Awesome vid man. I have a question though. I'm new to the woodworking thing. I've never even touched a router before in my life. My question is do you think the Ridgid corded router will work for making that sled? Its 5.5 amps and rated as 1.5hp. They're calling it a trim router. The reason I ask is because there's a smoking hot deal on it right now. The router and a sheet sander for $99. By itself without the sander is normally $129. It looks like Ridgid only makes 1 cordless router. Without battery (I already have them anyway) they're also $129. The questions section of the corded is a mixed bag. Ridgid rep says it can't handle a dovetail, users says it might if you use multiple passes. Your method with 2 different bits makes me think it probably could. Any guidance would be appreciated. Edit: another question...why didn't you just make all the first cuts with the first bit, then follow up with the dovetail? Moving the straight edge is easier and faster than swapping bits, no?
@@KlockoFett I own 6 different hand held routers. Why you ask because the price was right for correcting my mistakes and I did the foolish thing the first time I purchased a router and bought a unit to small for the task. For heavy work buy a reputable hand held router that will work for the main purpose and for various other uses such as a router table mounted unit. I have 2 Porter Cables, 1 is dedicated to my Incra Router table with Lift and yes I have the base if I should ever need to use it as a hand held that unit is 3.25hp. The second unit is a Porter Cable 890 2.5 hp and came as a kit with 3 bases , D base, Plunge base, Standard base. It is 16 years old and has seen thousands of board feet in usage and still going strong. I originally used it under my router table big mistake not enough HP. 3rd unit is a Ridged trim router and I picked it up on sale for 59.00 years ago and only purchased it because I could not find my Makita trim router at the time. Those two units are only used to make door jams , door hinge /strike plate cuts and very light profile work because of the 1/4 inch collect . Such as trimming edge banding for frameless cabinets and shelving. I did Formica work long ago when I used to repair counter tops in apartments that had Formica. I also have an older Bosch 1600 series and use it for various hand held stuff, but my go to is my Porter Cable with my Omni Jig 4216 for dove tails because of the template guide bushings. I also have a Craftsman router that is a Bosch 1600 series disguised as a Craftsman and I picked it up off craigslist for 50 only because it was a packaged deal I wanted the dove tail bits and circle template, guides bushings, parallel guide the guy was selling. That is one of the other reasons I own a Bosch they're motors and bases ( Craftsman/ Bosch) are interchangeable and I can set different bits in the motors when sign making. Then the most expensive and it is dedicated for one job only and that is my Festool OF10 and it is mated to a LS32 system for shelf pins and other rail system routing needs. I had to pick up a collect to let the unit work with my 1/2 inch router bits. the factor collects are mm. So in summary think about what you are going use the router for before you buy ( most import part of owning any tool or machine). Buy it once save time and save money by getting the correct tool the first time around. Trim routers are for very light work only and come with a 1/4 in collect if I recall correctly. 2.5 hp routers will handle light task to medium heavy tasks come with both 1/4 in and1/2 in collets and MM collects are available if you want to use Euro bits. 3.5 hp Routers all task can be done with one, but they are heavy use both 1/4 in and 1/2 in along with mm collects, Will mount to a router lift / plate for table usage. Important factors : Soft start and variable speeds are a definite thing to have on a router or the ability to step the speed down. ( Not all bits turn at the same speed. Warranties are semi important. but for the cost of say a Bosch 1617 dual base standard and plunge $219.99 at Lowes just easier to go get another when out of manufacture warranty. Name brands are just that name brands most all tools are made in China or Taiwan. I have 5 different name brands and would not change a thing because each one has it's usage as I have adjusted to that. For a non production shop get a multi base setup in a kit for general usage and a trim with attachments for special work. Plunge base is a good option to have hence the multi base kit. I was against plunge base routers for a time in the beginning because I did not understand the multitude of things a plunge could do. Piss poor training by piss poor instructor(s) leads to piss poor knowledge and piss poor decisions in tools and their usages. hope this long very long post sheds some light onto the subject for you or any one else brave enough to read through it all. Because when I started out there was no RU-vid and most craftsmen were stingy with the knowledge of the trade and apprenticeships were very hard to come by.
