Straight Edge Blocks

[Qstick]

I need to find 2 - 18" and 2 - 30" long by 3/4 or 1" straight edges. I was initially picturing aluminum, but I suppose anything non corrosive and not overly soft would work. Any ideas where I might find such a beast??? Also should be able to adhere one side to a pc. of lumber in a semi permanent manner.....

Zach

Edit to add the adhesion part........

Edited February 20, 2007 by Qstick

[Flatland Shooter]

Maybe if you explained what the project is we might be able to help.

Fairly straight with holes to mount to a piece of wood, you might see if you can find the frame to an aluminum door.

Bill

[wide45]

Cut to length...

http://www.acehardware.com/sm-ace-aluminum...pi-1285788.html

[Qstick]

I am trying to use them to help make a couple jigs. I just started learning a bit about woodworking and using a router etc...and would like to make a dado jig or 2. I would make the straightedge out of lumber, but I don;t have a way to plane a perfectly straight edge yet....

This is a brand new hobby and I'm trying to not go off the deep end quite yet..............

[Flatland Shooter]

I am trying to use them to help make a couple jigs. I just started learning a bit about woodworking and using a router etc...and would like to make a dado jig or 2. I would make the straightedge out of lumber, but I don;t have a way to plane a perfectly straight edge yet....

This is a brand new hobby and I'm trying to not go off the deep end quite yet..............

Now I see. Consider some aluminium box tubing (square or rectangular) for strength. Some 1-1/4" x 2-1/2" might be the ticket. Straight, rigid and light weight. Can also be easily drilled for mounting to material or your workspace deck.

Bill

[Qstick]

THanks Bill - any ideas where I might find the box tubing?

ZH

[shred]

Al angle from the hardware store is fairly straight. Probably as straight as any piece of wood you might be able to make.

[Flatland Shooter]

THanks Bill - any ideas where I might find the box tubing?

ZH

Check your Yellow Pages for metal fabricators and supplies. They usually carry square and rectangular aluminum material in various sizes and metal thicknesses and will on a $$$ per cut basis will cut to length.

If there are none listed, possibly check under metal building supplies.

HTH

Bill

[Stumpnav]

Go to the Borg and get a piece of melamine. It is straight, and the slick edge will help with the router.

[Chills1994]

you can try these from Woodcraft.

http://woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=5819

They are a national franchise woodworking store. You can go here to see if they have a store near you:

http://www.woodcraft.com/stores/

Then there is Rockler:

http://www.rockler.com/index.cfm?cookietest=1

Same thing, they have stores nationwide too.

http://www.rockler.com/retail/index.cfm

If you're using a router with a circular base to mill dados (grooves across the width or the grain of a board), you need to keep in mind that the router base may not be concentric to the router bit you're using (the base isn't centered on the bit). The thing to do then is just put a mark on the base, anywhere is fine as long as it helps the routing process and doesn't make it more cumbersome, and keep that same marked point against your straightedge at all times.

[Qstick]

THanks for the links - I have ordered a few bits from Rockler and seemed pretty pleased with them so far. What I would like to do is to take the straightedge and glue it to a pc. of plywood. THen, while keeping my router against the straightedge, I would make a pass on the plywood and have the edge represent a place to line up with my marks on the board I'm cutting a dado in for the future. It seems like a decent way to be fairly precise int he future.

The straightedge clamp combo might not be the best for this purpose - but I appreciate the thought,

Zach

[lynn jones]

just use plywood.

here's a good set up:

http://benchnotes.com/Router%20Dado%20Guid..._dado_guide.htm

[Qstick]

I was thinking more along these lines....

http://www.newwoodworker.com/rtrdadojig.html

but without a way to plane the guide 100% straight, an alu. block seemed like a good choice.

[Chills1994]

The catch w/ that jig, Qstick, is that you'll never get more than 45% of the router's base on that jig. As you probably already know, routers are top heavy and very susceptible to tipping, which could really screw up your work. DOH!!!

The other thing that I have seen is similar to a draftperson's T-square. The longer vertical part of the jig is what the router rides against, but it's base is fully supported by the material. The shorter horizontal piece butts up against your workpiece. You clamp the T-square in place to keep it from moving. When you first plow a dado w/ it, you keep the router moving until it digs into the horizontal piece of the T. That'll be your witness mark for the next dado.

As long as you dedicate a T-square jig for each size router bit you intend to mill dadoes with, you're good to go, WRT to those witness marks.