184 – Coves on the Tablesaw & the Parallelogram Cove Jig

Video - October 11, 2012

Many people are surprised when they find out they can make incredibly beautiful (and large) coves moldings on the tablesaw. I know I was! In this episode, I’ll give you a rundown on the process for creating both symmetrical and asymmetrical coves. I’ll show you several ways to set up for this operation, but my favorite involves the use of a parallelogram jig that was inspired by a Fine Woodworking Article by Stuart Sabol (subscription required). His jig is primarily for setup only, so I figured why not make a jig that would also double as a fence system.

Once you have your coves cut, you’ll need to clean them up. Unfortunately the blade leaves a fairly rough surface. So I’ll show you a few good ways to smooth the surface to perfection.

And I didn’t mention it in the video, but the best blade for this type of operation would be one with a square tooth grind. That should leave you with the cleanest surface. My 40 tooth Forrest Woodworker II did a pretty decent job without any square teeth. And here is the link for the program cove calculation program over at FineWoodworking.com: Cove Angle Calculator

The Parallelogram Cove Jig

I made my jig from 3/4″ Baltic Birch plywood and several parts from a Rockler Jig IT Hardware Kit. Here are the dimensions of the jig parts:

2 main rails – 54″L x 4″W
2 cross-rails – 13″L x 1.5″W
8 rail supports – 4″L x 2″W

Remember that none of these dimensions are in stone. You might might to make your jig longer, wider, taller, etc.

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