@@KlockoFett To answer your question the router the poster of the video is using is a palm router aka equivalent of a trim router. So that router is working over time to cut that much material with a dove tail bit. and Heat kills/ dulls router bits very fast. So using an under power router would require the usage of two bits for ease of cutting and to reduce tear out. But also it is a good practice to use that setup . Straight bit to get to depth of the dove tail plus it removes majority of material. Dove tail bit only has to remove the beveled cut of the dove tail. Keeps dove tail bit cooler and prolongs the life of the bit. As dove tail bits cost a lot more than a straight bit. Router horse power is also a big factor in bit usage. That is why poster made statement about router table.
I should tell you that I used to watch my carpenter grandfather joint using a handsaw back in the 60s. When he built cabinets for our bathroom he would take to well matched edges and glue them together, then saw through the glue line, then re-glue them back together leaving a pretty much invisible line. Any variance from straight was matched with the opposite variance on the other piece. He did pretty much everything with hand tools back then. You have a wonderful channel, thank you and God bless.
I'm 59 yr old women I bought some plans from you ..awesome is the only word I can use ..made$ 500 on first item I made . I never made anything from wood before..ty
You go girl! I just got my board planer. It's still in the box because I'm busy building a staircase with venetian tile risers and solid wood steps. Though I just got the next couple days off, might be unboxing time! Already made my planer sled.
Love the fence jig - gonna make one of those! Regarding the 90-degree blade set - the most foolproof method is to joint the first board face up, then joint the second board face down. The two edges may not be exactly 90 degrees each, but the two together will always be 180 degrees and a dead flat perfect join.
If the board is wibbly wobbly you are probably best getting a flatter board or, if the thickness of the board is not a concern, planing the board to be more flat or completely flat is a good option. A much more involved option is steaming the board and then clamping it in some sort of straightening jig. If the bard is cupped or otherwise warped and you joint it, the whole piece is not going to be right anyway (unless that is what you are going for).
I love how OP is focusing on the side of the boards and along comes somone talking about the steps that should have already been done... Its like telling an old man we just launched a rocket into space back in the 60's only to have him explain the importance of aerodynamics for lift on an airplane wing...
The use of the sliding levels along the fence to square a plywood edge were perfect for me - I had almost given up on working with plywood until I tried it - it works - thanks!
Big thumbs up on this one. So many "simple" and "inexpensive" projects suddenly require a $700 piece of equipment. These jointing methods will really help.
I feel like a hand plane deserves mention as a method to joint a board without a jointer. Even a really good jointer plane is cheaper, smaller, and quieter than a jointer and an inexpensive jack plane can do a great job as well. The jack plane will also get a ton of other use around the shop. These techniques and jointing with a hand plane are also complementary because the machine techniques can get you close and do most of the work and then following up with a hand plane can get you perfect. This remains true once you get access to a jointer, just "close" gets a lot closer and ideally there is very little work to remove the machine marks and make the surface perfect.
Absolutely! I’m into violinmaking and we always joint the plates with a hand plane, the jointer would remove too much material and could chip out the flames on the maple! Hand planes rock :)
@@lancep9394 need more practice. A little trick too. Edge join 2 boards by clamping both boards in a vice, edges up and flush. Assuming they are about 3/4" wide, the plane iron can hit both at once. Both sides wind up as flat as the plane.
@@lancep9394 The key is to use a shooting board. This enables you to lay the plane on its side guaranteeing a 90 degree cut. There are special jointer planes to use but a No. 5 jack plane, or longer, will do fine. Quicker than setting up the table saw!
A friend of mine that built cabinets for a living never used a joiner and solely used a table saw for this. He used a method similar to the first one that you demonstrated in this video, but he added a short board at the base to support the board being jointed like a push stick. Love The Savior, so I love the t-shirt!
