help cheap straightedge 1.4m?

[stoatyboy]

Hi - need to joint two boards 1.3m long no planer/thicknesser no jointer plane so want to use the router and straightedge method

But where to get a decent cheap straight edge to use that isn't one of those hugely expensive micron engineered steel things costing an arm and leg?

would welcome any ideas?

Pete

 

[Steve (Correze)]

Aluminium builder's rule?

Should get a 2m one for under a tenner.

Straight enough for most purposes.

 

[George_N]

You might find a guide clamp, as in this one from Axminster useful. You can either clamp it to your board parallel to the edge you want to joint and run the router base along the edge, or you can clamp it right on the line and use a bearing-guided trimmer.

 

[ste_5150]

I'm in the same situation. I have one of those clamp guides George suggested (though I got it from Amazon as I had some vouchers!). I haven't used it yet but it will clearly do the job perfectly.

The other suggestion is MDF. I had a large wardrobe that went to wardrobe heaven recently, so I kept some of the trim pieces to use for things that are too long for the clamp guide. They machine that stuff really well so it's easily good enough to use as a guide.

 

[stoatyboy]

Thanks guys a few good ideas

I could probably run to 20 odd quid so the axi stuff looks do-able (although out of stock)

might have a look for some mdf on the way home

cheers

 

[ste_5150]

Three in stock here - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Silverline-...ef=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=diy&qid=1254405608&sr=8-1

And it may work out cheaper if you go with the free delivery option (if it can wait a couple of days).

 

[jlawrence]

Couple of clamps and a spirit level ?
Although they're often marked as 1m long one of mine is about 1.3m in total.

 

[xy mosian]

I have used a machined chipboard edge before now. Say a 300mm wide melamine covered piece. The edging helps the router base to move easily and the surface is a useful notepad.

xy

 

[OPJ]

Alternatively, you could buy the current issue of British Woodworking, where John Lloyd explains how to plane a perfectly straight edge (and also a minutely concave edge, for those who believe that is the way to go... :wink. This article also has some sound general advice on edge-jointing - well worth a look!

 

[nicewood]

I saw someone using an 6`aluminium door saddle as a straight edge he said he got it from a window company. It seemed to work quite well

 

[Steve (Correze)]

I have used a machined chipboard edge before now. Say a 300mm wide melamine covered piece. The edging helps the router base to move easily and the surface is a useful notepad.

xy

I'd be wary of melamine/chipboard/MDF unless you have a reference to check it against. Edgebanders can put a curve on the edge if they're not setup correctly and material that has only been finished on one edge will bow over time.

 

[Tomsk]

Screwfix are clearing out stocks of clamp-rule types... see here

 

[xy mosian]

I have used a machined chipboard edge before now. Say a 300mm wide melamine covered piece. The edging helps the router base to move easily and the surface is a useful notepad.

xy

I'd be wary of melamine/chipboard/MDF unless you have a reference to check it against. Edgebanders can put a curve on the edge if they're not setup correctly and material that has only been finished on one edge will bow over time.

Steve I was thinking of 'Furniture Panels' of the type sold in almost every big shed outlet. As you know they are available in a variety of widths up to 600mm wide. I agree about checking them but there's nowt to stop them being offered up to each other in pairs in the shed.

xy

 

[MikeG.]

I may not be much help here, but this is just a thought.

You don't actually need the edges to be straight.

They will fit together so long as they are the same shape, be that straight or not, and so I wouldn't get too fussy about an amazing straight edge or guide system. Personally, I clamp a long aluminium spirit level to the work with a pair of one-handed clamps, and it works a treat.

Mike

 

[plymouth pirate]

I read somewhere that if you clamp the boards to a table with, say a 10mm gap between them, then get any reasonable straight edge lined up to the gap, you can then use that to run a router with a 12mm cutter along the gap you will end up with a perfect match on both boards.

Hope that makes sense.

Regards

John

 

[GreenBoy]

I baught one of those guide clamps that George suggested, and have to say no too impressed.

They do clamp and sit good and firm but they allow for you to clamp on a slight angle if you want which add a eakness which means as you apply the clamp one end can twist a lttle taking you off of the line... very frustrating taking 2 or three attmeps each time you try to clamp to a line...

personaly i would use a peice of I bar made from aluminium which can be picked up from suppliers all over the country and a couple of clamps.

 

[stoatyboy]

Wow - thanks guys loads of good stuff!!

Inspired I popped into the local DIY shed for a scout about and found:

Trend 't'clamp-o-matic ultra pro - £50 erm lovely but no thanks
'oak' (plastic on chipboard) shelf 1.5m - £10 looked straight - maybe
2.4m window cill profile white mdf? - £7.80 getting better i could have a long one and a short one
2.4m gloss red kitchen kick board thing about 200mm wide £40 reduced to £2 hidden at the back

guess which one I went for? might not be straight enough but at £2 worth a punt

I did read John Lloyds excellent article - it appeared to require 'skill' which I am keen to acquire but not as keen as I am to get my coffee table finished!!

Once again thanks - what a great forum - Pete

 

[RobertMP]

I use a plank of laminate flooring as a straight edge - they have to be pretty accurately made to go together the way they do.

 

[ste_5150]

I baught one of those guide clamps that George suggested, and have to say no too impressed.

They do clamp and sit good and firm but they allow for you to clamp on a slight angle if you want which add a eakness which means as you apply the clamp one end can twist a lttle taking you off of the line... very frustrating taking 2 or three attmeps each time you try to clamp to a line...

personaly i would use a peice of I bar made from aluminium which can be picked up from suppliers all over the country and a couple of clamps.

Hmmm, maybe I'll add a little extra clamp-age to that when I try it out.... :?

 

[Steve (Correze)]

I have used a machined chipboard edge before now. Say a 300mm wide melamine covered piece. The edging helps the router base to move easily and the surface is a useful notepad.

xy

I'd be wary of melamine/chipboard/MDF unless you have a reference to check it against. Edgebanders can put a curve on the edge if they're not setup correctly and material that has only been finished on one edge will bow over time.

Steve I was thinking of 'Furniture Panels' of the type sold in almost every big shed outlet. As you know they are available in a variety of widths up to 600mm wide. I agree about checking them but there's nowt to stop them being offered up to each other in pairs in the shed.

xy

Ugh... yes, I know the ones you mean, definitely check them in store before buying, on both long edges, I've known beam saws to cut a nice curve when they're overloaded.

Still prefer the builder's rule, dirt cheap and has a multitude of uses, used mine to align my planer tables the other day.


I've got one of the clamping guides too, great bit of kit but a little short at times, always check it with a set-square once clamped. So much quicker and easier than a straight-edge and a pair of C-clamps, provided the piece is short enough.


Anything sufficiently straight is fine really, it's checking for straightness that's the difficult bit, I cheat and check mine against the X-axis of the works CNC routers