Thread: 1st project: synthesizer cabinet WIP

Welcome to the forum. I am not able to comment on your particular question as I have not used a jigsaw on the type of wood mention. But generally you would think so as you should be able to get different types of blades.

I might suggest that you cut a little away from the lines when doing the cut and once done put both sides together so that they match up when you do the final filing and sanding.

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If you have a good quality jigsaw matched with a decent blade it will cut the timber no problem. If you have a crap jigsaw then put a decent blade in it and expect to take longer!

I would definately go the jigsaw then router route. You can get jigsaw blades that are designed for cutting across the timber grain, I'd use one of those to reduce splintering. Cut to within a couple of millimetres of the line with the saw then route off the remaining waste with a flush trim bit. Again use a good quality bit like CMT, Freud or Carbi-tool and always cut "downhill" across the grain. For this sort of work I'd use two routers with two flush trim bits; one with the bearing at the top and the other with the bearing on the bottom. This means that I could stick the template onto the timber and just flip it over each time I needed to change the cutting direction. If you don't have the two different trim bits then you can still route it with just the one type but you will need to either re-attach the template on the opposite side of the work or route "the wrong way" WRT feed and direction of rotation.

Thanks for the advice. I've been looking at those dual bearing flush trim bits, might get one of those to kill two birds with one stone.

Originally Posted by pat_00

Thanks for the advice. I've been looking at those dual bearing flush trim bits, might get one of those to kill two birds with one stone.

Do you mean one with a bearing at both ends of the cutter? I don't think I've actually ever come across one of those. Got a link ?

Mlcs katana is one brand I've found. There are also cheapo Chinese ones on eBay.

Only one I could find on ebay now is from the states:

Flush Trim Router Bit - 2" Long Cutter w/ Top and Bottom Bearing - Yonico 14134 | eBay

The MLCS one, also form the US:

MLCS Flush Trim and Shear Angle Flush Trim Router Bits

I've been searching for them locally, but no luck so far.

So here's my progress so far.

I changed the wood to "tassie oak" as I could get some old floorboards for free. They were very square, which surpised me. I know this is a mix of species, so I used the one board to minimise problems with mixing wood species when laminating.

I jigsawed and then routed the shape from the template. I bought a router bit from carbatech, where one of the guys in the shop gave me some advice and helped me build a top and bottom bearing pattern bit by adding a top bearing to a CMT bit that already had a bottom bearing. Everything worked out great.

I also cut most of the wood on that terrifying machine. It include ripping some old tassie oak floorboards, which is something I won't try again. I'll definitely borrow my brothers' table saw for that. I ripped some bevels with a handheld circular saw, which seemed to work OK.

I am thinking of changing to dowels as the joining method, as the biscuit jointer I have is a total piece of crap and doesn't seem accurate enough. I am gonna look at dowel jigs and figure out if it is worth it.

Thank you for the update.

Thats good to see how things are shaping up.

Can anyone tell me how to change the title of this thread? wanted to make it a WIP

Anyways, finished glue up last night. Using titebond 3.

I have a few gaps that I need to fill at the joins. I plan on trying to use a really thin sliver of wood and some glue, otherwise epoxy. Although I'm not sure how good this will look with the 'organoil hard burnishing oil' i will be finishing with.

Originally Posted by pat_00

Can anyone tell me how to change the title of this thread? wanted to make it a WIP

The title of a thread can only be changed by an Admin/Mod. Let me know what you want it changed to and I will change it for you.

Oh, I forgot to mention, I ended up going with biscuits.

I found after some more adjustment and tightening the heck out of all the alignment points on the ryobi biscuit jointer, I could get decently accurate slots.

It is poorly designed though, with the height adjustment only secured on one side. This leads to biscuit slots that are not parallel with the surface. I think for future projects i will only sue biscuits for joints with non critical alignment.