CoveCutter 2008

 

Covecutter is  a program I wrote several years ago to calculate the different cove shapes that can be cut using a table saw.  The original program was written in an old version of VB and didn’t calculate cove shapes with a tilted blade.  This latest version is completely re-written in Visual Studio (still VB, but VB2005).  It does calculate shapes using a tilted blade and has a  few other differences from the old version.  I haven’t thoroughly tested the patterns that it creates, but in comparing them to some profiles I have seen in articles, it looks pretty close. 

 

Please realize that cove cutting on the table saw can be very dangerous.  There are a number of good articles out there on the subject.  You can also seek info from the folks at WoodCentral and other forums. 

 

Good references:

Bill Hylton’s Country Pine Book

Frank Klausz, III article in FWW #102

Stuart Sabol’s article in FWW #168

Glen Huey’s Video at Popular Woodworking (associated with tea table article in June 2008 issue)

WoodCentral—search the archives or post a new question

The program is pretty easy to use.  Hopefully, it is obvious how to use it.  Keep in mind that I am not a programmer!  There are bugs!  I didn’t account  for every extreme or input limits.  This was written using a 96dpi screen resolution  and 300dpi print resolution.  The printout is full scale.  The little guy in the corner shows the angle orientation.  The board outline is something I added recently.  I thought it might be nice to show the “chamfer” lines if you are cutting this profile into a 90° cove molding. 

Cove Cutter 2008

Click below to download