Building a table, think torsion box-like.

Will consist of several pieces of ply (it's not
for furniture, sort of a hobby table), that
interlock through slots. Cross pieces will
lock with long-wise pieces.

I got to knock out about 20 or 30 of these slots, or
thereabouts. I'm thinking building a router template
then using a spiral bit with a collar around the template.

Better ideas?

MJ

"MJ" wrote:

Building a table, think torsion box-like.

Will consist of several pieces of ply (it's not
for furniture, sort of a hobby table), that
interlock through slots. Cross pieces will
lock with long-wise pieces.

I got to knock out about 20 or 30 of these slots, or
thereabouts. I'm thinking building a router template
then using a spiral bit with a collar around the template.

Better ideas?
----------------------
Incomplete details to adequately respond.

Lew

On 9/17/2010 8:18 PM, MJ wrote:
Building a table, think torsion box-like.

Will consist of several pieces of ply (it's not
for furniture, sort of a hobby table), that
interlock through slots. Cross pieces will
lock with long-wise pieces.

I got to knock out about 20 or 30 of these slots, or
thereabouts. I'm thinking building a router template
then using a spiral bit with a collar around the template.

Better ideas?

http://www.bridgecitytools.com/Products/KM-1+Kerfmaker

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 4/15/2010
KarlC@ (the obvious)

At first my reaction was not another gizmo... but this one looks nice.
Very simple to use.
Thanks. for the info.

On 9/17/2010 10:27 PM, Swingman wrote:
On 9/17/2010 8:18 PM, MJ wrote:
Building a table, think torsion box-like.

Will consist of several pieces of ply (it's not
for furniture, sort of a hobby table), that
interlock through slots. Cross pieces will
lock with long-wise pieces.

I got to knock out about 20 or 30 of these slots, or
thereabouts. I'm thinking building a router template
then using a spiral bit with a collar around the template.

Better ideas?

http://www.bridgecitytools.com/Products/KM-1+Kerfmaker

On Sep 17, 10:27*pm, Swingman wrote:
On 9/17/2010 8:18 PM, MJ wrote:

Building a table, think torsion box-like.

Will consist of several pieces of ply (it's not
for furniture, sort of a hobby table), that
interlock through slots. Cross pieces will
lock with long-wise pieces.

I got to knock out about 20 or 30 of these slots, or
thereabouts. I'm thinking building a router template
then using a spiral bit with a collar around the template.

Better ideas?

http://www.bridgecitytools.com/Products/KM-1+Kerfmaker

--www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 4/15/2010
KarlC@ (the obvious)

Those drawer joints looked a bit *too* tight; if you have to hammer
them
together, you risk splitting out the dadoes (and you WILL split them
out once
add in the glue). Best to slack off the fit by the thickness of a
rolling paper.
For $65, probably a nice tool if you're doing production work. Cheap
for
Bridge City, actually.

On Sep 17, 6:18*pm, MJ wrote:
Building a table, think torsion box-like.

Will consist of several pieces of ply (it's not
for furniture, sort of a hobby table), that
interlock through slots. Cross pieces will
lock with long-wise pieces.

I got to knock out about 20 or 30 of these slots, or
thereabouts. I'm thinking building a router template

The router will cut relatively slowly, make lots of noise, and make
fine dust.

A biscuit joiner will cut quicker, make lots of noise, make coarse
dust.

A mortising chisel (square chisel with central auger-like bit) will
cut more quietly, make shavings instead of dust, and is intermediate
in speed.

An auger or Forstner bit and chisel and mallet will do it slowest,
make big
shavings (chips), and is the most fun. For learning about wood, and
about
sharpening of chisels, everyone should do this at least once. 20 or
30,
though, starts to seem excessive.

"Swingman" wrote in message
...
On 9/17/2010 8:18 PM, MJ wrote:
Building a table, think torsion box-like.

Will consist of several pieces of ply (it's not
for furniture, sort of a hobby table), that
interlock through slots. Cross pieces will
lock with long-wise pieces.

I got to knock out about 20 or 30 of these slots, or
thereabouts. I'm thinking building a router template
then using a spiral bit with a collar around the template.

