Seeing Alan Turner’s bandsaw wedge-cutting jig in issue #54’s Tricks column prompted me to share my own approach, which can be done on either the bandsaw or tablesaw and doesn’t require making a jig.
Begin by thicknessing a board to the desired width of your wedges, and then crosscut away a piece that equals the desired wedge length. Outfit your miter gauge with an auxiliary fence, and set the gauge to half the desired wedge angle. (It’s best to set it to create an obtuse angle between the fence and blade.) Also outfit your saw’s throat opening with a zero-clearance insert. Now, trim the end of your blank, flip it 180°, shift it the desired amount, and make another cut to complete the wedge. To make multiple identically sized wedges, set up a stopblock, as shown. (I use the back edge of my featherboard.) To prevent binding, place the stopblock forward of the blade a distance equal to or greater than the length of your wedges.
—Philip Houck,Boston, Massachusetts
