Well it took me almost 2 weeks to get the shop reorganized after the delivery of a new table saw and a great set of cabinets I was given from a local school. That ate up most of my time but I’m back on the Big Board project.
I got out the circular saw and squared all my edges and was able to arrive at the final overall shape. When the four pieces are assembled and next to each other, it will have this basic design. Extra curves and obviously legs will be coming soon.
My next conundrum was how to actually make the puzzle shaped cuts in the wood. I can’t fit the whole piece on my bandsaw and my jigsaw won’t quite make the turns. I know my solution is kind of heavy handed but it was the best I could do. I jigsawed up to the puzzle piece from both sides and stopped. I then got out the drill and perforated the wood along the puzzle piece line. You can see the cuts as well as the drilled pattern in the next photo. I am in the process now of using the jigsaw to just clean out what is left.
Once the remains are cleaned out I should have my four table tops. Preparing them will be in the next installment.
-- Behind the Bark is a lot of Heartwood----Charles, Centennial, CO
4 comments so far
Kindlingmaker
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2658 posts in 4038 days
#1 posted 08-21-2009 10:47 PM
A recipercating saw (Sawzall) should do the trick for you and even Harbor Frieght has them…
-- Never board, always knotty, lots of growth rings
a1Jim
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117722 posts in 4089 days
#2 posted 08-22-2009 04:03 AM
Even a router with a 1/8” bit with repeated cuts
Durnik150
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647 posts in 3833 days
#3 posted 08-22-2009 09:03 AM
Right now the four table tops are sitting in my garage and getting ready to go through a sanding and surface prep not to be believed. I’ll keep you up to date.
-- Behind the Bark is a lot of Heartwood----Charles, Centennial, CO
Durnik150
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647 posts in 3833 days
#4 posted 08-23-2009 09:42 AM
I did think about the reciprocal saw but, once I had perforated the wood with the drill, the jig saw worked pretty well. I also gave Jim’s idea a thought and was just about ready to put a straight bit in the router. That would have been my next shot if the jig saw had pooped out.
I put a round over bit in my router table and took one of the pieces and started working on the edges. It won’t be perfect but it will eliminate some time spent on the edges.
Thanks for the comments guys!
-- Behind the Bark is a lot of Heartwood----Charles, Centennial, CO
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