What's the difference between Bevel vs Chamfer?

Status
Not open for further replies.

pizza

Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2011
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Latin
Home Country
Japan
Current Location
Japan
According to Merriam Webster, a bevel is a slanted edge and a chamfer is a beveled edge.

How can I interpret this? Isn't that the same?
 

SlickVic9000

Senior Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2011
Member Type
Other
Native Language
English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
*Not a Teacher*

Chamfer and bevel are usually interchangeable. But if you want to get technical, there is a bit of a difference. The pictures on the Wikipedia page demonstrate the differences between the two pretty well.
 

pizza

Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2011
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Latin
Home Country
Japan
Current Location
Japan
I see it now. A bevel is a sloped edge and that probably refers to any slanted edge in general. A chamfer, more technically, is a beveled edge connecting two surfaces (and that would be three sides, like in the picture).
 

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
In non-specialist usage, you hear bevel; until I read this thread, I was unaware of the distinction and had never heard the word chamfer . I must go and look for one to use the word. :up:
 
J

J&K Tutoring

Guest
The difference is in degree. To illustrate, imagine the cross section of a non-bevelled, non-chamfered part. It will have 4 surfaces, two in each plane- vertical and horizontal- and each pair parallel. There will be four 90-degree corners.

A bevelled edge will still have 4 surfaces, but two of them are no longer parallel and one corner comes to a sharp point- often at 45 degrees, but not by definition.

A chamfered edge will have 5 sides, because the angled surface does not meet the lower horizontal. There are still two pairs of parallel sides with the addition of one angled surface, typically at 45 degrees but again, not by definition.

A good example is a kitchen countertop. Kitchen countertops are often referred to as "bevelled" when they actually are chamfered. This is to avoid confusion- the general public don't know what a chamfer is.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top