Here's the deal. I've got a 6ft Gaff blank that has some taper to it. My goal is this - To make it a 4 piece Gaff blank that will screw together.....don't ask me how yet. Here's MY issue. Due to the taper....how do I ensure that my cut will be perpendicular to the blank?

If I use a chop saw...and place the blank against the back rest...I won't get a 90 degree cut.....due to the taper. Or will I?

If i use a sawzall butted against the blank....will this provide a 90 degree cut to the blank?

What other options do I have? Tape two together in opposite directions?

It seems very simple, but is messin with my head.

Could be the Friday eve. bourbon working its magic too.

depending on what you will use to glue into each piece i would take 1/4' tape run it around the blank Make the cuts
Clean up

i am a Bud man myself LOL

Bill - willierods.com

How does the 1/4" tape ensure a perpendicular cut to the blank?

Building up with tape to the approximate diameter and then placing the blank along the fence, the increased diameter at the tape should equal out the taper of the blank.

.................

Now it makes sense....thanks for the replies.

Jess,
I assume that the taper is not huge on the blank.
If that is the case, put the blank against the chop saw guide and chop it off. Be sure that you have an abrasive cut off wheel on the chop saw so that you don't splinter the blank.


If you want to get a permenant attachment, I think that I would just glue in a solid aluminum tube into the smallest diameter of the two piece blank. Use a 4-6 inch overlap, by trimming the appropriate amount of material off of one blank or the other.

Then, go ahead and slip the two blanks together.

Take a drill press in a drill press vise and drill a 1/8th inch hole through both blanks and through the solid aluminum bar. Then, drop in a 1/8th inch pin with a snap over end on it to secure the two blanks.

I would doubt that the pin sticking out of the side of the blank would cause you any issues would it?


Roger

make sure the imaginary center of the tube is level on a couple of sets of rollers. wraping a tape line is a good idea, just make sure you put an arrow to the edge of the tape where you wish to make your cut. Otherwise it is easy to cut on the wrong side of the tape!!

In addition to adding the tape, take a little torpedo level to get it level. If it's level, the chop saw/miter saw, should come down perpendicular to it (that is if the saw is adjusted properly). This should give you a squared cut.

*be sure one end of the level is on the blank and the other is on the tape used to shim it up. I believe this will get you square.

jwr



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/20/2012 07:07PM by Jeremy Reed.