Making tongued and grooved joints

[cheddarman]

I need top make some tongued and grooved joints and am thinking of buying a small table top saw for the purpose.

Dirty Pro Tools™ Table Saw 8” Blade with Sliding Side Extension 240v

[url]https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07F8WNJ3C? ... pLink/[url]

Someone has said that you "shouldn't" cut grooves with this saw??
Anybody got experience of this saw please? I can't afford to spend a lot on a saw as it will be rarely used.

Cheers

[jfc]

You will need to remove the guards and riving knife to do grooves so will be removing all the safety features in place so you dont cut your hands off .
You will need to do that on any saw regardless of price .

[promhandicam]

A table saw is the last piece of machinery that I'd think of using in the workshop to make tongue and grooved boards. How much have you got to make? If only a bit and you have the time do it by hand, a Stanley No 50 Plough plane (or something similar) would do the job. Alternatively you can buy a set of tongue and groove cutters for a router which would need to be mounted in some sort of table with a fence as I wouldn't fancy doing it hand held.

[thekarter]

A table saw is the last piece of machinery that I'd think of using in the workshop to make tongue and grooved boards. How much have you got to make? If only a bit and you have the time do it by hand, a Stanley No 50 Plough plane (or something similar) would do the job. Alternatively you can buy a set of tongue and groove cutters for a router which would need to be mounted in some sort of table with a fence as I wouldn't fancy doing it hand held.

+1

[Meccarroll]

As Steve has said, for hobby or light use a router and set of T&G cutters would be the best solution for making T&G boards or joints.

[woodsmith]

Can you not get the wood ready t&g? Alternatively you could find a local joiner who would be willing to machine it for you.

[cheddarman]

Um, thanks guys.
I don't want to make a lot but I've got some nice 6" pieces of Mahogany from an old table frame and want to join them together to make a 12" panel to cut out 12" rounds for a rotating spice rack. The table also has some beautifully turned legs which will be great for the "column" of the rack.

I do have a plunger type router but no idea how I could mount that to do the job?

I found https://www.woodworkersjournal.com/cutt ... table-saw/ which looks like a good solution but you're saying you don't recommend using a small tabletop saw??

[Meccarroll]

Um, thanks guys.
I don't want to make a lot but I've got some nice 6" pieces of Mahogany from an old table frame and want to join them together to make a 12" panel to cut out 12" rounds for a rotating spice rack. The table also has some beautifully turned legs which will be great for the "column" of the rack.

I do have a plunger type router but no idea how I could mount that to do the job?

I found https://www.woodworkersjournal.com/cutt ... table-saw/ which looks like a good solution but you're saying you don't recommend using a small tabletop saw??

Ok in that case you could just cut some loose tongues for them and use a router bit to make a slot for the tongue to fit in keeping the slot for the tongue just short of the edge of the circle you intend making. You could also use biscuits and joint them that way as well. Buy a biscuit jointing bit for your router and have a go on some scrap wood first.

[cheddarman]

[cheddarman]

Re thinking this project, and with the advice here, what would be a good hand held router to do this? They seem to be much cheaper than a saw bench and can probably do a lot more in the long run.

Looking at this sort of thing??? Is a ¼" spindle up to it??

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Electric-Han ... Swh4Fd-d~u

As a matter of interest, I have a Bosch POF1200e plunge router. Could this be "modified" somehow to do this sort of thing? Guess I'd have to removed the drive head from the spring system and re mount it on a jig of some sort? Just a thought??

[thatsnotafestool]

I've got one of those and think it's horrible to use. It doesn't plunge.

[cheddarman]

I finally bought this one, with plunge and I think everything I'll need!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Moss-3-8-1-4 ... 1438.l2649

[cheddarman]

Kind of chuffed, made my first (practice) tongue & groove joint!
Bought the little router table and modified my Bosch 1200ae to fit (I thought the small router would not have the pawer but it'll come in handy for other projects). Had to reduce the base diameter at it was 160mm and the largest the table would take was 157mm!

[thatsnotafestool]

Well done. That small router table was my first one. Does the business.

I double-checked my hand trimmer, and you're right ..it does plunge. Sort of. My bad. My gripe about it is that usually when you plunge you need both hands to keep the router where you want it. The knurled knob that this electric thing uses to control the plunge needs a third hand. That's why I didn't like it.

[cheddarman]

Agree, the knurled knob/rack that it engages in. are pretty cheap and don't run smoothly. I'll have a look at a modification, see if I can add a spring system or similar.
The only thing I'm going to use it for at the moment is to cut out circles and it'll be mounted on a jig to do that.......I'll see.

[cheddarman]

Hit a slight snag here, when I tried to put a ¼" bit into the router it was very loose, wouldn't tighten. On removing the nut I find that the split collet is actually broken!! Any suggestions where I might get a replacement? I have emailed the supplier of the router so hope they can help. I believe these MOSS routers are copies of the Makita??

[9fingers]

It looks like some makita collets but looking a google images, it seem that makita use several different looking collet types.
Maybe find an ebay supplier and ask them for a few key dimensions for comparison with yours.

I suspect the failure might be due to poor heat treatment. If makita one do turn out to fit, buy an OEM one. Collets are critical to successful routing.

Bob

[cheddarman]

Thanks for that 9fingers (routing accident ) I contacted the supplier and he has posted a replacement. Once I get it I'll take measurements and compare with Makita or similar! Don't like the idea of four, thin fingers in a collet!!

Cheers

[woodsmith]

The collet should be a good fit on the router bit before you tighten it. If it was lose then the collet was the wrong size for the bit and this would account for it snapping.

[cheddarman]

I've only got (small) ¼" spindle bits and there are only two collets, ¼" & ⅜" and this was definitely the ¼" one!!

[thatsnotafestool]

Double check because some cutters are 6mm.

[woodsmith]

I've only got (small) ¼" spindle bits and there are only two collets, ¼" & ⅜" and this was definitely the ¼" one!!

But if it was lose as you said then something was wrong. I've seen router bits that were less than 1/4inch for sale so it would be worth checking them.

[thatsnotafestool]

Could have been one from the Cheap Chinese Crap Company. DAMHIKT.

[cheddarman]

¼" Spindle of cutter measures 0.249"
Main bore of collet = 0.052 (nice sliding fit)
Jaws measure anything between 0.265" & 0.268" - a bit loose??

Jaws material looks like cast iron, very nodular, surely not!!