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Sugestion to cut deep tapered channel

1204 Views 5 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  BernieL, 
BernieL
Although I'm doing OK with my latest project, I know I'm in the company of some talented and innovative folks. So maybe can make my job easier.

What I'm trying to do is level a prefabricated swing set for a grand daughter my son's in-laws bought. We are installing it in a shaded area but it's on a hill so I need to level it. I don't want to dig down as the swings are not that big. So I'm raising the front. I need to catch the brace half way down and keep it level. My solution is a 4X6 timber.

But I need to cut a tapered channel. The timber will be on the hill but the swing will be level in the channel. Does anybody have a solution to easily cut the deep tapered channel. What I'm doing is cutting with a hand saw to get a straight or level bottom - hogging out most of the waste with a drill - and smoothing it with a chisel.

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cabinetman
By saying "tapered" is the channel itself squared off so to speak...straight sides...flat bottom? The channel you have looks straight, from one surface to a couple of inches deep. You didn't state the size or properties of the channel.

But, from looking at it, you might make a jig to hold it through the table saw, by having one end down and propping the other end up, and making passes through the blade. IOW, the channel is flat, but on an angle in the length of the wood.

I had a similar project on one end of my concrete patio next to the house. In a heavy rain, water would puddle there. So, I made a ramp for my skill saw to start with the blade skimming the patio, and tipping down as the saw is pushed towards the edge of the patio. It worked great.




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adot45
Hi Bernie, +1 on cabinetman's suggestion of a jig. I made a sled for making taper cuts in table legs, etc. would something like that be useful here? Not exactly sure of the cut you are making.
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BernieL
Thank you very much - ts jig will solve my problem. The cut is square with a flat bottom and your suggestion Cabinetman is what I need. The 1st piece pictured above is fine, but it took me a couple of hrs to do using the hand tools. Being the lazy guy that I am, I was looking for an easy way to do the next one... nothing like a simple little jig :thumbsup:
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M
You can also cut a taper on the piece that makes the groove then glue the three pieces together with an outdoor glue like TBIII. Or glue the three pieces together with the middle one on you taper angle and bandsaw / plane off the part sticking out.
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BernieL
Good alternative Midlandbob... I just don't know why these solutions didn't jump out at me. I'm usually pretty resourceful. Thank you for the ideas - the ts suggestion by cabinet man worked well. It's nice to know I'm not alone in my woodworking endeavors.
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