Our Guide To Bevel Cuts And Their Common Applications

For those who are not into or just getting into woodworking or construction, the term “bevel cut” could be unfamiliar to you. Many have said that bevel cutting is more of an art than a science. The path to creating high-quality bevelled parts ideally revolves around hours or even days of trial and error.

What Is a Bevel Cut?

Bevel cutting is the method of cutting a part of the wood with an edge that is not horizontal to the top of the piece. This process is done to increase the surface area of the edge of the piece to create a stable, stronger weld. Bevelled edges come in various types, the most common of which are A, V, Top Y, X, K, and Bottom Y. The description for those edges is based on the English letters they resemble when looking at their criss-cross section.

A specialized tool is required to be able to achieve a perfect bevel cut. Yes, it can be possible to do a bevel cut with a handheld cutting, but the result may not be as perfect. Bevel torch, beam processing machine, pipe and tube cutter, or cutting head mounted on a CNC cutting table are some of the tools used for bevel cutting.

Back in the days, due to a number of different types of bevel cuts, it takes a considerable amount of trial and error to achieve a perfect bevel cut. But today, newer technologies have significantly improved the process, speed, accuracy, and repeatability of bevel cutting.

Common Applications for Bevel Cut Wood

There are many uses of bevel cutting in carpentry, but other than that, it also has benefits for crafting and welding. They are mostly made to soften the edge of a piece for the purpose of aesthetics, safety, joining pieces, increasing resistance to weathering, or creating geometrical shapes. That is pretty ideal for welding and crafting since the materials used are made up of softwood, and the bevel cut is perfect.

Other applications for bevel cut include the following:

• The wood material shaped by the bevel cut is used for trimming the base of a wall to remove the risk of potential injuries.
• When joined together, bevel cut allows two different parts of wood pieces to look like a single piece since they can slightly overlap with each other.
• Bevel cuts also give wood pieces a better-looking appearance by keeping the pieces of the two joints with edges fastened together and hidden, resulting in complementary angles.
• Welding can also benefit from bevel cuts as they offer additional support on the joints, making them sturdier enough to withstand heavy loads.

Trends in Bevel Cutting

Not a lot of people are familiar with bevel cutting, and most often, they are confused with mitre cutting. However, some trends in bevel cutting made the process easier and more convenient, especially for those in the carpentry or woodworking industry:

• Bevel cutting has become a necessity for welding, crafting, carpentry, and other final assembly processes.
• Automated and advanced technologies promise to enhance repeatability and accuracy for better throughput.
• Increasing labour costs combined with increased productivity demands and a shortage of skilled and experienced operators are major companies to embrace automated bevel technologies.

Remember, if you want to achieve perfect results, take note of what cut you actually require. Using the appropriate one is crucial in achieving the right appearance and sturdiness of the project you are working on. If you want a perfect-looking cut to size wood without so much hassle in the UK, contact Timber 2 U Direct today!