Jj

Jeff

26/07/2007 7:27 AM

Finger joints and glue

I built a jig to make finger joints on my router table. I'm using a
1/2" router bit and spacing the fingers 1/2" apart. It worked well.
Probably too well. I had to dry join the wood with a rubber mallet and
a vise. The fit is extremely tight. I suspect it is way too tight to
glue. It seems to me that I'd want a couple thousands of an inch gap
between the fingers to accommodate the glue. What's a good way to
accomplish this? Should I just sand the fingers before joining?


This topic has 11 replies

Jj

Jeff

in reply to Jeff on 26/07/2007 7:27 AM

26/07/2007 8:36 AM

On Jul 26, 11:20 am, [email protected] wrote:
> On Thu, 26 Jul 2007 07:27:25 -0700, Jeff <[email protected]> wrote:
> >I built a jig to make finger joints on my router table. I'm using a
> >1/2" router bit and spacing the fingers 1/2" apart. It worked well.
> >Probably too well. I had to dry join the wood with a rubber mallet and
> >a vise. The fit is extremely tight. I suspect it is way too tight to
> >glue. It seems to me that I'd want a couple thousands of an inch gap
> >between the fingers to accommodate the glue. What's a good way to
> >accomplish this? Should I just sand the fingers before joining?
>
> Move the jig a hair closer to the bit.
>
> Pete

You mean move the pin a couple thousands of an inch closer to the bit?
I'm not going to be able to move the pin with that type of precision,
but I can prolly make the adjustment by shaving wood off the runner
that guides the jig along the router table. The jig straddles the
table and I have a runner on each side.

Jeff

Jj

Jeff

in reply to Jeff on 26/07/2007 7:27 AM

27/07/2007 6:17 AM

On Jul 26, 2:18 pm, "George" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Jeff" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:[email protected]...
>
>
>
> > On Jul 26, 11:20 am, [email protected] wrote:
> >> On Thu, 26 Jul 2007 07:27:25 -0700, Jeff <[email protected]> wrote:
> >> >I built a jig to make finger joints on my router table. I'm using a
> >> >1/2" router bit and spacing the fingers 1/2" apart. It worked well.
> >> >Probably too well. I had to dry join the wood with a rubber mallet and
> >> >a vise. The fit is extremely tight. I suspect it is way too tight to
> >> >glue. It seems to me that I'd want a couple thousands of an inch gap
> >> >between the fingers to accommodate the glue. What's a good way to
> >> >accomplish this? Should I just sand the fingers before joining?
>
> >> Move the jig a hair closer to the bit.
>
> >> Pete
>
> > You mean move the pin a couple thousands of an inch closer to the bit?
> > I'm not going to be able to move the pin with that type of precision,
> > but I can prolly make the adjustment by shaving wood off the runner
> > that guides the jig along the router table. The jig straddles the
> > table and I have a runner on each side.
>
> Pete gave the right answer. Makes the piece left behind a touch narrower,
> while the bit still takes the same amount.
>
> Sounds like you made something similar to a tablesaw jig. You can try
> gluing some paper to the side of the pin and seeing how that does you.
> Should work.
>
> Of course, you could make your next jig this way and have the microadjust
> built in. Works great.http://www.routerworkshop.com/boxjoints.html

That jig is perfect.

Mine was modeled after the table saw jig because I had been using the
table saw to cut them. I was sick of changing to dado blades so I
ported my table saw jig to the router table.

Thanks,
Jeff

Jj

Jeff

in reply to Jeff on 26/07/2007 7:27 AM

27/07/2007 6:18 AM

On Jul 26, 11:47 am, "Toller" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Jeff" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> news:[email protected]...>I built a jig to make finger joints on my router table. I'm using a
> > 1/2" router bit and spacing the fingers 1/2" apart. It worked well.
> > Probably too well. I had to dry join the wood with a rubber mallet and
> > a vise. The fit is extremely tight. I suspect it is way too tight to
> > glue. It seems to me that I'd want a couple thousands of an inch gap
> > between the fingers to accommodate the glue. What's a good way to
> > accomplish this? Should I just sand the fingers before joining?
>
> I use extended set glue on overly tight joints. It is thinner.
>
> If you have more than one bit you might try another; it might be a little
> wider.

Can you recommend a brand of extended set glue that you like?

Jeff

Gg

"George"

in reply to Jeff on 26/07/2007 7:27 AM

26/07/2007 6:18 PM


"Jeff" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Jul 26, 11:20 am, [email protected] wrote:
>> On Thu, 26 Jul 2007 07:27:25 -0700, Jeff <[email protected]> wrote:
>> >I built a jig to make finger joints on my router table. I'm using a
>> >1/2" router bit and spacing the fingers 1/2" apart. It worked well.
>> >Probably too well. I had to dry join the wood with a rubber mallet and
>> >a vise. The fit is extremely tight. I suspect it is way too tight to
>> >glue. It seems to me that I'd want a couple thousands of an inch gap
>> >between the fingers to accommodate the glue. What's a good way to
>> >accomplish this? Should I just sand the fingers before joining?
>>
>> Move the jig a hair closer to the bit.
>>
>> Pete
>
> You mean move the pin a couple thousands of an inch closer to the bit?
> I'm not going to be able to move the pin with that type of precision,
> but I can prolly make the adjustment by shaving wood off the runner
> that guides the jig along the router table. The jig straddles the
> table and I have a runner on each side.
>

Pete gave the right answer. Makes the piece left behind a touch narrower,
while the bit still takes the same amount.

Sounds like you made something similar to a tablesaw jig. You can try
gluing some paper to the side of the pin and seeing how that does you.
Should work.

