# I do listen, sometimes...



## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

I have been working on making some trinket boxes similar to Harry's boxes.

I used a template I had for some years after Mike sent me 3 different types of timber.

Routing the internal shape was relatively easy. Where my stumbling block was on making the plugs to enable to outside wall to be cut.

I got the table saw and sander out yesterday and made a plug for a small box I had cut and then did the outside using the skis.

That turned out OK, until I had an "oops" moment with the template trim cutter.

The small box was trimmed using the table saw and sander.

Still needs some finish.

I then remember that Harry mentioned in a post that the cutout for the template could be used as a circular plug, so I decided to make a 6" template.

I laid out the 6" edge and the added 10mm for the cutter offset ( I used a 10mm cutter in the Ryobi on the circle jig to make the template). If I calculated correctly, the offcut from the centre should be 6" and serve as a plug.

That worked out very well and I made a test cut in some 16mm veneered MDF I had sitting around.

I used a 30mm guide bush and 10mm cutter in the Makita 3600BR on the skis to cut the dish and the wall.

The plug made a perfect fit in the centre of the dish.

The MDF was like cardboard in the centre but served the purpose.


----------



## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

Ok so far so good now let's see some finished product. -I-=


----------



## RJT501Win (Apr 21, 2012)

Going great James I should have a go at one of these soon.
Cheers
John T


----------



## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

James, to say that I'm proud of you would be an understatement. Two things I must mention, first hogging out most of the waste with a Forstner bits makes the routing easier and that nick in the square box, drop a template guide size and re-rout the inside for a perfect finish.


----------



## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

James,

Love watching WIP and pic's.


----------



## Daikusan (Apr 12, 2013)

Thanks for the detailed write up and pictures. A fine craftsman showing of his wares. Thanks


----------



## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

harrysin said:


> James, to say that I'm proud of you would be an understatement. Two things I must mention, first hogging out most of the waste with a Forstner bits makes the routing easier and that nick in the square box, drop a template guide size and re-rout the inside for a perfect finish.




I did say I listen sometimes but do not always remember....LOL I can't count how many times that has been mentioned on The Router Workshop"....LOL

Thanks for the tip Harry. I don't know how that will go as I will have to re-set the template.

ALSO, Harry. What chip collection do you use with the skis and the 3600BR? That Red Gum makes a hell of a mess.....


----------



## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Daikusan said:


> Thanks for the detailed write up and pictures. A fine craftsman showing of his wares. Thanks



Thanks for the vote, Steve, but you must have me confused with some wood worker.....


----------



## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

jw2170 said:


> [/COLOR]
> 
> I did say I listen sometimes but do not always remember....LOL I can't count how many times that has been mentioned on The Router Workshop"....LOL
> 
> ...


Occasionally I clamp the 4" hose to the sacrificial bench top but most of the time I suck up all the debris after each cut using the ShopVac. Bearing in mind the number of mistakes that I make these days I've become quite proficient at re-setting templates! I no longer have the 3600BR, having sold it when I bought the RP2301FC and moved the 3612C onto the skis.


----------



## Daikusan (Apr 12, 2013)

jw2170 said:


> Thanks for the vote, Steve, but you must have me confused with some wood worker.....


hmmmm maybe I had a senior moment. . . what did I say? Oh wood worker that be you.


----------



## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

Well done James! You are a talented woodworker despite what you may say.

Instead of asking several questions about the build is there a link that goes in to detail on the forum? If not, just a couple.Did you use the square template with guide bushing for the inside and used your table saw and sander for the outside? For a top to the square box do you use the template with a different guide bushing?


----------



## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

*Just following instructions....*

Hi Marco,


For a full description of the process, read Harrysin's posts on routing. This is how 
it should be done.

I am just trying to copy Harry.

http://www.routerforums.com/guide-b...98-routing-tutorial-beginners-part-three.html



Marco said:


> Well done James! You are a talented woodworker despite what you may say. [ It is easier to make oneself look good when one has a good teacher to follow. Template Tom and now Harry are my mentors ]
> 
> Instead of asking several questions about the build is there a link that goes in to detail on the forum? If not, just a couple.Did you use the square template with guide bushing for the inside [ Yes, using 30mm guide bush and 10mm straight cutter ]and used your table saw and sander for the outside? [ I also used the 30mmGB and 10mm cutter to cut the wall using the plug as the template. I did not have the correct cutter to use in the table to trim the excess, so used the table saw and sander to trim the base ] For a top to the square box do you use the template with a different guide bushing? [ What you call the top is a plug/template to route the wall ]


This is not 'false' modesty, I really do appreciate the assistance of the forum to let me play with my toys....


