Thread: Have you built the Rocker moticing jig?

Uhh, no.

It's a Makita RP0910, only sold here and Europe as far as I can figure.

It's not a big angry thing, and only 900w so it's not designed for 1/2" as it is. Only concession is that I can get the 1/4" collet assembly, but as it's all self-extracting the things are pricy.

I do wish it was good for 1/2" stuff, but if I can get away with smaller bits than that, I can't think of a router I'd rather be using. Light, smooth, great adjustments, inbuilt dust plumbing, great guide bushing, quiet and accurate. Great router, except it's just not very big.

Next stop is a PC 890 set, so I am not too worried for now. A big routeris now on the short list of required tools, so with any luck I'll have it soon enough.

If I have to try an 8mm end mill, then I will. If it doesn't work in the router, then it will get used in the milling machine when I make it.

Just PMed u my Email address Rocker. Thanks mate!

I presume the bits you are referring to are straight bits. It is just possible, at a pinch to use these for morticing, but solid carbide spiral upcut bits, obtainable from Lee Valley, are far more effective than straight bits for cutting mortices.

Rocker

I use straight bits and I use spiral upcut bits. I use the straight bits in the larger sizes since I only have small spirals. I was doing so yesterday (building a outdoor table). The straight bits work just fine. No one needs to get paranoid about this. You may not plunge as deeply (nor would you want to - just plain dangerous), and a few "layered" runs go quickly, accurately and cleanly. Would I prefer a spiral bit? Sure - they are better, but really it is not that much that I feel deprived in any way.

I should point out that the straight bits I use are the "Carba-tec" badged ones (in red), and these have a cutting edge at the top as well as the side.

Oh, by way of morticing jig, I am afraid that I use one of my own design - not as precise as yours. But then I usually cut my tenons by hand and plane them to fit (keeping in mind that much of my timber is thicknessed by handplanes), so a dial gauge would be wasted on me. Nice design tho'.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Derek,

I agree that, with care, you can make straight bits do the job; but, seeing that the 5/16" and 3/8" solid carbide spiral bits are only $40 and $45 dollars respectively from McJing, I believe that the extra cost of around $20 compared to the Carbatec straight bits is well worthwhile. Admittedly, the 1/4" spiral bit is not a great improvement on the performance of a 1/4" straight bit; but the ease of use of the larger-diameter spiral bits compared to straight bits is much more marked, since the spirals clear the waste very efficiently. By the way, it is not at all dangerous to plunge a spiral bit to the full depth of the cutter, so long as you do it in several plunges. In fact, the recommended way to cut a mortice with a spiral bit is to do that at one end of the mortice, and then remove the rest of the waste by making horizontal passes, increasing the depth by 1/4" on each pass.

I also find the spiral bits good for the rather specialised task of routing dowel holes accurately in end-grain, where you need a dowel hole exactly perpendicular to the end-grain surface. This may be difficult or impossible to achieve with a drill-press. For instance, in order to ensure the accurate alignment of the dowels that connect the rockers of my rocking-chair to the legs, I screw a simple jig consisting of a square piece of 12 mm MDF with a 5/8" hole in it to the joint surface, and then use a 5/8" OD guide bushing on my router with a spiral bit to rout the dowel holes exactly perpendicular to the joint surface. This could not be done with a straight bit.

Rocker

I have been waiting till the roof on my shop is complete before asking for a copy of your jig plan. It has only been two years so far - heart op and varying BP don't mix too well with working on the roof.
Not going to wait anymore - the shop just gets a bit damp around the edges anyway.
Will PM you my email address - and hopefully I won't join the procrastinators for too long.

Thanks again .

I'm a procrastinator. Got the plans months ago. The cutouts are drawn up on the MDF etc, but I have yet to make it up. However, the set of display shelves I am currently making for my wife require a few M&T's so I dare say I'll be making it up in the next couple of weeks.

Phew! The movers, shakers, and makers have managed to struggle up to 10, neck and neck with the dreamers and procrastinators; but I am afraid the latter must be in the majority, since there are doubtless a lot more who won't fess up. I console myself that perhaps many of the other 150 or so plan requesters were Googlers who are not regular members of the forum, and who would therefore not have seen this poll.

Anyway, I would urge those who have the plans to take the time to make the jig. As some of the makers have testified, it is well worthwhile.

Rocker

Rocker

I have PM'd my appreciation for your efforts to get your plans past my non co-operative ISP but feel that the other members should know (if they don't already) the lengths you go to to help a fellow woodworker.

Thanks again - greeny on the way, if I can, otherwise a virtual greeny .

Hey Rocker,

You missed the "I won one as a door prize" option

Cheers,
Krunchy

Ps, you never did email the instructions :confused:

Krunchy,

Sorry, I forgot, and seem to have misplaced your card; PM me your e-mail address and I will send them.

Rocker

I promise I will make it within ten years of receiving the plans...

Dan

Originally Posted by Rocker

Krunchy,

Sorry, I forgot, and seem to have misplaced your card; PM me your e-mail address and I will send them.

Rocker

Hi Rocker,

I'll send you a pm!

Thanks,
Krunchy

Don't ya hate it when you type out a reply and go to send it and find your logged out:mad:

Rocker - Thanks for the jig, will take the time to digest it. Looks well thought out, lots of photos and diagrams and better still others have made it. Well done for taking the time to put it together and sending it around to newbies like myself.

Green one for ya as they say.

Add another one to the been there built that, half wore it out and dropped it and bent the rod brigade.







What, no one else has done that?