That sled is by farrrr a game changer. Definitely a good idea for someone like me with little to NOoo space for multiple jigs. Amazing video tutorial as usual, thank you so much!
Great video. As for the need for a perfect 90° between the table saw and its blade (0:53) you're absolutely right, it is better to have a perfect 90° cut however, if you alternate-flip the boards to be joined, the offset angle is canceled and the finished board will still be flat. The farther from 90°, the more effort it'll take to keep the boards flat on the table when you glue them together, but for small offsets that's not a big issue.
This was a great demonstration of how to joint boards! It was easy to follow along with you. Thank you so much. You will have a million subscribers in no time because you are doing as to the Lord and doing your best!
Thank you so much for the demonstration. I used the 4 ft level method on a table top I just finished and the joints were almost perfect. Thanks again !
I grew up hearing “joinery” instead of Jointery. I think in the old days, joinery was a term for all woodwork that was “joined” at corners, like casework. I checked Google, and “jointer” is now used about half the time. Anyway, I really enjoy your style. Very informative.
Jointers square the edge of a boars. Joinery is, like you mentioned, for joining corners, like a dovetail. Planers, while I’m at it, flatten the face of the board. So, if you joint the edges, you can ensure you have 2 flat edges to glue boards together. If they’re planed, they’ll be flat across the face, and if you want to make a nice corner without screws or nails, there are lots of joinery techniques you can use.
Finally! Thank you so much for explaining why you can't just use the fence. Every video I see about jointing boards on the table saw has confused me and left me wondering "but why is that different from using the fence as the reference?". Finally I understand. Thanks so much. I love your videos and your wonderful personality. As a beginner, I learn so much from you.
Hadn’t seen method #2 before, nice! And #3 blew me out of the water. Gotta make that one for myself ASAP. Very cool tips and tricks here today, thanks for sharing!
You mentioning Tamara and then using a circular saw immediately made me think to make a plywood circular saw guide like a track saw many youtubers make but have the bottom with the microjig clamping system to give it more versatility and ease of use. You could put a couple wings off the start and end of the guide to be able to clamp it to a workbench and hang more off the edge.
i have to say that this has been the best jointing video that i have ever seen jointing two boards using a jointer sled and putting them together showing how perfect the edges match with each other . other videos only show jointing one board. thanks for this demo! nice presentation.
I have a Craftsman Jointer that I've owned for 30+ years. But this looks so much simpler to use! I'll be making one of these for sure! Thanks for the video Matt!
I'll build the tapering jig next week but I just tried the 4 foot level trick for the first time, ages after seeing this video for the first time. Worked like a charm!
You have no idea how much u have taught me with these videos. You have really made my passion for learning g to build things grow immensely. Really appreciate all you do for the comunity. Best wood working channel on youtube brother. Keep doing what you do.
I usually don't like product overview (I'd rather watch building videos). This clamping system is actually solving one of my issue for a future project. Thanks a lot, Mr. 731!
You are such a blessing!!!! God bless you!!!! Just starting out and learning is so much easier with people like yourself and Tamar and so on. No jointer so improvisation is key. Thank you so much for your content
You have cured my jointer envy. I made my first jointer jig (second method you shared). Used it for cutting up pieces for an end grain cutting board. The joints were like butter! I will probably make another version that takes finer cuts (mine was taking just shy of 1/32" per pass), but am thrilled with the technique. THANK YOU SO MUCH!
@Adam Kramer You are right but the question is would you be able to run two separate pieces together until to the end in the same speed trough the saw blade, if you understand what I mean.
This is a great idea, at least for joining boards that aren't too wide. especially if you rig up adjustable fences on both sides of the table to make sure both boards can push through evenly. I'm going to try this right now, thanks!
