Befuddled: how to get a precise wedge?
#11
Gentlemen, after nearly cutting off my fingers on the bandsaw twice this morning, I'm calling for help.  I'm trying to fix a problem on a piece of furniture where "starting over" or fixing the 'real' problem is simply not an option.  The problem is that a corner of a table base is not square, and so when I install drawer slides and the inset drawer, the drawer face is not parallel to the apron--and it's very noticeable.  Fixing the 'not square' is totally out of the question, so let's not go there.

The drawer faces are actually "false" fronts.  So, unless you all have a better way (which I hope you do), what I intend to do is glue a wedge between the drawer front and the false face.  This wedge would then bring the false front parallel to the apron.

The width is just under 3".  Looking at the triangular face of the wedge, it's about 1/4" "rise" over 20" of "run".  My Starret protractor is measuring it at a little over 1 degree.  As you can imagine, both wide faces need to be smooth enough to glue.  I can get the bandsaw to cut a large angle, 15 or 20 or 45 degrees on a short piece no problem.  But my attempts to cut this wedge with such a shallow angle with a long length turned out to be both very dangerous and unsuccessful.  Note that my 'run' is longer than the length of the miter slot on the bandsaw an the wedge is wider than the height of a table saw blade.  Unsuccessful in that instead giving a wedge, it just gave a more or less straight piece with a wavy cut face.

What do you think I should do?  Maybe some super tricky way to use a thickness planer?
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#12
Making wedges......go to lumber yard and pick up a small package of those wonderful nicely cut, pine door shims.
Shove 2 of those in, side by side. Cut to length.
Steve

Missouri






 
The Revos apparently are designed to clamp railroad ties and pull together horrifically prepared joints
WaterlooMark 02/9/2020








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#13
Perhaps I am not visualizing it correctly, but...

Is it possible to shave some off the false front
so that it evens up?

IF I am understanding the problem, a few good
swipes with a hand plane should fix it.
Mark Singleton

Bene vivendo est optimum vindictae


The Laws of Physics do not care about your Politics   -  Me
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#14
If your drawers ride on runners and guides I would do whatever I had to so the drawer front is square with the opening.  But if you can't adjust them, then I would do as Mark recommended, taper the front, or I would plane down the front of the drawer box itself, so that the false front lines up correctly when the drawer is closed.  

John

You can cut the tapers on the jointer, all or part of them, and finish with a hand plane. Draw the taper on both sides of the drawer front or false front, then take a short pass where you need to cut the deepest, repeat and run a few more inches, repeat, etc. until the jointed surface is parallel with the lines you drew. One last pass on the jointer or with a hand plane to finsh.
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#15
As I understand it, you want a 20" wedge. A leg tapering jig will accomplish it with out sending you to ER.
"I tried being reasonable..........I didn't like it." Clint Eastwood
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#16
(11-03-2018, 12:50 PM)jgourlay Wrote: Gentlemen, after nearly cutting off my fingers on the bandsaw twice this morning, I'm calling for help.  I'm trying to fix a problem on a piece of furniture where "starting over" or fixing the 'real' problem is simply not an option.  The problem is that a corner of a table base is not square, and so when I install drawer slides and the inset drawer, the drawer face is not parallel to the apron--and it's very noticeable.  Fixing the 'not square' is totally out of the question, so let's not go there.

The drawer faces are actually "false" fronts.  So, unless you all have a better way (which I hope you do), what I intend to do is glue a wedge between the drawer front and the false face.  This wedge would then bring the false front parallel to the apron.

The width is just under 3".  Looking at the triangular face of the wedge, it's about 1/4" "rise" over 20" of "run".  My Starret protractor is measuring it at a little over 1 degree.  As you can imagine, both wide faces need to be smooth enough to glue.  I can get the bandsaw to cut a large angle, 15 or 20 or 45 degrees on a short piece no problem.  But my attempts to cut this wedge with such a shallow angle with a long length turned out to be both very dangerous and unsuccessful.  Note that my 'run' is longer than the length of the miter slot on the bandsaw an the wedge is wider than the height of a table saw blade.  Unsuccessful in that instead giving a wedge, it just gave a more or less straight piece with a wavy cut face.

What do you think I should do?  Maybe some super tricky way to use a thickness planer?
  • grab a board 25" long. 
  • Glue, or screw, or brad nail a cleat on one the end of the board. You will run this next to the band saw fence, standing on edge. 
  • Put in two screws, close to the cleat, (one high, and one low when standing on edge).  Let the screws stick proud by about 1/4 inch.
  • Adjust the fence so the blade barely misses the screws
  •  Put the newly made jig against to the BS fence, (standing on edge), put the board you are going to cut against the jig, in front of the cleat. 
  • Use your joiner push block to hold the board you are going to cut, and this jig, together. against  the BS fence.  Use the rear of the jig to push. 
  • When the blade kissed the jig stop cutting, i.e. cut into, but not through the cleat. 
  • Flip the board end for end, but not the jig, and cut another.
I tried not believing.  That did not work, so now I just believe
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#17
(11-03-2018, 01:35 PM)MarkSingleton Wrote: Perhaps I am not visualizing it correctly, but...

Is it possible to shave some off the false front
so that it evens up?

IF I am understanding the problem, a few good
swipes with a hand plane should fix it.

Okay, here are some photos to make clear.  First, an overall view where you can see the gap.
[Image: c00ea854-6428-4d51-b8ca-7d3f42ae0ca3-ori...fit=bounds]

The Gap is measured...about 1/4"

[Image: 84f8dae5-2524-4b91-b8ce-5a1cacfab0ab-ori...fit=bounds]

See the scribed line?  The thick (outside) part of the face that in this photo is 'above' the line is what I would have to plane off to fix this problem.  It's a LOT of material, and would leave that corner of the drawer structurally compromised.

If you look at scribed line, it goes off to the right, eventually trailing to the opposite corner.  I need to make a wedge this shape:  3" wide, 20" or so long, with this taper.  I'll glue that to the front, and it will make the drawer front parallel to the apron front.

The problem is making this wedge.
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#18
(11-03-2018, 03:07 PM)Bill Holt Wrote: As I understand it, you want a 20" wedge. A leg tapering jig will accomplish it with out sending you to ER.
Huh...that's clever and simple.  Yeah...that'll do it.  Thanks!
MAKE: Void your warranty, violate a user agreement, fry a circuit, blow a fuse, poke an eye out...  www.makezine.com

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#19
(11-03-2018, 03:39 PM)jgourlay Wrote: Huh...that's clever and simple.  Yeah...that'll do it.  Thanks!
It looks like from your picture that you would have room to move the back of the drawer slides/rails to the left and the front would then be aligned????
That is assuming from the picture that their is space behind the drawer--looks like it is not hitting the back???
Bob
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#20
I enjoy hand planing. I would simply mark the line on all sides and just get to it until done. You only have one or two to make.
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