You can try the Magic Box Calculator by following this link

And the China Inlaid Chest is found using this link

Fractional Inch          Decimal Inch
1/16                                 0.0625
1/8                                   0.1250
3/16                                0.1875
1/4                                   0.2500
5/16                                0.3125
3/8                                  0.3750
7/16                               0.4375
1/2                                  0.5000
9/16                               0.5625
5/8                                 0.6250
11/16                             0.6875
3/4                                 0.7500
13/16                            0.8125
7/8                                0.8750
15/16                           0.9375
1                                     1.0000

Click here to signup NOW!!! Use the end of summer sale coupon code 8C6224192A

More from Bob and Rick…

Bob and Rick have a full library of hundreds if not thousands of router techniques that are demonstrated to you with one new episode per week. I know that this fantastic TRW library will help you get your router out of the box and start making quality projects right away. It is time to take action and join the TRW membership!

Click here to join right NOW!! Use the end of summer sale coupon code 8C6224192A

The Push-Stick is a device which is designed to help prevent accidents. It keeps fingers away from the cutters. It is used with all types of stationary machinery like tablesaws, jointers, shapers, and table mounted routers. There are many designs for a safety Push-Stick. Some have specific operations considerations, others have general uses. This Push-Stick design is more of a general use Push-Stick. When used properly, the safety Push-Stick prevents accidents. Ultimately the operator is responsible to determine the proper use and design of a Push-Stick for a specific operation. This Push-Stick has some unique features which helps make it an effective safety tool.

Click here to get your copy of the safety Push-stick.

Carnival Post 1: How to sign up a woodworking blog.

Yes, I am looking for your favorite woodworking blogs that are well established and current in their posting. If anyone has or knows about a good woodworking blog that can add good information to our New Blog Carnival, please let us know or send this link to the blog owner.

Read More here…

Carnival Post 2: What is a Carnival?

According to Wikipedia a Blog Carnival is a ‘type of blog that is similar to a magazine’.

It has a title, a topic, editors, contributors, and an audience. It is published on a regular schedule, be it weekly, twice a month or monthly. I have seen one that publishes “Whenever I feel like it”

Read More Here…

Below I have added a few of my favorite posts found on my blog. These samples are found on my blog and for the future Carnival Editions I want to add outside woodworking blogs and their post on interesting woodworking articles. Please help and submit your favorite woodworking blogs to my Carnival.

Carnival Post 3: Router Bits, so how do you decide?

The most popular router bit on the market is a “1/4″ Round over bit”. (Note: From a survey of a long list of Router users.) When buying router bits the only way to tell a good or bad bit is by looking at the characteristics of the router bit.  And as always not all router bits are created equally so when looking for your next 1/4″ round over bit look for the following:

Read More Here…

Carnival Post 4: Inspiration from Malcolm

I have been making baskets and boxes using the heart joints for about 10 years. I even used the jig to make all the drawers for a couple sets of kitchen cabinets. I know the customers were really pleased to see those.  Attached are a few photos of a basket that I recently made. The basket with the silk flowers I made for my wife for her birthday in November 2009.

Read More Here…

Carnival Post 5: Why Sign Up?

The wood is from a Douglas fir construction cutoff at a construction site near my home which I got for free! It was 12×4x40.  Every part of the table except for the inner tray was made from that single cutoff.  The legs were shaped by a using my router with a template I made from the original illustration of the table.

The leg joinery is mitered mortise and tenon. The top piece is attached by tenons in the vertical section of the legs and mortises in the tray. The tray has mitered through tenons wedged.  The tray is made from a quarter inch piece of plywood slid into a groove in the edge pieces at a higher elevation than the tenons.  This tray is supported by two dovetail clamps in the bottom of the tray which fit into mortises on the side pieces.  The finish is lacquer.

Thank you for your inspiration to “get out my router”.

John Stark

Listen to John and get your router out of the box…Join NOW, only 100 spots left.

We are running an end of summer sale and have the cost of the online video set at 70% off. This coupon code gives a charge for the first month of $5.99 plus the reoccurring charge of $2.98. The coupon number is 8C6224192A, which has a expiry date set at 1) the first 200 people or 2) October 15th, 2010, which ever comes first. If you were interested in joining the Router Workshop then this is the time…Click here to join.

Today I have changed how we determine the cost of the Router Workshop video series for both the online version and the offline High Resolution version.

The Online Version:

The standard charge is going back to $19.95 for the first month plus $9.95 per month for four new episodes per month, which is approximately $2.48 per episode. Any deals for the future will be given as coupon codes like the ones below.

End of summer sale, coupon code 8C6224192A

We are running an end of summer sale and have the cost of the online video set at 70% off. This coupon code gives a charge for the first month of $5.99 plus the reoccurring charge of $2.98. The coupon number is 8C6224192A, which has a expiry date set at 1) the first 200 people or 2) October 15th, 2010, which ever comes first. If you were interested in joining the Router Workshop then this is the time…Click here to join.

We are looking at a Magazine Rack that has a 90 degree angled shelf in the middle of the project. See Photo 1 and 2

So how do you calculate the correct size of the pattern that will be used to create a dado within the gable used to hold the shelf in place. First we need to decide what router bit and guide to use. For our purposes we have decided to use a 5/8″ brass guide with the 3/8″ spiral router bit.

Here is the math used to determine the size of pattern. First, what is the difference between the brass guide and the router bit diameter. The guide is 1/4″ larger than the router bit which means that the guide is 1/8″ larger on all sides.

