# Advice? - Holding small pieces for Chamfering



## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

I'm planning on putting a 1/4" chamfer on a number of pieces of 1/2" MDF that are 1-1/4" square and others 2-1/2" square, and looking for the safest approach.

For 2 of the sides, it's straightforward as I can chamfer them in long strips (i.e. 48" x 1-1/4" or 2-1/2" x 48") before cutting them to length. For the other cut, I was contemplating holding them in a Jorgenson wooden hand screw clamp, with the piece extending slightly from between the wooden jaws. 

Is this the safest way, or should I use my 23ga pin nailer to attach them to a piece of 1/2" MDF and use my Colt on them or ?????


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## Old_Chipper (Mar 30, 2009)

Jim,
The clamps would work, If you have the little 6" ones, I think the large ones would be a pain. But if it was me, I would line them up on a strip of plywood, using the fiber Duck two-sided tape. That stuff holds really good. Wouldn't hurt to tack the first and last one, if you wanted to be extra safe.
Harry


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

Jim browsing through a Woodcraft catalog I saw a jig to hold small pieces listed, can't find it just now and also went to their web page and couldn't find it. Perhaps someone else will have a jig for this purpose and can post it. If I find it later I will PM where it is. I know when I saw it I wanted to get one for myself.


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

xplorx4 said:


> Jim browsing through a Woodcraft catalog I saw a jig to hold small pieces listed, can't find it just now and also went to their web page and couldn't find it. Perhaps someone else will have a jig for this purpose and can post it. If I find it later I will PM where it is. I know when I saw it I wanted to get one for myself.


I think this is what Jerry was thinking of:
MLCS Safety Accessories
Price seems pretty reasonable but I don't see why your idea of using the clamps or Harry's idea about attaching them to a piece of plywood wouldn't work also.


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

Ya like the man said MLCS has the thing. I knew that, just checking to see if anyone was aleart!! Thank you John for finding that thing---was sure it was that other place though!! At 65 it is called a senior moment.:haha::haha: 

I think I would like to get one from them unless I can come up with a good jig, easy to use and quick to set up. Again thanks John for bailing me out there, now I can quit looking!!:haha::haha:




jschaben said:


> I think this is what Jerry was thinking of:
> MLCS Safety Accessories
> Price seems pretty reasonable but I don't see why your idea of using the clamps or Harry's idea about attaching them to a piece of plywood wouldn't work also.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Jim
It sounds like you got the way but you may want to try the ski jig way,,you just need to put them on the cam board use 4 cams lock them in place do all 4 edges at one time then flip it over and do it one more time and you have them done, you don't need to use the ski jig just lock them it in place and run your Colt all the way around them ...

The tape works well but not as fast as the cam board plus you don't need to remove the tape when you need to flip them over plus the tape likes to move just a little bit unlike the cam way 

If you don't have a cam board on hand and the cams you can use some scrap stock for one and cut off some 1" dowel rod and drill some holes off center,screw them down to the board and then put your part in place and turn the cams to lock the project in place, but I'm sure once you get the project done you make a cam board...

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BigJimAK said:


> I'm planning on putting a 1/4" chamfer on a number of pieces of 1/2" MDF that are 1-1/4" square and others 2-1/2" square, and looking for the safest approach.
> 
> For 2 of the sides, it's straightforward as I can chamfer them in long strips (i.e. 48" x 1-1/4" or 2-1/2" x 48") before cutting them to length. For the other cut, I was contemplating holding them in a Jorgenson wooden hand screw clamp, with the piece extending slightly from between the wooden jaws.
> 
> Is this the safest way, or should I use my 23ga pin nailer to attach them to a piece of 1/2" MDF and use my Colt on them or ?????


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## Bob N (Oct 12, 2004)

jschaben said:


> I think this is what Jerry was thinking of:
> MLCS Safety Accessories
> Price seems pretty reasonable but I don't see why your idea of using the clamps or Harry's idea about attaching them to a piece of plywood wouldn't work also.


Hi John,

I had one up until about a month ago and ended up giving it away. Too flimsy to feel safe for my taste. Better off with the wood screw clamp and save your money.


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## bob156235 (Jun 14, 2009)

*Small Peices*

Hi BigJim,

Just sandwich them between two boards - say 1x3's a foot or two long - allowing them to overhang one edge enough for the sled to clear the bit without being cut into. 

Line the pieces up against each other in a row to a "fence" of the same thickness and equal to the length of the 1x3's, then screw the top 1x3 over them through the fence "sandwiching" them in place, and you're good to go. Using two-way tape would also be a way to go, but I'm unsure that tape alone would be sufficient for peices of this (small) size. With pieces this small, it would be a good idea to use the tape in the sandwich, otherwise, they might have a tendency to want to "rotate" slightly as they pass through the bit. 

This securing method is quite simple, it's fast, nothing fancy needed and works for many different applications.


good luck with your project,
Bob Carreiro
Poulsbo, WA


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## Twill57 (Jun 8, 2009)

If you only have a few, I would use a hand screw. My next choice would be to build a sled to hold the workpiece while I cut the chamfer on my router table.


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

Thamks guys, you've validated my idea. I've also thought that if it's iffy on holding tight enough, I can take a scrap of sandpaper, fold it in half and add a little glue on the paper side. Sandwich a piece between each jaw and the MDF and it'll be locked in solid, once clamped.

