Great Tip in Nov 2004 AWW

[Waymon Campbell]

This tip is new to me and a lot cheaper than buying Space Balls for solid wood panels...

"Solid wood panels expand and contract seasonally. When they're at their smallest they can rattle within the frame. You can take the rattle out with these silicone strips. Make them by squeezing 1/8" dia. beads of silicone caulk onto a piece of wax paper. After the caulk dries, peel off the strips and cut them into 1" lengths. Set these into the grooves before you assemble the door."

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Hey that's not bad idea! I'll have to try that one.

[Joe Meazle]

Waymon,

Was it your wife that said "if it is supposed to move and dosen't use WD40, if it moves and shouldn't use duct tape"?:D That is the best tip I have heard all year and I want to credit it to the right person.
Joe

[Chris Padilla]

I believe that quote is in Don Farr's signature. :)

[Jim Becker]

The version of this tip I've seen in the past merely substitutes making little 1/8" dollips rather than a bead, but the 1" long strips would certainly be easier to deal with!

[mike lucas]

I have been using the space balls forever it seems. And they are extremely cheap. I purchased 25,000 of them several years ago for $179 and I still have a several thousand yet. I use 8 per panel, so 25,000 will make a lot of doors. (3125 to be more accurate.)

If you think they cost too much, why not buy the router pad and cut small strips from it? I seen where Harbor Freight has 18"x72" rolls of this stuff. One or two rools of this would has for ever. I would never waste my time trying to make my own spacers. If I didn't already have tons of space balls, I'd buy the router/sander pads.

I do not like HF, but for something like this, they can't screw you too bad.

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

I'll keep that in mind the next time I make any floating panel sections.

Thanks,

Bruce

[Joseph N. Myers]

This might not be the right place to post this but the subject is pretty much the same.

I know the purpose of the space balls - the same is suppose to apply to router bits, i.e., keep the router bit 1/8" about the bottom. I remember seeing something advertised that you put in the bottom of the router which would keep the router bit away from the bottom.

Does anyone remember seeing the ad? Could something like the space ball(s) or something simular to things mentioned in the thread do the same thing? Or is it really required to keep the bit away from the bottom of the router?

Regards, Joe

[John Miliunas]

This might not be the right place to post this but the subject is pretty much the same.

I know the purpose of the space balls - the same is suppose to apply to router bits, i.e., keep the router bit 1/8" about the bottom. I remember seeing something advertised that you put in the bottom of the router which would keep the router bit away from the bottom.

Does anyone remember seeing the ad? Could something like the space ball(s) or something simular to things mentioned in the thread do the same thing? Or is it really required to keep the bit away from the bottom of the router?

Regards, Joe

Simple and accurate solution: O-rings. I have a 1/2" O-ring in each of my routers, as well as a 1/4" O-ring in the smaller one. The nice thing about these is, they typically will not fall out when you put the router away. :) Yes, it is important to keep the bit from bottoming out. When you do, you increase the probability of the bit "freezing" in the collet. Real PITA to get out then. (DAMHIKT!) :cool:

[Hal Flynt]

Ok here's another tip.

I din't have any space balls and thought that it would be nice to have some, when I looked on my bench and saw a scrap piece of that black rubbery non skid stuff that I use to keep stock from moving when using my router and said to myself: "Self, cut off those little beads and use them". Seems to work for me, time will tell.

[Dan Gill]

After seeing a post somewhere about finding soda straws in a professionally made door, I used sections of plastic soda straws for my kitchen doors. They don't rattle, but there is some room for movement.

[John Miliunas]

Egads, the further this thread goes, the better I'm liking it! :D Seems there are quite a few ways to handle the expansion/contraction on panels, besides the commercial ones available. Thanks to all for the suggestions! :) :cool:

[Steve Clardy]

Well the 1/8" bead caught my attention.:eek: All raised panels and bits[ except the mini panel bit sets] are designed around a 1/4" [.250] groove for the panel to sit in.
If you make 1/8" or so beads or strips, they are going to be hard to keep in place when assembling the door. 1/8" is .125 thou.
I use the spaceballs, buy them in quanity. More you buy, cheaper they are.:) Spaceballs are manufactured to have an outside diameter of .251 thou. That's so they won't fall out of the groove when assembling the door.
I tried that silicone trick way back. It does work and is a cheaper way.
But the hassle of going through and trying to get a 1/4" bead of it by eyeball, well, I gave it up fairly quickly.:rolleyes:
Now if you only do just a few doors or panels, then it would be a lot cheaper way, if you had the time.
Maybe find a soda straw with 1/4 ID, inject silicone into it and let it dry. Then-----hmmm---having to rip the straw with a razor knife to find it stuck to the straw. Have to sleep on that.:confused:

Steve:)

[Bruce Page]

Maybe find a soda straw with 1/4 ID, inject silicone into it and let it dry. Then-----hmmm---having to rip the straw with a razor knife to find it stuck to the straw. Have to sleep on that.:confused:

Steve:)
Steve, RTV dries by exposure to air. I’m afraid all you’d find when you cut open the straw would be goo.

DAMHIKT!

[Chris Padilla]

1/8" is .125 thou.
Spaceballs are manufactured to have an outside diameter of .251 thou.
Hey Bro...not quite...you have mixed up your decimals with units! :)

1/8" is 0.125" which is 125 thou. or 125 mil. But, what is 3 orders of magnitude between twins?? ;)

[JayStPeter]

I suppose that works in a pinch. But, at $5 for a hundred pack, spaceballs don't seem overly expensive to me. If you use 8 per door, that's about $0.40 a door.
If caulk was packaged better, so it didn't dry out so fast, it might be a better deal. But, for the number of doors I build and the speed I build 'em, it'd be a $5 tube of caulk per door :D

Jay

[Steve Clardy]

Hey Bro...not quite...you have mixed up your decimals with units! :)

1/8" is 0.125" which is 125 thou. or 125 mil. But, what is 3 orders of magnitude between twins?? ;)
Ho Ho. I just shortened up my typing bro. .125 thou, is same as your 0.125 thousands of an inch. We are in the same house, but different room.:rolleyes:
Hey. You let MOM out of the closet yet?:eek: Tisk Tisk:rolleyes:

Bro Steve:):)

[Steve Clardy]

Steve, RTV dries by exposure to air. I’m afraid all you’d find when you cut open the straw would be goo.

DAMHIKT!
Lol. Hear that. But I was thinking of using the same type as I usually use, which is when you open a new tube, seal it with a nail, or the latest newest seal, the little Lee Valley condoms.:eek: You know, the kind when you go back in a month, and the whole darned :eek: tube has set up.:eek::eek::o

Steve:)

[Steve Jenkins]

When I make my doors I pull the rails snug to the panels with clamps then clamp on the stiles. this not only keeps the rails parallel while clamping up but will eliminate any rattle down the road. the panel is still free to move during normal expansion and contraction. Steve

[Tyler Howell]

Lotta Good info here! Another day in school Thanks Gents.

[Bruce Page]

Lol. Hear that. But I was thinking of using the same type as I usually use, which is when you open a new tube, seal it with a nail, or the latest newest seal, the little Lee Valley condoms.:eek: You know, the kind when you go back in a month, and the whole darned :eek: tube has set up.:eek::eek::o

Steve:)
Murphy's law is always rampant when it comes to new tubes of caulk! :rolleyes:

The RTV would eventually dry as air slowly made it’s way into the straw. It’s nearly impossible to get a “perfect” seal.

[Philip Berman]

Another cheap alternative is the spline material used to hold screens in a frame. They come in several sizes and are readily available. Cut off lengths as needed, and easy to store.