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Next step - Safety Tips

1K views 4 replies 2 participants last post by  skashyap 
#1 ·
I was able to finish my first picture frame.

1. Used simple mitre box and saw to cut the molding. I got nearly perfect 45 Deg cuts on pine wood molding.

2. Used Freud 1/2" shank straight cutter in my M12VC to cut the rebate.

3. Used picture frame jig from Lee Valley for holding all the corners together for gluing and nailing.

When I was cutting the rebate using hand I was not comfortable with what I was doing. My gut feel was telling me that I have to get suggestions related to safety tools and tips from experts on this forum.

Any advise is appreciated.

Thanks

Shiv
 
#2 ·
Hi Shiv, congratulations. I hope someone has pointed you toward using featherboards (or fingerboards, depending on which side of which pond you are). I always use them if I think my hands are going to get remotely close to that bit.
Mine are from Milescraft but Bench Dog, Kreg, Rockler and a whole lot of other places sell them. Or, you can make your own. I have never been comfortable with the shop made ones but perhaps I'll try to make them again.
Here is a post of how I set them up on my old shaper for doing the rebate on frames. Notice the bit is nearly covered. I used a push stick or went to the outfeed end and pulled them thru when I got close to the featherboard.:)

Not sure what I was doing in the photo, certainly not a picture frame with a 2x2 on the table but you get the idea. The infeed holds the work down and the table mounted holds the work to the bit. Hand got no business in there. I keep them as close to the bit as possible. Don't really care if they get hit.
 

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#4 ·
On a fairly small piece of wood as a picture frame I will actually adjust the featherboards to bridge the opening in the fences. That is the table mounted featherboard will take control of the piece an inch or so before it contacts the bit and the same with the vertically mounted featherboard. That means that the board attached to the fence is actually attached to both fences, one bolt on the infeed and one on the outfeed, completely covering the bit. It wont actually hit the bit because you are adjusting both to apply just a firm pressure to the workpiece, not so tight you have to put a lot of pressure on to feed. It kinda technique sensitive. Suggest you try to adjusting the feather boards without a bit a few times to get the feel of about how tightly you want the piece held. You need to be able to feed the work through with a comfortable level of effort yet have the boards do the job of keeping the work in contact with the bit. With this setup the fences and the featherboards have control of the workpiece all the way through the cutting process, your job is to just push it in and take it out. :D
 
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