Twin Kitchen Hutches #72

To make the rabbets on which the glasses of the upper doors will rest on, I’ll be using this rabbeting bit. The bearing will follow the lower shoulder of the groove while the cutters will cut the upper shoulder to form the rabbets.

 

 

Standard bits cut 3/8’’ wide by 1/2’’ deep rabbets. Since my rabbets must be 1/2’’ wide, I will be using my new kit which permits changing the size of the bearing to get different widths of rabbets. The smaller diameter the bearing is, the wider will be the rabbet.

 

 

I’m using my shopmade D-handle router that has a hole large enough to accept this big router bit and a large base to stabilize the router on such narrow workpieces.

 

 

For the first pass I adjust the depth of the cutter to remove only 1/8’’ because I will make a backcut to minimize tearout.

 

 

This anti-skid pad will stabilize the workpiece. Here clamps would be a nuisance. Note the panel in the background that I use to prevent any dust from getting in tight spots hard to clean or vac.

 

 

Here is the first backcut. It is normal to get such irregular cut because the router tends to move the bit away from the workpiece because it is fed backward (right to left).

 

 

Here is the second pass, this one made to the right, as required.

 

 

Oops!

 

While checking my work I noticed that the bearing has slipped, has digged in the shoulder and has consequently let the bit cut too deeply.

 

 

I also noticed that the router has tipped once, therefore digging in the shoulder.

 

 

This last picture shows the mess.

 

 

 

Conclusion #1

 I must make new doors.

 

Conclusion #2

Do not work when tired or distracted. Today I kicked myself to work to make some progress on the project. Not a good idea!

 

Conclusion #3

Consequences could have been more disastrous. At least, no injury.

 

To see the details and photos of all the steps from the begining, click here.

 

     Best,

 

           Serge

 

http://www.atelierdubricoleur.spaces.live.com

 

---