mickyd's Woodworking Projects

[dusty]

So, back to my adjustable set up gage project. The workbench extension table project was a diversion but it gave me a chance to do some prep work. Did up a sketchup version of the wood and brass pieces and added it to my initial post on this project here. Check it out. (Just had to do an animation too). The actual sketchup file is toward the bottom of that post in a zip file. VERY good thing I did the sketchup file. There is a dimensional error in the magazine article that I wouldn't have noticed had I just worked off the plan. It would have resulted in the vertical brass piece hanging over into the edge roundover by 1/8".

I wanted to use the left over African Mahogany from the candle lantern project. I only had 2 pieces left over that were the specified 3/4" thickness. Based on the magazine articles cut out plans, I drew up scaled paper templates of the two parts. Obviously didn't have enough wood to use that method.
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The cutout plan for the smaller sliding arm, shown on the bottom of the paper in the photo above and also in the photo below, has material for handles used while doing the 1/4" edge roundovers. That excess material is later cut off. I won't have enough material to do it that way so I'll need a plan B.
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[ATTACH]9509[/ATTACH]
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I had to join the two pieces I have in order to have enough width for the 3" wide body piece. Don't have my jointer up and running yet so I took a trip to the high country to visit SDSSmith. He used one of his jointers to fix me up. I told him I was bringing over an 8" length. He thought I said 8' length so he had to clear out some of his toys to accommodate the length. He brought up a good point regarding jointing the edges. He told me I could have used my conical sander to do the same thing. Never even considered that! That thing is a wonder tool if you ask me. Anyway, joined them up last night. Could have used a few more clamps though.
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[ATTACH]9505[/ATTACH]
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So this is roughly the way I'll layout my cuts. I'll figure out a way to add the temporary handles in order to keep the pinkies safe during the routing operation. Probably will just screw on some sacrificial pieces.
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[ATTACH]9506[/ATTACH]
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Hopefully get some sawdust time in tomorrow. Too busy today. San Diego sure knows how to celebrate the 4th. Food, fun, and fireworks galore.

I'll say one thing, Mike, you sure don't shy away from the testy jobs. Cutting sliding dovetails that fit has always been a challenge for me. I get it done but I create a lot of scrap as I do the job. It usually takes me about three test fits before I am satisfied. This being a "precision measuring device" necessitates a really good, sliding fit and there is no material for a start over..

This will be a tool that you use frequently and given your propensity for detail I am sure that it will be a fine instrument that any one us would be proud to have in our tool kit.

[mbcabinetmaker]

Mike be careful with free handing on the router table. Well with the router table in general. I consider it the most dangerous machine in my shop. Always know the correct direction to feed the stock. It can change with different setups and cutters. I was cutting some T slots a while back and feeding from right to left. I needed to make the groove a little wider and without thinking I moved the fence back about 1/16th. This caused the cutter to contact the opposite side so I should have reversed the direction of feed. You guessed it. The piece grabbed from my hands and slammed into the wall. Luckily over the years I have learned to try to keep my hands out of harms way. If you can always nail or screw a piece of wood on small pieces to act as a handle. As a matter of fact with all the excitement over the higher speeds of the Prower Pro and its ability to better serve as a router and shaper I would like to see some other seasoned woodworkers jump in here and offer some safety advice.

[shipwright]

Mike be careful with free handing on the router table. Well with the router table in general. I consider it the most dangerous machine in my shop. Always know the correct direction to feed the stock. It can change with different setups and cutters. I was cutting some T slots a while back and feeding from right to left. I needed to make the groove a little wider and without thinking I moved the fence back about 1/16th. This caused the cutter to contact the opposite side so I should have reversed the direction of feed. You guessed it. The piece grabbed from my hands and slammed into the wall. Luckily over the years I have learned to try to keep my hands out of harms way. If you can always nail or screw a piece of wood on small pieces to act as a handle. As a matter of fact with all the excitement over the higher speeds of the Prower Pro and its ability to better serve as a router and shaper I would like to see some other seasoned woodworkers jump in here and offer some safety advice.

I'm with Mark on this one, for sure. I consider the most dangerous machine in my shop to be my shaper -- big cutters, high speed, and lots of torque. The biggest key short of a power feed to shaper safety is (have I said this before? ) material control. It's all important with any tool but with something as dangerous as a shaper it's absolutely essential. I sometimes, no almost always, spend more time jigging up and securing workpieces to feed carriages or custom holding apparatus than I do actually running the shaper. I share Mark's concern about the speed and power available with the Power Pro. I don't mean any slur or disrespect in any way or to anyone when I say this but I know that many on this forum are probably not experienced enough to handle all the capabilities this new power will make available. And yes, I worry a bit about that but we all gotta do what we're going to do. All I can advise is to always think out the possible problems and plan an escape if it starts to go sideways and always be sure you have your material under control.

Paul M

[SDSSmith]

So, back to my adjustable set up gage project. The workbench extension table project was a diversion but it gave me a chance to do some prep work. Did up a sketchup version of the wood and brass pieces and added it to my initial post on this project here. Check it out. (Just had to do an animation too). The actual sketchup file is toward the bottom of that post in a zip file. VERY good thing I did the sketchup file. There is a dimensional error in the magazine article that I wouldn't have noticed had I just worked off the plan. It would have resulted in the vertical brass piece hanging over into the edge roundover by 1/8".

