Popular Post gee-dub Posted December 22, 2020 Popular Post Report Share Posted December 22, 2020 My SIL is after a work surface and has worked at my outfeed/assembly table with me on a few projects. He is in a smaller space but, would like the functionality of the top. We basically built a 24" x 36" top that carries the slot and dog hole pattern at the center of my table. 2 layers of 3/4" ply have a hardboard layer laminated to them. The slots and dog holes are milled prior to the lamination. I drill a piece of dowel to keep me on track while drilling access holes for the 3/8" flush bit I use to clean out the hardboard from the holes and slots. I don't remember if I posted my new Dust Deputy / Vac setup. This is version 3 of the 'filter box' design that I have used for the past half dozen years. The guide in use . . . not that a highly skilled individual such as myself would ever let the bit wander and foul a dog hole; nope, not me The Swiss cheese result. I must've gotten excited because I forgot to take picture of the routing process but, pretty basic. Put the bit through the hole and use the plywood base as a guide template. I then chamfer the holes to avoid compression failure at the edges. I did take a staged pic part way through to give you the idea. The plan is for this to top a cabinet of drawers. I will post more as we make progress. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted December 22, 2020 Report Share Posted December 22, 2020 Glenn, do you ever use hold-fasts with that style top? Just wondering if the ply is durable enough to support that. My 2x4 laminated benchtop is soft enough that the holes wear rather quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted December 22, 2020 Report Share Posted December 22, 2020 55 minutes ago, wtnhighlander said: Glenn, do you ever use hold-fasts with that style top? Just wondering if the ply is durable enough to support that. My 2x4 laminated benchtop is soft enough that the holes wear rather quickly. Yeah, my poplar top wears quick as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post drzaius Posted December 22, 2020 Popular Post Report Share Posted December 22, 2020 A little off topic, but working on projects is about the best way to really get to know the inlaws & bond with them. Some of my best memories are of big projects I've done working with my DIL's & SIL's. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post gee-dub Posted December 22, 2020 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted December 22, 2020 5 hours ago, wtnhighlander said: Glenn, do you ever use hold-fasts with that style top? Just wondering if the ply is durable enough to support that. My 2x4 laminated benchtop is soft enough that the holes wear rather quickly. 4 hours ago, RichardA said: Yeah, my poplar top wears quick as well. Sorry, no help there. I have read of people putting iron pipe inserts into oversized dog holes to hold the whack-em style holddowns. The slots in this type of top pretty much remove the requirement for that type of holddown; you can just use a clamp. Even on my bench I use these modified Harbor Freight f-style clamps. I have half a dozen of them and often use them to hold down the ends of bowed cauls for laminating panels. The dog holes still come in handy for work and accessory holding but, I have not tried a traditional holddown. My guess is that the ply would give up the ghost pretty quickly. The top is all trimmed up. The cabinet and drawers are still evolving but, we're heading this general direction. We have plenty of time as someone at his work tested positive so we won't be seeing each other in person for a couple of weeks. ;-( 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee-dub Posted December 24, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2020 I got a little more done. Glued up some of that free plywood to make some beefier blanks. A carbide scraper is reasonably priced and save wear and tear on more refined tools for things like scraping off glue squeeze out. I cut parts out of the blanks. Double check my layout for the supports. I need to clear any clamp positions and allow for easy reach-under as well. A little bandsaw work. The 10" Rikon handled the 1-1/2" plywood blanks with no problem. A spindle sander is your friend for sanding curves. I ganged the parts with clamps. Hope to finish off the supports tomorrow. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted December 24, 2020 Report Share Posted December 24, 2020 I think it raised above the drawer cabinet looks pretty neat but then I wondered why you didn’t just make the cabinet taller? And after opening a beer and going back thru the series, I’m glad now that I didn’t ask! I will ask though, what is the purpose of the grid lines on your sled? Maybe I should have opened another beer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee-dub Posted December 24, 2020 Author Report Share Posted December 24, 2020 39 minutes ago, Coop said: I will ask though, what is the purpose of the grid lines on your sled? It is a Matchfit clamp sled shown here. I am using Grandpa's old saw with no wings and a stock rip of 11" while between shops. The Matchfit grid let's me clamp larger things down and hold odd shapes. If it proves useful it may earn a spot in the new shop as a cross-cut / joinery machine. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted December 24, 2020 Report Share Posted December 24, 2020 And that was just recent! Sorry I missed the thread. That is a neat idea. Thanks! And the dt looks a lot more substantial than a key hole slot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post gee-dub Posted January 6, 2021 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted January 6, 2021 Sorry I wandered off everyone. Here his is on top of mine. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkinneb Posted January 6, 2021 Report Share Posted January 6, 2021 Very nice! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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