All,
I’m curious how others do this. The tray has 15 degree sloping sides with dovetail joinery. The challenge was to cut a grove to accept the floor of the tray panel. I did not want to use the TS because I’d blow out a portion of the tails and have a repair job. If I use the router, I would need to attach a 15 degree sloping piece of stock to the router base..set back far enough from the bit to match where I want the grove in the stock. Maybe there is a better way?
Replies
There's always a better way. The rest is just money.
To do boxes, I like to cut the bottom in first, before the joinery. You could cut it in a little deep, then resaw the board to the angle, which would "angle" the slot.
Jammersix,Thanks for responding, I've been studying your suggestion but I'm not sure I fully understand. When you say 'resaw the board' I immediately think bandsaw but I think your saying to put the 15 degree slopes on the sides after the grove is cut?
Yes.There's a couple ways to do it, and I should have been more careful in my statement.You can cut the slot on the fifteen degree angle, on the tablesaw, in one surface of a four square piece. You end up with a slot that isn't square to the piece.Then you rip two edges of the piece to match the slot, either at 75 (or 105) degrees to the slot or at the same angle as the slot, depending on the effect you're looking for, and presto, you have your side at fifteen degrees, with a slot that is level to the world, and square to the bottom of the box.Note that ripping at either 75 or 105 degrees simply takes a tablesaw set at the fifteen degrees you want, but you could still end up fiddling. But fiddling is fun. Just be careful, jamming thing up during a rip will probably end in a ballistic missile.Then you can go on to joinery, and you can use the slot in the bottom of each side to register the joinery.Edit: I hope I said that right... It's a LOT easier to demonstrate than to state.Edited 8/17/2009 6:24 pm by JammersixEdited 8/17/2009 6:25 pm by JammersixEdited 8/17/2009 6:26 pm by JammersixEdited 8/17/2009 6:27 pm by JammersixEdited 8/17/2009 6:28 pm by JammersixEdited 8/17/2009 6:30 pm by JammersixEdited 8/17/2009 6:34 pm by JammersixEdited 8/17/2009 6:36 pm by Jammersix
Edited 8/17/2009 6:37 pm by Jammersix
Jammersix,I think you've made it quite clear, thanks. I always feel insecure with the wood speak and a picture is worth so much more.Cutting the groves on the TS will mean a repair job when it comes to the dovetail joinery. However, it's pretty easy to rip a 1/4" square stick and cross cut a 1/4" or so repair piece. If I'm feeling really brave, I might put a 15 degree slope on that repair stick...
Ripping and cutting the shallow dado at an angle on the TS would be a good alternative for mitered corners, I think. But, as noted, it creates a problem for through dovetails, requiring a patch or some other form of "repair" to avoid the little square holes in the joints.
If doing just one tray, I think I'd make an angle attachment for the router base. If I planned to do a bunch of trays, I might build a jig to hold the tray sides at the appropriate angle, and perhaps even an adjustable template to use a guide bushing for different-length sides.
RalphBaker,I started out doing one tray but then I got curious about what different slopes would look like...and different woods, and other modifications...okay, I'm just playing.I thought I saw an after market attachment for the router somewhere that would allow you to change the angle/pitch...kinda like a cradle. It may be a feature of those lift systems for the router table.
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