| Blog series by Blake | updated 1999 days ago | 8 parts | 41802 reads | 108 comments total |
Part 1: First Go at Sketchup, what a cool program!
I have always liked CAD programs but have used them very little. I was an engineering major for a short time in college and took a few technical drawing classes, which I loved. I always thought it would be neat to own some sort of CAD program but never bought one. I think it is great that Google now offers one for free! I had never heard of Sketchup before I found LumberJocks. Anyway, I am building a new router table for my Incra fence+positioner, so I thought I would give it a go. The pro...
Part 2: ...A Pile of Potential
This is the exciting start of my new “proper” router table: Pile of wood… I had the lumber yard cut my plywood to size since it is difficult/impossible to maneuver a full sheet in my shop. I assembled the carcass with biscuits.
Part 3: Finishing Cabinet Assembly and Dust Collection
This project is really coming together. That biscuit jointer really makes quick and easy work of cabinet assembly. I have never really gotten a chance to use it before. I ordered an Incra Magni-Lock router plate through Woodcraft. It seems to be on the slow boat. But hopefully it will come at about the time I need it. Anyway, more chronicles of the progress I made on my day off yesterday: Here is the cabinet fascia with half lap joinery, 3/4” x 2” Beechwood (the most inex...
Part 4: Table top and drawer slides
More progress on the router table… I installed the drawer slides today. This is only because I intend wanted to put the table top on and it was hard enough to do with the cabinet face already on. I really should have put the drawer slides in first. It took me forever and I had to bend down through the cabinet or reach through the drawer openings to precisely mark, measure, drill and screw the slides in place. I actually intend to make the drawers later on, but I had to put the sli...
Part 5: Doors and Drawers
I would have waited until I made more progress until posting this next one, but since I have been stuck in bed with the flue for three days (and I am good for nothin’ in the shop) I may as well post what I’ve got. The following was done before I got sick. I am keeping the joinery as simple as possible on this project. I want it to look nice but it mostly needs to be functional. So I used simple grooved “style and rails” for the doors and drawer fronts, with more of ...
Part 6: Finishing Touches
I’ve been adding the details as I have had time here and there after work. I finally got my router plate (Incra Magni-lock) which I had to special order through Woodcraft because as far as I could tell nobody carries it. Woodcraft had to order it from Incra and have it shipped to them before shipping it to me. This is what I got: I liked the actual Incra router plate better than the woodpecker brand version. And after it finally arrived in the mail I was pretty glad I had chos...
Part 7: Tedious details... Gettin' there
Here’s what I have accomplished in the past week or so… Drawers:So last time I talked about my drawer construction and my not-so-orthodox method of “biscuit-slotting” them together (the “don’t try this at home, kids” method). I got scolded for that a little, and for good reason. It probably wouldn’t have lasted as long. So I ended up just shooting them full of brads to reinforce them since I figured out that the brads would be hidden by the s...
Part 8: A Proud Moment
So, No more messin’ around! Its time to cut the hole! With my template all biscuited and glued up, I shaved off the other half of the biscuits and sanded everything flat. With a little sanding and shaving off the inside I got the router plate to fit perfectly inside. So I decided to use my fabricated router plate template to make a one-piece template. This way I could also test the accuracy of it. So I sandwiched together the template, one solid piece of plywood which would be the...
