I have a small project that I am working on that requires 28 small shelf
support brackets that need to be identical. Making 3 or 4 is typically no
problem but having 28 all the same can be tough. Needless to say, make a
master pattern jig and use a pattern bit with a router and you are set. If
working with small pieces with curves this pattern jig may be a little
tougher to build.
I made the master piece and simply stuck some clear cabinet door bumpers on
to it and then set my blanks on top of the bumpers.
I used the master to trace the design onto the blanks then cut close to that
line on the band saw to remove a majority of the waste. From there I set
the blanks on the master and ran the master up against the bearing on the
pattern bit.
The rubber bumpers provide just the right amount of "friction/stick to the
blanks to keep them from slipping even when using the blank to guide the
wood through the routing process.
I posted pictures on a.b.p.w. of the set up. A picture is worth 1000 words.
;~)

Sounds like a vacuum clamped template jig I've seen, like [1] but
that's not the one I was thinking about. In essence, the vacuum holds
the template to the part so you can use a template bit to match the
part to the template. When you release the vacuum, the template lets
go with no marks on the part.

[1] http://www.amazon.com/Woodhaven-5900.../dp/B00068F2B8

See also: http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_bas...e_Routing.html

Fri, Dec 8, 2006, 4:36pm (EST+5) (Leon)
doth sayeth:
I have a small project that I am working on that requires 28 small shelf
support brackets that need to be identical. snip
The rubber bumpers provide just the right amount of "friction/stick to
the blanks to keep them from slipping snip

Pictures "are" worth a buncha words. Well, might well work, but
usually the pieces I rout out are much more complex shapes. And
sometimes smaller. I don't think I'd want to trust that the pieces
would stay perfectly aligned.

Or am I missing something? If there Is a "stickiness", then I
could see it working for me, but if not, not. By "stickiness" I mean if
you lift one piece, the other will go along. Wouldn't need to be a
serious stick.

Hmm, while thinking on that, occurred to me that clear silicone
caulk all around the master might provide the needed "stickiness" after
it's cured.

Looks like I'll be making some 2-D chess sets (just the outlines of
the pieces on flat stock). I'd been planning on making enough masters
to make one complete side at one go. Tha'd be faster, and easier, for
me than swapping masters back and forth. A system like this could be a
huge help, if I have trust in it not slipping.



JOAT
I am, therefore I think.

"J T" wrote in message
...
Fri, Dec 8, 2006, 4:36pm (EST+5) (Leon)
doth sayeth:
I have a small project that I am working on that requires 28 small shelf
support brackets that need to be identical. snip
The rubber bumpers provide just the right amount of "friction/stick to
the blanks to keep them from slipping snip

Pictures "are" worth a buncha words. Well, might well work, but
usually the pieces I rout out are much more complex shapes. And
sometimes smaller. I don't think I'd want to trust that the pieces
would stay perfectly aligned.

Or am I missing something? If there Is a "stickiness", then I
could see it working for me, but if not, not. By "stickiness" I mean if
you lift one piece, the other will go along. Wouldn't need to be a
serious stick.

In the summer the piece might lift other wise it is like sicone caulk, lots
of grip. Think of a rubber bath mat. Same principal.



Hmm, while thinking on that, occurred to me that clear silicone
caulk all around the master might provide the needed "stickiness" after
it's cured.

LOL. Exactly



Looks like I'll be making some 2-D chess sets (just the outlines of
the pieces on flat stock). I'd been planning on making enough masters
to make one complete side at one go. Tha'd be faster, and easier, for
me than swapping masters back and forth. A system like this could be a
huge help, if I have trust in it not slipping.

I needed 28 pieces but as always I made 4 extra for slippage possibilities.
None slipped but I did get 3 that failed on the ends from tear out.

Practice on some trial pieces. I suspect the more rubber bumpers the better
the hold. These are the 1/2" round by 1/8" thick adhesive backed ones.





JOAT
I am, therefore I think.

"DJ Delorie" wrote in message
...

Sounds like a vacuum clamped template jig I've seen, like [1] but
that's not the one I was thinking about. In essence, the vacuum holds
the template to the part so you can use a template bit to match the
part to the template. When you release the vacuum, the template lets
go with no marks on the part.

[1] http://www.amazon.com/Woodhaven-5900.../dp/B00068F2B8

See also: http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_bas...e_Routing.html

Yes, it works like that except with 30 cents worth of rubber bumpers. ;~)

Leon (in ) said:

| If working with small pieces with
| curves this pattern jig may be a little tougher to build.
| I made the master piece and simply stuck some clear cabinet door
| bumpers on to it and then set my blanks on top of the bumpers.

Sounds like a good idea. I usually build stops on the master to ensure
exact registration of my workpiece; and if I think there might be
slippage, I apply a strip of double-sided carpet tape to the master
(masked so that there's more adhesive sticking to the master than to
the workpiece). I pop the finished part off with a flat, skinny prybar
and can use the same piece of tape for a couple of dozen parts.

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto

"Morris Dovey" wrote in message
...
Leon (in ) said:

| If working with small pieces with
| curves this pattern jig may be a little tougher to build.
| I made the master piece and simply stuck some clear cabinet door
| bumpers on to it and then set my blanks on top of the bumpers.

