I finally got far enough today to make some dust and put my set up through some paces. The idea behind Ver1.0 was to build a table that was “quick and dirty” to test out sizes and the function of everything (and to practice things like biscuit joinery on the carcass). I’ll take the lessons I learn from this set-up to build something “prettier” in the future once I use this for a while.
The table top is two layers of ¾” MDF on top of an MDF “carcass” which sits on a few Metro shelves I had sitting around.
I’m using:
Bosch 1617 with router table base
Woodpeckers Phenolic plate
Incra Ultra fence
Incra Miter 1000
Incra Miter track
As some of you know from previous posts I own a table saw from the 1950’s so when I rip or cross cut things are close but not close enough for the type of things I want to build. So the 1st thing to test out is the fence's accuracy with “ripping” some wood.
BTW, no laughing at my high-tech chip collector.
For this I’m using a Whiteside ½” spiral up cut bit. After shaving one side with a few 1/32” passes I flip over the piece and remove 1/32” at a time. Then I creep up to the my target 3” with a few smaller passes. With a reading form my digital calipers and a final setting of the micro adjuster I get “close enough” to my intended 3”…
I could never get that accurate with my table saw.
Then to make sure everything is square and the same length I throw in the Incra miter and make a few passes on each side.
While I have it set up I try a quick 90 deg miter with some ¾” stock.
Perfect on the 1st attempt!
Now it’s time to make something with those pieces I “whittled”..
I figured a “simple” box joint would be a good place to start. Now I remember a wise man on here (who’s screen name has a B and a J in it) saying that the best looking box joints are the ones that are made with a bit that is half the thickness of your stock. So I throw in my Whiteside ¼” up cut and set my bit height using the Bosch’s above table adjustment (which works like a champ). I go by the tip in the incra guide and set my bit height just a hair over the stock width.
Then I break out my centering jig. I know this was an unnecessary item, but I figured I would give it a try. Using the micro adjuster again I set the center of my work piece.
After studying the templates for a while in the Incra book I toss in the template “ruler” and decide to make all the A cuts on once side of all 4 pieces and the B cuts on the opposite sides. This will give the same overlap in each corner rather than a different symmetrical overlap depending on what side you are looking at.
All 4 pieces, plus a scrap backer to minimize tear out, get clamped up to the 90 deg jig.
After all the passes are done we are looking good
But how does it fit?
Decent, but the joints are a little looser than they should be. Not horrible, but it would not stay together against gravity as the Incra video suggests. I take it that’s a function of my bit? Is there a type of bit out there that would produce a tighter fit? My guess is it would be a slightly smaller diameter than ¼”
Also if I had skewed the pattern 1/8” I would not have those small pegs on the top and bottom. I might “rip” those off since I know I can do it accurately. This falls under the live and learn category.
But the plan to have the pins protrude slightly worked well. They will get sanded flush after gluing.
And here’s the view from above. Note the overlap pattern I was going after.
So overall it was a good day. Next I’m working on a few auxiliary fences. One will be split to allow for shimming and jointing.
I’m open to comments or suggestions. And I have to thank everyone here for their guidance so far and for answering all my newbie questions!