Wow! That's spectacular, Larry!! Great photo coverage as well.
standing armoire -- router boss project
thought i'd post a few pics of a project i finished recently using the router boss device.
it is a standup armoire for my sweetie. 90% of the router work was done using the router boss --
the raised panels on the side panels, the side panels have lock miter joints at the corners, the
half moon on the front of the side panels was turned on the router boss, the slots for the side hung drawers, and the slots for the drawer inserts -- the drawers have dovetails at the back corners and i used floating tenon / mortise to fix the front faces to the sides -- the half moon pieces are also attached to the front face of the side panels using floating tenons -- all done using the router boss --
the individual disks that make up the legs were done using a template, plunge router, trim bit, round off bit -- then using the positioning precision of the router boss -- i cut a 1/4" hole exactly in the center -- then turned a 1/4" rod when insert thru the centers holds the stack together --
perhaps it is due in part to my limited experience, but i don't see how i would have done this project without the capabilities of the router boss -- it is so adaptable, has amazing precision and reproducibility, sometimes you have to use some imagination in clamping / fixing the workpiece -- but figuring that part out is half the fun -- the other half is seeing the results --
be glad to go into more specifics about the construction techniques if anyone is interested --
it is a standup armoire for my sweetie. 90% of the router work was done using the router boss --
the raised panels on the side panels, the side panels have lock miter joints at the corners, the
half moon on the front of the side panels was turned on the router boss, the slots for the side hung drawers, and the slots for the drawer inserts -- the drawers have dovetails at the back corners and i used floating tenon / mortise to fix the front faces to the sides -- the half moon pieces are also attached to the front face of the side panels using floating tenons -- all done using the router boss --
the individual disks that make up the legs were done using a template, plunge router, trim bit, round off bit -- then using the positioning precision of the router boss -- i cut a 1/4" hole exactly in the center -- then turned a 1/4" rod when insert thru the centers holds the stack together --
perhaps it is due in part to my limited experience, but i don't see how i would have done this project without the capabilities of the router boss -- it is so adaptable, has amazing precision and reproducibility, sometimes you have to use some imagination in clamping / fixing the workpiece -- but figuring that part out is half the fun -- the other half is seeing the results --
be glad to go into more specifics about the construction techniques if anyone is interested --
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many thanks for all the kind comments -- i started woodworking when i retired 6 years ago -- mostly my projects involve making furniture for our children -- my sweetie said enough -- you need to do something for me and the armoire was born -- it is loosely based on something she saw on line -- but not as fancy -- it measures 25"w x 19" deep x 43" tall -- i alluded to the impact the router boss had on the project and i wanted to illustrate that through 2 specific examples -- sometimes you get to a point where one has
to adjust your direction -- sometimes i just can't figure out how to get to point B so you work around it -- sometimes my inexperience digs me a hole i need help getting out of --
the longest piece of stock one can turn on the router boss is 32" or so -- so the posts on the front of the panels had to be 2 pieces -- my intention was to cut profiles into the turned posts for decoration and to hide the joint in the middle -- but i was overruled because becky would not allow any "dust catchers" -- so we compromised on the rings -- it was a simple task to re-mount the posts back on the RB and cut a 1/32" ledge of the length needed to hold the rings in position for glueing (add1, add2, add2a) -- i cut the posts in half on the table saw -- now i needed a way to attach the two halves so they made a true straight final piece -- any deviation at
the center joint would be hard to hide -- my solution was to mount them side by side on the RB (add3) and cut a mortice in each in exactly the same spot -- the critical position was N to S -- E to W variations could be handled -- the result (add5, add6) was perfect -- insert the floating tenon and the 2 pieces went together as if the joint wasn't there (add8, add9, add10)
when i planed the stock down for the drawer dividers -- i set my dewalt 625 at the minimum thickness of 1/8" -- naively i didn't add 'nominal" between the 2 -- when the planer bed bottomed out -- my wixey readout and calipher readings said 5/32" -- (aside: later, i saw an adjustment screw in the base of the planer -- now on my list of things to do) -- i thought -- no prob, little wider, will work -- until i started cutting the notches to merge the vertical and horizontal dividers together -- my plan was to use the table saw and cross cut sled -- but it was hard to make the second cut to open the slot especially trying to do many together -- and i was afraid i would not be able to adequately duplicate positions if i did them in lots -- so i went to the RB -- made a perpendicular sled where i could place as many as i needed -- and clamp them securely -- (add11, add12) -- one cross cut with an 1/8" bit, move in X