Of course, you could make your next jig this way and have the microadjust
built in. Works great. http://www.routerworkshop.com/boxjoints.html

c

in reply to Jeff on 26/07/2007 7:27 AM

26/07/2007 3:20 PM

On Thu, 26 Jul 2007 07:27:25 -0700, Jeff <[email protected]> wrote:

>I built a jig to make finger joints on my router table. I'm using a
>1/2" router bit and spacing the fingers 1/2" apart. It worked well.
>Probably too well. I had to dry join the wood with a rubber mallet and
>a vise. The fit is extremely tight. I suspect it is way too tight to
>glue. It seems to me that I'd want a couple thousands of an inch gap
>between the fingers to accommodate the glue. What's a good way to
>accomplish this? Should I just sand the fingers before joining?
>


Move the jig a hair closer to the bit.

Pete

dd

"dadiOH"

in reply to Jeff on 26/07/2007 7:27 AM

26/07/2007 3:01 PM

Jeff wrote:
> I built a jig to make finger joints on my router table. I'm using a
> 1/2" router bit and spacing the fingers 1/2" apart. It worked well.
> Probably too well. I had to dry join the wood with a rubber mallet
> and a vise. The fit is extremely tight. I suspect it is way too
> tight to glue. It seems to me that I'd want a couple thousands of
> an inch gap between the fingers to accommodate the glue. What's a
> good way to accomplish this? Should I just sand the fingers before
> joining?

Adjust your jig.

--

dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico


TT

"Toller"

in reply to Jeff on 26/07/2007 7:27 AM

26/07/2007 3:47 PM


"Jeff" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I built a jig to make finger joints on my router table. I'm using a
> 1/2" router bit and spacing the fingers 1/2" apart. It worked well.
> Probably too well. I had to dry join the wood with a rubber mallet and
> a vise. The fit is extremely tight. I suspect it is way too tight to
> glue. It seems to me that I'd want a couple thousands of an inch gap
> between the fingers to accommodate the glue. What's a good way to
> accomplish this? Should I just sand the fingers before joining?
>
I use extended set glue on overly tight joints. It is thinner.

If you have more than one bit you might try another; it might be a little
wider.

dd

digitect

in reply to Jeff on 26/07/2007 7:27 AM

28/07/2007 2:41 PM

On Thu, 26 Jul 2007 08:36:02 -0700, Jeff wrote:
> On Jul 26, 11:20 am, [email protected] wrote:
> >
> > Move the jig a hair closer to the bit.
>
> You mean move the pin a couple thousands of an inch closer to the
> bit? I'm not going to be able to move the pin with that type of
> precision,

Yes you can. Here's a jig that illustrates a rather complex form of
the adjuster

http://www.woodcentral.com/cgi-bin/readarticle.pl?
dir=jigs&file=articles_436.shtml

although it doesn't explain it.

If you use a screw with a known pitch, you can calculate the exact
amount of movement ("lead") each turn or portion will produce. The
common example is a 10-32 scew--each turn produces 1/32"(0.3125")
movement. So an eighth of a turn is 1/256" (0.0039"), a very fine
adjustment indeed. Mark the screw head and use a paper marking circle
with 10 degree increments to keep track of even more precise fractions
of turns. 11.52 degrees equals 0.001" although that won't divide a
circle evenly.

My own jig is simpler, I used oak for the moving face and an insert
nut in a tailpiece glued onto face of the backboard. When set, I just
clamp them together.


--
Steve Hall [ digitect dancingpaper com ]

dd

digitect

in reply to Jeff on 26/07/2007 7:27 AM

28/07/2007 4:32 PM

On Sat, 28 Jul 2007 10:44:32 -0400, Roy Smith wrote:
>
> There's something cool about an article that shows a beautiful
> walnut jig being used to make something out of "old dried up,
> splintery pine scrap", even if it is just a test piece. :-)

Me too, sometimes jigs end up being more fun than the piece.
(Actually, sometimes jigs are the whole reason to make the piece! :))


--
Steve Hall [ digitect dancingpaper com ]

RS

Roy Smith

in reply to Jeff on 26/07/2007 7:27 AM

28/07/2007 10:56 AM

In article <[email protected]>,
digitect <[email protected]> wrote:

> If you use a screw with a known pitch, you can calculate the exact
> amount of movement ("lead") each turn or portion will produce. The
> common example is a 10-32 scew--each turn produces 1/32"(0.3125")
> movement. So an eighth of a turn is 1/256" (0.0039"), a very fine
> adjustment indeed. Mark the screw head and use a paper marking circle
> with 10 degree increments to keep track of even more precise fractions
> of turns. 11.52 degrees equals 0.001" although that won't divide a
> circle evenly.

I've got a fence for my router table I made like that. If you use a 1/4-20
bolt, the numbers work out easier. 1/5th of a turn is 0.01 inches, and
with a little care, you can make 0.001 adjustments, which more than
qualifies as an RCH when working with wood.

Compress a spring under the bolt head when you assemble it to reduce
backlash.

RS

Roy Smith

in reply to Jeff on 26/07/2007 7:27 AM

28/07/2007 10:44 AM

In article <[email protected]>,
digitect <[email protected]> wrote:

> Yes you can. Here's a jig that illustrates a rather complex form of
> the adjuster
>
> http://www.woodcentral.com/cgi-bin/readarticle.pl?
> dir=jigs&file=articles_436.shtml
>
> although it doesn't explain it.

There's something cool about an article that shows a beautiful walnut jig
being used to make something out of "old dried up, splintery pine scrap",
even if it is just a test piece. :-)


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