Phil Thien
03-29-2008, 12:06 AM
A week ago I needed to make a frame w/ mitered corners (to be used as a door on a medicine cabinet for a bathroom I'm redoing). I used my Incra miter gauge. The gauge always cross-cut at 90-degrees perfectly. So, I adjusted the gauge to 45-degrees and cut the frame members. But when I dry fit the frame I had small gaps. I checked one of the cuts with my Starrett and (sure enough) it was a little off (probably less than 1/2-degree, but still...).
Instead of using the Incra gauge I coulda used my old adjustable sled, but it was too time consuming to turn all the knobs required to make the adjustments to the fence.
I decided to build a better miter sled. This is the thread where I started (and got stuck):
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=80131
Doug was instrumental in providing some advice to help me figure out how to attach the pivot side of the fence.
Everything is put together using t-bolts riding in t-slots cut using a Rockler t-slot bit. The pivot is actually just a t-slot bolt with the slot cut in the BOTTOM of the sled, and the bolt extending through a 5/16" hole (the original 1/4" hole that was used as the pivot to cut the t-slot arc, widened to 5/16").
The runner is an Incra 18" that can be fine-tuned for fit (slop) through holes on top of the sled. I just used countersunk maching screws to mount it because I don't need to adjust it for square (after all, the fence is adjustable).
To adjust the angle of the fence I simply use a plastic triangle or protractor using the line on top of the fence that was used to establish the screw line for the Incra runner. Someday I may mark the left edge of the sled at .5-degree increments, but I will probably just mark common angles as I need/find/use them.
The fence is just 1/8" thick aluminum angle, with a 3/4" sacrificial fence with t-slots routed on the front and back. A stop block rides in the front t-slot.
I made another frame using the new sled and the joints fit perfectly. I've cut FF biscuit slots (two) into each corner and now all I have to do is glue it together.
Now I just have to figure out how to clamp it. I have fiberglass tape (always a favorite) and a band clamp in my miter clamping arsenal. I once had one of these (http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=725&filter=miter%20clamp) but I found it bulky and that it was better for square frames but that rectangles weren't tensioned evenly.
Looks like a trip to Rockler/Woodcraft tomorrow to get either this:
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=10401&filter=miter%20clamp
or this:
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=11060&filter=miter%20clamp
Instead of using the Incra gauge I coulda used my old adjustable sled, but it was too time consuming to turn all the knobs required to make the adjustments to the fence.
I decided to build a better miter sled. This is the thread where I started (and got stuck):
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=80131
Doug was instrumental in providing some advice to help me figure out how to attach the pivot side of the fence.
Everything is put together using t-bolts riding in t-slots cut using a Rockler t-slot bit. The pivot is actually just a t-slot bolt with the slot cut in the BOTTOM of the sled, and the bolt extending through a 5/16" hole (the original 1/4" hole that was used as the pivot to cut the t-slot arc, widened to 5/16").
The runner is an Incra 18" that can be fine-tuned for fit (slop) through holes on top of the sled. I just used countersunk maching screws to mount it because I don't need to adjust it for square (after all, the fence is adjustable).
To adjust the angle of the fence I simply use a plastic triangle or protractor using the line on top of the fence that was used to establish the screw line for the Incra runner. Someday I may mark the left edge of the sled at .5-degree increments, but I will probably just mark common angles as I need/find/use them.
The fence is just 1/8" thick aluminum angle, with a 3/4" sacrificial fence with t-slots routed on the front and back. A stop block rides in the front t-slot.
I made another frame using the new sled and the joints fit perfectly. I've cut FF biscuit slots (two) into each corner and now all I have to do is glue it together.
Now I just have to figure out how to clamp it. I have fiberglass tape (always a favorite) and a band clamp in my miter clamping arsenal. I once had one of these (http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=725&filter=miter%20clamp) but I found it bulky and that it was better for square frames but that rectangles weren't tensioned evenly.
Looks like a trip to Rockler/Woodcraft tomorrow to get either this:
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=10401&filter=miter%20clamp
or this:
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=11060&filter=miter%20clamp