[Ola C]

You who are saying 1/4" plywood will withstand toggle clamp force. Have you checked your base straightness after clamping a piece down? My old coping sled was 1/2" mdf and it couldn't take the slightest toggle clamp force without bending.

 

[Rebelwork Woodworking]

You who are saying 1/4" plywood will withstand toggle clamp force. Have you checked your base straightness after clamping a piece down? My old coping sled was 1/2" mdf and it couldn't take the slightest toggle clamp force without bending.

Mine works fine. Not sure what you’re doing wrong? I made cabinet doors for manual years without any problems.

So yes, I’m one who does not have a problem using 1/4..

 

[Rebelwork Woodworking]

....

 

[Rebelwork Woodworking]

Here is the one I use for crown doors. Has a 1/4 bottom. Patterns of various sizes...

 

[Ola C]

Mine works fine. Not sure what you’re doing wrong? I made cabinet doors for manual years without any problems.

So yes, I’m one who does not have a problem using 1/4..

Ok, I see now you are running it in the miter channel and have a miter runner on the bottom side of the base pretty much located where the toggle clamp is(?). That runner stiffens up the base considerably if that is the case.

 

[Rebelwork Woodworking]

You’re only holding the part enough to eliminate vibration and secure the part. It doesn’t have to have a death grip..

 

[MiniMe]

I have checked the price for aluminium plates and they are reasonably priced ....I am evaluating the option to use one as base

 

[Rebelwork Woodworking]

If you can get the aluminum that’s great.

 

[Ola C]

You’re only holding the part enough to eliminate vibration and secure the part. It doesn’t have to have a death grip..

If I use clamps or hold downs I want them to hold the workpiece more firm than what is possible using toggle clamps onto 1/4" mdf without bending it.

 

[Rebelwork Woodworking]

I’m not sure what you’re trying to hold down.

 

[MiniMe]

If you can get the aluminum that’s great.

Hmmm I think that buying a bit collet extender will give me more flexibility in building future jigs

 

[Rebelwork Woodworking]

Hmmm I think that buying a bit collet extender will give me more flexibility in building future jigs

I had one, never again..

 

[MiniMe]

What went wrong ?
Same say this might ruin the router bearings but as far as I understand these are used for CNCs as well which use the same routers right (at least a good number of the CNCs can use a router that you have)

 

[Rebelwork Woodworking]

With the Jacobs extension I had a raised panel bit come out. Once was enough for me.

If you want to use one, you should. I can only speak for my situation.

 

[MiniMe]

From what I am reading you are referring to an extension that ends with chuck like end not with a collet
Is that different ?

I am considering this one but I am now worried that 3 1/4" is way more than I need and I won't be able to sink the router under the table deep enough

Wolfride 1/2-Inch Shank Router Bit Collet Extension Collet Extender for 1/2-inch Shank Bits : Amazon.ca: Tools & Home Improvement

Wolfride 1/2-Inch Shank Router Bit Collet Extension Collet Extender for 1/2-inch Shank Bits : Amazon.ca: Tools & Home Improvement

www.amazon.ca

so if I go with 1/2"or 3/4" base for the sled I would need at most that much to extend the current bit

I am going to try 1/4" MDF first to see if that removes the bending I am seeing
Have you ever had any issues with not being able to raise the bits high enough because of the 1/4"base ?

 

[Ola C]

I am going to try 1/4" MDF first to see if that removes the bending I am seeing

No need to try, it will bend. Check this review (link in end of post) of different commercial coping sleds and their comments about if it bends under load. Just as I mentioned earlier they also see bending problems with 1/2" mdf, twice the thickness of 1/4". Phenolic or aluminium is your base material if you want to go thin, but even with those materials there is no commercial sled made as thin as 1/4". Router-Table Accessories

 

[MiniMe]

Phenolic or aluminium is your base material if you want to go thin, but even with those materials there is no commercial sled made as thin as 1/4".

That article is good news thank you
1/4 aluminium seemed excessively thick to me, The article confirms that 3/8 should be ok. Now I need to find a good Amazon Canada source for that

 

[Rebelwork Woodworking]

No need to try, it will bend. Check this review (link in end of post) of different commercial coping sleds and their comments about if it bends under load. Just as I mentioned earlier they also see bending problems with 1/2" mdf, twice the thickness of 1/4". Phenolic or aluminium is your base material if you want to go thin, but even with those materials there is no commercial sled made as thin as 1/4". Router-Table Accessories

Your guessing. I show pictures because it’s a fact. Not a guess. i don’t know what your doing wrong.

I think you way over clamp..

 

[MiniMe]

Your guessing. I show pictures because it’s a fact. Not a guess. i don’t know what your doing wrong.

I think you way over clamp..

Well he quoted an article showing that bending is a problem for most of these jigs when clamps are used
I am having the same problem so I think you are doing something special not the rest of us )

 

[Ola C]

Your guessing. I show pictures because it’s a fact. Not a guess. i don’t know what your doing wrong.

I think you way over clamp..

Guessing? You show pictures of your jigs, says absolutely nothing. Either you use super low toogle clamp force to an extent where the clamp is almost meaningless, or you have bent your jigs your entire life without noticing. The article I linked to see exactly the same problem with thin bases as I and the thread starter do, quote "but the 5⁄16"-thick acrylic base bowed until we reduced the clamping force to an almost uncomfortable level".

Quote#2 "its 1⁄2"-thick melamine-coated MDF base bowed slightly when clamping workpieces."