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  How to tell plunge router bits from non-plunge router bits.

  • Created by: LCHIEN
  • Published: 12-22-2020, 04:09 AM
  • 4 comments

  How to tell plunge router bits from non-plunge router bits.

  Do you guys know your router bits?
  
  Do you know how to tell a plunge bit from a non-plunge bit?
  
  A non plunge bit has cutters around the periphery, but not the center. It can enter grooves from the side and cut moving sideways.
  
  A plunge bit has cutters that go all the way to the center of the bit face. It can cut moving vertically as well as sideways.
  Above see the bar across the center as well as the two edge cutters? Without this bar, when you drive the...

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  Festool Domino Settings for Evenly Spaced Mortises

  • Created by: twistsol
  • Published: 01-29-2018, 12:50 AM
  • 1301 views
  • 3 comments

  Festool Domino Settings for Evenly Spaced Mortises

  I was in the shop this weekend and was trying to figure out the math for the settings on the Festool Domino to space the mortices evenly and centered across a cabinet front to back. After a bunch of trial and error with my math, I gave up and got close enough and cut the Domino slots for most of the cabinets before my shop time ran out. It was still bugging me, so I figured it out on the plane on the way to work.
  
  Very simply, we need to subtract the width of all mortises created from...

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  Last edited by twistsol; 06-27-2018, 12:27 PM.

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  Sharpening Woodworking Chisels

  • Created by: Sam Conder
  • Published: 03-17-2015, 04:47 PM
  • 1 comment

  Sharpening Woodworking Chisels

  While attending a "fundamentals of woodworking" class taught by Marc Adams at the Indianapolis woodworking show a few years ago, I was most impressed with his simple yet effective method of sharpening woodworking chisels. I contacted Marc and asked him for permission to write an article for BT3Central on how to sharpen chisels using his method. As expected, Marc was very receptive to the idea of sharing one of his "secrets". His exact response to me was " Absolutely, please feel free to teach anything you learned from me." So let's dive right into this and sharpen some chisels.
  ...

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  Handscrew Clamp Tutorial

  • Created by: LCHIEN
  • Published: 11-17-2012, 08:10 PM
  • 8 comments

  Handscrew Clamp Tutorial

  
  
  I have posted the tutorial as a PDF file attachment as it was picture intensive and I didn't want to have to mess with formatting the file here.
  Please download and view the PDF file....

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  Last edited by LCHIEN; 02-25-2021, 02:38 PM.

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  Preventing and fixing a slipping drill press chuck.

  • Created by: dbhost
  • Published: 09-07-2012, 12:07 PM
  • 3 comments

  Preventing and fixing a slipping drill press chuck.

  Have you ever chucked up that big bit, say a 3" Forstner bit, and without thinking just line up your hole, power up the drill press and start drilling away only to have the drill press bog down and end up with the chuck slipping, or even falling off the taper? Well, the fix is plenty simple. First off. Avoid slipping the chuck at all. This means you need to make certain of the following. #1. Your bits are good and sharp. A dull bit will grab the workpiece instead of cutting it. You'd bog down...

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  Primer on air fittings for the woodshop

  • Created by: LCHIEN
  • Published: 06-06-2012, 01:31 PM
  • 37 comments

  Primer on air fittings for the woodshop

  Most common places to use air fittings in a home shop: Air compressor to hose or female QD fitting QD female fitting or male stud to hose male stud to tool (such as - air nozzle, nailer, screwdriver/drill/impact driver etc, spray painter) any semi-permanent 1/4" NPT to 1/4" NPT fitting To add to the confusion, there's nothing on a 1/4" NPT that really measures 1/4". THe threads are visibly tapered and the overall outside size of the male NPT threaded fitting is around 1/2" to 5/8" diameter. T...

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  DIY Router Box Joint Jig for the BT3

  • Created by: LCHIEN
  • Published: 02-15-2012, 12:07 PM
  • 0 comments

  DIY Router Box Joint Jig for the BT3

  It's really not very hard to make your own jig for very little bucks. 1. Buy a wood square dowel 1/4" - they are usually quite square and accurate. Available at Ace, HD, Lowes. A buck or two for 36" 2. Cut two, 4" pieces of the square dowel. 3. Laminate two 1x4 by about 18" and attach this jig to your miter fence to allow moving sideways - easy with the BT3 fence with slot. Also easy with the Rockler fence clamps if you have them (get some if you don't have them) 4. Use the dado blade set to preci...

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  Cutting circles with a router - DIY jig

  • Created by: LCHIEN
  • Published: 02-13-2012, 01:07 PM
  • 2 comments

  Cutting circles with a router - DIY jig

  Cutting Circles with your Router
  Copyright 2012 by Loring Chien
  
  OK, so you need to cut a large circle or arc in a piece of wood or panel. Freehanding with a jigsaw is a possibility, but for a really smooth and accurate circle the router is the best tool.
  
