Thread: Leadscrew router Planing/Thicknessing jig

Gday Steve, re the wedges it's been pretty easy so far.

I bought a box of those plastic Wedgies from bunnings, and I use the thinnest ones in the box.

I push the dogs up against the workpiece & do them up, then push one or two wedges under any high corner or edge that has any wobble when I push on it. Very quick to do.

This has been to counter any rock or twist in the workpiece. If there is a lot, like the first piece of redgum I tried, I knocked off the high spot with the power hand planer before "dogging & wedging" :eek:

Meant to say in the prev. post, each double pass only takes about 4 seconds on the 2ft 6" workpiece, so despite each set of passes only being 5mm, the width is done pretty quickly.


Cheers.....................Sean

Auld,

A key factor with these jigs is eliminating the machining of a possible twist into the finished piece. This means having the two lengths and two widths all in the same plane.

Scooters design has the advantage that it is based on a fixed platform (the ladder) and is relatively narrow compared to the width. If his platform is a flat plane his jig will plane flat.

In a system like mine (http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ad.php?t=35655) which clamps onto my bench AND is also nearly as wide (790 mm) as it is long (900 mm), I need to be more careful about the possibility of twists. My long horizontals (Al square section) are all mounted on raised threaded rods which means I can level these as required. I then use a 5ft long level to level the diagonals, level the router carriage/slider, and all should be OK. (one could also use the diagonal string method as well) For pieces that are relatively narrow and shorter than 790 mm I only really need to level the router carriage/slider.

It takes a while to set up initially but once it is done, even though I take the jig off/the bench the subsequent adjustments are very quick especially compared to the milling time.

Great work there Sean, well done mate!

Btw, I've got a few twisted rellos, reckon you could straighten 'em out for me?

(A picture speaks a thousand words, even if its just a smiling green thing.)


If the bbq was just after christmas, then I'd be able to make it myself if you would have me...

Gday

Schtoo, have just put up the announcment for the BBQ, Sun 1st October.

Sorry 'bout that one mate , but organising something when your over here won't be a prob

Greg, might need to hold 'em down with the pointy dogs


Cheers...............Sean

Just want to bump this thread.

After watching the video I got busy.

I had some 38mm MDF in the shed, 2 pieces 440mm wide x 1220mm long covered one side in some sort of kitchen bench top.

Checked out the prices of extension ladders
& price of aluminum boxing. :eek:
I told the man "No thanks, I'll buy a ladder & cut it up"
Went & bought the 'Safety 1st' 8/13 extension ladder on special at MITRE 10 for $99.
The bigger piece of it is 2430mm x 386mm x 55mm.

Anyway, the project has begun.

While I was in the Ali distributors, I asked about T Track & Sail track.
The bloke there showed me some 'Road Sign' track.
The book he had called it C Channel & it was about $15 a metre.
It was 25.4mm square & took a cup head bolt.... pity it is not quiet so deep 'cos once you route a 25.4mm deep groove in a 38mm top, there is only an half inch of MDF left.

I have attached a drawing I made when I got home.

Cliff, get some lamination grade epoxy, ie:water thin, and run it into the groove before dropping the track in. Make sure you use enough so that it goes everywhere it should be, but take precautions to make sure it doesn't go everywhere.

The epoxy will seep into the MDF toughening it up, it will hold the track very well (rough up the sides if it's smooth) and you shouldn't lose any strength at all, since the ally is heaps stronger than the missing MDF was.

The stuff I use accepts a 5mm square nut and works for little things like stop blocks. It has grooves in the sides which helps, and I only epoxy the stuff in. It doesn't come out without completely destroying the thing, and little 5mm hardware isn't going to do it.

Thanks Schtoo, I might give it a go, $15/M is cheaper than the shallower T Track, it is more like $30/M for the cheapest & I want about 4 or 5 M for this project.

Cliff, did you try a Capral distributor for the sail track? It's a fair bit shallower than 1", prob more like 3/8" or so. Last price was around $12 for 4m I think.

Edit: did a search on capral sail track, cut & pasted the following (bugger proper attributing )

If it is the sail track I think that you are after it is called Marine Sail Track it's description is EE4204 6106 T6 4.0m Mill Finish. Their Material No. is 810957.
The only problem is they don't have it in stock and have to order it in from Sydney. I got 2 x 4m lengths ordered in last week so it is available.
I use the sailtrack from Capral and these are the specifications I measured for Woodchuck Canuck last week.

Outside width 22mm
Outside depth 9mm
Inside width 17mm
Inside depth 3mm
Opening gap 7.5mm
Thickness 2.5mm

The track is not predrilled, I use a small bit to drill through and then a larger bit to countersink the opening and use chipboard screws size #4 * 5/8" to attach the track.

The opening is perfect for 1/4" cupbolt bolts as the square section of the bolt is 6mm and the thickness of the head is 3mm. Most of the time they fit perfectly but sometimes a bit of judicious grinding with the bench grinder is necessary.

Might be telling you how to suck eggs here, the topic has had a hiding before.


Cheers...........Sean

Local Ali distributor had stuff this shape that he called sail track.
It has plastic runners that go in it & is about 30mm across.

Thanks Scooter - sometimes you stumble on to a thread that solves so many problems for you!
I've been looking for an easy way to 'rigidise' the sled I use in my thicknesser - just have to find an ali' ladder less than 13" wide.
Also been looking for a cheaper source of 't' track and now have something to chase. My daughters FIL is in the ali' door and window business and can't believe what 'they' charge us woodies for 't' track - after all, it's just a simple extrusion - you can get far more complex shapes for a tenth of the price 'they' ask for it.

Originally Posted by TTIT

...- just have to find an ali' ladder less than 13" wide.....

The one I got at MITRE 10 on special is an extension ladder & the inner piece will do the job.
324mm or 12 & 3/4" old money.

I think thats really clever Sean.

You may be already doing it..... but maybe you could, in adition to planing/thicknessing.....mortise with it as well, whilst the timbers still locked in position after planing, by just changing the bit over....... or, act like a little drill press...

looks good mate. Thanks for the thorough description and pics.

Didn't yer see the other half it in the back of the shed, skew?

Paid full (staff) price for it too... Did score a $15 multifold ladder tho' a while back... ... another story.

Indoor timber is my dept at Cranbourne store, which includes the ladders...


Cheers................Sean