Better ideas?

http://www.bridgecitytools.com/Products/KM-1+Kerfmaker

Slicker'n snot on a boardwalk!

http://www.bridgecitytools.com/Products/KM-1+Kerfmaker

As cluttered as my shop is, I'd probably loose that small of a tool in
a heartbeat. Looks neat, though. Wonder if getting sawdust in its
insides, somewhere, might screw up its accuracy?

Sonny

On Sat, 18 Sep 2010 04:51:21 -0700 (PDT), Sonny wrote:


http://www.bridgecitytools.com/Products/KM-1+Kerfmaker

As cluttered as my shop is, I'd probably loose that small of a tool in
a heartbeat. Looks neat, though. Wonder if getting sawdust in its
insides, somewhere, might screw up its accuracy?

Nope. Nowhere to get sawdust into. It's an incredibly simple device.

Depends on how long the slots are to be. *If not too long, a table saw would
be worlds faster, you could stack the pieces and cut slots in each at one
time...position stack, cut, position stack, cut. *Et cetera.

When I built my last torsion box affair (served as a six+ foot shelf/
table top) the internal cross members were relatively thin (quarter-
inch or so) and the slots were half their width (less than half the
thickness of the finished torsion box).

I think a ten-inch TS will cut in excess of 3" at ninety degrees. Less
with a DADO blade.

But, as someone pointed out already, the OP provided insufficient
detail from which to determine a best practices approach the project
at hand.

"Hoosierpopi" wrote

I think a ten-inch TS will cut in excess of 3" at ninety degrees. Less
with a DADO blade.

Are you sure? Seems I recall having to go to a 12" TS to cut 2.75 inches.
--
Jim in NC

On Sat, 18 Sep 2010 17:11:33 -0400, "Morgans"
wrote:


"Hoosierpopi" wrote

I think a ten-inch TS will cut in excess of 3" at ninety degrees. Less
with a DADO blade.

Are you sure? Seems I recall having to go to a 12" TS to cut 2.75 inches.

Most, even the benchtop saws cut 3-1/8" @90degrees. Surprised me, I expected
the benchtops to be less than cabinet saws (Ryobi and Delta benchtops cut 3"
@90).

Some of the responses have indicated
that I failed to give more detail.

Hopefully, this will help.

I want to build a grid of interlocking pieces
of plywood (3/4"). Each long piece in the grid
will be 4 feet long, the cross piece is also 4 feet.
The height of all the pieces is 4 inches. On top
of this, I'll put a sheet of 3/4 ply. I don't need to
make the top super flat as in a torsion box just
ok will do. The idea is that I'll be able knock
this down when I need to, which I expect
could happen over time. Want to end up
with a grid 4 feet by 4 feet.

I was thinking of a grid of three pieces in length and 5
cross pieces with one at each end.

The interlocking slots need to be all the same
depth, width and in the same spot on each corresponding
pieces (each cross piece needs to be identical, each
long piece the same).

I was thinking of a dado cut, but just not sure if
an 8" dado would cut that high, and to be sure of
consistently in the slots, I'd would have to gang
the pieces together. Seems to be a bit of
over engineering.

I was thinking of making a template out of MDF or
ply. A router could be used to ride the template and
cut out the slots.

Someone suggested to me use of a jigsaw, but
I really want super straight cuts and each to
be the same. Not sure if the jigsaw is the right
tool for this job.

I looked at the Kerfmaker - nice tool, but am
barely able to afford to buy MDF these days
then another tool. Besides, it looks like
it's better for a tablesaw, then a router.

Hope that helps.

MJ

In article ,
Swingman wrote:
...snipped...
http://www.bridgecitytools.com/Products/KM-1+Kerfmaker

--

That looks like a nifty tool. To set a groove kerf without a special too,
take any piece of scrap with at least one straight edge. Set your rip fence
somewhat narrower than the scrap and rip it to any arbitray width. Now take
a piece of the stock that you want to match the groove width too, and place
it between the fence and the 1st scrap piece. It needs to be long enough
to act as fence itselt. Rip the scrap piece again, this time so it is
riding against the sample piece being held against the fence. The cutoff
produced will be exactly (within the limits of your machine's accurace)
the width of the stock less your saw's kerf.
--
Often wrong, never in doubt.

Larry Wasserman - Baltimore Maryland - lwasserm(a)sdf. lonestar. org

"MJ" wrote in message
...
Some of the responses have indicated
that I failed to give more detail.

