# Maybe only god can build an island



## Buddy King (Nov 11, 2018)

Hi. Came here as a newbie and am attempting to accomplish the building of a portable kitchen island. This structure has 4x4" corner legs with a 1 1/2 x 3 1/3 braces in what I now know are grooves. I attempted creating the grooves by numerous, close circular saw cuts. Didn't work. So, I decided to learn about the Skill router I've stored in the basement for about ten years. I have never (before today) attempted to use a router and I have never seen anybody else use one. Online I was advised a "jig" would be helpful. I built a jig, but even with clamps I have not the imagination to picture how to set up a path that doesn't have an angle that not including a zero or five. My local hardware store said they couldn't do it. I have now spent more money than I would have if I had just purchased a mobile island. I'm hoping somebody can point me to an instruction or video of somebody effectively accomplishing what I am trying to do. If I knew somebody who did this kind of thing, I would ask for assistance. I want to cut a 3.5", 1.5" deep groove across 4 4x4's. I'm in Chicago, near north. Any suggestions (other than learn to knit?) Thanks. 
 :help:


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Buddy I'm having a hard time visualizing what you are trying to attempt. You can post pictures or drawings (scanned images) as long as they are in your hard drive. I know the answer isn't complicated if we can understand what you are trying to do.


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

Buddy,

I need a little more information on your design. I understand you have 4 x 4 vertical posts which will be connected with 2 x 4 rails. The question I have is are the rails centered on the posts, or aligned with the edges?

If you are centering them, then you can accomplish it a couple of different ways. You can use an Edge guide and plow the groove out, you can use a mortising base plate and plow out the groove, or you can make a template and use a template guide bushing or a pattern bit.

If you have a router table (which you can make for nothing from scrap) you can use a straight bit with a fence and position your groove.

I will add some pictures and try to grab some more when I get back home


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

Buddy King said:


> I have now spent more money than I would have if I had just purchased a mobile island. I'm hoping somebody can point me to an instruction or video of somebody effectively accomplishing what I am trying to do. Any suggestions (other than learn to knit?) Thanks.
> :help:


Welcome to the wonderful world of Do-it-yourself :wink: There are many of us who have done the same. However, when you get to the point that you create something for yourself or your home that is unavailable in a store, it is worth it.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Welcome Buddy...
1st off as the new guy on the router we have some reading for you that you may find very helpful *at this link...*


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

now for you dado...
dadoes are cross grain and groves are w/ the grain...

here are some ideas for jigs...
*Hint:*
use your circular saw and a chisel to remove/hog out the bulk of the material and the router to clean up the dado...

.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Great post, Stick! Nicely illustrated.
I'm wondering if what Buddy is trying to do is rabbet across the end of the legs to carry 2x4 cross members?
I think what he has are likely S4S 4x4s ...actually 3.5" x 3.5" +/-


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

DaninVan said:


> Great post, Stick! Nicely illustrated.
> I'm wondering if what Buddy is trying to do is rabbet across the end of the legs to carry 2x4 cross members?
> I think what he has are likely S4S 4x4s ...actually 3.5" x 3.5" +/-


thought the same...
he could improve the joint a bit and make a blind half lap...
or go for beauty and strength w/ a blind half lap dovetail..

.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

let's raise the bar...

.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Here's a general routing video. Not bad. The illustration is of a simple jig for cuttng dados or grooves. Clamp it in place so the fixed end runs right on the line for the top of the groove or dado, place a piece the same thickness as what you want to glue into the dado/groove. I always add a thick piece of paper, an old glossy political mailing will do. Then bring the bottom movable part up against the edge of the piece you're going to glue into the dado/groove. This will deliver a well fitted exact width opening.

The bit for this should be smaller in diameter than the width of the dado. It should have a top mounted bearing as shown. I prefer to use a fairly short bit and make several passes. The bit must produce a nice flat bottom. You will make one pass with it with the bearing up against the top guide, then pull it down and across the bottom guide. Simple, precise. Make 3 passes, no more than 1/8th at per pass. The bearing must remain against the guide so I'd make the guide of at least half inch stock. The illustrated jig requires that the top be attached to the side rails at an exact 90 degree angle. Or, if it's off slightly, oversized to you can clamp the top piece to the work piece.