Sounds like a good idea. I usually build stops on the master to ensure
exact registration of my workpiece; and if I think there might be
slippage, I apply a strip of double-sided carpet tape to the master
(masked so that there's more adhesive sticking to the master than to
the workpiece). I pop the finished part off with a flat, skinny prybar
and can use the same piece of tape for a couple of dozen parts.


I was considering building a jig with stops and for registration purposes
however the pieces I was working with had square back corners. I stood them
on the router table top on their flat edges side by side, and against the
fence on the router table to register them to each other.

Additionally and as Swingman can attest to, when cutting the excess waste
off at the BS beforehand I leave very little to be cut off with the router
bit so there is little resistance. That said however I did do one with out
cutting any waste out at all and every thing stayed in place.

These clear rubber door bumpers are similar to cured silicone caulk and are
very grabby.

Leon (in ) said:

| These clear rubber door bumpers are similar to cured silicone caulk
| and are very grabby.

Gotcha. I've got 'em on my shopping list already. :-)

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto

"Morris Dovey" wrote in message
...
Leon (in ) said:

| These clear rubber door bumpers are similar to cured silicone caulk
| and are very grabby.

Gotcha. I've got 'em on my shopping list already. :-)


More specifically,

http://wwhardware.com/catalog.cfm/ProductID/3MSJ5312

Fri, Dec 8, 2006, 7:56pm (EST+5) (Leon)
doth sayeth:
snip Practice on some trial pieces. I suspect the more rubber bumpers
the better the hold. These are the 1/2" round by 1/8" thick adhesive
backed ones.

Interesting. I don't recall I've ever seen any, but I'll
definitely check some out. I do not like double-stick tape at all, and
am not enthused about screws holding the masters. I've been using small
nails on the larger masters, which has worked well. With the smaller
masters tho, the nails are very hard to pull out; but this may work for
me. Great.



JOAT
I am, therefore I think.

Fri, Dec 8, 2006, 2:09pm (EST-1) (Morris*Dovey) doth
sayeth:
Sounds like a good idea. I usually build stops on the master to ensure
exact registration of my workpiece; and if I think there might be
slippage, I apply a strip of double-sided carpet tape to the master
(masked so that there's more adhesive sticking to the master than to the
workpiece). I pop the finished part off with a flat, skinny prybar and
can use the same piece of tape for a couple of dozen parts.

I do not like double-stick tape at all, but never thought of
masking it, that may change my mind.

Stops? On the master? I'm just not getting any pictures in my
mind on this. Unless maybe you mean you would have a straight line, or
two, on the finished piece. ??? I'm thinking this wouldn't work for
me, because of the shapes of the pieces I usually do, but am curious.



JOAT
I am, therefore I think.

Fri, Dec 8, 2006, 8:46pm (EST+5) (Leon)
doth sayeth:
I was considering building a jig with stops and for registration
purposes however the pieces I was working with had square back corners.
I stood them on the router table top on their flat edges side by side,
and against the fence on the router table to register them to each
other. snip

Like I told Morris. I'm just not getting a picture in my mind of
this. Unless you're talking abou to check the finished pieces. That I
could picture, but don't think it'd be neded, regardless of shape.



JOAT
I am, therefore I think.

"J T" wrote in message
...
Fri, Dec 8, 2006, 7:56pm (EST+5) (Leon)
doth sayeth:
snip Practice on some trial pieces. I suspect the more rubber bumpers
the better the hold. These are the 1/2" round by 1/8" thick adhesive
backed ones.

Interesting. I don't recall I've ever seen any, but I'll
definitely check some out. I do not like double-stick tape at all, and
am not enthused about screws holding the masters. I've been using small
nails on the larger masters, which has worked well. With the smaller
masters tho, the nails are very hard to pull out; but this may work for
me. Great.


Take a look here.
http://wwhardware.com/catalog.cfm/ProductID/3MSJ5312

J T (in ) said:

| Fri, Dec 8, 2006, 2:09pm (EST-1) (Morris Dovey)
| doth sayeth:

| Stops? On the master? I'm just not getting any pictures in my
| mind on this. Unless maybe you mean you would have a straight
| line, or two, on the finished piece. ??? I'm thinking this
| wouldn't work for me, because of the shapes of the pieces I usually
| do, but am curious.

If there's a straight line on the finished piece, the stop becomes a
fixed fence attached to the master. When I can, I add a block or peg
as a stop so that the workpiece can be positioned against the fence
and slid up against the stop (registered) for repeatable positioning.

If there's no straight line on the finished piece, then it probably
doesn't matter since there's probably a need to shape it all the way
around. OTOH, if grain direction is important, then it might be useful
to cut all the way around using a /pair/ of masters.

It all depends on the job g

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto

Sat, Dec 9, 2006, 4:06am (EST+5) (Leon)
writeth:
Take a look here.
http://wwhardware.com/catalog.cfm/ProductID/3MSJ5312

I was right. Never seen any that I can recall. Printed it and
will take it with me next time I get out. Definitely worth trying.
Thanks.



JOAT
I am, therefore I think.

Sat, Dec 9, 2006, 2:15am (EST-1) (Morris*Dovey) doth
elucidate:
If there's a straight line on the finished piece, the stop becomes a
fixed fence attached to the master. snip
It all depends on the job g

Ah. The picture's there now. Not able to use it on current stuff,
but maybe later. I'll have to ponder it. Thanks.



JOAT
I am, therefore I think.