called windows) was like a building a jig--in this case a rip Introduction triangle with arced sides, much sled. The first attempt led to I milled quite a few more stronger than the knife edges of another one with a hands free triangles for last years earlier attempts, and with some hold down. It ended up snowflake ornament than I wiggle room for adjusting the working pretty well, but it needed, so, hating to waste final shape. It also allowed for would take up too much space wood and work I started playing some variations beyond the to show here, so I'll just show it around with using them to make basic suggested globe that I in use in Fig01, and let you go another style of ornament. I really liked. And I think the to my web site for an e-article had in mind some variant on an method has a high "how did he on how to make it. Since the Inside/Outside technique. But, do that" component. On the triangles are fairly short (I as triangles aren't the same debit side, there are many usually rip a stick long enough rotated 180 degrees, I had a opportunities for small errors to for two segments, about16-1/2”) little trouble working it out. I gang up on you, so if you’re on it's easily within the limits for a tried turning a recess and then the obsessive compulsive side dedicated rip sled. The sled has rotating the triangles 120 this procedure may drive you an adjustable fence (60 degree degrees, but that yielded a crazy. But I think they’re on one side, 90 degree on the lopsided opening. Next I tried a Ornaments, not art, and are other (so that it can rip therming variation--attaching perfectly fine. diamonds as well as triangles) the flats of the triangles to a and parallelism to the blade can spindle with a hexagonal cross This article will show how to be set using the table saw's section mounted between use this technique to make the 6 standard rip fence rather than centers on the lathe. This sort Window Ornament. It starts trial and error. As when ripping of worked, but I didn't really with alternate ways to mill it's critical to keep the bed of like it. The webs between the suitable triangles, depending on the sled flat, there's a brace on openings were too thin with what equipment you have or the left side. There's a height knife edges so it was nearly like to use. Then it will discuss adjustable hold down to keep impossible to get evenly shaped how to do the first and second hands well away from the blade. openings as even a tiny error in Inside turnings, followed by mounting led to obviously assembly and then the third and different sizes. final Outside turning. Last shown will be some variations I resigned my self to trying two on the design you can try after "inside" turning steps, 120 you master the basic ornament. degrees apart. I say resigned, because that meant doing two Milling Triangles nearly identical inside turnings. I wasn't entirely happy with the But after I tried the technique it way I ripped the triangles on the grew on me. The resulting web table saw for the snowflake between the openings (hereafter ornament. So of course I tried bench. Fig03 shows one solution to holding the triangle. A base slightly longer than the triangle has two adjacent triangles glued on it and a stop block on one end. If you’re planing, the stop block goes away from you, if sanding the stop block goes towards you. The base is held in a vise, and the triangle to be planed is Fig02 Ripping triangles on the placed between the triangles of band saw with a 60° angled face the base. Plane (or sand) one fence. band sawn surface, then rotate the triangle so that the other Start with a board about 16" band sawn surface can be long and 1-1/4" or so thick. planed. Fig01 Ripping triangles on the Home Depot has 5/4 pine that's table saw with ripping sled. good for practice. You may You can also rip the triangles on want to move up to maple or a bandsaw. A really wide blade some other hardwood once helps. Since my bandsaw has a you've practiced the procedure, 1" blade, I can use the rip fence as maple looks better, holds attachment shown in Fig02 and more detail, and allows for still expect to get straight cuts thinner finials. Plane or joint a without worrying about blade straight edge on the board. Rip the first cut on a board with the deflection. The fence has a 60 degree angle face with a small straight edge against the small flat at the bottom of the fence. (1/8" or so) flat at the bottom of Fig03 The setup to hand plane the the angled face. A thin sheet of Then flip the board over, so that band sawn surface of the triangles plastic is fastened to the bottom the now beveled edge of the with a bench jig. of the fence to cover up the board is against the 60 degree blade slot in the table. I found face of the fence and rip again. If you are as fond of blue tape that it worked better if the fence Flip the board each time and rip and glue as I am you can use the was downhill of the blade. I until you run out of board. solution shown in Fig04. Two tried it uphill, but having to triangles are temporarily push the stock up against the My 1" bandsaw blade cuts fastened directly to the fence tended to bind the kerf straight, but it certainly doesn't workbench in front of a stop around the blade. My 60 degree leave a glue ready surface--it block. Put blue or other fence is held on the saw's fence will have to be planed smooth. extended release masking tape with blue tape and CA glue, but There are several ways you on your workbench and both of you could also use screws. could do this depending on your the triangles. Then fasten the Adjust the fence so that the 60 tools. If all you have is hand down using CA glue. If your degree face if extended to the planes or a belt sander than you bench doesn't have stop blocks bottom intersects the side of the can use them--but it's rather you could glue down a kerf. difficult to plane a triangle with temporary one in the same the pointy side down on a fashion. Plane the triangles with a hand plane or belt sander remove just enough to smooth in the same fashion. the surface. Be sure to stand to the side of the planer and don't bend over to watch--there's at least a theoretical chance of the triangle being kicked back and out of the planer. After the first surface has been planed, transfer the triangle to the shimmed side to plane the Fig04 The setup to hand plane the second band sawn surface. You band sawn surface of the triangles should be able to run two with two matching triangles temporarily attached to the triangles through the planer at workbench. once (one for the first surface and one for the second) as the If you have a power planer you triangles are far enough apart to Fig06 Power planing the triangles can use a sled to plane the not share an anti-kickback pawl. in a planer. Be sure to stand triangles. Start with a board safely to the side in case of kick- slightly longer than your back. triangles and wide enough to fit four triangles side by side. After you've planed the surfaces Joint the board flat if it isn't you can cross cut them to already, then run it through the length. I suggest starting with a planer so that both surfaces are length of 8", then adjusting that parallel. Glue 4 triangles to the for the design you adopt. Using board so that the vertexes of the a table saw sled with a stop pairs meet, then glue a stop block will yield uniform lengths block on one end. Add a shim and make the next steps easier. with about 1/16" thickness An optional step, which will (matt board, plastic etc) to one make centering the bundles of face of one of the triangle pairs. triangles easier for all three This will let you plane both turnings, is to nick the corners band sawn surfaces without of the triangles as in Fig07. It's readjusting the planer height. beneficial to have the nicks The completed planer sled is uniform in size so I'm using a shown in Fig05. To use the leather tool (from another life?) sled, place a triangle in the for rounding the edge of leather. deeper channel against the stop Veritas makes a similar tool for block. Check to make sure the Fig05 Planer sled for planing the wood. Fig08 shows the band sawn triangles in a power difference between nicked (on triangle doesn't rock side to planer. side. Run the sled through the the left) and un-nicked (on the planer with the stop block end right) bundles of triangles. The going through last as in Fig06.