Cutting matching housing/Dado joints at a 30 degree angle

[Bluekingfisher]

Gents/ladies - I'm working on a small project and have come to a grinding, head scratching halt on this particular aspect.

I have drawn a small sketch but IT issues are preventing me from uploading it, so hopefully I can describe my dilemma without the image?

I am cutting 6mm x 3mm housings in 6mm MDF panels which measure 500 mm x 125 mm to accept 6 mm dividers. I am cutting the housings at an angle of 30 degrees, the idea being to make up a small rack much like a traditional kitchen plate rack, making sense so far?

I need to have the two panels ( which will create the top & bottom panel) so the corresponding housings match up with one another. The spacings between the housings also vary, to accept the items I will fit in the spacings.

I was using a dado cutter at the table saw with the mitre gauge at 30 degrees to cut the first set, then realised I could not identify a means of accurately ensuring the housings of the opposite panel would match up.

Would it be better to make a small jig for the router? How would I ensure accurate spacings on both panels.

My scalp is raw from all the head scratching.

Any assistance would be much appreciated.

David

 

[Bluekingfisher]

Don't worry folks, I think I've cracked it - its amazing what can be worked out with pencil & paper.

Cheers

David

 

[Steve Maskery]

The way to do this - and to get the angles to match EXACTLY is to use a sine bar. You need a spacer (in your case exactly half the length of your sine bar, as sin30 = 0.5) and a roofing square.

There is stuff on YT about sine bars, or if you have my DVDs then look at WE9.

 

[Bluekingfisher]

Many thanks I'll have a look at sine bars although I think I have it sorted.

David