Wayne Jolly
07-11-2015, 6:12 PM
I have built this router table and in the process I decided that I did not want t-track in the top so I can more easily use the surface for other things. Like piling junk on. Anyway, in the photo, you can see on the right side of the photo that I made the fence to clamp along the edges of the table instead of using t-track embedded in the top. I have used it a few times and it seems to work great. I do need to remake the moveable portions of the fence. The black is just too hard to make pencil marks on.
Now I am working on a coping sled to help me cope with the decisions I ma . . . er . . . uh . . . I mean cope rails for raised panel doors, etc. I have a 15" square piece of 1/4" aluminum to start. Along one edge (left in the photo) I am going to attach an Oak runner that will slide along the front edge of the table top. In the picture, that runner is just temporarily stuck there with double sided tape. Then there is the fence that will hold and align the workpiece. That is the 3/4" x 4" maple in the photo.
So I hope I was clear in the description, and if not the photo should give you the idea. So -
1. Has anyone used a sled made this way? It seems like it otta work. Safety?
2. What clamps did you use to hold the work down? I wanted to use a double layer of the Maple to make the fence 1 1/2" thick, but I don't have any of the clamps that will go that far down. I could make some new "bolts" out of threaded rod, but the rubber foot would take some thought.
3. Is it necessary, advisable, good idea, bad idea, or discouraged to have a fence 1 1/2" thick
3. Has anyone had to cope pieces that are thicker than 3/4"? I'm not sure if I would ever need to do that, but if I did I would be out of luck using these clamps. The clamps in the photo I think will work in all thicknesses of wood up to 3/4", but not over that.
4. Not having ever used a sled before, or even had one in my hands for that matter, I am also not sure if these clamps have enough holding pressure. It seems like they should work, but how much pressure is enough to keep the workpiece from slipping? An adhesive backed sandpaper will line the fence to help hold things. What about covering the sled surface with it too?
Thanks,
Wayne
Now I am working on a coping sled to help me cope with the decisions I ma . . . er . . . uh . . . I mean cope rails for raised panel doors, etc. I have a 15" square piece of 1/4" aluminum to start. Along one edge (left in the photo) I am going to attach an Oak runner that will slide along the front edge of the table top. In the picture, that runner is just temporarily stuck there with double sided tape. Then there is the fence that will hold and align the workpiece. That is the 3/4" x 4" maple in the photo.
So I hope I was clear in the description, and if not the photo should give you the idea. So -
1. Has anyone used a sled made this way? It seems like it otta work. Safety?
2. What clamps did you use to hold the work down? I wanted to use a double layer of the Maple to make the fence 1 1/2" thick, but I don't have any of the clamps that will go that far down. I could make some new "bolts" out of threaded rod, but the rubber foot would take some thought.
3. Is it necessary, advisable, good idea, bad idea, or discouraged to have a fence 1 1/2" thick
3. Has anyone had to cope pieces that are thicker than 3/4"? I'm not sure if I would ever need to do that, but if I did I would be out of luck using these clamps. The clamps in the photo I think will work in all thicknesses of wood up to 3/4", but not over that.
4. Not having ever used a sled before, or even had one in my hands for that matter, I am also not sure if these clamps have enough holding pressure. It seems like they should work, but how much pressure is enough to keep the workpiece from slipping? An adhesive backed sandpaper will line the fence to help hold things. What about covering the sled surface with it too?
Thanks,
Wayne