A couple of days ago I posted this pic of the table I'm working on.
The next cut on the project is a tricky one. I'm going to put a shelf in at the lower level. The top of the shelf must meet the lower stretchers right at their tops. It must also be inset into the legs to meet the sides of the stretchers (there's about a 5/8" reveal between stretcher and leg). In effect the stretchers act as facing for the plywood shelf.
I decided to cut the dadoes in one cut for all eight legs.
The cut I needed is 5/8" deep by 23/32" wide. The top of the shelf needs to be 8" from the lower end of the posts. I want a tight fit for the plywood and consistent distance from the floor.
Here's the jig I came up with.
I used piece of the plywood to set the gap and a top-bearing straight bit to make the cut. Actually, I had to use two bits. I have two 1/2" straight bits, one with 1/2" in cutter height and the other with 1" cutter height. Neither one could do the whole job.
Here's the result.
The jig prevented tearout very well for the most part. Where the bit leave the groove on the chamfers you'll see some tearout. There's only 1/16" reveal on either side of the stetchers there, so I risked the cut. Successfully. Besides, the time had come to make the cut when I realized this risk and I just bull-headedly went forward.
Thanks for looking.
Oh, I forgot to say, all comments gleefully accepted. If you have different way you would have approached this, or even reproach for the way I did it, bring 'em on. This is a discussion forum, after all!
JR
The next cut on the project is a tricky one. I'm going to put a shelf in at the lower level. The top of the shelf must meet the lower stretchers right at their tops. It must also be inset into the legs to meet the sides of the stretchers (there's about a 5/8" reveal between stretcher and leg). In effect the stretchers act as facing for the plywood shelf.
I decided to cut the dadoes in one cut for all eight legs.
The cut I needed is 5/8" deep by 23/32" wide. The top of the shelf needs to be 8" from the lower end of the posts. I want a tight fit for the plywood and consistent distance from the floor.
Here's the jig I came up with.
I used piece of the plywood to set the gap and a top-bearing straight bit to make the cut. Actually, I had to use two bits. I have two 1/2" straight bits, one with 1/2" in cutter height and the other with 1" cutter height. Neither one could do the whole job.
Here's the result.
The jig prevented tearout very well for the most part. Where the bit leave the groove on the chamfers you'll see some tearout. There's only 1/16" reveal on either side of the stetchers there, so I risked the cut. Successfully. Besides, the time had come to make the cut when I realized this risk and I just bull-headedly went forward.
Thanks for looking.
Oh, I forgot to say, all comments gleefully accepted. If you have different way you would have approached this, or even reproach for the way I did it, bring 'em on. This is a discussion forum, after all!
JR
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