Finally, since you're new to this woodworking habit, I've attached a fairly long PDF of the 17 plus things that accelerated my learning curve. It may help you avoid some costly missteps. It has lots of pictures.

Here's the video: 




Here's a drawing of the jig, and a picture of a mortising bit you use for fairly shallow flat bottom dados. I disagree on the bit sets. But if you get a set, make sure it has the bit you need for cutting flat bottom dados. Freud makes great general purpose bits.


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## Buddy King (Nov 11, 2018)

*More Information*

Okay, here is the plan. I attempted the "multiple pass" approach and I now have two possible fence posts for next spring. I live in a condo. I have some power tools, but not workroom. I did construct a "jig" I can't post the URL that would demonstrate this simple jig, but it's on youtube and is two pieces of 3/4" plywood with a guide along the tops.
It was then that I read about the differences in a dado, groove etc. I think my "project" is a groove and the jig I made doesn't have any application that I can visualize. I'm going back to do the suggested reading now.


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## Buddy King (Nov 11, 2018)

Thanks, Chuck. The jig looks good (except I'd have to know how to create the dados). I need a class or to be able to watch somebody work with this tool. The woodworking classes around here are all more than a hundred dollars and I don't have that now....besides I'll, no doubt, need more money to save the money I'm not saving.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Buddy; are there any woodworking clubs where you are? 
There aren't many retirees who do woodworking that wouldn't mind helping you out in this steep learning curve phase.
Illinois

Capital Area Woodworkers
Springfield, IL
Email: [email protected]
Website: Capital Area Woodworkers ? Getting together to share knowledge and ideas.

Chicago Woodturners
Meetings at:
Woodcraft Supply
1280 E. Dundee Road
Palatine, IL 60074
Contact: Paul Shotola
Phone: 847-412-9781
Website: Chicago Woodturners

DuPage Woodworkers Club
Glen Ellyn, IL
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.dupagewoodworkers.org

Fox Valley Woodworkers Club, Inc.
PO Box 1041
Batavia, IL 60510-1041
Phone: 630-879-8756
Email: [email protected]
Website: Fox Valley Woodworkers

Hickory Hills Woodworking Club
Oak View Community Center
4625 W. 111th Street
Oak Lawn, IL 60453
Contact: Ray Thuman
Email: [email protected]

Knox County Homework Shop Club
1 Gilbert Park
Knoxville, IL 61448
Phone: 309-289-4343

Windy City Woodturners
Downers Grove Municipal Facility
5101 Walnut Ave
Downers Grove, IL
Contact: Tom Waicekauskas
Email: [email protected]


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## Buddy King (Nov 11, 2018)

Apparently what I am attempting to do (as explained by DaninVan) is: I'm wondering if what Buddy is trying to do is rabbet across the end of the legs to carry 2x4 cross members?
I think what he has are likely S4S 4x4s ...actually 3.5" x 3.5" +/-


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

*Built Like a Brick........*



Buddy King said:


> Apparently what I am attempting to do (as explained by DaninVan) is: I'm wondering if what Buddy is trying to do is rabbet across the end of the legs to carry 2x4 cross members?
> I think what he has are likely S4S 4x4s ...actually 3.5" x 3.5" +/-


Buddy; just hit the quote button on the bottom of the comment you want to use text from...it'll do all the copying/pasting for you.


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

For the cuts on the 4x4's, the video below shows how to do it at the 5.00 mark


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

For the long groove, an edge guide like this helps. Just make sure you feed in the direction which pushes the router to the fence


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

The plans do not show,but it looks like the Olive and Sky blue top rails are attached with pocket holes. They do not show any mortise and tenons, and the are not flush with the outside of the post, which makes for a tricky pocket hole attachment. The rail will have to be raised when it is attached to the leg. 

Herb

Correction, I just reread the plans and in the text they do say pocket hole screw attachment. Just another tool to buy. 
There is nothing to say you can"t deviate from the plan and utilize what tools you have to do the job.


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

Herb Stoops said:


> Just another tool to buy.
> There is nothing to say you can"t deviate from the plan and utilize what tools you have to do the job.


