Popular Woodworking 2005-06 № 148, страница 22
Tricks of the Trade continued from page 18 Double-sided Router Template Jig Recently, I needed to make 24 cradle slats with slightly concave edges. Using a router template seemed the perfect solution for the task, except that half the cut would be made against the grain, inevitably resulting in tear-out during half of the cut. To avoid this, I considered using two bits: one with a top-mounted bearing and the other with a bottom-mounted bearing. This would allow me to flip the workpiece/template assembly over halfway through the cut to favor the grain, but it seemed too time-consuming. Instead, I made a pair of identical templates by attaching two pieces of stock together with double-sided tape and cutting them to shape on the band saw. Next, I cleaned up the cut with a spokeshave and drum sander. After separating the two pieces, I glued them both to a piece of spacer stock that was about Vl6" thicker than my slat stock. Now it was a simple matter of band sawing each workpiece slightly shy of the shape cut-line, then securing the piece in the template jig using thin wedges tapped in from both Spacer is V16" thicker than stock Wedges on each end keep workpiece in place Router bearing rides on bottom edge of jig Flip the piece over to create cuts on both sides ends. Using a 3/4'-diameter flush-trim bit with a top-mounted bearing in a table-mounted router, I routed halfway in from one end, then flipped the whole thing over to finish the cut from the other end. To rout the opposite edge, I just removed the wedges, flipped the slat, re- wedged it, and repeated the sequence. It was fast, easy and free of tear-out. The same process could be used for any number of shapes to be template-routed. Colin Rogers Tuolumne, California Aluminum Winding Sticks Winding sticks are time-honored tools for checking for twist, or "wind," in a board or cabinet case. Traditionally made of straight-grained wood, winding sticks are used in pairs, placed roughly parallel to each other at opposite ends of the surface to be checked. The sticks effectively extend the surface in question so that sighting across the tops of the sticks with both eyes open tells you immediately whether both ends of the surface are in the same plane or not. My winding stick trick, which I actually learned from chairmaker Mike Dunbar, is to use aluminum angle instead of wood, which can warp out of true. Aluminum angle is straight, inexpensive, commonly available at home supply stores, and easy to cut to any length. The 3/4" angle is wide enough, but make sure to get the 8"-thick variety, as the thinner-walled stuff may bend. It's best to place the lengths standing on their legs on the surface, while sighting across the peaks. This also gives the sticks good footing on irregular surfaces that might tip narrow-edged sticks. Painting one of the lengths white will improve the contrast, helping you sight better. Tod Herrli Marion, Indiana continued on page 22 Place winding sticks close to the ends of the board, roughly parallel to each other Sighting down the end of the board will show if ends are parallel WMfifm/fm/w/m 20 Popular Woodworking June 2005 |
