Making jigs for plunge routing (whew)

[Warbird]

As most of you know, I'm still pretty much a newbie when it comes to woodworking.  I've never understood why some guys are so DanG happy when they get a jig created that is just right.  Well, I understand now!!

I had no idea where to begin on this part of the project, so I went over to a buddy's house who has built himself a pretty nice wood shop.  I figured this whole thing would take just an hour or two.  Talk about being naive.  It took us a few hours just to get the 2 jigs created!

The project was to make 2 different depth plunge cuts, 2 times per, into the face of 3 window benches.  The finished face is tongue-n-groove bamboo.  It is one continuous bench but we wanted the storage space underneath, so centered on the 3 main bay windows, we made hatches that will pull completely out.  And since this is a bench folks will sit on, the handles needed to be recessed.

As you will see from the pics, it required 2 different plunge cuts at different depths.  I tell you, getting the plywood jig just right took a lot of trial and error.  But once the jig was made, the rest was easy!  Well, except for the one router bit that broke.  :-\

Here are the handles with a tape to give you and idea of the size


Closeup of one of the handles.  This close, you can see the right cut isn't perfect but you have to really look close to see that detail.  And after the hours spent getting it this close, I was fine with it!  You really don't notice unless you are looking for it.


The back of one of the handles next to the hole routed out for it


And a couple of pics showing more of the entire bench.




The next step in this project will be to get the facing trim pieces glued on the front to hide the ugly edge where the sheetrock stops, then I have a few cuts to make into the bench tops to make room for the facing window trim.  It's coming along but those things will have to wait until all my winter prep is done.  It was 34° F outside this morning!    

[JohnG28]

Nice job Warbird, looks like they turned out very nice. 8)

[Burlkraft]

Nice job on the benches 8)

Jigs are a challenge sometimes but are invaluable for some projects.
I have many that I made and ended up being one time only
jigs. They sit on a shelf, but as soon as I get rid of them I will
need one.

I need to build one for routing out chair seats. I can't figure out who's butt
I'm gonna use for a model   :D

[Radar67]

Steve, the biggest you can find would probably be best. Although, one size does not fit all.  :D :D :D

[Warbird]

Thanks guys.  Getting those handles inset like that sure was rewarding!  Steve, good luck finding a 'model butt'.  I've heard of guys looking for a nice piece of tail, but I've never heard that excuse before! 

[Burlkraft]

  I've heard of guys looking for a nice piece of tail, but I've never heard that excuse before! 

I got a million of 'em  :D :D :D

[Lud]

Here's an idea I had a few years ago.  make a quick box  about 2' by 2' and 3" high.  Set it up on 4 cement blocks on end.  Nice and stable.

fill with sand.  Scrape flat.  Stretch thin plastic like a trash bag over the box.  Have the intended customer sit down on the box and wiggle around a bit. :D

Take pictures.  Take measurements.   

A butt print is the secret to a perfect chair bottom! 8)

[Burlkraft]

That is a great idea!  8)  8)  8)  8)

I know that there is not a woman in the world who would do that!

....Does this sand make my butt look big?  :D  :D  :D

[WDH]

....Does this sand make my butt look big?  :D  :D  :D

"No honey, it does not make it look big at all  ."

[Patty]

You guys crack me up  :D

I am just sure that Jill would be more than happy to model for your butt print.

[ljmathias]

Not to interrupt your fun, but just how do you rout out a chair for a comfortable fit- it's a three-dimensional problem, and one I can't visualize a jig for.  Anyone have a picture?  and not of a butt print or the model that made it, although I'm sure that would liven things up a lot.  Question: when you make the print, is it with clothes on or off, and if on, what kind?  Just curious... ;D

Lj

[Burlkraft]

The seat jig for a router usually has 3 different depths just like the jig for the handles.

It is in the shape of "the butt" you have chosen. It is clamped to the seat piece. You route the common depth first around the entire shape. Then you move to the next depth and the next shape and route that out.
The final depth is the bottom of the butt. Move to that depth and route out. The 3 depths are then blended by peeling with a chisel and a sander.

[Lud]

While I won't speculate on the best way to make the butt jig, I'd suggest that a proper follow up to the butt mold would be to make a butt casting which could be simply achieved by placing a lid on the box and spraying in some expanding foam and waiting for it to set.   This would give you a form to test the  seat as it was carved.  You could chalk it up, place it in the seat and this would show you where to remove material. 

Then you could hang it on the wall.   Maybe make a few others as the years go by. .....for comparative purposes.  Really be popular.

I haven't done this.   I'm just speculatiing.   Chalk that up to experience! 8)

[Burlkraft]

Maybe I'll just use some adhesive and sandpaper.

Glue the sandpaper to sumguy's butt and give him a block of cherry to sit on!  :D  :D  :D  :D

Changin' paper would be an...........ummm..........uaaaaa....FUN!

[WDH]

Ummmmmm, especially if the paper got stuck to the paper, if you know what I mean .

[Don_Papenburg]

I think that you could get some woman to make a butt impression , so many of them used to make copies of rear ends  on the old office cannon copier a few years back. 


A good seat router could be made with a long square tube with a fixture to hold the router on the bottom and a way to mount a ball joint on the top in such a manner as to make the tube length adjustab.  The ball joint should be adjustable also so that the radius of the butt can be copied .     When you think it is done have the recipiant sit on it for an hour or so then have them drop trou and check for redness that would be spots that need attention.

[Lud]

Another thought on the butt impression in the sand box would be to use a laser light and to photograph the line.  Maybe there'd be a way to set up a grid of laser lines that would let you measure the resective needed depths.

Then on to the CAD-CAM controlled plunge router, eh?

While it might be possible to laser grid the butt directly, I think the sand box would be most useful because it reveals the compression that occurs while sitting and if there's one thing that's hard to measure it's the proper amount of butt compression. :D

[ljmathias]

Wow!  This discussion has gotten entirely too... shall we say, technical?  Maybe should move on to something a little easier to deal with, like coffins?

Lj

[fishpharmer]

Wow!  This discussion has gotten entirely too... shall we say, technical?  Maybe should move on to something a little easier to deal with, like coffins?

Lj

The folks that need coffins aren't so picky about comfort.

[Burlkraft]

Lud,
You need to buy a cad/cam controlled router.
That is the solution!  8)  8)  8)
I'll have ya laser Jeff's butt and you can make all my seats to his size for me.
I'll prolly make a couple dozen chairs  :  :

One size fits all!!

[Lud]

The implication being here that Jeff's BP (the newly coined chair-making acronym not th e medical term) would be sufficiently scaled for all potential users, eh? :D

[Burlkraft]

Hey....Jeff resembles that! ;D

[Lud]

I 'm asking about your chair making.......windsor type or Maloof?   Wife wants me to make some chairs for dining table and I cut some 2" ash last year and it's air drying.

I'm sure I'd benefit from your experience and expertise. ;)

[Burlkraft]

I'm sure I'd benefit from your experience and expertise. ;)

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

Windsor