quick & easy

Cove Calculations
Setting up your table saw to create custom coves is
easy to do with this handy calculator.
Cutting coves at the table saw based on where the blade
involves passing the workpiece enters and exits the insert
over the blade at an angle. With plate on the final pass. Then
this handy calculator, you can fig- lower the blade height to 1⁄8"
ure the angle to use when clamp- and make the first cove pass.
ing the fences to the saw top, as
shown in the drawing below.
To use the calculator, simply
enter the width of your workpiece, Width of
the desired cove height and width, 2 3/8 = Workpiece
and blade thickness in the boxes on
the right. When you press the “Cal- Width of
culate” button, the results needed 1 7/8 = Cove
to cut the cove will show up in the
boxes in the drawings below. Then 5/16 = Height
Cove
of

you can print this document and

Fence Angle =
take it to your shop.
When setting up the fence loca-
1/8 = Blade
Thickness cos-1 { Wc-Tb
}
10 * sin(cos-1(1-Hc/5))
tions, make sure the blade is raised Where:
to the desired cove height. This Hc = Height of finished cove
Calculate = Wc = Width of cove
way, you can locate the fences Tb = Thickness of blade

COVE WIDTH DETERMINED BY

POINTS AT WHICH BLADE EXITS a.
AND ENTERS THE INSERT PLATE
Fence Angle =
90-cos-1 { 10 * sin(cos-1(1-Hc/5))
Wc-Wb
}
FENCE Where:
60°
ANGLE Hc = Height of finished cove
Wc = Width of cove
Wb = Width of blade
NOTE: CUT
COVE IN
MULTIPLE
PASSES 1.875 b.
RAISING
BLADE !/8"
BETWEEN
CUTS UNTIL
DESIRED
HEIGHT OF
COVE IS
REACHED

0.25 0.3125

ShopNotes No. 116 Page 1 of 1 ©2011 August Home Publishing. All rights reserved.