How to rip unparallel on table saw?

Question

I have this small but powerful and relatively versatile Dewalt.

What I would like to do is rip a piece of lumber but so that the cut side is at an angle to the other lengthwise side and not parallel to it. IOW, my one end needs to be 0 or close to it (which would make it a triangle) and the other side 3/8" across a length of about 6'.

It is easy to do angles on this saw but only if you are doing across and not lengthwise (using the little protractor guide) or the angle of the actual cut itself (using the protractor lever below the surface to the Dewalt logo). I do not see how to achieve the same effect lengthwise because the stationary guide to the right is fixed at a right angle.

Answer 1

There are a few ways to do this. If you don't mind holes in one face of your board, you can screw another board to it at a bias, matching the angle you wish to cut, and lapping past the side of the board you're cutting. By sliding the temporary board along the fence, your workpiece will be cut at an angle.

Another approach would be to fasten (with masking tape or whatever) spacers of tapered thickness to your workpiece, say every foot. Slide those against the fence.

Finally, purchase or build a taper jig that does basically the same thing as the other suggestions, but is more versatile and reusable.