direction 1/32" using the digital readout (DRO) -- cut back -- done and perfectly registered (add13, add14) --
the other huge advantage was that i could drive the stack out where i could test fit a divider and if i needed to enlarge -- go back within .003" of where i was -- make the change -- and test again -- as often as you need to do to get it where you are satisfied -- and by registering the DRO to the left side of the stack -- i could repeat exactly what i did 2 days ago on additional dividers if the config of the drawer changed --
i need to mention that i don't have a lathe or a band saw in my shop -- it is certainly possible that either of those tools in the right hands could have accomplished tasks on this project that i relied on the router boss for -- part of the reason is that my favorite tool is a router -- just love what can be done with a router -- always have -- part of the reason is i ran out of space in my shop and there just isn't any room for any more tools -- and most of what i do have is on casters -- and i will end with the disclaimer that i am not related by blood or marriage to anyone at craftsmen galleries and i have not received nor would accept any compensation for the opinions expressed. i just enjoy using the device and wanted to share that with my fellow woodworkers.
to adjust your direction -- sometimes i just can't figure out how to get to point B so you work around it -- sometimes my inexperience digs me a hole i need help getting out of --
the longest piece of stock one can turn on the router boss is 32" or so -- so the posts on the front of the panels had to be 2 pieces -- my intention was to cut profiles into the turned posts for decoration and to hide the joint in the middle -- but i was overruled because becky would not allow any "dust catchers" -- so we compromised on the rings -- it was a simple task to re-mount the posts back on the RB and cut a 1/32" ledge of the length needed to hold the rings in position for glueing (add1, add2, add2a) -- i cut the posts in half on the table saw -- now i needed a way to attach the two halves so they made a true straight final piece -- any deviation at
the center joint would be hard to hide -- my solution was to mount them side by side on the RB (add3) and cut a mortice in each in exactly the same spot -- the critical position was N to S -- E to W variations could be handled -- the result (add5, add6) was perfect -- insert the floating tenon and the 2 pieces went together as if the joint wasn't there (add8, add9, add10)
when i planed the stock down for the drawer dividers -- i set my dewalt 625 at the minimum thickness of 1/8" -- naively i didn't add 'nominal" between the 2 -- when the planer bed bottomed out -- my wixey readout and calipher readings said 5/32" -- (aside: later, i saw an adjustment screw in the base of the planer -- now on my list of things to do) -- i thought -- no prob, little wider, will work -- until i started cutting the notches to merge the vertical and horizontal dividers together -- my plan was to use the table saw and cross cut sled -- but it was hard to make the second cut to open the slot especially trying to do many together -- and i was afraid i would not be able to adequately duplicate positions if i did them in lots -- so i went to the RB -- made a perpendicular sled where i could place as many as i needed -- and clamp them securely -- (add11, add12) -- one cross cut with an 1/8" bit, move in X
direction 1/32" using the digital readout (DRO) -- cut back -- done and perfectly registered (add13, add14) --
the other huge advantage was that i could drive the stack out where i could test fit a divider and if i needed to enlarge -- go back within .003" of where i was -- make the change -- and test again -- as often as you need to do to get it where you are satisfied -- and by registering the DRO to the left side of the stack -- i could repeat exactly what i did 2 days ago on additional dividers if the config of the drawer changed --
i need to mention that i don't have a lathe or a band saw in my shop -- it is certainly possible that either of those tools in the right hands could have accomplished tasks on this project that i relied on the router boss for -- part of the reason is that my favorite tool is a router -- just love what can be done with a router -- always have -- part of the reason is i ran out of space in my shop and there just isn't any room for any more tools -- and most of what i do have is on casters -- and i will end with the disclaimer that i am not related by blood or marriage to anyone at craftsmen galleries and i have not received nor would accept any compensation for the opinions expressed. i just enjoy using the device and wanted to share that with my fellow woodworkers.
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