You can get the $20 Kreg single jig just about anywhere. If you find you like it, you can always find used ones on Craigslist or at garage sales


https://www.homedepot.com/p/Kreg-8-25-in-Mini-Jig-Pocket-Hole-Kit-MKJKIT/100375609


There's a killer set of Kreg jigs here... wish I was closer to Chicago!


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

make your own pocket hole jig..
but lets help the man do some easy to do joinery and improve his skill set...
and accomplish a much better/stronger finished project...

.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Stick486 said:


> make your own pocket hole jig..
> but lets help the man do some easy to do joinery and improve his skill set...
> and accomplish a much better/stronger finished project...
> 
> .


If it was me ,I would do mortise and tenons on the top rails, maybe some short dowels on the intermediate top support. Soft wood is easy to work and would be good practice.
Just saying,
Herb


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Hi Buddy. My first router was a mystery to me, I'd never used one. I lived in apartments, condos with no shop, so I did what I could with my circular saw--it would be near 60 years old today--bought it when I was mostly broke. So I get the problem. With that in mind, some of these posts could be daunting. My suggestion is that you go to YouTube, search for router uses and start watching videos of people using them. That's pretty much how I learned how to use them. Later, all the fancy joinery, cutting dados and grooves and rabbets became clear, so when I finally set out to use the router to cut some wood, it made a lot more sense. 

I quickly realized it's a good idea to be wary and pay full attention to the business end of the router, and what they meant by direction of movement. The bit is rotating around 20,000 rpm, so when it spins, it is digging into the wood. That's why a guide of some sort is so important to keep it from pulling itself into the wood, or your leg. The jigs and the edge guide all serve the purpose of keeping the darn thing on track and prevent it from moving off track and ruining your cut.

I also realized that it is far safer to use a router in a table. A table can be very simple, just a small sheet of FLAT plywood with a 2 inch hole cut in the middle will do. A 2x4 that's nice and straight will work as a fence to butt the piece against. A couple of large clamps ($3 each at Harbor Freight) will hold the fence steady. The distance between the fence and edge of the bit determines where the groove/dado starts. If you cut a chunk out of the 2x4 fence with your circular saw, you can do most any of the cuts you want. I've attached a picture of a simple home made table. BTW, you can mount the table top across a couple of saw horses, you don't need to add legs. KISS (Keep It Super Simple). Wax and polish, polish, polish the top with pure paste wax. It can't have any other ingredients than wax or it will ruin the finish on your final project. Another solution is to top your table top with a 1/4 inch thick layer of what used to be called Masonite, that very hard, dark material you can get in small pieces at Lowes or Home Depot. I'd go with the Masonite to make moving your workpiece easier.

This is important! You'll have plenty of sawdust flying around, so make sure you have at least a mask, and a pair of plain safety glasses. The ultra fine dust that gets in your lungs will not come out, that's why so many old carpenters have breathing problems like COPD. 3M makes a good mask that's just a few bucks, and I've seen safety glasses there for not much more. Work outside when you can.

If you watch videos, you will get lots more confidence in your ability to handle the tool and get the results you want. But nothing will quite prepare you for actually using the tool. Most folks new to routers, however, quickly grow to enjoy using it safely after experimenting on cheap or waste wood. One word of caution, most video makers remove all safety devices from tools to make it more visible, but DO keep them on whenever possible.

There are a couple of things that are not particularly expensive that can make the tools you have do more and better work. For example, you can find a gadget called a speed square. It's a triangle with a 90 and 45 degree angle, with a piece you can hook on the edge. You then run your saw along either the 90 or 45 degree side. Really helps to use one of these. Pix attached.

For long cuts on plywood, you can butt the circular saw against a straight edge and line the blade up with a carefully measured set of marks. Factory edges of ply wood are about as straight as you can get, so use a strip cut from the side of a sheet of ply for an inexpensive straight guide. Mark and use the factory edge. There are other ways of doing it, but this is the easiest.

A router with an edge guide like the one in the picture can also do you a lot of good, although you have to find one that fits your existing router. It holds your bit an exact distance from the edge. The Bosch edguide is about as good as it gets, if you can use it, but you'll need some exacting measurements to determine if you can use it. It's about $30. 

I've tried to suggest some solutions that are very affordable. I think you just want to keep it simploe as possiblen and within budget. Is that correct?


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