I wanted to use the left over African Mahogany from the candle lantern project. I only had 2 pieces left over that were the specified 3/4" thickness. Based on the magazine articles cut out plans, I drew up scaled paper templates of the two parts. Obviously didn't have enough wood to use that method.
.
.
[ATTACH]9507[/ATTACH]
.
.
The cutout plan for the smaller sliding arm, shown on the bottom of the paper in the photo above and also in the photo below, has material for handles used while doing the 1/4" edge roundovers. That excess material is later cut off. I won't have enough material to do it that way so I'll need a plan B.
.
.
[ATTACH]9509[/ATTACH]
.
.
I had to join the two pieces I have in order to have enough width for the 3" wide body piece. Don't have my jointer up and running yet so I took a trip to the high country to visit SDSSmith. He used one of his jointers to fix me up. I told him I was bringing over an 8" length. He thought I said 8' length so he had to clear out some of his toys to accommodate the length. He brought up a good point regarding jointing the edges. He told me I could have used my conical sander to do the same thing. Never even considered that! That thing is a wonder tool if you ask me. Anyway, joined them up last night. Could have used a few more clamps though.
.
.
[ATTACH]9505[/ATTACH]
.
.
So this is roughly the way I'll layout my cuts. I'll figure out a way to add the temporary handles in order to keep the pinkies safe during the routing operation. Probably will just screw on some sacrificial pieces.
.
.
[ATTACH]9506[/ATTACH]
.
.
Hopefully get some sawdust time in tomorrow. Too busy today. San Diego sure knows how to celebrate the 4th. Food, fun, and fireworks galore.

Are you going to use your restored jigsaw in the process? If you have one of those hardwood hand screws you could use that to get your hands away from the router cutter. Good luck and BE SAFE!!

[mickyd]

Thanks for putting a little fear into me. Seriously, I don't mind being told of the dangers of an operation like this and precautions that must be taken. The high RPM's x the number of cutting edges that would come in contact with the pinkies in that split second would be disastrous.

I've decide to rearrange my cutting layout to allow for the handles on the smaller piece. Also taking SDSSmith's advise on using the hardwood hand screw to secure the workpieces during the cuts. I also read up on stock feed direction to make sure that I wasn't 'confused'. With the undertable router, the bit will be rotating counterclockwise as viewed from the top. I'll be cutting from the front side of the bit so I'll be feeding the stock from right to left. Correcta-mundo?

I'm off to buy a hand screw.......

I'll be checking back in before I cut so if my description above is wrong, squeak up please.

Oh, and Rob, not using the jigsaw. Using the bandsaw and a 1" spade bit to get the radius.

[shipwright]

Yes Mike right to left. I have a rule of thumb that on the router table I always start things either pulling toward me on the right of the cutter or pushing away on the left.
Just don't be paralyzed by caution - be sure you're right and then be firm. Being careful (tentative) is no better than not being careful.

Paul M

[JPG]

Mike; As a Mechanical Engineer, you do understand the difference between plow milling and climb milling. Just rotate it the needed number of 90 degree increments, and call it a router. Always plow, never climb.

The cutter should be pushing back against the 'feed'. The cutter should never pull.

Beware of grain direction changes!!!! Cross grain gets rougher and can turn into climbing if grain angle becomes more than 90 degrees..

[dusty]

[quote="JPG40504"]Mike]Here is one of those cases where you should "never say never". There are infrequent occasions when climb cutting is the way to do the job. The operator must be aware of the hazards and act accordingly.

http://thewoodwhisperer.com/router-climb-cutting-question-of-the-week/

http://www.leevalley.com/US/shopping/TechInfo.aspx?type=l&p=56809

Where I normally get myself in trouble is setting up so that I have the work piece trapped between the router bit and the fence. When that is done it is almost certain that the piece will become a projectile. When table routing you do not want the blade on one side of the material while the fence is on the other side. This is even true when doing a non-through cut. Unfortunately, this is a lesson I have learned repeatedly. The warning signs are not obvious which is why using the router can be so dangerous.

For me, the shaper fits in the same category of "potentially hazardous when used".

[mbcabinetmaker]

I agree with shipwright about the shaper but for me the router table has the Rodney Dangerfield complex. It just don't get no respect. I highly respect my shaper and often look like the OSHA cowboy ( ( http://equineink.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/cowboy.gif ))when operating it. Sometimes though I take that little route table for granted and do not afford it the respect that it deserves. I still have the scars on my thumb to prove it from a few years ago. The bottom line here in my opinion is that any tool with a spinning cutter has the tendency to grab if you do not have the correct control both in feed and hold down. I look forward to the day that I can upgrade to the Power Pro and also invest in the overarm router. With this set up I can see a lot of potential. Both routing and shaping operations will be possible with the PP but the OAR can be set up in the horizontal position, a tool that I do not presently own. I am going to think about safety of this set up for a while now.

[mickyd]

[quote="JPG40504"]Mike]
Roger. Capisce.

This is the piece that I'll be free hand 1/4" rounding tonight. I'll be using my ER's under table router. The piece is 3" x 6". I'll be doing the entire inside of the "L". Having never free handed, I'll clamp it in a hardwood hand screw. I'll feel more comfortable that way.
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Photo on the left.....As I come down from the top of the "L", the grain isn't quite running in the right direction but I guess that's life?? I'm obviously going to have grain direction change as I come around the radius where it will start to cut cross grain.....over 90°'s worth even.I assume no biggie since this had to happen all the time when routing??