diff --git a/src/OpenMesh/Core/Geometry/NormalConeT.hh b/src/OpenMesh/Core/Geometry/NormalConeT.hh
index 9baaf588..0b1cc6a1 100644
--- a/src/OpenMesh/Core/Geometry/NormalConeT.hh
+++ b/src/OpenMesh/Core/Geometry/NormalConeT.hh
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@
 
 
 #include <OpenMesh/Core/Geometry/VectorT.hh>
+#include <OpenMesh/Core/Utils/vector_traits.hh>
 
 
 //== NAMESPACES ===============================================================
@@ -77,13 +78,14 @@ namespace OpenMesh {
     the center normal and the opening angle.
 **/
 
-template <typename Scalar>
+template <typename Vector>
 class NormalConeT
 {
 public:
 
   // typedefs
-  typedef VectorT<Scalar, 3>  Vec3;
+  typedef typename vector_traits<Vector>::value_type Scalar;
+  typedef Vector Vec3;
 
 
   //! default constructor (not initialized)
diff --git a/src/OpenMesh/Core/Geometry/NormalConeT_impl.hh b/src/OpenMesh/Core/Geometry/NormalConeT_impl.hh
index 487e2490..ed9ce908 100644
--- a/src/OpenMesh/Core/Geometry/NormalConeT_impl.hh
+++ b/src/OpenMesh/Core/Geometry/NormalConeT_impl.hh
@@ -70,8 +70,8 @@ namespace OpenMesh {
 
 //== IMPLEMENTATION ========================================================== 
 
-template <typename Scalar>
-NormalConeT<Scalar>::
+template <typename Vector>
+NormalConeT<Vector>::
 NormalConeT(const Vec3& _center_normal, Scalar _angle)
   : center_normal_(_center_normal), angle_(_angle)
 {
@@ -81,9 +81,9 @@ NormalConeT(const Vec3& _center_normal, Scalar _angle)
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
-template <typename Scalar>
-Scalar 
-NormalConeT<Scalar>::
+template <typename Vector>
+typename NormalConeT<Vector>::Scalar
+NormalConeT<Vector>::
 max_angle(const Vec3& _norm) const
 {
   Scalar dotp = (center_normal_ | _norm);
@@ -95,9 +95,9 @@ max_angle(const Vec3& _norm) const
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
-template <typename Scalar>
-Scalar 
-NormalConeT<Scalar>::
+template <typename Vector>
+typename NormalConeT<Vector>::Scalar
+NormalConeT<Vector>::
 max_angle(const NormalConeT& _cone) const
 {
   Scalar dotp = (center_normal_ | _cone.center_normal_);
@@ -112,12 +112,12 @@ max_angle(const NormalConeT& _cone) const
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 
-template <typename Scalar>
+template <typename Vector>
 void 
-NormalConeT<Scalar>::
+NormalConeT<Vector>::
 merge(const NormalConeT& _cone)
 {
-  Scalar dotp = (center_normal_ | _cone.center_normal_);
+  Scalar dotp = dot(center_normal_, _cone.center_normal_);
 
   if (fabs(dotp) < 0.99999f)
   {
diff --git a/src/OpenMesh/Tools/Decimater/ModNormalDeviationT.hh b/src/OpenMesh/Tools/Decimater/ModNormalDeviationT.hh
index 9966d826..b3ea88e7 100644
--- a/src/OpenMesh/Tools/Decimater/ModNormalDeviationT.hh
+++ b/src/OpenMesh/Tools/Decimater/ModNormalDeviationT.hh
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ public:
   typedef typename Mesh::VertexHandle               VertexHandle;
   typedef typename Mesh::FaceHandle                 FaceHandle;
   typedef typename Mesh::EdgeHandle                 EdgeHandle;
-  typedef NormalConeT<Scalar>                       NormalCone;
+  typedef NormalConeT<Normal>                       NormalCone;