and then move to final position with a ruler. I have 1-3 feet steel rulers. I got them fairly inexpensively from Lee Valley.

Maybe it is because of this but I move my rails to make bevel cuts. I can move back to roughly the same position very quickly and roughly the same position is all I need. I've done it both ways but I got burning some with the fence to the right. I get much more consistently good results with the fence to the left.

Jim

[tkarlmann]

CAn Fence-To-The-Right be used for everything?

I used to use the scale on the rip fence for rip cuts. I even made an adjustable pointer to help with zero. But I ended up deciding I could set the fence more accurately with a steel ruler. I use the rip fence scale to get roughly where I want the fence and then move to final position with a ruler. I have 1-3 feet steel rulers. I got them fairly inexpensively from Lee Valley.

Maybe it is because of this but I move my rails to make bevel cuts. I can move back to roughly the same position very quickly and roughly the same position is all I need. I've done it both ways but I got burning some with the fence to the right. I get much more consistently good results with the fence to the left.

Jim

I've just not tried it there. I am so happy to be able measure from the scale! Cutting accurately from the scale almost seems like the saw is automated. I even use my 1/2" spacer, offsetting my scale numbers, (and of course removing the spacer before the cut) to give me crosscut lengths all with no measuring.

I guess this is why I am reluctant to move the rails -- for me, right now, moving the rails is like if some nare-do-well loosened all your SMT screws late at night to mess you up. I also remember taking some time to adjust to the point where I could completely trust my scale values.

Can I leave my rip fence to the left of the blade, or is this limiting for other cuts? (Hey, I just never tried it)

A Wonderment: There are 2 sets of numbers on the scale. If I use the mysterious wood insert and put the fence to the left of the blade, do the other set of scale values now indicate anything useful -- like indicating another real zero point if fence is in contact w blade?? (OK, I need to go & look!) Just wondering if anyone knew.

[Bill in Buena Park]

Can I leave my rip fence to the left of the blade, or is this limiting for other cuts? (Hey, I just never tried it)

A Wonderment: There are 2 sets of numbers on the scale. If I use the mysterious wood insert and put the fence to the left of the blade, do the other set of scale values now indicate anything useful -- like indicating another real zero point if fence is in contact w blade?? (OK, I need to go & look!) Just wondering if anyone knew.

Thom,

You are correct - the mount for the SMT is narrower than the width of the aux table, and with the rails set so the scale is useful causes the rails to the left of the blade to be ~1in too short to mount the aux table there.

You can certainly move your rails to the left, and your fence, so you can use the bottom scale on the rails for left-side fence placement, and work your cuts from the left side. I believe this way you could keep your SMT to left of the main table, and the aux table to the left of that - there just won't be much off-cut support to the right of the blade.

Another thought is to not move your rails, but buy and mount the half rails to the left end of your main rails. This will give you room for aux table placement on the left.

One last thought - move your rails exactly 1in to the left, and scribe a new fence scale index line 1 in to the left of the factory line. This gives you the extra inch you need to mount the aux table, and things can stay that way (just remember to index the rip fence off your new line.)

[tkarlmann]

Thom,

You are correct - the mount for the SMT is narrower than the width of the aux table, and with the rails set so the scale is useful causes the rails to the left of the blade to be ~1in too short to mount the aux table there.

You can certainly move your rails to the left, and your fence, so you can use the bottom scale on the rails for left-side fence placement, and work your cuts from the left side. I believe this way you could keep your SMT to left of the main table, and the aux table to the left of that - there just won't be much off-cut support to the right of the blade.

Another thought is to not move your rails, but buy and mount the half rails to the left end of your main rails. This will give you room for aux table placement on the left.

One last thought - move your rails exactly 1in to the left, and scribe a new fence scale index line 1 in to the left of the factory line. This gives you the extra inch you need to mount the aux table, and things can stay that way (just remember to index the rip fence off your new line.)

I have a new thought: I have the dual miter slot accessory table -- I think I'll try and see if it fits to the left -- where the SMT table is now. Come to think of it -- that SMT table is sort of unsafe for ripping when mounted to the left -- I need to be right where the SMT is for ripping; while the SMT is OK there for crosscuts.

Oops! I'll bet the dual miter table needs to be aligned to the blade & such. Then when removed and replaced, would lose it's alignment. :-(

Where could I get those other half-rails you mentioned?