Hopefully, this will help.

I want to build a grid of interlocking pieces
of plywood (3/4"). Each long piece in the grid
will be 4 feet long, the cross piece is also 4 feet.
The height of all the pieces is 4 inches. On top
of this, I'll put a sheet of 3/4 ply. I don't need to
make the top super flat as in a torsion box just
ok will do. The idea is that I'll be able knock
this down when I need to, which I expect
could happen over time. Want to end up
with a grid 4 feet by 4 feet.

I was thinking of a grid of three pieces in length and 5
cross pieces with one at each end.

The interlocking slots need to be all the same
depth, width and in the same spot on each corresponding
pieces (each cross piece needs to be identical, each
long piece the same).

I was thinking of a dado cut, but just not sure if
an 8" dado would cut that high, and to be sure of
consistently in the slots, I'd would have to gang
the pieces together. Seems to be a bit of
over engineering.

You only have to cut 2" deep. Stack and clamp all the length pieces & cut
slots. Do same for width. Precision relationship between slots is not
needed, as long as the pieces are stacked and clamped.

Seems like you would also want a bottom on the box to keep everything
together if you move it. Sounds like you would just arrange the crate on the
bottom, screw on the top, flip, and screw on the bottom.


I was thinking of making a template out of MDF or
ply. A router could be used to ride the template and
cut out the slots.

Are you thinking about running a router bit 2" deep into a slot? A bit
capable of that might cost as much as the BCT gizmo - maybe more. Cutting on
the face of the strips leaves you with the rounded end issue.

I'd use the dado. Simpler.


Someone suggested to me use of a jigsaw, but
I really want super straight cuts and each to
be the same. Not sure if the jigsaw is the right
tool for this job.

It's not.


I looked at the Kerfmaker - nice tool, but am
barely able to afford to buy MDF these days
then another tool. Besides, it looks like
it's better for a tablesaw, then a router.

But you do have a table saw, right? For the dado set?

BCT stuff is very well made, but obscenely expensive.


Hope that helps.

MJ



--
National Socialism showed what can happen when very ordinary people get
control of a state and the merely opportunistic are regarded as
intellectuals.

Anthony Burgess

Ok.

Do you have a decent T/S?

Yes
If so, do you also have a dado set?

Yes
Just curious, why do you want the ply pieces to interlock?

It's my table, I want it this way. As I explained in my second
note, I might have to dismantle it.

What is the ultimate purpose of this structure?

Support 1/2" plywood (4x4) with about a 50 lb load - tops.

Will await your response.

I await yours.

MJ

We used to make waterbed frame pedestals in a factory here in Austin
(Climactic Bedding Enterprises circa 1974) using this method they were
about 11 " high but could easily be made higher.
We would simply dado on the flat using a radial arm saw, the extra
curved notch of the dado's end of cut was hidden by the mating piece
when the pedestal was assembled on site.
Since beds are installed on floors, there was no need for the ends of
the dado cuts to be accurate or squared off. It was an ingeniously
quick, strong and cheap solution for supporting a terrific amount of
weight over a floor
These pedestals were 1/2" particle board, 2 pieces running the length
of the bed, and 3 running the width. It sounds flimsy, but I had one
set up well over 10 years and it never failed. If a bed leaked though,
that's a different story.

On Sun, 19 Sep 2010 06:08:40 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

We used to make waterbed frame pedestals in a factory here in Austin
(Climactic Bedding Enterprises circa 1974) using this method they were
about 11 " high but could easily be made higher.
We would simply dado on the flat using a radial arm saw, the extra
curved notch of the dado's end of cut was hidden by the mating piece
when the pedestal was assembled on site.
Since beds are installed on floors, there was no need for the ends of
the dado cuts to be accurate or squared off. It was an ingeniously
quick, strong and cheap solution for supporting a terrific amount of
weight over a floor
These pedestals were 1/2" particle board, 2 pieces running the length
of the bed, and 3 running the width. It sounds flimsy, but I had one
set up well over 10 years and it never failed. If a bed leaked though,
that's a different story.

Yeah, we had a king-sized water bed that used four 'X's made out of particle
board, one in each quadrant. Each side of the 'X' slot cut half way through,
so the pieces interlocked. It didn't look very sturdy but I never had a
problem with the base. The bladders, OTOH...