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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
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    Default Brains trust - how would you do this?

    Hi Folks,

    Am scratching my head here and any suggestions would be appreciated.

    I am building a bedhead which will have fabric woven into it (a bit like Danish cord) via a narrow slot on the outside of the bedhead.

    This is the basic idea:

    Bed_Slot.jpeg

    The bedhead will be constructed from 50 x 45 Blackwood, and the slot is 10mm from the front vertical face, on the side. The slot needs to run all the way though the timber, and can be as narrow as 3-4 mm ideally. The slot stops 45mm short at either end.

    My question is how best to create the slot. I tried to cut it on the tablesaw, but it burnt too much as the blade plunged up. It was OK, but not ideal. For a mockup (see above), I also tried constructing the member from several pieces of timber; again, it was OK, but not ideal.

    What I would like to do is cut the slot into one solid member, but the narrow diameter seems to rule out router bits (they aren't long enough, even in two passes from either side). Not sure where to go from here and would really appreciate any input.

    Thanks very much for taking a look,

    Neil

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
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    Canberra
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    Default

    How about a biscuit machine slot cutter, or a Festool Domino?

    Ive little cutters for the domino. Its a bit tedious, but it would be only a matter of plunge, move over a bit, plunge, repeat

    Attack from both sides.


    I think a router could do it, take many passes, use a down-cut bit and a jig for the router to slide in. Drop it a few mm, zip, repeat....

    edit - these bits from AliExpress - they are great. Good quality.

    I did something like this with some dolls houses for a store. Admitedly it was only 20mm, but your 50mm is close if done from both sides.

  4. #3
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    Sep 2014
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    Castlemaine, VIC AUSTRALIA
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by woodPixel View Post
    How about a biscuit machine slot cutter, or a Festool Domino?

    Ive little cutters for the domino. Its a bit tedious, but it would be only a matter of plunge, move over a bit, plunge, repeat

    Attack from both sides.


    I think a router could do it, take many passes, use a down-cut bit and a jig for the router to slide in. Drop it a few mm, zip, repeat....

    edit - these bits from AliExpress - they are great. Good quality.

    I did something like this with some dolls houses for a store. Admitedly it was only 20mm, but your 50mm is close if done from both sides.
    Thanks for that. My Makita biscuit joiner will only plunge 20mm, so it's close, but not quite there.

    Interesting about those CNC bits; so with a 1/8" shank adapter I can use one in my trimmer. This is new to me and just might be the solution.

    Thanks so much

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
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    Canberra
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    Default

    Id think it more of a job for a plungable router or plungable trimmer. A fixed one would be too risky.

    Ensure you make a jig to keep everything aligned properly.

    The bits are excellent. I've snapped exactly one in my whole time using them and that was because I was an idiot.

    If you are using a makita trimmer, one can buy properly sized CNC collets from here: Makita Collets RT0700 - 3DTEK | AU Shop and here Collets for Makita RT0700

  6. #5
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    Feb 2007
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    blue mountains
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    Default

    To my eye the wood the chord is wrapped around looks much too thin especially scaled up to bed head size. I would forget the slot and wrap the chord around the whole frame. I did a seagrass stool back in school woodwork and it was wrapped right around with no slot. I think someone on here did a chair like that too just in the last year or so.
    Regards
    John
    PS: Having a bit more of a think on this. Chair seat size is one thing but over the size of a double or queen beadhead I have a feeling that given time the chord or fabric will stretch and look saggy. Do you have a plan you are working from?

  7. #6
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    Default

    I use a similar idea for the top rails of doors with glass fills. I make them using four pieces of wood - the front & back long pieces, and a spacer at each end. I make the rail oversize, then dress it to size afterwards.
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  8. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2014
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    Castlemaine, VIC AUSTRALIA
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by orraloon View Post
    PS: Having a bit more of a think on this. Chair seat size is one thing but over the size of a double or queen beadhead I have a feeling that given time the chord or fabric will stretch and look saggy. Do you have a plan you are working from?
    Yes that's a good point about stretching over time. It does have supporting timber cross-members to take some of the weight when folks sit up against it, I am hoping they will prevent too much stretching of the fabric. The piece is a collaboration with the weaver and the mock-up is working well, but I shall mention the stretching. Cheers!

