A Trend corner chisel will cut 11/32 deep. Might be just right to square a 3/8 groove.
Here's a link. Trend.
Here's a link. Trend.
1 - 17 of 17 Posts
If you have a drill press, you could get a 2 inch Forstner bit to cut the circle, or a hole saw might do if you drill the top side halfway through, then turn it over and cut the other side. Use a roundove bit to make a graceful looking mount and remove any chipout. Then cut using a stop block to make certain both pieces are equal length.
Instead of making a flat bottom, consider using dowels to connect the two ends. Drill the holes on a drill press using a stop block to position the holes precisely. If the wood is beautiful use a Cherry stain, or if you want it to look instrument-ish, consider using a deep mahogany (rich-dark red) stain and then wipe on poly. If the dowels are too tight, lightly sand the ends to slightly reduce the diameter and glue. Let it dry in a jig so everything stays flat and aligned. This will greatly speed up the project, make the stands very light weight, and it will have a nice look. So quick to make you could offer them with the kaleidoscope if you're selling them. Two dowels set vertically will look nicer than the flat bottom and be at least as strong.
Actually, this would be a great item for sale at a craft fair. Get an ordinary kaleidoscope, put a new exterior wrap on it wood patterned paper or even veneer, paint the metal rima color that matches the wrap or the stand (unifies what then becomes a set).
If you don't like the dowels, I would substitute a vertical piece with rounded over edges that spans the two ends and use a router to cut a groove for it. That will require a jig to make a stopped grove with round ends. Personally, I'd prefer something like a 3/8ths to 1/2 inch pair of dowels, about the same thickness as the end pieces. A single dowel would work if you had an assembly jig to asure it was perfectly aligned.
If you're going to go with a flat bottom piece, use a thicker piece the width of the vertical pieces, then cut a groove across the full width, but add a flat piece of scrap where the bit will exit to prevent blowout. If you don't presently have a sled for cutting exact fit grooves or dados, consider making one like the picture.
Instead of making a flat bottom, consider using dowels to connect the two ends. Drill the holes on a drill press using a stop block to position the holes precisely. If the wood is beautiful use a Cherry stain, or if you want it to look instrument-ish, consider using a deep mahogany (rich-dark red) stain and then wipe on poly. If the dowels are too tight, lightly sand the ends to slightly reduce the diameter and glue. Let it dry in a jig so everything stays flat and aligned. This will greatly speed up the project, make the stands very light weight, and it will have a nice look. So quick to make you could offer them with the kaleidoscope if you're selling them. Two dowels set vertically will look nicer than the flat bottom and be at least as strong.
Actually, this would be a great item for sale at a craft fair. Get an ordinary kaleidoscope, put a new exterior wrap on it wood patterned paper or even veneer, paint the metal rima color that matches the wrap or the stand (unifies what then becomes a set).
If you don't like the dowels, I would substitute a vertical piece with rounded over edges that spans the two ends and use a router to cut a groove for it. That will require a jig to make a stopped grove with round ends. Personally, I'd prefer something like a 3/8ths to 1/2 inch pair of dowels, about the same thickness as the end pieces. A single dowel would work if you had an assembly jig to asure it was perfectly aligned.
If you're going to go with a flat bottom piece, use a thicker piece the width of the vertical pieces, then cut a groove across the full width, but add a flat piece of scrap where the bit will exit to prevent blowout. If you don't presently have a sled for cutting exact fit grooves or dados, consider making one like the picture.
Attachments
I think that I can picture what you're making. Maybe just glue and screws? If you make two drilling jigs to make sure the parts are in the right place. Drill big enough to pass the screws through the bottom piece (counter sunk) and small enough for screws to bite in the uprights. Perhaps peel n stick, felt or rubber, feet on the bottom?
Attachments
Not cut a tenon on a table saw but shoulder the end like most mortise and tenon joints do. Then you don't need to worry about the rounded end. The quick illustration I drew shows what I mean. You nibble the bottom front corner of your piece off instead of squaring the end of your groove. This is fast and easy on a table saw by raising the saw blade on it until you have a height that matches the groove depth and running the piece over the saw sideways using the miter gauge with a backing strip attached to it which will prevent the grain from being blown out on the back side. This method is commonly used on things like bookcases where you don't want the grooves that get dadoed into the sides for the shelves from showing at the front. You get nicer cleaner lines on the fronts this way. So you just notch the fronts of the shelves so that the notched out part sits flush against the sides.
In this case the length of the notched out part probably isn't that critical. It just has to be far enough back that it gets you past the rounded end of the groove but in situations where it is critical you set your fence to control the length of the notch and just nibble away until the piece butts up against the fence. Using a good, sharp dado set can speed this operation way up. It can also be done on a router table too but using a backer board is even more important with a router to prevent blowing out the grain.
Attachments
1 - 17 of 17 Posts
