First try to visualize the end product. A dowel that is full round for about an inch on each end. Between those ends, part of the dowel is cliced away so that it has a flat surface. running most of its length. I set my table saw blade very low, so that less than a quarter of in inch is above the table surface. If this helps, think of cutting a very wide dado in the dowel. If that's confusing, forget it. When I lay the dowel on the table saw surface, and just in contact with the blade, I can slide the dowel from left to right across the blade, and the table saw blade with cut away just a little of the dowel. As I work the dowel further into the blade, it will cut just a little deeper. I keep up the left to right motion so that I keep skimming off a little bit of the dowel, until I have cut about half way through the dowel. If you can cut less than half that's good, because it will be stronger. What you need, is to have that side of the dowel flattened enough so that the nut can fit between the dowel and the inside of the pvc, and still let the dowel slide in and out freely. You can do the same kind of cut with a router. Set the router in the router table with just under a quarter inch of bit showing. When you run the dowel over the bit, you will make a flat side to it. Again you will want to leave about an inch on each end uncut. Now, how can you make that cut safely. My plan was to put small clamps on each end of the dowel, so that I could hold onto the clamps, rather than the dowel, and keep my fingers away from the blade. This also helps to keep the dowel at the same orientation, so that you do not end up with a spiral shape to the part of the dowel you cut. I also set my table saw fence, so that I could not slide the dowel too far to the right, and lose that one inch of full round. I also clamped a piece of wood to the left side of my table to ensure that I would leave one inch of dowel uncut on the other end. Later I thought of another method. You could cut two blocks of wood, drill holes at the same place in each, and slide one on each end of the dowel. You might need to wedge the dowel in the holes to ensure it does not turn Then you can hold the two blocks as you slide the dowel over the table saw glade. Of course, now the dowel is above the surface of the table saw, so you will need to raise the blade to the correct height for cutting off just the amount of dowel you want to remove. Hope this helps, and if you have any more questions, feel free to ask. Blessings, Tom
-----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]on Behalf Of [email protected] Sent: Thursday, November 19, 2009 10:35 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: RE: [BlindHandyMan] Another measuring device Tom: I think I understand the theory behind what you've done here, but I'm a little confused about cutting the dowel. If I understand how this looks, there have to be two right-angle cuts, near the ends of the dowel, is that right? Or, how were you able to cut this dowel with a table saw without cutting all the way and then flattening the ends as well as the middle part of the dowl. Also, you said you clamped both ends. I have a cheap table saw, and if I were to clamp a piece of wood to the table, I wouldn't be able to slide it the way I think you'd need to do to get a flattened dowel. Did you do this say, by lowering the table over the blade? Thanks for any illumination. Bill Stephan Kansas Citty MO Email: [email protected] Phone: (816)803-2469 ----- Original Message ----- From: Tom Vos <[email protected]> Date: Thursday, November 19, 2009 7:31 am Subject: RE: [BlindHandyMan] Another measuring device > Here you go, with a couple additions. > There may be something like this on the market, but I like to make > my own > when I can. > I took a piece of half inch pvc, and a half inch dowel that will fit > inside.. The dowel is about an inch longer than the pvc. > You will want a dowel that fits inside the pvc without too much > wobble, but > it also has to slide freely. > I cut about half of one side of the dowel -- off the long side, > not the > ends, > except for about an inch on each end. > I put clamps on each end of the dowel to hold it firm without > getting my > fingers too close to the table saw blade. You could also drill > holes in > matching blocks, insert the dowel with a wedge or screw to hold it > firmly,.Then I ran it sideways across the table saw blade, till I > had a flat surface > for most of the length of the dowel. > So I had a dowel full round for one inch on each end, and about > half a dowel > between, for most of the length. > Then I drilled a hold near the end of the pvc, and put a small > bolt through > the hole, and threaded it into a nut inside the pvc, > The nut fits on the flat side of the dowel, allowing it to slide > in and out. > The full round of the dowel on each end keeps the dowel from > falling out, or > going too far in. > Now the dowel can slide in and out, but when I tighten the bolt to > fingertightness, it holds the dowel in position. I can use this > for measuring a > distance and transferring that measurement to my table saw, or > wherever I > need it. > I put a one inch piece of pvc on the one inch end of the dowel > that sticks > out, just for balance and looks > Now you are not limited to any set distance, and have an infinite > variationin measurements. > This works very well for inside as well as outside measurements. > I plan to make a couple more of different sizes. > > Blessings, > > Tom > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]]on Behalf Of Alan & Terrie > Robbins Sent: Thursday, November 19, 2009 7:08 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: RE: [BlindHandyMan] Another measuring device > > > > Tom > > When you answer this, could I ask to include the original post > as well as > I > have misplaced and would also like to make one. > > Al > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]]on Behalf Of Tom Hodges > Sent: Thursday, November 19, 2009 7:48 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: RE: [BlindHandyMan] Another measuring device > > Can you also tell me what diameter bolt you used? I'm going to > make one of > these, this weekend. > > What do you call this device. I've heard someone refer to > devices like > this > as a story stick, but a story stick is a completely different think. > > Thanks again, Tom > > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Tom Vos > Sent: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 9:19 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: RE: [BlindHandyMan] Another measuring device > > If the bolt stays threaded into the nut, it stays in place. > There is space for the flat side of the dowel to move past the > nut When > the > bolt is loose, > but the bolt is still in the nut, allowing the dowel to slide. > When the bolt is finger tight, it is against the flat side of > the dowel, > holding it firmly in place. > This device allows for infinitely small adjustments, and is not > limited to > clicks or stops. > It is faster than spinning a nut down a threaded rod. > And it took me less than an hour to make. > Blessings, > Tom > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] > <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com> > > [mailto:[email protected] > <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com> ]On Behalf Of jim > Sent: Tuesday, November 17, 2009 10:19 PM > To: [email protected] > <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com> Subject: Re: > [BlindHandyMan] Another measuring device > > hi tom i love this and will be making one soon. > how did you get the nut to stay in the pvc? > jim > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