----------



## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

Looks slick. I passed it along to a friend, he's much more likely to try that way than I would.


----------



## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

*Coin tray Mk 3....*

Being stubborn helps sometimes...

Being a warm Summer day [33° C, light breeze, no cloud], I decide to get into the shed and play some more.....

Using a board of unknown origin, I went to work with the Jasper 400 circle jig and 1/4" cutter.

Was going alright for a while ......:no:

Have to find some timber that will not chip out on me....LOL

Tomorrow, I am going to cut the dish away from the board and finish the outside with the sander...

Anyway, I had fun....


----------



## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

There's nothing at all wrong with that method James, I've used it myself on odd occasions, so long as the hole doesn't go all the way through. I can see that you're preparing to replace me when I pull the plug!


----------



## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Hahaha, Harry.

I will be too old to type by then, let alone handle a router....

Another lesson I learned was that the router is great for 'drilling' dead straight holes for the jig pins.

I will also use that method for the 1/4" hole required for your circle jig.


----------



## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

Looking good James. Keep us posted on it. I am looking forward to the finished project. and after all you have had an excellent tutor.


----------



## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

Thanks for the answers and link James. I feel your pain on the chipping and cracking wood.... keep up the good work.

PS. ... I had to look up the temperature conversion.... 33c = 91.4f

Enjoy the warmth... it was cold at work today and my feet are just starting to warm up.


----------



## Daikusan (Apr 12, 2013)

IMHO the crack isn't your fault. It looks like the board had tension/ stress and the cut released it. I have been there too many times with cherry wood. Cut the end of a board then 5-10 minutes it splits. ARRRG with capital letters.


----------



## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

*Never give up....*

Beaut day today so got back out in the shed for another go.

Used the 6" template made the other day, with makita 3600, skis and 30mm template guide, 10 mm cutter.

This time I used some Sydney Red Gum about 8 x 2. The red gum is very hard. Tried to hog out the interior with the forstner bits as suggested by Harry, but they hardly scratched the surface so went back to a 40mm guide and 1" straght CMT cutter.

Also used that combination to take about 1/2" of the base.

I trimmed the dish from the plank with the table saw and also used the TS to cut an octagonal shape for the dish.

This took a while as I spent some time trying to work out how to hang on to the dish while using my mitre sled.

I eventually used one of the clamp blocks from my new mortise jig. This was only a temporary fix, bit will modify the mitre sled to incorporate a hold down device.

Some sanding tomorrow and a coat of vegetable oil and I have a candy/beer nut dish....


----------



## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

I'm sure that I can hear your tail wagging from here James, and justifiably so, perhaps now more members will realize that there is far more to routing than can be performed on a router table. I reckon that it's time to replace your Forstner bits, I have no problem hogging out Jarrah and that can be like steel. May I suggest that for your next project you make a template so that you will be able to rout the hexagonal outside of a bowl. I envisage six pieces of MDF glued together to form a perfect hexagon in the centre.


----------



## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Hahaha, Harry.

Now you're upping the ante....

Woodworking makes me feel tired....LOL

Going to catch up on some Foxtel with a cold beverage of choice......VBG..


----------



## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Whilst relaxing it will be a golden opportunity to draw the template so that on Monday you will be in a position to mark and cut up the MDF for the hex bowl template, but be quick, Bj is watching this thread and he may well beat you to it!


----------



## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

*Finished...*

Both trays have been sanded to 240 grit and one dose of grape seed oil applied...

The oil really brings out the colour of the Sydney Red Gum....


----------



## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

They look absolutely great James.


----------



## Daikusan (Apr 12, 2013)

Looks good to me!!


----------



## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

Fine job indeed James...

The octagonal box especially is an eye catcher. I just may have to give your project here a go. 

b.


----------

