[bolger] Re: Cutting a birdsmouth

Hmmm... I just purchased the edge guide for my router and haven had a
chance to really use it. After reading your post I took a look at it. It
looks really sturdy and even has a very fine adjustment mechanism on it.
But your post makes a lot of sense, especially with the variation in
routers. A cool tool, but rather confusing with the number accessories.

The idea of cutting the bird's mouth with the router is still one to pursue.
I'm going to start looking for a 3/4 veining bit on my next trip to Home
Depot.

> -----Original Message-----
> From:monica@...[mailto:monica@...]
> Sent: 03 October, 1999 3:26 AM
> To:bolger@egroups.com
> Subject: [bolger] Re: Cutting a birdsmouth
>
>
> > The router idea seems great. But why use the dowel pins? Most
> routers
> > can be accessorized with an edge guide, for a small cost. Have you
> > found the router bits to use yet?
>
> I never really trusted edge guides. Very hard to set up dead center.
> And you can only set them so tight then they wander, and while I'm
> routing I like putting lots of pressure in the direction that aligns
> things. The pins make the base self-align to any width piece (even one
> that tapers), and can't sneak off-center and destroy my workpiece.
>
> I believe I saw appropiate bits at a Sears (the smaller satalite
> "Men's" stores with just the good stuff and no clothes). I'll check
> again next time I'm there. Woodworkers Warehouse would be another place
> to spend a nice hour or two wandering thru "just to look."
>
>
>
>
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> The router idea seems great. But why use the dowel pins? Most
routers
> can be accessorized with an edge guide, for a small cost. Have you
> found the router bits to use yet?

I never really trusted edge guides. Very hard to set up dead center.
And you can only set them so tight then they wander, and while I'm
routing I like putting lots of pressure in the direction that aligns
things. The pins make the base self-align to any width piece (even one
that tapers), and can't sneak off-center and destroy my workpiece.

I believe I saw appropiate bits at a Sears (the smaller satalite
"Men's" stores with just the good stuff and no clothes). I'll check
again next time I'm there. Woodworkers Warehouse would be another place
to spend a nice hour or two wandering thru "just to look."
Hmmm, those are two pretty good ideas for cutting the bird's mouth. I
was planning on using the table saw like they did in the article. Of
course, that workshop looked incredible with all the LONG formica
covered infeed, outfeed and layup tables.

The router idea seems great. But why use the dowel pins? Most routers
can be accessorized with an edge guide, for a small cost. Have you
found the router bits to use yet? For my mast, I would need one that's
about 3/4 at its widest point. Let me know if you've found veining
bits that large. I love my router, but am intimidated as hell by all
the bits out there.

As far as dadoing, I hadn't thought of this; Am afraid removal of that
much material with my cheap wobble dado blade would take forever.
Anyone else tried this?

Robert Lundy

mant-@...wrote:
original article:http://www.egroups.com/group/bolger/?start=372
> monic.....do you have a table saw and dado blade?... if so set the
> blade a 45degrees .. make sure to use fingerboards to hold in place.(
> lots of them) you should be able to set the corner of one side of dado
> blade as the point of the "V"... make sure to use a couple of push
> sticks!!!!! .... Chris
> original article:http://www.egroups.com/group/bolger/?start=371
> > I've been planning to use the "birdsmouth" method of mast making
for a
> > few years now on my Catfish since I read an article on this method
way
> > back in MAIB. True, after a fine start the project has been stalled
> > since '95 and only recently rekindled, but one can't let all that
> > planning (not to mention a near full set of pre-fabed bulkheads) go
to
> > waste, can one?
> >
> > Anyway, when I get to cutting these shapes my method of choice would
> be
> > to get one of those big 90° "veining" router bits for my hand
router,
> > and fit the bottom plate with two pins across a diagonal. That way
by
> > twisting the router (hence the pins too) into the work the router
> would
> > jig itself to the center of the workpiece, and I could work my way
to
> > the proper depth in several passes. True, this method would waste a
> > about the router's base diameter (half either end of the stock)
before
> > the cut centered out, but thats close enough for me.
> >
> > I've never been able to get saw cuts to meet at the bottom of
> anything,
> > even using a tenon saw to cut decorative knotches in fence posts so
I
> > like the idea of using a cuter that already has the right shape
built
> > in.
> >
> > Any other thoughts on skinning this cat?
> >
>
monic.....do you have a table saw and dado blade?... if so set the
blade a 45degrees .. make sure to use fingerboards to hold in place.(
lots of them) you should be able to set the corner of one side of dado
blade as the point of the "V"... make sure to use a couple of push
sticks!!!!! .... Chris
original article:http://www.egroups.com/group/bolger/?start=371
> I've been planning to use the "birdsmouth" method of mast making for a
> few years now on my Catfish since I read an article on this method way
> back in MAIB. True, after a fine start the project has been stalled
> since '95 and only recently rekindled, but one can't let all that
> planning (not to mention a near full set of pre-fabed bulkheads) go to
> waste, can one?
>
> Anyway, when I get to cutting these shapes my method of choice would
be
> to get one of those big 90° "veining" router bits for my hand router,
> and fit the bottom plate with two pins across a diagonal. That way by
> twisting the router (hence the pins too) into the work the router
would
> jig itself to the center of the workpiece, and I could work my way to
> the proper depth in several passes. True, this method would waste a
> about the router's base diameter (half either end of the stock) before
> the cut centered out, but thats close enough for me.
>
> I've never been able to get saw cuts to meet at the bottom of
anything,
> even using a tenon saw to cut decorative knotches in fence posts so I
> like the idea of using a cuter that already has the right shape built
> in.
>
> Any other thoughts on skinning this cat?
>
I've been planning to use the "birdsmouth" method of mast making for a
few years now on my Catfish since I read an article on this method way
back in MAIB. True, after a fine start the project has been stalled
since '95 and only recently rekindled, but one can't let all that
planning (not to mention a near full set of pre-fabed bulkheads) go to
waste, can one?

Anyway, when I get to cutting these shapes my method of choice would be
to get one of those big 90° "veining" router bits for my hand router,
and fit the bottom plate with two pins across a diagonal. That way by
twisting the router (hence the pins too) into the work the router would
jig itself to the center of the workpiece, and I could work my way to
the proper depth in several passes. True, this method would waste a
about the router's base diameter (half either end of the stock) before
the cut centered out, but thats close enough for me.

I've never been able to get saw cuts to meet at the bottom of anything,
even using a tenon saw to cut decorative knotches in fence posts so I
like the idea of using a cuter that already has the right shape built
in.

Any other thoughts on skinning this cat?