32 seconds in, I appreciate your flag and I appreciate your gratefulness of feeling “blessed”, you have an expensive piece of equipment 😇 I would feel blessed too! I so enjoy being a part of those who just go about their life wanting to be nice, helpful and obviously you have the demeanor of a good ol’ boy….don’t feel like there are many of those where I live ❤️ thank you for being you! Sorry didn’t mean to be all sappy, but giving props makes me happy. Promote kindness, okay will watch the rest of your video!
WOW!! I have been trying to figure out a way to do this without a jointer (I'm Irish and cheap and don't want to spend the money to buy one right now!!). Thanks for this video.....I'm gonna make that jig......it ought to help hone the router skills also!!
Hey Matt! Love so much about your video, most of all, your engaging, humble, humorous and honest personality, along with all the technical stuff that makes for a clean, clear video. Greatly appreciate the look behind the curtain to learn from your oops - dropped push block and pulling the dovetail bit up out of the groove. I had a couple questions, but you already answered one in the video (I had to watch again before it sunk in) about using a relief bit to put less wear and tear on the dovetail bit, and one about wishing for a router table - so that you could do all your relief cuts, then all your dovetail cuts, only changing the bit once, and using a table's fence and not having to clamp and re-clamp straightedges several times. Thanks!
I believe I believe yess sir I know what im doing today! micro jig for the table saw!. captivating content twisting with valuable knowledge of woodworking. well done sir
I have that same Delta table saw. I bought a Bosch RA1181 router table and it fit perfectly between the rails of the table saw. Drilled 4 holes and fitted the router table nice and snug.
On the jointer jig at the end, leaving the sharp edge on that one side can also prevent tearout depending on how close you set the fixture to the blade. I am going to make one of these!
Ive been doing the 4ft level trick since I first saw your video on it awhile ago. The sled is next on my to-do list because you make it looks so easy and effective. Love it!
I got my sled made the other day! I went for 2 layers of 3/4 mdf. I wanted 1" mdf, but austin hardwoods was out of stock... I glued them and clamped them to a piece of stone slab to stay dead flat. I got a nice 2' x 7' piece of slab scrap from the job I'm on. The things that get thrown away in construction are amazing. I could make end table tops if I didn't want to save it to try my hand @ vereering. There's more slab at the job too. A couple nice full counter pieces that broke on install. It's a crazy blue color. I want it, but it's not in the trash pile. I'm considering talking to the homeowner about possibly using it as a base and rim for wood pots on thier deck.
Great video! Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Got to thinking about how we could handle longer boards and found a solution that works really well for us. We have a Bora Portamate saw guide that we use for 8’ plywood. Just clamped it along the edge of the 8’ board and ran it through the table saw with the guide against the fence. Then ran the board through with the ripped edge against the fence. Thanks for the inspiration!
How do you clamp a straight edge to the board and still slide it on the table saw and against the fence? I was also wondering about how to use all of these solutions for boards over 4ft in length.
@@djbartles7337 that’s the beauty of the boramate. It has a built in clamping system that clamps on each end of the board. The board can’t be longer than the boramate.
Great video Matt. Interesting content, well edited, and your personality shows. You seem relaxed like a person doing what they love. If you had a router table you could show how to joint boards with it. I am sure you will have one soon. Keep making sawdust.
An alternative method is to use leg bolts up through the bottom of the sled similar to Rockler's Hold-Down Clamps instead of duct tape, much more secure. Drill the holes for the bolts offset from the center so you have a side for wide and narrow material.
Great video! I’ve been doing the level trick since I saw your first video about it. It’s helped me turn out some great products. I think I’m going to go for #2, the fence jig, once I can actually find some plywood!
Ya I'm making one of these soon, I just need to sort out the clamps. I like ratcheting gear clamps. Haven't seen dovetail ones, I'm wondering if my festool ones might work, but I might need to install T-track for that. I have some jorgensen ones that work the same way but are normal style clamps. I'm 100% sold on this style quick clamp! I got 4, 8" jorgensen ones on the zon for $14 each. I've got plywood coming out of my ears! You could probably get a piece free from a jobsite. I would check small jobsites and ask to talk to the contractor. I get most my plywood free from jobs I'm on. It's always around somewhere and often building up as trash. I got a full sheet of 3/8" and an almost full sheet of 3/4" and some decent pieces of 1/2" from my last job. Plus a 2' x 7' slab of stone! 2 10" x 10' 4/4 oak boards, 6-6"x6"x8' pine lumber, 2 4x6's, and a 4x4. That trash pile was like Christmas!
