How to Cut Parts for Stave Vessel Candles

Batch Size: 32 staves and 32 ends

Time Standard: 40 minutes

Cutting parts for Stave Vessel Candles requires cutting the staves to length for the sides, cutting the stave tips to size for the ends, and then ripping the staves to the correct height.

Cutting Staves

Set the fence to the right of the blade w/center jig and 2.5" stave candle piece. Clamp handles should face AWAY from you. 
Set the fence to the left of the blade w/center jig and 2.5" stave candle piece. Clamp handles should face AWAY from you. 
Set the stave in the jig with the curve facing away from you. 
Center the stave using the hashes at the end. Both sides should touch ~the same number of hashes. Clamp stave in place. 
Cut the right side of the stave off, bringing the blade straight down. Jig aligned to the LEFT fence. 
Cut the left side of the stave off, bringing the blade straight down. Jig aligned to the RIGHT fence. 
Put the stave ends in a separate crate from the stave middles. 

Cutting Ends

This is what the end cutting jig looks like

Pull the depth stop out so that the blade cannot cut through the base.





Set the blade to the RIGHT side of the center board.






Set the LEFT fence of to the jig while the blade is pushed against the center board in the previous step.




Set the blade to the LEFT side of the center board.



Set the RIGHT fence to the jig while the blade is pushed against the center board in the previous step.






Clamp the stave tip in place as shown, pressing it up against the block on the right.






Align jig to the left fence and cut the stave.






Turn the stave so the tip is now facing you, and align so that both edges can be cut off.






Push jig to the left fence and cut the side off the stave.  Then push the jig to the right fence and cut the side off the stave.


You now have a candle end.  It should be 2" wide.






Ripping Staves

Set the jig in the groove so it is half on the table saw, half on the extension. Clamp extension to table saw. Use RIP BLADE. 
Use the foldable leg to set extension in place. This is step 1 part b. 
Clamp stave to jig using the correct width. For candles, it is 1.5". If there is a bad side, try to cut that part off.   
Make sure the corner of the jig is square in place   Then slide it forward and cut the stave to width.  Don't go too fast, let the saw do the work!
Use the knife (or blow) to clear sawdust from the corner. Put the ripped stave in a new crate 

Now you should have staves for sides and tips for ends cut to size.  Keep them together to ensure there are the right number of parts to assemble eventually.


Next Stop: Table Saw to be Cut Area