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Six sided block

A

Andrew Raymond

Joined
Jan 8, 2010
Messages
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Location
Victoria, Texas
Am having unbelieveable time trying to saw on the table saw a six sided piece of wood from a square block for use in a turning project. I have found that a hexagon is 30 degree I think, but need help finding the correct dimension. Thank you for the assistance in advance.
 
You will need a larger piece of wood to start out with. Once you make the first 60 degree cut, the rest of the cuts will idex of that
 
Andrew, approximate numbers to illustrate (doesn’t account for blade width and is only to ~one/two significant figures):
Start with a block ~3 15/32” high by 4” wide, set tablesaw blade at 30deg (compliment of 60deg) and set fence ~3” from base of blade. Cut off both sides leaving the bottom face on the table for both cuts. Then put top surface on the table and cut both sides again. Result will be a hexagon with ~2” sides.

To be more exact, the key trigonometry you need is sine(30)=0.5; and cosine(30)=0.866. With a 30/60/90 triangle: sine is opposite side divided by hypotenuse (short side divided by longest side) and cosine is adjacent side divided by hypotenuse.

2”, 3.46” and 4” are not exact, and don’t take into account kerf but should get you close to what you’re looking for.
 
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another way of thinking about it - a circle is 360 degrees.. a Square has 4 sides that add up to 360 degrees.. thus, 4 cuts of 90 degrees = 360 degrees.. In other words, divide 360 by the number of sides and that will be the angle you need to cut each side at... Now, if you want to find the length/width between angles to arrive at a desired diameter, then we're getting into more complex math.. (sines, cosines, tangents, PI, etc) But, if you don't care the diameter you get, (or length) then simply divide 360 by the number of sides, and you have your cutting angle. (So, 360 degrees divided by 6 means 60 degree angles.. if you needed 30 degree angles,for 12 sided pieces, since table saws don't cut at 30 degrees, so you have to "think backwards" and figure what angle is going to be 60 degrees (since table saw blade starts at 90 degrees, less the 30 you need, so you got to cut away 60 degrees of waste) Or, well.. if you go by the scale on your saw (0-45 degrees) then it's the other way around.. I just use a electronic angle gauge that attaches to saw blade by magnet...
 
Andrew Raymond said:
I am so dumb at times, thank you all, will attempt again in the morning............
Click to expand...
How did it go Andrew? You really had it figured out. You cut 1/2 of each 60* angle with each cut. The real trick to get a true hexagon is to cut each face the same length. Unless you need to cut a lot of hexagons, l would just lay it out. Find the center of your square. Set your compass to 1/2 the diameter of your square. No measuring required. Draw a circle filling the square. Pick any point on the circle and draw an arc through the center. Put you compass point where that arc intersected the circle. Move to the next intersecting point and draw another arc. Keep doing this going around the circle. You have defined the 6 point of your hexagon on the circle. Connect the points and cut on the lines.
 
Where is a picture Andrew???? Never figured if you were going for a hexagonal spindle or hexagon from a sphere/3D object. If I was going for a spindle, I would make a rectangular spindle, then set the table saw blade to 30 degrees, mark top and bottom, and start shaving off the sides (top and bottom sides down), till I got the hexagon.

robo hippy
 
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