Ultralight Construction...

[mikeschn]

Day 1

Built a table to build those durn walls on... Unlike the last table I built, which was a wimpy thang, this one will hold bags of sand, or 14 feet of water, or a vaccuum bag, what ever is the handiest, without collapsing.



Who knows what the next day will bring...

Mike...

[weasel]

Nice work Mike

[Miriam C.]

That is nice. Mines prettier. I can't wait to see the ultralight put together.
does this mean you got kicked out of the kitchen. Was that you or someone else.
Get back to work!

Hope you are having as much fun with this design as the rest of us.
Miriam

[Arne]

Mike, I've been gone for about a month, traveling.....

Are you building an ultrlight?....

I have a very similar looking 1800# trailer still in my shed in the boxes.... and the plan is to do an ultrilight with very little frame.... will have a lot of steel left over.

[mikeschn]

Yes Arne, I am going to try to build an ultralight...

I say that because we all know, some days are good, and some days are bad... today was a bad day.

Let me share a few pictures with you...

After I glued up those 1x4's I cut the template out of the 5.2mm luan... that's less than 1/4". Let me tell you... that luan is like a rubber band... it moves all over the place.... I figure, no problem, I'll clamp it down... Later on I find out that the 1 1/2" width isn't really enough to keep the router stable... but I'm getting ahead of myself... I set the template on top of the pine frame, and figured I'd make a practice cut...



The inside cut went fine...


then I tried an outside cut.... suddenly I noticed that the bit was cutting into the pattern....

Hey, that's not supposed to happen... So I look at the collar on the router... it either melted, or got chipped away... Needless to say I am not a happy camper...


I either need a better router guide, or I have to change my method of construction to the one that Subtear is using...
http://www.teardrops.us/userfiles/33/te ... anean.html

Hmmmm I think it's time to bounce this off one of our experts... Steve Frederick... Steve, your thoughts...

Mike...

[madjack]

...get a Porter-Cable router with the 2 piece, screw together bushing set...we just luv it at the shop..................

[Ken A Hood]

GUIDE SET
BASE PLATES

I have some of their products, and they all work well together. You can even make your own router table, to whatever size you need.

[Guy]

Dear Mike,

Here is the link from Steve Frederick posted in the "Router Masters" thread

http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/routacc1.html

Those are the bearing he uses.

[Chip]

Making a mental and visual note here,, stay from Roto Zips and routers,,,

chipper

[mikeschn]

Yep,

I think it's time to place that order...

Tomorrow though, I think I have to start a new side using the laminated strip method...

Mike...

[asianflava]

I like using ball bearing bits instead of guide bushings. Just my preference though. I'm sure one is better than the other, depending on the situation.

[Steve Frederick]

Two things..I use a top-bearing pattern bit when the pattern is on top..a bottom bearing bit otherwise.

For pattern work with a guide bushing..get a Porter-Cable-Type base and some brass screw-on bushings..


I get my stuff fromMLCS
Also, For really critical cuts, coat the pattern edges with epoxy, paint, or even wax, to keep snags and bumps to a minimum.
I'd fix the pattern with some schmutz (epoxy/wood dust/silica) and carry on!

[madjack]

Two things..I use a top-bearing pattern bit when the pattern is on top..a bottom bearing bit otherwise.

For pattern work with a guide bushing..get a Porter-Cable-Type base and some brass screw-on bushings..


I get my stuff fromMLCS
Also, For really critical cuts, coat the pattern edges with epoxy, paint, or even wax, to keep snags and bumps to a minimum.
I'd fix the pattern with some schmutz (epoxy/wood dust/silica) and carry on!

...that is perzactly how we operate and the shop...gee great minds really do think and act alike
madjack

[Steve_Cox]

Yep,

I think it's time to place that order...

Tomorrow though, I think I have to start a new side using the laminated strip method...

Mike...

I like the laminated strip method too. After learning from Roly how to do the outside trim on my woody that way, I too decided it would be a great way to do a frame lay up, can't wait to try it out. On the trim job I used 7 layers of .200ths thick red oak with epoxy. Love it when people come up and ask "how did you bend that?"

[mikeschn]

Today is a better day... Went to HF, where they were having a big sale, and took my 10% off coupon... Got that portable bandsaw, and a bunch of clamps.

Got home and fit up the table with a bunch of dowel pieces...



Then I started glueing up my strips... (which are 1/8" thick btw) The first two strips were a little tricky, but the third one went on really easy. I'm experimenting with titebond III, and it appears I can put on another strip every 30 minutes... The most important thing I learned today is, I didn't buy enough clamps... You need one on every dowel piece, and one inbetween...



It's getting to be fun now!!!

Mike...