Dovetal splines at LumberJocks.com http://lumberjocks.com/scopemonkey/blog Mon, 18 May 2009 20:57:38 GMT Pictures of the sled and description of the process. Shot Glass Display Cabinet #4: Ready to hang on a wall... http://lumberjocks.com/scopemonkey/blog/8811 It’s finished! I am still waiting for the interior lighting to arrive before I deliver and install it. There will be a battery powered LED light system in the top to shed light throughout. With all the glass, I hope it won’t be too reflective.

I will post it as a project.

]]> Mon, 18 May 2009 20:57:38 GMT http://lumberjocks.com/scopemonkey/blog/8811 scopemonkey scopemonkey Shot Glass Display Cabinet #3: Time to finish... http://lumberjocks.com/scopemonkey/blog/8700 This update’s for you Mary K. The woodworking is done and the hardware is in place. I used some “no mortise” hinges I got from our local Woodcraft store. The Woodcraft salesman talked me into them but I don’t think I will use them again. Although there’s no chopping out a mortise, they do require a fair amount of tweaking to get the up/down and left/right alignment just right. I would rather chop out mortises. My glass will be ready next week so now it is time to finish sanding and start applying the finish.

Left side:

Front:

Right side:

Side view:

Back:

]]> Sun, 10 May 2009 02:14:40 GMT http://lumberjocks.com/scopemonkey/blog/8700 scopemonkey scopemonkey Shot Glass Display Cabinet #2: Making progress http://lumberjocks.com/scopemonkey/blog/8646 My old shelf pin drilling jig that I made a while back was pretty basic and getting worn out. At least this project forced me to make a new one similar to one I saw ole’ Norm use on TV. Worked great while drilling out 108 holes. Once that was done and all interior surfaces sanded to 220, I glued up the case and added in the french cleat in the back. I added the top and bottom and made cove moldings to wrap around top and bottom (yet to be installed). The door is mostly done, but needs the back routed out to accept the glass and a few swipes of the plane to sweeten the edges to match the case. The hard parts are done and I plan to get the molding installed and the hardware put on in the next couple of days if time permits. Fortunately, my friend/”client” didn’t want any staining, so I will finish with my usual wipe on oil/poly combo.
Case Progress 1
Case Progress 2

]]> Wed, 06 May 2009 03:41:36 GMT http://lumberjocks.com/scopemonkey/blog/8646 scopemonkey scopemonkey Shot Glass Display Cabinet #1: The beginning... http://lumberjocks.com/scopemonkey/blog/8562 A friend at work collects shot glasses from all over the world and wanted a wall-hanging display cabinet to show them off. She asked me to build it for her out of oak to match her kitchen cabinets. Then she told me she has LOTS of glasses—probably 150 or more. We wrestled with some design issues, but decided on adjustable glass shelves rather than a lattice work type of grid for each glass. The case would have to be big and hold a lot of weight, so I decided that the case should be put together with dovetails for strength and mounted to the wall with a french cleat type of system. I didn’t think even a splined miter joint would be a good idea, but may have gotten away with a locking rabbet joint (Opinions welcome…) Anyway, I went about the usual jointing/planing and cutting to size and then set off cutting the joints by hand—my first real attempt on a project after practicing on poplar scraps lying around the shop. After some nervous sawing and chiseling for what seemed like an eternity, they slipped together pretty well.
Dovetails
I dadoed in the back (1/4” ply) and so far so good. It is dry fit together so I’ve got my measurements for the overlay door.
Carcass with back
More to folow.

]]> Fri, 01 May 2009 05:47:48 GMT http://lumberjocks.com/scopemonkey/blog/8562 scopemonkey scopemonkey Jigs and Fixtures #1: Dovetail Miter Splines http://lumberjocks.com/scopemonkey/blog/1575 The first part in doing this, like most miter splines, is making a way to support the work to pass the corner of the miter over the cutter. In this case, I made a sled that goes over the dovetail bit and cradles the box in a V groove. I glued up 3 pieces of 3/4 plywood into one laminated sheet, then cut it square to the dimensions I needed. Then, I ripped it in half with the blade tilted to 45 degrees. Take one of the resulting halves and flip it over and butt the sawn edges together to create the V grove. Secure the two pieces together with thin pieces of wood (in this case, scraps of 1/4 ply) glued to the sides.

Top View:
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Side View:
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Bottom View:
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In “action” (no I’m not going to cut my sanding disks box—-it was handy for demonstration purposes):
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Position the fence and bit depth for the required cut and put the box in the sled on its corner and pass the entire thing over the bit to cut. I put reference lines on the edge of the sled so that I could reference the center of the cut easily.

Once the dovetail slots are created, now its time to make the splines. I don’t have any pictures of this, but simply pick some stock and pass one edge over the dovetail bit set at the same height. Then, reposition the fence back and make a second pass. The distance you push the fence back sets the width of the spline and takes some trial and error to get it just right. I set it a bit wider than the width of the slot, then snuck up on the final width by making micro adjustment to the fence position. Once you get the spline width so that it just snugly fits in the groove, run a long stip of this and then cross cut it into small pieces. Tap the splines into the grooves and after the glue sets, trim off the excess with a flush trim saw and sand smooth.

Hope this makes sense.

]]> Fri, 27 Jul 2007 17:03:44 GMT http://lumberjocks.com/scopemonkey/blog/1575 scopemonkey scopemonkey