So if you have a shelf that is 3/4″ thick by 4 inch by 4 inch you will need what size of pattern? Let’s first talk about the thickness of the shelf and the comparison needed to make the thickness of the pattern. The width of the pattern needs to be 1/4″ wider than two times the guide size, why?

Well the thickness of the shelf is 3/4″ and the thickness of the router bit is 3/8″, which means to cut a 3/4 inch dado we need to cut two times the router bit thickness. This means two times the guide diameter plus the offset between the guide and the router bit. See Photo 3

Question: Using the above math figure out what the length of the pattern needs to be? The length of the shelf needs to be 4 inches…so what is the length of the pattern used to make the dado in the gables of the table.

place your answer in the comment section…

1) The Carbide,

The bit should be carbide with the size of the carbide chip large enough to yield 3 to 5 sharpening. The grades of carbide range from C1 rough, C2 general purpose, C3 finishing and/or C4 precision. Having said that not all grades are created equal. There are thousands of manufactures with thousands of different grades. The US uses the “C”, which is used to grade upon kind of uses. In general the C2 and C3 are tougher and less brittle than the C4 but need to be sharpen more often. C4 is more brittle but holds an edge and doesn’t need to be sharpen as often.

2) Grinding,

Is the face polished or dull and full of grinding grooves? A polished face usually indicates it has been ground with a fine diamond stone and the use of grinding coolant. The price is one indicator of the quality of the carbide router bit. It is determined by the amount of work that is needed to manufacture the router bit. It is easier to face polish a C2 or C3 carbide router bit than it is the face polish a C4 carbide.

Please Note: We have found that in most cases the additional cost doesn’t yield that much more benefit to the DIY woodworker. Why? Well because each DIY woodworker doesn’t need their round over router bit to cut a thousand lineal feet of molding where as the professional might use their tools more often and longer. Next, there are many benefits to using the tougher C2 or C3 carbide over the more brittle C4 grade. These lower grade of router bits can usually stand more abuse than the more brittle C4.

3) Clearance,

Does the carbide extend beyond the router bit body? If not you may experience Burning. See the Clearance Samples in Photo One. The cutting edge must have clearance from the bit body. Next, what is the Rake Angle? All router bits will cut much better if the bit has a positive rake angle. See the rake angle comparisons in photo one.

The last characteristics is the Shear Angle, so is the carbide mounted straight up and down to the body or does it lean at a small degree ahead giving it a positive shear angle. To see the shear angle you need to look at the side of the router bit to see that it has a positive shear angle. See Photo two

Note: Think how the bit must cut. The least amount of resistance the better. When using a hand plane if you push it square to the work piece it is hard to push and does not leave a good surface. Angle it either way and it cuts better and is easier to push. It is the same with a router bit.

4) Chip load,

When the bit is running it is at a high speed and has to get rid of the chip load. Therefore, you need clearance to get rid of the chips. This is accomplished by having slim body with both the shear and the positive rake angle.

5) Shank,

Check the bit shank. Does it fit snugly into the collet and always select the larger diameter shank (1/2″ as opposed to 1/4″). I found one customer that made a go/no-go gauge that he used when purchasing router bits. It was a steel plate with precisely drilled holes in it (1/4″, 3/8″ and 1/2″). He tried every bit shank in his plate before he would purchase the bit. A shank that is not true will not run true.

That’s it for this post, thanks Bob and Rick

Firstly, if everything is set up perfectly the router can cut the raised panel in one pass. Now having said that there are things to consider. There are three elements that determining that the cut can be made in one pass.

1) What kind of router are you using and is your router designed to cut the raised panel in one pass. Does your router have industrial bearings, the Collet accepts a 1/2″ shank router bits and is in good condition, does your router have a built in speed control that allows you to control the speed of the cutter, etc…

2) Is your router bit designed to cut the raised panel in one pass and yes not all router bits are created equally. For this you need to check with the manufacture of the router bit. And after you have purchased such a router bit is it being kept in good working condition. It is sharp and free of any chipping and or carbide defects.

3) Is your router fixtures designed to cut the panel for the raised panels in one pass. This only works if the other two elements are designed to cut in one pass and in good working condition.

That’s the short answer to the question about if the router can cut the raised panel in one pass or not.  Please leave us your comments and until next time folks, happy and safe routing.

1) The pattern is a half pattern that is designed to cut only 1/2 of the total shape. The reasons for cutting just 1/2 of the pattern is 1) You need to always cut into the grain of the footstool gable and 2) you want to have perfect symmetrical cut every time.  See Photos 1, 2 and 3…

2) The next part that is important is the ability to start the moving router bit without touching the footstool gable. You need to be able to put the moving router bit and guide on the pattern jig without touching the project piece. Photo 4

3) The clamping process is done with the toggle clamps. The ones shown on this jig has the ability to add 250 pound per square inch pressure used to hold the project piece in place. See photo 5 and 6…

4) To sum up the jig it has the following: a) symmetrical pattern using the 1/2 pattern technique, b) it has the built in solid start position, c) the quick toggle clamping system and finally the useful how to use information put on the back of the pattern. The information that you add is the router bit needed to make the jig or fixture work and the correct size of guide needed.See Photos 7, 8 and 9….

To see our inventory of jigs and fixtures in action please join the Router Workshop Video Series membership by clicking this link.

An example of the uses of this jig is in Episode 302 and 303 see the picture below.