  Theres a number of jigs on the market for sale and they cost around $40 to $60 like this one from Rockler:
  
  
  
  And this one from Jasper:
  
  
  
  They are nice but unless you...

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  Last edited by LCHIEN; 10-29-2021, 02:32 AM.

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  How to use Digital Calipers for Woodworking

  • Created by: LCHIEN
  • Published: 01-13-2011, 07:27 PM
  • 38 comments

  How to use Digital Calipers for Woodworking

  Digital calipers like these are available for 10-30 dollars. The size quoted as in "6-inch digital calipers" refers to the maximum measurement. The resolution and accuracy of these are typically .001 or one-thousandth of an inch. Some have an additional digit that shows 0 or 5 for half a thousandth. I recommend the six-inch Harbor freight ones, they work very well and are of surprisingly high quality. The stainless body ones are better than the composite plastic body ones although the plastic ones ...

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  The Grizzly Tension Release Lever install HOWTO.

  • Created by: dbhost
  • Published: 04-05-2010, 04:32 PM
  • 0 comments

  The Grizzly Tension Release Lever install HOWTO.

  Hot Rodding The Central Machinery #32208 14" 4 speed woodcutting band saw. The Grizzly Tension Release assembly and related components. Before I dive into this, consider this a LICENSE for use. This information is provided for informational purposes only, no warranty to effectiveness, safety, or fitness for any purpose is given. The reader assumes all responsibility for all consequences arising from the use of the information provided. The reader likewise holds the original poster harmless, and wi...

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  Treating veneer edges for glue up.

  • Created by: drumpriest
  • Published: 02-04-2008, 01:12 PM
  • 0 comments

  Treating veneer edges for glue up.

  I have used veneer saws in the past to cut edges for gluing together veneer, and I've compressed it between 2 pieces of 1/4" ply and cut on the TS. These work ok, but I didn't get perfect edges from the veneer saw, and I wasted a good deal of ply on the TS. I just finished a marquetry panel for a project (images soon) and when it came time to veneer, I can to face this problem again. For marquetry, I use shop cut veneer, so that it'll hold together while I make the double bevel cut on the scro...

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  Router Edge Guide For Dado

  • Created by: Jeffrey Schronce
  • Published: 07-06-2007, 03:54 PM
  • 0 comments

  Router Edge Guide For Dado

  This is a basic project that I thought would be useful for some of you folks that are new to routers. I tried to photo document, even the relatively evident, so a beginner can use the instructions. I am sure I have borrowed heavily from other people in making the jig, however I didn't use any plans so I am not citing references. Material : Material is a matter of choice. I used 3/8" Baltic Birch because I happen to have a good supply due to a friendly woodworker giving me a bunch of cutoffs....

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  Tapered Legs on the Jointer

  • Created by: Thom2
  • Published: 07-06-2007, 03:45 PM
  • 2 comments

  Tapered Legs on the Jointer

  About a year ago I promised a write-up on tapering legs using the jointer. I'm not quick, but I got it done.
  
  All of the following assumes you've milled your legs to size and have your joinery figured out. In this case I'm using sliding dovetails for the apron to legs, so I did all of that milling first.
  
  The legs I'm doing are 1 1/2 x 1 1/2 red oak, I'm using a 5/16 depth of cut on the jointer. You can change the depth of cut if you find you're not comfortable with that b...

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  All About The World Of Clamps

  • Created by: Jeffrey Schronce
  • Published: 02-12-2007, 12:15 AM
  • 0 comments

  All About The World Of Clamps

  *I will be updating this over the next few weeks with additional clamps such as the newer ratcheting style spring clamps, etc.
  
  Outline of issues addressed in order:
  

  • What types of Clamps are there?
  • How many Clamps do I need?
  • What is an F-Clamp? What is a Bar Clamp?
  • What is a Parallel Clamp, Parallel Jaw Clamp, “K-Body”, “Cabinet Master”, “Bessey”?
  • What is a pipe Clamp? What is a "Pony" clamp?
  • What is an Aluminum Bar Clamp?
  • What is a Steel Bar Clamp ? What is an

  ...

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  Edge jointing large stock with a router.

  • Created by: drumpriest
  • Published: 02-11-2007, 02:48 AM
  • 6 comments

  Edge jointing large stock with a router.

  There has been much discussion about how to joint with a router. The often made assumption is that one does not have a jointer, thus requires use of a router for this task. I do have a jointer, but still edge joint with a router for long boards. I find it easier to control, and sometimes quicker. Moving large or long stock over a 6" jointer isn't always an accurate process. My method involves 4 items. - A router - doesn't really matter what one, but runnout is a concern here. - A flush trim ro...

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