As John is having fun with his Grandkids and not back yet - Thought I'd just put something here anyway. I think John won't mind too much. First of all I'd like to thank John for starting this bloging thing going. It kind gives us a sense of community and lets us in on what's happening with some of our "talkers".
In my shop, after a few weeks of learning about plantation shutters - finally decided on how to proceed. From a "shuttered louver lamp" in one magazine to "Norm's" Plantation Shutters to a plan that was on the web - managed to make a plan for ours. Took a little bit from all of them.
Last week I posted a couple of pictures of the new home made router fence and the shaped louvers. It took me about a week to build that fence and rout out the louvers. They were planed to 1/2" and then shaped with a "western" stile bit that is intended for base molding. BTW they are 3" wide.
Last week was taken up with searching out enough shop scraps to build a jig (21" by 57") to hold 19 louvers and also align the shutter frame. (photo below). Also required two shop sessions to make a simple little jig that will hold the louvers for boring holes for staples and end pin holes. Three pieces of wood, but had to be exact. Found there is a very small difference between too tight and too lose. (Picture below)
I now have a new appreciation for precision to .01" and smaller. When I made my indexing fence (in order to saw slots for the louvers) I thought it was right on! From all the measurements I could make there would be exactly 2 1/2" between the 1/2" slots. Turns out I must have been about .008" off. (That is just a wiggle of the bolts securing the jig to the miter gauge) By the time I sawed out the 1/2" part of the slots (19 of them) I ended up almost 3/16" longer than planned at the other end. (57" down the line). Since .01" times 19 gives .19" - figured I must have been just short of .01" off. Next time I have to do something like this I'll start in the middle and work toward both ends. As these grooves get deeper, they also get smaller, in steps, to accommodate the taper in the louvers. This was an easy thing to accomplish with my wobble dado.
Tomorrow is the drill press day for all holes. Maybe also the mortises in the rails.