Ed Korsberg
PRO Member
I have tried a couple of times to make this laminate pattern from thin (like 1/8 inch) strips of ripped wood but I am still having obvious tapering issues from end to end. The total length of the strips are about 3 feet in this case.
As you know you first you cut a series of strips of various thickness and wood species, glue and clamp till dry. Then cut the laminate at an angle (in this case 30 degrees with width of 1 inch) and then glue and clamp again. There is another round of that process to follow but already the errors are excessive.
In hindsight I should have assembled all the pieces (24) in their original orientation which would have minimized much of the mismatches. Thus if I take a piece from the thicker end and pair with a piece from the thinner end then the mismatch is glaring.
But more to the point is how can cut a perfectly consistent thin strip on my table saw? I tried to align my saw (Dewalt DW944) as best I could. On a separate note I am considering getting a Sawstop contractor table saw after having my first and hopefully last table saw accident. Would a higher quality saw be more able to maintain a consistent cut? Various people offer opinions that not even a higher end saw would really make for a precision cut. I have looked into maybe making a thin strip cut jig but those are usually for lengths much less than 3 feet. I have a Grr-Gripper but never used yet. There seems to be an attachment for 1/8 strips and they also recommend getting 2 Grr-grippers for lengths greater than 16 inches.
Basically I am having problems achieving results such that other more experienced members of this forum are achieving.
Title: Imgur
this is even a worse demonstration of it
Title: Imgur
As you know you first you cut a series of strips of various thickness and wood species, glue and clamp till dry. Then cut the laminate at an angle (in this case 30 degrees with width of 1 inch) and then glue and clamp again. There is another round of that process to follow but already the errors are excessive.
In hindsight I should have assembled all the pieces (24) in their original orientation which would have minimized much of the mismatches. Thus if I take a piece from the thicker end and pair with a piece from the thinner end then the mismatch is glaring.
But more to the point is how can cut a perfectly consistent thin strip on my table saw? I tried to align my saw (Dewalt DW944) as best I could. On a separate note I am considering getting a Sawstop contractor table saw after having my first and hopefully last table saw accident. Would a higher quality saw be more able to maintain a consistent cut? Various people offer opinions that not even a higher end saw would really make for a precision cut. I have looked into maybe making a thin strip cut jig but those are usually for lengths much less than 3 feet. I have a Grr-Gripper but never used yet. There seems to be an attachment for 1/8 strips and they also recommend getting 2 Grr-grippers for lengths greater than 16 inches.
Basically I am having problems achieving results such that other more experienced members of this forum are achieving.
Title: Imgur
this is even a worse demonstration of it
Title: Imgur