Matt, I enjoyed watching your videos BEFORE you went full time You Tube, but just the humour, information and general personality that comes across in this video, I can tell you've made the right call. Such a joy to watch, and I really wish you the best for the future. I will, of course, be here for the long haul. Thankyou so much for what you do, makes a huge difference.
@@731Woodworks All good Sir... some people struggle, others are naturals. Clear to see you are a born entertainer, and your career in youtube will be long I imagine.
Great video and cool sled. Power tools are great, but don’t forget that for jointing edges, a simple hand plane works extremely well even for long boards, especially if you don’t have a table saw. Check out both Paul Sellers and Rob Cosman.
I used your method of using a level and it worked great! I’m using this method for now until I can make the jig. This will help me make the noodle boards better.
Frustrating attempt after frustrating attempt I was about to give up and pull the trigger on a jointer. That jig just saved me a couple hundred bucks... for now =)
I think you just came up with a way to save my Ryobi table saw from being rather useless. Thank you very much to all the ideas and work done for this video!!!
This is really cool. I don’t do enough serious woodworking do justify buying a jointer, and honestly probably never will. These kinds of tips make processes like this so much more available and possible for me, thanks!
The best way I heard to describe why the level trick works is because the level being longer than the fence allows both ends of the board to maintain contact. With a regular fence the opposite end of the board is not in contact with the fence and is allowed to move side to side as the cut starts.
I clamp a straight edge to the fence, like a 6' level, and run the concave side of the board against it. The straight edge has to be at least twice as long as the board. Works great.
3:32 AWESOME jig that I’ll be making asap. You made me buy a skil 1340 so it’s good you also show these jigs that won’t make me empty my pocket even more 😊
I see your Maine State Police license plate. Mine is #1. Hope you have as great a retirement as I have. Also the hints are super and help me out considerabley.
Excellent job.....you're humble and honest that is obvious ....keep it up. I really enjoyed the video style and content . As a thanks here's another tip I saw that was a new one for me......when flying the wood sprinkle a very small amount of salt on the glue and the boards don't move when clamping .
The sled is sick! That will be the next thing I build! And thank you for showing mistakes and goof-ups! It's refreshing, cracks me up because we ALL make them!
My grandfather was an excellent finish carpenter and never used any power tools until my uncle made him a saw using a washing machine motor. My grandfather was 60 years old when he got his first power tool.
Great tips Matt. Thanks for putting this together. I especially like the multipurpose jig. I’ve edge jointed longer boards (e.g. 7 - 12’) with a track saw or circular saw w/ straight board as an edge guide. Of course nothing beats a Jointer for speed - IF you have the $$ & space for one (+ all of the dust collection eqpt. that you’ll likely want). The MatchFit clamps are great. I’ve found that in most applications you can just cut the grooves in your jigs or tables and never buy T-track again. Thanks too for wearing your testimony. It’s subtle, but just enough to let the Holy Spirit take over.
I really like the trick with the level. It's not unusual to make more than one pass using a jointer, so needing a second pass using the level is no big deal. Shop space and money are saved.
Clever. Taper cuts have been a puzzle to me. This should help, if I ever get the ambition up to get my work space going. Thanks. Entertaining video work, too. Thanks.
I saw your video the other day, about your path from dispatcher to RU-vidr. It was very touching God bless you brother. Btw, I think these tips and tricks for budget/intermediate woodworkers are awesome videos, even if I know them already.
Good video. I just use my table saw fence and cleanup with joining hand plane. Old school but it works. But you need to find a hand plane and learn to use it. No electricity required.
