# Ski jig use



## rwyoung (Aug 3, 2008)

Finally getting back to working on a blanket chest for my new nephew. The chest will be frame and panel. The front three panels will have some relief carving on them. The center panel will be a monogram with a few other details. The two side panels will be oak trees in profile. 

The first step in doing the carving is to hog out all the stuff you don't need. Bought some nice small router bits for this task. Set up the ski jig and a test piece double stick taped to a sheet of melamine covered plywood. Skis are gliding around nice and smooth. Started with a small bit to follow the outline of the monogram. Then switched to a larger bit to hog out most of the material. The next step is to use some sweep chisels to stab-cut the monogram and clean up the edge. Then the background gets dimpled so it darkens up a bit under the finish, makes the foreground pop a bit. The final photo shows the end of the router step. I need to sharpen up a couple of sweep chisels and then I can get to work on the real deal this week!!! :dance3:

FYI, the bits themselves are 1/8" shank. They can be ordered with a 1/4" shank adapter pressed onto them. The adapter is permanent and cannot be removed from the shaft. Alternatively, Think-and-Tinker will sell a 1/8" collet to fit several different routers. If I do this many more times I would consider buying the collet.


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## fasttruck860 (Feb 18, 2008)

Nice start Rob. Looks like it will be a great piece.


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

I agree, I am now looking forward to the rest of the build.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

You're doing a first class job Rob, but I have to mention that it wouldn't be possible for a beginner to learn how to do it from the shots that you've posted, have you any others showing, how you routed the border etc. I do hope you understand that my remarks are intended to be CONSTRUCTIVE criticism because I think I know that many members are like me, if I actually SEE how an operation is performed, there will be a good chance that I will be able to duplicate it.


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## rwyoung (Aug 3, 2008)

harrysin said:


> You're doing a first class job Rob, but I have to mention that it wouldn't be possible for a beginner to learn how to do it from the shots that you've posted, have you any others showing, how you routed the border etc. I do hope you understand that my remarks are intended to be CONSTRUCTIVE criticism because I think I know that many members are like me, if I actually SEE how an operation is performed, there will be a good chance that I will be able to duplicate it.


Fair point :agree:, however I believe there are already examples in other forum threads about constructing a ski-jig (bet you can name a few...) as well as cutting straight lines. A straight-edge is a straight-edge is a straight-edge after all. Find a nice straight stick and get some double-sided tape and go to town.

Later today when I get back to working on the real piece (the above is a test piece in red oak, the real deal is QS white oak) I'll take some extra pictures. :yes4:

FYI, this is a blanket chest based on information found here:
Rough Cut Show Project #3 - 1670 Reproduction Pilgrim Blanket Chest

I am making it about 7/8 size from the original plans as well as changing the panel carving to be a mongram. This picture shows all the pieces dry fit (except for the battons and pin-hinges on the top) and held with a strap clamp. This has been setting for about a month waiting for me to have enough time to spend on details like the carving and final assembly.


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## Noob (Apr 18, 2009)

So the monogram is pretty much cut out freehand?


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## rwyoung (Aug 3, 2008)

Noob said:


> So the monogram is pretty much cut out freehand?


I suppose it depends on your definition of "freehand" (how Clinton-esq of me).

Created a paper template for each letter. Then cut them out and taped them to the blank. Trace around each with a pencil and remove the letter. A little more touch-up with the pencil to close the loops and darken the lines a bit. 

As Harry pointed out, I didn't illustrate the cutting of the boarder. Using a 1/8" cutter I glide the router base against a stick taped to the blank so that it kept the edge straight. The ski jig gives support as the router base is mostly off the workpiece during this operation. 

I chucked my 1/32" bottom cutter in the router and set up the ski height so the router base would glide along the surface of the un-cut blank. The 1/32" bit let me get quite close into corners etc. All of this cutting is done freehand. After tracing around the monogram I switched back to a 1/8" cutter and hogged away all the stuff that isn't monogram. A 1/4" cutter would have made the cleanup go quite quickly in the large areas but I just didn't feel like making another bit change.

The final step is to use sweep chisels to clean up the edges. I could have started with a 1/64" bit and gotten even closer to the lines. But this should be fine. After testing the chisels on this piece I will go back and adjust the radius of the curve in a few places so that it better fits the chisels I have. At $30 to $50 a piece for Phiel sweep chisels I don't own a complete set, only have 4!

I'll post a few photos after some test cuts with the chisels and a bit more detail when I get to the real panel later this afternoon.


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## rwyoung (Aug 3, 2008)

*few more pictures*

OK, more pictures. I tried to describe how I cut the border but here are some pictures that might help make it more clear.

Following that are a series showing the router work done on the three panels for the front of the chest. This afternoon I'll start work on cleaning them up with the chisels (also shown). And finally I can start to dimple the background in preparation for applying the finish. The finish is going to be Myland's wax. The wax has a touch of pigment so it will darken the oak a bit. I'm told that using a hairdryer to melt the wax a bit and a shoe polish brush to work it into the texture works quite well.


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## rwyoung (Aug 3, 2008)

Lots more progress today. Got the panels cleaned up with the sweep chisels as well as detailed the bark and acorns with a V-gouge. Sanded off any remaining pencil marks and eased some edges. 

Then a trip to the hardware store to get some 5/16 x 6" carriage bolts to make the dimpling tool. Round the end on a grinder and file in some rough V's. To get a random I make the tool un-symmetrical (easier than making it neat and tidy) and keep rotating it as I whack it with the mallet. To get into tighter spots I modified a flat blade screw driver and use a small nail set for the tight corners. Tedious but did a pretty fair job. After applying some dyed wax I can see where it needs a little touch up sanding and extra dimpling. 

By pre-finishing with the wax I'm much less likely to accidentally glue in the panel to the frame of the chest later.

The finish for the chest will be wax only, this is BrieWax with the dye integrated into the paste. Why no polyurethane or similar stuff? Well a few reasons. First this is a reproduction of a 1670 Pilgrim style chest and they would have used wax only. And second the wood is white oak, hard stuff so it doesn't need much protection. A little dent and dimple and it can only look better. This type of finish is very easy to renew with just a quick dab and buff of fresh wax. The dye gets the oak looking a bit more like it has been around for a few hundred years.

FYI, at this point I've deviated quite far from the "ski jig use" topic so I'll move over to the project show-and-tell area with future work.


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## Hamlin (Dec 25, 2005)

Rob,

You've done quite well. :sold:


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## levon (Sep 14, 2008)

hi Rob,

great job on the chest. i think the carving is great. i wish i were able to do that!


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## rwyoung (Aug 3, 2008)

Levon -

Dude, this is the first time I've tried doing this. It isn't as hard as I feared, just a little tedious. Well, a LOT tedious for the dimpling part. 

If I can do it, anybody can do it!!!!


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