Plug advice

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:

> Experiment a bit. I always use the same wood and it you match the grain,
> they are almost invisible when sanded. OTOH, a slight difference can show
> off the plugs and they look good in certain applications, like lawn
> furniture.

I think a slight difference looks sorry, personally. If it isn't going to
be a good match (a retrofit job with an old piece, say, where you don't
have any of the original wood) I like to cut them out of something that
contrasts wildly. Walnut plugs in maple, or vice versa. It's quite
striking to my eye. You can rotate the grain so that it's perpendicular to
the contrasting piece for an even stronger effect.

--
Michael McIntyre ---- Silvan <[email protected]>
Linux fanatic, and certified Geek; registered Linux user #243621
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"patriarch [email protected]>" <<patriarch> wrote in message

>
> The narrow end of the tapered plug goes into the hole, and the thick end
> stands proud, after gluing. The wide end is then removed, with a chisel,
> plane, flush cutting saw and/or sanding device.

Be sure to cut a fairly deep plug also. That way, the tapered part is
smaller and easier to insert into the hole that was drilled. If you don't
plunge close to full depth, they can be a PITA to insert.

Experiment a bit. I always use the same wood and it you match the grain,
they are almost invisible when sanded. OTOH, a slight difference can show
off the plugs and they look good in certain applications, like lawn
furniture.

On Sun, 31 Oct 2004 12:44:32 GMT, "Corey" <[email protected]> wrote:

>From: "mac davis" <[email protected]>
>> I just finished my 1st project with plugs... using the plug cutter
>> that came with my dowel point kit years ago, but I'd never used the
>> cutter..
>> I was working with 1/2" and 3/4" thick poplar and the "pluggable"
>> depth was 1/4" (from top of screw head to wood surface..
>> Being lazy and not having access to a thickness planer, I bought a 2'
>> piece of 1/4 x 2 1/2" poplar and cut my plugs from that... it went
>> amazingly well, considering that I had no idea what I was doing..
>
>
>I went ahead last night and bought a 1/2" thick strip to try cutting plugs
>out of. It worked great on my test last night. The cutter was able to cut
>all the way through, so I don't have the rip a 3/4" to get the plug. It fit
>night and tight in my hole, and I was able to cut it flush and sand it to
>where you couldn't really notice the plug without knowing and looking for
>it. The wife was impressed (she has a concerning eye) and gave me the green
>light.
>
>Though I have a new problem that I'll be creating a new thread on.
>
GOOD JOB!

Hey, if you didn't have new questions or problems, it would mean that
you either didn't want to learn or weren't working on wood, Corey..

On Sat, 30 Oct 2004 21:27:04 GMT, "Corey" <[email protected]> calmly
ranted:

>"Larry Jaques" <novalidaddress@di\/ersify.com> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>>
>> Cut your plugs in a thicker board but don't break them out,
>> then rip cut the bottom portion away using a band/tablesaw.
>
>I played around some more with the plug cutter today. According to my eyes
>and research, the top of the board/plug is narrower than the bottom of the
>plug. I've also found that the plug cutter won't cut all the way through my
>3/4" board. So...

Right, they're slightly tapered so the cutter clears it. The
plug gets tighter as it's pounded into the hole due to that
taper.


>Should I try a thinner board instead of a thicker board - so I can actually
>get my plug to cut through?
>
>Or are there different depth plug cutters that I should be trying to get all
>the way through 3/4"?

I have some large plug cutters but have never used them, so I'm
working off theory here. Yes, there are large and small plug
cutters, straight vs. tapered plug cutters, etc. Lee Valley
has some tapered cutters that are supposed to be quite good.


>Or am I stuck to where I should just partial cut a bunch of plugs in my 3/4"
>board (as deep as the cutter will let me), and then rip cut the board to cut
>the plugs out of the board?

Yes, try cutting as deeply as possible, mark that depth on the
board, and rip the bottom off. That gives you the widest dia.
You might also have to rip the top layer off, so try a couple
in small stock first, then cut from there. It all depends on
your application, the type of wood, etc. If you have to cut
the narrowest section off, you might either try another style
of plug cutter with a wider taper or use a smaller clearance
drill for the screw hole.


