Replies

1. 
   Samson | Oct 07, 2008 05:03pm | #1

   How big are the steps? 

   It's more important to keep the entire frame flat than to force these steps out and risk twisting the lid.

   Such steps are not uncommon and are best taken care of by planing the rails and stiles after assembly (I suppose a sander would work too, but I'm a plane guy).

2. 
   ring | Oct 07, 2008 07:48pm | #2

   If I understand correctly you've got your rails and stiles in slightly different planes. Obviously the solution next time is to cut the joints more accurately. The problem should have been caught when dry fitting. At this point all you can do is just plane down the offending member. If you've got a widebelt or drum sander you can run them through to get there fast and safe.

   David Ring

   http://www.touchwood.co.il/?id=1&lang=e

1. 
   Samson | Oct 07, 2008 09:05pm | #3

   He is catching it at dry fitting.  Notice he talks about potentially using cauls at glue up.

   So if the steps are large, you can effectively move you tenons by shaving one cheek, and gluing a piece of veneer or the like to the opposite cheek.  This is a bit fussy to actually do, but it will work.

1. 
   ring | Oct 07, 2008 09:22pm | #4

   You're probably right. I read his sentence "I've made..." as meaning that it's already a fait accompli. If it's not glued up yet the easiest thing is just to make new frame members.David Ring

   http://www.touchwood.co.il/?id=1&lang=e

2. 
   WillGeorge | Oct 08, 2008 04:44am | #5

   Obviously the solution next time is to cut the joints more accurately. The problem should have been caught when dry fitting.

   Good one! I'd start over!

3. 
   Dave45 | Oct 08, 2008 06:31pm | #6

   I do lots of cope and stick joinery and have found that thickness planing everything to uniform thickness before milling has eliminated those pesky "offsets" where the rails meet the stiles. Two dimensioned boards may - or may not - actually have the same thickness.

   Dry fit your pieces and check both sides. If you have an offset on the front, with an equal but opposite offset on the back, you need to tighten up your measurement, marking, and milling work. Otherwise, it's a good bet that your pieces aren't the same thickness.

4. 
   philip | Oct 09, 2008 10:49am | #7

   J,
   How much discrapency is there?? If you can get away with simply doing the glue-up as is then hand planing it all flush the panic was short-lived.
   If too much then do whichever suits best/uses less timber/takes less time/minimises chances of temper-loss: make new rails or styles thick enough to more than compensate for the mal-alignment.
   As a matter of interest: how did you do your mortises and tenons? And what is the cause of this problem? I ask that because I am not sure from what you say of what the problem actually is so it could be caused by foe example 1)mortises not square both ways 2) mortises not central 3) tenons not square 4) tenons not central 5) cheeks not square 6) meeting edges not square 7)rails and styles not square etc etc ....

   Philip Marcou
1. 
   jscharver | Oct 09, 2008 05:34pm | #8

   The largest discrepancy is 1/32"(only 1 of those). The rest of the frame is either much, much less or spot on.I cut the mortises with a 3/8" spiral up-cut bit and a plunge router on a homemade mortising jig designed by Mark Mazzo (Google "An economic alternative to floating tenon joinery"). The router is equipped with an edge guide to consistently center the mortises on multiple workpieces.Tenons cheeks are cut on the table saw using a stacked dado. Mating shoulders are subsequently cut by hand with a backsaw. I clean up the tenons with a rasp, Veritas shoulder plane, and a little 120 grit paper to get a good fit.I'm striving to achieve better accuracy so each new attempt is a learning process. Cutting the mortises in 3/4" stock has been my most problematic thing so far. Thanks to all of you for your advice, comments, and suggestions. Critique is always welcome.