Thread: An Afternoon in the shed.

Wishing you a good time in the shed.
You have lots of happy memories out there that will help heal your soul.
Regards
Wolffie

Good on you Ticky I have traveled the same road a couple of yrs ago sometimes I hit a pot hole but most of the time its a nice stoll
Colbra

Thanks Fella's,
The forum members were very supportive when dad died, & it was nice, & very much appreciated, but I only included that aspect as history to make sense of why I have had a hard time getting back into my woodwork.

well, ... That doesn't sound good. But I hope you understand what I mean, the point is, I believe I can move forward now & between us, it's about bloody time.

I am looking forward to sinking my teeth into WW again & I have a few interesting projects to go on with. These shop jobs don't fit into my one day a week schedule, so I am making a bit of extra time for them. Who knows, I might even clean up the shed.

Cheers

Steve

Well, I had a great day in the shed on Wednesday. I didn't do any more to my Mortising Jig, that's a job when I have a bit of time. But I caught up on two other projects.

First, I glued & assembled the Rear panel of the TV stand I am making. The panel is a loose fit in trenches all round. That was all I could to to that for awhile, so I went on & filled a few flaws in the Jarrah legs I have cut, for a hall table. The epoxy I am using takes about 2 days before you can work it, so that was all I could do on that one. While I was working with epoxy, I decided to fill the damage the white ants did to my Veritas Panel Clamps a couple years ago. I have still been using them & they show no signs of weakness, but WTH, I thought I might as well fill them. They still need a bit of a clean up. Finally, I moved on the the stand for a Butches Block I am Making. I sanded the apron, & thicknesssed the legs, sanded them & filled all the holes. The legs are recycled timber. I think they will come up quite nice. I still have to cut the mortises, pity I don't have a jig for that. I also have to make a knife rack on one end, and a potato box. The block is done.

It felt good & I might even go out there again today for a while.

Steve

Colbra

I found a bit more time to work on my Mortising Jig today.

I still have to get some threaded knobs but I have most of the T Nuts installed, 9 so far.

The top slides quite nicely on the Masonite guides and there doesn't seem to be any slop. I also made an extra sliding top at the same time. I think I will use this to experement with a couple other jigs that I can use on the same setup.

Steve

I finished off my mortising jig the other day.
I haven't tried it yet but I put a 60 x 60 leg in to see if it would work.

I had to remove the clamping bolt and I put a bit of Masonite there to protect the leg but it looks like it will work fine. I will have to modify the design a bit as this is not an unusual size for me to use but I can't see a problem with that

if I have a set of Mortises to do, I should be able to set the jig up, & simply mark a center line across the timbers, and then it is just a matter of lining up the center line of the mortise with the center line of the jig and rout it out.

I think a spiral bit might be the go.

Steve




image.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpg

I tried out the mortising jig today.

I couldn't set the top of the jig where I needed it to go, & I couldn't simply rout the slot on the top a bit longer. That would have been a bit too easy.

I decided to put another T Nut in the top of the base section, so I drilled about a 36mm hole in the center of the bottom, & was able to insert a T nut through that hole, and into the top of the base section. I have marked this on the plan for future reference.

So, Now I can set the sliding top where I want it.



Attachment 236640jig 8.jpg
The first pic shows the Mortise that I marked out, and center lines on the jig & work piece.

There is also a line across the router base of the jig, just by the Masonite stops. I centered the router on the jig & moved the stops in against it, and marked these two lines.

using the formula 1/2 length of desired mortise minus 1/2 diameter of router bit, I can set these stops.
For example, I want a 20mm long mortise, 12mm wide.
1/2 20 = 10
- 1/2 12 = 6
10 - 6 = 4 I set the stops 4mm out from the lines on each side for a 20mm long mortise.


jig 5.jpg

ok, not perfect, but not terrible either. I guess I was a little out when I tried to achieve the center line on my router.

still, we are talking about the thickness of a pencil line out... it could be worse.




jig 6.jpg

The final pic shows the layout lines on the rest of the 8 mortises I cut today. A center line. Thats it.

Once the jig is set, you simply mark the center line for all of that size mortise irrespective of left or right hand, clamp the work in place & plunge away.

Its a good design, not my design, and an easy build. It's in expensive & easy to use & set up.

there are a couple of mistakes in the book, & a modification that I have noted in my book, so if you want these alterations, just let me know.



Steve

I think the mortise jig is made well. As you said work well and the center lines are what's needed.

That is awesome, well done Tricky. Keep up the good work!!

I don't think it looks too sexist as to offend Julia Gillard and her handbag hit-squad

Thanks Christos, I think the slight imperfection in accuracy can be fine tuned out of it with a bit of time & effort, and a 1/2 ounce of luck.

Thanks Jill, yeh, its not that hard to upset Jullia. Still, nothing another doubling of the pay packet won't help her get over.

Thanks for the encouragement, it was a fun project to build & I think it will be a very useful jig to have in the shed.


Steve