Prototype and learning experience

Been a while since I’ve had time to “make” anything. I decided I wanted to try my hand at some techniques. Skill builders you might say.

1) Using skis with a router (no, not downhill or racing) to make a thicknessing jig
2) Play with my new PC4212 Santa got me
3) Play with my card scrapers
4) Pattern routing

I decided a box is a good starting point for all four of the things I wanted to practice. So I got out the pencil and paper and drew a simple plan for an IN/OUT box. Interior is 9” x 12” and about 2-5/8” deep. Sides are 1/2” thick walnut, front and back are birch. Bottom is 1/4” birch plywood.

Even though the 4212 can do dovetails (and quite well I might add, did some practicing there too) I decided to see how the box-joint mode worked. Works quite well but I did have some chip-out issues. However I see that not so much as a problem here but a learning opportunity. By the time I got to the last couple of edges to cut I had a method for dealing with them. When I look at it I can tell pretty much the order I cut the joints!

Card scraper was fun, very little sanding on this one. Pretty easy to learn the “feel” for that one.

The hardest part was getting the hang of using my router ski thicknessing jig. I’ll take pictures of that tonight and post as a new project.

Lots of fun and lots learned. I think I’ll make a few more of these and stack them using some brass rod.

-- Don't sweat the petty things and don't pet the sweaty things.