--
"Given the low level of competence among politicians,
every American should become a Libertarian."
-- Charley Reese, Alameda Times-Star (California), June 17, 2003

On Sat, 30 Oct 2004 03:03:18 GMT, "Corey" <[email protected]> wrote:

>I made some sample holes and plugs with a forstener and tapered plug cutter
>of the same diameter. My problem is that the forstener hole is only going
>through about 1/2 of the board. So when I insert a plug cut with the same
>diameter tapered plug cutter, I don't get a snug fit (the tapered end
>inserts first and doesn't go far enough into the hole to get to the larger
>diameter of the plug).
>
>So what's the advice? Cut the bottom 1/3 of the plug off to get the larger
>part of the plug in the hole? Try a larger diameter plgu cutter? I don't
>think I can go with a smaller forstener hole - tried it and the plug (narrow
>diameter end) won't go in the hole at all.
>
>Thanks
>
>
Hey Corey.. how's the class going?
you seem to be learning a lot, as your questions are getting more
sophisticated...

I just finished my 1st project with plugs... using the plug cutter
that came with my dowel point kit years ago, but I'd never used the
cutter..
I was working with 1/2" and 3/4" thick poplar and the "pluggable"
depth was 1/4" (from top of screw head to wood surface..
Being lazy and not having access to a thickness planer, I bought a 2'
piece of 1/4 x 2 1/2" poplar and cut my plugs from that... it went
amazingly well, considering that I had no idea what I was doing..

"Larry Jaques" <novalidaddress@di\/ersify.com> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Cut your plugs in a thicker board but don't break them out,
> then rip cut the bottom portion away using a band/tablesaw.


I played around some more with the plug cutter today. According to my eyes
and research, the top of the board/plug is narrower than the bottom of the
plug. I've also found that the plug cutter won't cut all the way through my
3/4" board. So...

Should I try a thinner board instead of a thicker board - so I can actually
get my plug to cut through?

Or are there different depth plug cutters that I should be trying to get all
the way through 3/4"?

Or am I stuck to where I should just partial cut a bunch of plugs in my 3/4"
board (as deep as the cutter will let me), and then rip cut the board to cut
the plugs out of the board?

Thanks

From: "mac davis" <[email protected]>
> I just finished my 1st project with plugs... using the plug cutter
> that came with my dowel point kit years ago, but I'd never used the
> cutter..
> I was working with 1/2" and 3/4" thick poplar and the "pluggable"
> depth was 1/4" (from top of screw head to wood surface..
> Being lazy and not having access to a thickness planer, I bought a 2'
> piece of 1/4 x 2 1/2" poplar and cut my plugs from that... it went
> amazingly well, considering that I had no idea what I was doing..


I went ahead last night and bought a 1/2" thick strip to try cutting plugs
out of. It worked great on my test last night. The cutter was able to cut
all the way through, so I don't have the rip a 3/4" to get the plug. It fit
night and tight in my hole, and I was able to cut it flush and sand it to
where you couldn't really notice the plug without knowing and looking for
it. The wife was impressed (she has a concerning eye) and gave me the green
light.

Though I have a new problem that I'll be creating a new thread on.

"Corey" <[email protected]> wrote in news:IGTgd.525$BU6.391@trnddc05:

> I played around some more with the plug cutter today. According to my
> eyes and research, the top of the board/plug is narrower than the
> bottom of the plug. I've also found that the plug cutter won't cut
> all the way through my 3/4" board. So...
>

OK, Corey. I think I see your issue. These things are not entirely
intuitive to begin with.

The smooth, narrow end goes down. The ragged end, ragged because you broke
it off of the partially through drilled board, sticks out.

The narrow end of the tapered plug goes into the hole, and the thick end
stands proud, after gluing. The wide end is then removed, with a chisel,
plane, flush cutting saw and/or sanding device.

By the way, the best wood to use for cutting plugs is an offcut from the
same project you're working on. Color, grain, density, etc., all match as
closely as will likely ever happen.

Patriarch

On Sat, 30 Oct 2004 03:03:18 GMT, "Corey" <[email protected]> calmly
ranted:

>I made some sample holes and plugs with a forstener and tapered plug cutter
>of the same diameter. My problem is that the forstener hole is only going
>through about 1/2 of the board. So when I insert a plug cut with the same
>diameter tapered plug cutter, I don't get a snug fit (the tapered end
>inserts first and doesn't go far enough into the hole to get to the larger
>diameter of the plug).
>
>So what's the advice? Cut the bottom 1/3 of the plug off to get the larger
>part of the plug in the hole? Try a larger diameter plgu cutter? I don't
>think I can go with a smaller forstener hole - tried it and the plug (narrow
>diameter end) won't go in the hole at all.

Cut your plugs in a thicker board but don't break them out,
then rip cut the bottom portion away using a band/tablesaw.


--
"Given the low level of competence among politicians,
every American should become a Libertarian."
-- Charley Reese, Alameda Times-Star (California), June 17, 2003