Woodworking for the Blind
Article submitted by fellow blind
woodworker Darrel Vickers
Review and instructions for woodpeckers
Coping Sled.
The bottom line. Awesome product.
For those of you who might not know
what a coping sled is, (like me in the beginning.) It is a must have item if
you want to make raised panel doors on a router table.
See: Raised panel door.
The one use I can see for a coping
sled is for cutting the tennen on the rails, though there may be others.
Woodpeckers® coping sled is a little
pricy but the thing is built like a tank. I plan to make many more doors in the
future so I saved my pennies and managed to catch it on sale for $119.95
reg $139.95. Woodpeckers
Coping Sled
If you buy one and even though the
instructions are clear and every thing is well marked, you will need sighted
help with assembly. Once assembled however, it is a breeze to use.
This sled slides a long the router
table fence and does not use the miter track at all. So the first thing I did
after installing my rail bit in the router and set the dept of cut was to take
a straight edge and align the fence with the out side edge of the bearing on
the bit.
The sled has an adjustable guide rail
that slides along the fence. So the next thing I do is set this rail so the
base of the sled has enough clearance so it does not come in contact with the
bit. Then I place my work piece on the sled so that it and the sleds guide rail
are both touching the fence.
The sled holds the work piece in two
directions. First it has a double wide T-track which is about four inches
longer than the sled. This track is the fence of the sled. I cut a piece of
scrap about an inch wide and the same length and thickness of the stock. This
acts as a backer block to prevent tear out. I place it against the fence of the
sled and slide it so it is touching the fence of the router table. Then
I place the work piece up against the backer board and the router table
fence. On the opposite side of the sled fence there is an adjustable block. I
slide this block against the work piece and tighten the two knobs to hold it in
place. This effectively clamps the stock and backer board in place preventing
lateral movement of the work piece.
Next the sled has two screw clamps that
are mounted to two more T-tracks above the stock. I slide the clamps along the
track until they are directly above the work piece and tighten them in place.
Then I tighten the clamps. This holds the work piece down on the sled. After
this the work piece is not going any where and I am ready to make the cut.
I should mention the work piece always
goes on the sled with the face you want on the out side of the door face down
on the sled.
To make the cut I grab the two handles
and while holding the sled against the fence I slide the sled forward through
the bit. After the cut is complete I turn off the router loosen the clamps and
flip the work piece end for end clamp it down and make the second cut.
Note: Be careful not to flip the work
piece over. Always keep the same face of the work piece facing down.
Conclusion:
This is a vary nice sled.
But it is not the only one on the market. There are many varieties with many price
ranges and some people make their own.
End of article.
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