Making Shapes: How to Cut a Hexagon on a Table Saw?

Learning how to cut a hexagon on a table saw can be done using a special jig or by making angled cuts with a miter gauge. It’s important, especially when you have a project that requires cutting out hexagonal shapes, whether it be DIY or for a client. Nevertheless, while cutting hexagons on a table saw may seem challenging, with the appropriate approach, it becomes quite simple.

To begin, you’ll need to decide how big of a hexagon you want to cut, then alter your fence accordingly. After that, position the workpiece so that the side you are cutting faces up and underneath the blade. You can mark a reference starting point to make the process easier.

Note: Do you have a DeWalt table saw? Then learn how to adjust the table saw fence!

Returning to the topic at hand, if you are slicing a hexagon in half, place it on top of the table saw with the cut side facing up. Make multiple passes with the workpiece through the blade until you have reached the appropriate depth.

Interested? Read on for the step-by-step guide!

Step 1:

Collect the tools you need:

• Table saw
• Basic material/stock such as wood, plywood, particle board, etc.
• Sliding miter gauge
• Pencil
• Drawing compass
• Ruler

To help you work with the miter, make sure to learn how to build a miter saw table.

Step 2:

To design the hexagon, arrange the stock you are cutting onto a flat work area. Orient the stock such that the wood grain runs vertically if it is made of a single, solid piece of wood.

On your stock, draw a circle that is precisely the right size to accommodate the hexagon that you wish to cut. A line that divides the circle horizontally in half should then be measured and marked.

Step 3

The circle’s radius, which is equal to half of its breadth, should be measured. Mark the dividing line’s endpoint, then use the radius length to measure across the circle’s inside edge, intersecting the circle at the next point.

The same measurement should be used to mark six places around the circle’s perimeter. To complete the hexagon shape, draw lines connecting the points. These will span all the outside angles of the hexagon while providing the basic shape of the hexagon that you need to cut.

Step 4

Cut the hexagon’s top and bottom edges using the table saw fence to help you make clean, 90-degree crosscuts. The gauge will be used to trim the remaining four side edges.

Speaking of crosscutting, learn how to build a crosscut sled for your table saw!

Step 5

To the left of the center, angle the miter gauge at a 30-degree angle. Align the mark for the following side you are cutting to the saw blade and place one of the earlier crosscut edges along the miter slot perfectly.

Next, trim the edge by advancing the gauge toward the saw blade while the stock is still in place.

Step 6

To align the edge, you just cut with the miter measuring gauge and rotate the hexagon stock in a clockwise direction. Set up the stock such that the next marked edge will be cut. Trim the edge by moving the gauge toward the saw blade while the stock is still in place.

Step 7

Turn the hexagon stock in a clockwise direction until the second side of the crosscut is in line with the miter tool. Set up the stock so that you may cut along the following specified edge. After that, trim the edge by moving the gauge forward toward the saw blade while holding the stock in place.

Step 8

Rotate the hexagon stock in a clockwise direction again to align the newly cut edge as previously done before making the last cut to trim the final remaining edge. Set up the stock such that the next marked edge will be cut.

Trim the edge by moving the gauge toward the saw blade while the stock is still in place. You have finished now your hexagon.

Hexagon Cutting Jig

You can use the hexagon you’ve cut as a sample for use in cutting more, especially if you’re just learning how to cut a hexagon on a table saw, since other methods might be non-uniform and time-taking.

This is especially useful when one considers the use of cutting hexagons with materials other than wood. For example, you could make a sample hexagon ceramic tile and use that as a reference to create a batch for professional or DIY projects.

You can learn more about making hexagon cutting jigs through DIY videos as well. We recommend watching one for a practical understanding:

FAQs

What Blade Should You Use When You Learn How To Cut a Hexagon on a Table Saw?

Usually, you have the option of using a normal blade or a blade with a different tip.

When utilizing your table saw, if there is one process where you shouldn’t take a chance on experimentation, it is this one. A normal blade will still do the job and is much less risky than experimenting with novel machine-operating methods.

A jigsaw is the best option if you wish to consider outside possibilities. Depending on the type of material you are cutting, it has a varied choice of blades and offers a clean cut of all the wood parts.

Given that it is provided with various tips for grinding metal, the grinder can initially appear to be a good option. However, this can be extremely risky, so keep the long game in mind when choosing it.

It’s crucial to remember that the faster you move, the higher your risk of getting hurt. Furthermore, compared to an angle grinder or a jigsaw, a table saw is much more powerful.

Never press too firmly while passing wood through a blade, and always remember to wear safety glasses.

Of course, there might be differences if you need to adjust your blade for the process, and for that, we recommend brushing up on your knowledge of how to adjust a table saw or aligning a table saw blade instead so you aren’t caught unaware.

Speaking of blades, learn more about how thick a table saw blade is before you start.

The Bottom Line

So there you have it, an easy-to-follow guide on how to cut a hexagon on a table saw. We hope this article proved helpful and that you now have the knowledge required to create stunning hexagonal cuts in any woodworking project! You can use your table saw for not only hexagons but other shapes as well.

For more table saw knowledge, learn about “How many watts does a table saw use?”