Bob... A cam board is smack dab on my to-do list. Now just to figure how large to make it. I'm kinda thinking about 24"x36". I suppose I should check to see what sized threaded rod is available locally first! <g>


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Jim

You may want to check out the links below 
http://www.routerforums.com/jigs-fixtures/13311-bobj3-mr-jigs.html
http://www.routerforums.com/show-n-tell/13888-working-shop.html

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BigJimAK said:


> Thamks guys, you've validated my idea. I've also thought that if it's iffy on holding tight enough, I can take a scrap of sandpaper, fold it in half and add a little glue on the paper side. Sandwich a piece between each jaw and the MDF and it'll be locked in solid, once clamped.
> 
> Bob... A cam board is smack dab on my to-do list. Now just to figure how large to make it. I'm kinda thinking about 24"x36". I suppose I should check to see what sized threaded rod is available locally first! <g>


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

Jim looks like we both have more than just a few options. I have seen Bob's just took some time to build it, at least that is what he told me.


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## Mackhill (Sep 19, 2009)

I want to build a chess board and have all the squares slightly chamfered. I was wondering how to do it safely.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Bob

I would suggest the ski jig way and use a bit like below..run the bit between the blocks to give them a nice clean chamfer...

http://www.routerforums.com/114649-post46.html

V-Groove Router Bits or Sign Lettering Router Bits
MLCS dish cutters, V-groove, sign lettering router bits, router letter template set
*
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*


Mackhill said:


> I want to build a chess board and have all the squares slightly chamfered. I was wondering how to do it safely.


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

bobj3 said:


> Hi Jim
> 
> You may want to check out the links below
> http://www.routerforums.com/jigs-fixtures/13311-bobj3-mr-jigs.html
> ...


Thanks, BobJ... I hadn't thought of that! With Bob's 14x20 table requiring 247 holes, twice, a 24x36 would require about 805 holes twice!

..and let's see.. 805 T-nuts at (assuming) $0.15 each ==> $120.75 for the tee-nuts. Hmm..

I think I'd better go home and figure out the size I need to plane down some "legs" that bowed slightly during glue-up (not yet having a jointer plane and not having a 20" jointer!!

Hmm.. If I decide I need it that big I suppose I could drill the holes but only install (say) 100 T-nuts purchased locally to get the job done and order the rest via mail order. I don't know what they'll cost locally but I'll wager my $0.15 each is none too high!


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Jim

You're Welcome, the ones in the center of the board are not needed the norm ( a 6" to 8" square ) Bob did a great job on his board but if you just drill the holes you can always just move the tee nuts over to use them..I have about 100 in my board..and I have stripped out one or two and had to replace them,,they do get full of dust and if I forget sometimes to blow them out ,they can jam the screws up and strip the tee nuts out..

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BigJimAK said:


> Thanks, BobJ... I hadn't thought of that! With Bob's 14x20 table requiring 247 holes, twice, a 24x36 would require about 805 holes twice!
> 
> ..and let's see.. 805 T-nuts at (assuming) $0.15 each ==> $120.75 for the tee-nuts. Hmm..
> 
> ...


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## RustyW (Dec 28, 2005)

I don't know if you remember mine,but I went without all those holes. It has worked very well so far.


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

RustyW said:


> I don't know if you remember mine,but I went without all those holes. It has worked very well so far.


Hmm.. That approach would certainly be a lot quicker to make!


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

BigJimAK said:


> Hmm.. That approach would certainly be a lot quicker to make!


Knocks a lot off the hardware costs also. Irregular objects, just add more cams......:yes4::yes4:
Only downside I see is that you are putting the clamping pressure on the wood, particle board, MDF, whatever... that the board is made of. Aluminum t-tracks would solve that but there go the cost aspects.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Rusty

Yes , I did forget about your setup board,,

Your board is great and you always think out side of the box,I did make a copy of your board back when you posted it ...but it got hung on the wall with the other fixtures and I just forgot about it..out of site out of mind thing..

http://www.routerforums.com/guide-bushings-templates/9204-1st-try-w-downunder-template-routing.html
http://www.routerforums.com/guide-bushings-templates/9947-clock-door.html
http://www.routerforums.com/guide-bushings-templates/14662-coasters.html

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RustyW said:


> I don't know if you remember mine,but I went without all those holes. It has worked very well so far.


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## Tom76 (Aug 28, 2009)

*Squares with chamfers*

Here is my attempt at producing the squares


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## Bob N (Oct 12, 2004)

Nice job Tom, please share your procedure with us. :yes4:


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## CanuckGal (Nov 26, 2008)

Agreed! Please share!


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

Mackhill said:


> I want to build a chess board and have all the squares slightly chamfered. I was wondering how to do it safely.


Mackhill,,, 

a few years back I made a chess board for a friend. I made sure she was good and square, then routed the chamfer on an old craftsman TS extension. A mediocer fence made it a lil tricky, but after several test passes I got it down and it actually turned out great. Bloodwood for the dark squares and hard maple for the light. 

Just as an aside,,, for finish sanding, I used a 400 and ended up actually staining the maple with the sawdust. Lesson learned, On the second board I got er close prior to assembly then used a good card scraper for the finishing touch. .


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