WoodRat EW calibration jig

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RogerS

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I finally got round to making a storage unit for all the wee WoodRat bits and bobs...just so that I don't have to walk halfway across the workshop.

woodrat-workstation.jpg


and a close-up of the unit is here

woodrat-storage-unit.jpg


The unit was made almost 100% on the 'Rat..using the brush mounting technique for the vertical housing cuts.

While making this unit, I got rather frustrated with the inability to easily make housings (dados?) in the verticals at consistent spacings. I did start marking up the 'rat with pencil marks but soon realised that too many pencil marks makes much confusion.

So, I made up this EW calibration jig using Incra TTrack and Shop Stop. This gives me repeatabilty as I slide the workpiece underneath the router plate. I can either make a note of the exact setting...down to Incra's legendary accuracy

...or I can use the vertical stop that comes with the Shop Stop (not shown)

....or I can easily slide in the MDF extension piece that can slide underneath the router plate for use with smaller workpieces.

woodrat-EW-calibrator.jpg


The Shop Stop is easily dismountable and transferred over to the right hand piece of Incra track.

woodrat-EW-calibration-jig.jpg


The MDF extension piece slides in to a T-track on the Shop Stop. The length is sufficient to reach the centre line and so, in conjunction with the scale on the Incra track, I reckon that I can use this to make measurement that little bit easier.

The T tracks are mounted with M5 screws into holes tapped into the top of the 'Rat.

The next challenge is to calibrate the sliding bar using a digital display unit.

Aldel - you are very welcome to take the images for your site. I can take additional ones for clarity if needed.
 
looks really good, even if i dont fully understand what it does :wink:
 
Roger Sinden":2zwqcvlt said:
While making this unit, I got rather frustrated with the inability to easily make housings (dados?) in the verticals at consistent spacings. I did start marking up the 'rat with pencil marks but soon realised that too many pencil marks makes much confusion.
Sounds like we were thinking similar thoughts over the weekend, Roger. Trouble is I don't make a lot of cuts like this, so I hadn't got any further than vaguely wondering about the flip stop and T track I have skulling around. I might have to have a serious look, if only to prove I don't need no Incra nuffink, mate... :wink: Looks good though. :D

Cheers, Alf
 
Roger Sinden":rzr630kt said:
Also useful, Alf, for repeat sliding dovetails, mortices in table legs maybe ?
Ah, fair point. One day I may do more usual square legs, it's true. So far they've not really lent themselves to east/west holding.

Cheers, Alf
 
Looks great, Roger
I might be able to do something similar with the bits left from my old B&Q table saw fence - so it was worth shelling £100 on 2 years ago!
Stewart
 
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