Willin Posted March 11, 2016 Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 I have a batch of tops in 13/16" cherry to machine with slotted countersunk holes, and have an MCLS bit coming soon by mail. See the pic. Will use my Porter Cable 1.75 hp plunge router with the PC edge guide, and hope that is enough control for this. I watched a YouTube video of a guy showing this bit in use, freehanding through some 3/4" pine and making the slots maybe 1/4" long. It looks as if the guide will work, but I still wonder. What is your experience with something like this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chet Posted March 11, 2016 Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 Clamp some scrap to double up the thickness of your work and that will give your router more surface area to ride on. Then with the edge guide you should be in good shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted March 11, 2016 Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 You might even consider making a jig to clamp the work piece to. It would have a slot, sized to fit a guide bushing large enough to plunge the bit through. Center the cut out over where your slot needs to be, plunge and push, you are done. This effectively gives you an edge guide on both sides and both ends, so there is no chance for the router to wander. Check out Matt Cremona's recent youtube video on how guide bushings work: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted March 11, 2016 Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 Set it up and practice on scrap ! The biggest thing you need is practice. Sounds like you are pointed in the right direction but which direction to go, how well you have the workpiece clamped down and so many little details will become crystal clear with practice. Once you achieve 2 or 3 clean slots in scrap then you tackle the actual tops . 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted March 11, 2016 Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 Looks like good answers above, now I've got to ask, why an open slotted countersink? It looks like a screw will wedge the open end apart and risk a crack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted March 11, 2016 Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 Brendon, I think the idea is to hold without the screw being too tight, to allow for wood movement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brendon_t Posted March 11, 2016 Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 Ross, that was my thought but the marketing photo shows it at the end of a board. I would think it that was its best purpose, they would show that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted March 11, 2016 Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 Rub the underside of the screw head with parrafin wax..Tighten the screw and then loosen the screw 1/4 to 1/2 of a turn. Put the screw in the middle of the slot. A 12" wide red oak top will move about 1/8 over the year. I try to be a bit more generous with my slots. After you have to rebuild a top that cracks out of your own pocket a longer slot seems like cheap insurance. A wood top is going to expand and contract across its width not its length which makes the example in the photo wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted March 11, 2016 Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 Ross, that was my thought but the marketing photo shows it at the end of a board. I would think it that was its best purpose, they would show that. Aahhh, I see your point. I just assumed the photo was a cutaway illustration, and didn't consider the board under the slotted piece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willin Posted March 11, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 Here's what I'll be doing. The top cap of a 6'3" tall etagere is solid cherry and will be screwed to the frame below. I don't show the front row of screw holes. They are not going to be elongated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted March 11, 2016 Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 If the grain runs along the 23" edge then the slots on all sides should run cross grain . If you want all the movement to go to the rear then the front screws can be stationary and the slots on the other 3 sides run cross grain. The board can shrink or expand and the front edge would stay fixed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willin Posted March 11, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 Yeah, the grain runs along the 23" dimension. The front edge is glued and screwed, no slots necessary, the rest of the top can move as the wood expands and contracts. I'll cut down a guide bushing so it will work with 6mm baltic birch, make a template, and step-plunge these cuts. Others have said this MCLS bit is fragile and may snap otherwise. And the bit is not very long overall, thus the need for the thin template. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AceHoleInOne Posted March 11, 2016 Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 Seems a bit of overkill. Your only 16" wide and the wood is kiln dried right? It's not going to move that much to be concerned about. Unless I'm missing something. I would just drill and countersink. Then run a drill bit through the hole with a larger bit to give you wiggle room. You could even run a forstner bit down first and then drill and cut some plugs and fill the screw hole with the wood plugs for a finished look? -Ace- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mds2 Posted March 11, 2016 Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 I make slots all the time with just an edge guide If it is 1. non visible and 2. non critical, meaning it isn't part of a point. I would do your slots for screws all day long with just an edge guide. Go slow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted March 11, 2016 Report Share Posted March 11, 2016 I don't see a need for a jig, just a need for some practice before you tackle the actual project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharleyL Posted October 22, 2016 Report Share Posted October 22, 2016 If you go with an edge guide (which should work fine for you) make certain that your edge guide of choice doesn't have a notch or space in the middle of it. If it does, attach a piece of wood to the edge guide so you have a long smooth edge to slide along your work. You are showing a few slots that are going to require very long edge guide rods to reach, so a different plan may be needed. Clamping a straight edge strip of wood (fence) to your work for your router to ride against that is spaced correctly away for the distance from the router bit to the edge of the router base will likely work better for you. Cut the slot in the direction that the leading side of the router bit is moving away from the fence (for instance, fence on left, move router away from you, fence on right, move router toward you). This will help hold the router against the fence as you cut the slot. Otherwise it will be difficult to cut the slot straight. Charley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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