How to Cut a Rounded Bevel on Wood

Make a bevel cut in the lid of a jewelry box or other wooden object.

Bevel cuts can turn any piece of wood into a work of art. A bevel cut involves any shape that does not require a 90-degree angle. Carving a crescent-shaped moon, for example, can boost the appeal of any toy box lid. The trick to carving a successful bevel cut is to create a hole in which you can insert a saw. You can effortlessly score along prefabricated trace lines once your saw is inserted and cutting is ready to commence.

Things You'll Need

• Work gloves
• Safety glasses
• Dust mask
• Block of wood, 2-by-18-by-18-inches
• Measuring tape
• Pencil
• Drill
• Drill bit, half-inch
• Jab saw
• 120-grit sandpaper

Instructions

1. Slide on a pair of work gloves, safety glasses and a dust mask to protect your skin, eyes and lungs.

2. Draw a 9-by-9-inch crescent moon onto the center of a 2-by-18-by-18-inch block of wood with a pencil.

3. Drill a half-inch-deep hole in the middle of the crescent moon with a half-inch drill bit three-quarter inches removed from the trace line. Drill at a 45-degree angle when you are in a tight cutting situation -- when trace lines are close together.

4. Insert a handheld jab saw into the hole. Saw at a 45-degree angle a half-inch deep until you reach the trace line. Saw along the trace line all the way around the shape.

5. Remove the crescent from the center of the wood. Sand the wood smooth with 120-grit sandpaper.

References

• Scroll Saws: Cutting Tight Bevel Cuts
• The Free Dictionary: Bevel