Question 1 ....Whats the easiest , neatest ( and cheapest ! ) way to cut a
1/8" ( 3mm ? ) groove along the end - grain of a length of wood?
( Can you buy cheap router cutters in this size?)

I intend to use " magic-wires" to fit wooden shelves into a bookcase.

Question 2 ... Does anyone know of a retail source ( in the UK) for
"magic-wires"

note..They are very good but if you don`t know what they are , then take a look
at the bottom of this US webpage.

http://www.kemphardware.com/section_...ts_catalog.htm

I bought some years ago from a local pine furniture manufacturer (now closed
down ) but now need a few more .The local sheds (B&Q etc) and Screwfix
don`t appear to sell them.

Any suggestions most welcome

TIA

In article ,
etition (Reteplav) wrote:

Question 1 ....Whats the easiest , neatest ( and cheapest ! ) way to cut a
1/8" ( 3mm ? ) groove along the end - grain of a length of wood?
( Can you buy cheap router cutters in this size?)

I intend to use " magic-wires" to fit wooden shelves into a bookcase.

Depends what you mean by cheap. Trend make them I know and others
probably do.

http://www.trendmachinery.co.uk/prof...No=2%2F15X1%2F
4TC
OR
http://www.trendmachinery.co.uk/prof...No=3%2F05X1%2F
4TC

Or cheapest:
http://www.trendmachinery.co.uk/prof...No=C001AX1%2F4
TC

Though they are not a common size or an easy one to make being smaller
than the smallest shank size. Easiest way to do the cut is with a router
table though if it is more than a couple of mm deep you will need
multiple passes. If you don't want the groove to show on the front it
makes things trickier. I would rig up a jig if I had a few to do that
clamped over the end giving you more width to keep the router steady and
with stops to prevent going over the ends. The comment on multiple
passes would still stand though.

Peter

--
Peter Ashby
School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Scotland
To assume that I speak for the University of Dundee is to be deluded.
Reverse the Spam and remove to email me.

Reteplav wrote:
Question 1 ....Whats the easiest , neatest ( and cheapest ! ) way to cut a
1/8" ( 3mm ? ) groove along the end - grain of a length of wood?
( Can you buy cheap router cutters in this size?)

Yes :-

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...27353&ts=01397

Question 2 ... Does anyone know of a retail source ( in the UK) for
"magic-wires"

Woodfit - www.woodfit.com

According to my catalogue they do 4 sizes:

Order Size (mm)
code

SS140 160
SS200 192
SS220 224
SS300 288

Price (from my out of date pricelist) is 27p for shortest up to 30p for
the longest.

Note it says a 3mm wide by 8mm deep slot is required (which the above
router cutter may not manage to the required depth!) - hence

http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/...43595&ts=02187

may be better....


--
Cheers,

John.

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In article , John Rumm
writes
Reteplav wrote:
Question 1 ....Whats the easiest , neatest ( and cheapest ! ) way to cut a
1/8" ( 3mm ? ) groove along the end - grain of a length of wood?
( Can you buy cheap router cutters in this size?)
Isn't this a job for a biscuit type cutter, more stable than balance on end
type options?

But they're 4mm . . . ok, and oooooh is that the price . . .
--
fred

Beware using them for long runs of books: they are very heavy and can easily
split the shelf.

Question 1 ....Whats the easiest , neatest ( and cheapest ! ) way to cut a
1/8" ( 3mm ? ) groove along the end - grain of a length of wood?

It suggests using a circular saw on the page that you linked to. That
would probably be as easy and cheap as using a hand-held router -
clamp all the shelves together then use the fence - unless you don't
want to cut all the way through... If you already have a saw and you
don't have the correct router bit, then the saw would be cheapest!

Thanks for all the suggestions.

I was considering the circular saw method but my blade produces a 4mm slot
whichmight be too wide.

I hadn`t realised that you could use "straight" router cutters to produce slots
as I thought that they would be too flimsy for such a tough job.

Biscuit cutters seem to be one solution but rather expensive and possibly too
thick.

Someone suggested Woodfit to buy the "magic wires" from. I thought they had
gone out of business a couple of years ago so I will have to investigate
further.

I realise that there is a danger in splitting the wood using these
"magic-wires" but I intended to insert vertical supports in mid-shelf to
prevent any excessive strain.

Thanks

In article ,
etition (Reteplav) wrote:


Someone suggested Woodfit to buy the "magic wires" from. I thought they had
gone out of business a couple of years ago so I will have to investigate
further.

That was Woodcut which stopped trading, Woodfit are still going AFAIK.
You could also try Isaac Lord who do a similar range of stuff.

Peter

--
Peter Ashby
School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Scotland
To assume that I speak for the University of Dundee is to be deluded.
Reverse the Spam and remove to email me.