  9. #8
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    Sep 2014
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by AlexS View Post
    I use a similar idea for the top rails of doors with glass fills. I make them using four pieces of wood - the front & back long pieces, and a spacer at each end. I make the rail oversize, then dress it to size afterwards.
    What you describe is exactly what I did for this mockup. It's OK, but I think could be more elegant if I can route the slot into a single piece. Thanks for looking.

  10. #9
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    Apr 2017
    Location
    Melbourne
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    Default

    I'm not sure which way you're 50x45 is orientated, but I think an easy solution is to dress a piece to 56x48. Resaw said piece to give you two pieces, 1 @ 16x48 1 @ 40x48.

    Dress the two faces that came off the saw as lightly as possible.

    Take the now 15x48mm piece and cut your 5mm grooves in it on the table saw similar to cutting tenons, set the blade to 5mm high preferably with a dado stack and cut away.

    Glue the pieces together the same orientation that you resawed them.

    Dress the sides of the piece down to it's finished size of 45mm which should tidy any imperfections in your glue up.

    Provided you maintain the orientation of the cut your glue line should be fairly invisible.


    Sent from my GM1900 using Tapatalk

  11. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2001
    Location
    Perth
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    10,810

    Default

    I used hand tools to make this ...




    http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furnitu...rs%282%29.html

    You could use a router.



    Regards from Perth

    Derek
    Visit www.inthewoodshop.com for tutorials on constructing handtools, handtool reviews, and my trials and tribulations with furniture builds.

  12. #11
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    Sep 2014
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    Castlemaine, VIC AUSTRALIA
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Shyrat View Post
    I'm not sure which way you're 50x45 is orientated, but I think an easy solution is to dress a piece to 56x48. Resaw said piece to give you two pieces, 1 @ 16x48 1 @ 40x48.

    Dress the two faces that came off the saw as lightly as possible.

    Take the now 15x48mm piece and cut your 5mm grooves in it on the table saw similar to cutting tenons, set the blade to 5mm high preferably with a dado stack and cut away.

    Glue the pieces together the same orientation that you resawed them.

    Dress the sides of the piece down to it's finished size of 45mm which should tidy any imperfections in your glue up.

    Provided you maintain the orientation of the cut your glue line should be fairly invisible.


    Sent from my GM1900 using Tapatalk
    Thanks so much, this is an excellent approach I had not considered. Thanks for taking the time to read and post.

  13. #12
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    Sep 2014
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    Quote Originally Posted by derekcohen View Post
    I used hand tools to make this ...




    http://www.inthewoodshop.com/Furnitu...rs%282%29.html

    You could use a router.



    Regards from Perth

    Derek

    Thanks Derek, stunning work as always. Yes, that is a chair version of precisely what I am aiming for. Excellent blog link, thanks so much for posting.

  14. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Neil T View Post



    Thanks Derek, stunning work as always. Yes, that is a chair version of precisely what I am aiming for. Excellent blog link, thanks so much for posting.
    Certainly is stunning - design and craftsmanship at its best.

    There is also an really excellent article by David Johnson in the Sept-Oct 2020 issue of Fine Woodworking Magazine on weaving a Danish cord stool seat. Johnson uses a slightly different technique from Derek and discusses many of the pitfalls. More stunning work. FWW magazine may be available in your local library.




    Edit (Added): One option to minimise sag might be to subdivide the bedhead into three or four smaller panels.

  15. #14
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    Default

    Do you have a Fein-type oscillating saw/multi tool? If so; cut the groove on either side using a router bit (they go down to 1/16” wide) then use a timber plunge blade to join them. The blades are flush cut so won’t mark the edges and if used carefully will self-guide themselves through to the middle.
    Nothing succeeds like a budgie without a beak.

  16. #15
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    Looking at Dereks method seems pretty sensible.

    Its a good many tools to use! Much work for a little slot

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