Ideas about how to Replicate This?

[derekdd]

I found this on Etsy and through it was a cool idea for displaying pens at a show. This is definitely in our wheelhouse as we make coasters and serving boards like this. The question I have is, short of a CNC machine or router sled, how would you make these grooves for the pens?

I appreciate any suggests.

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[leehljp]

OF course a CNC, but outside of that or a router sled, a good custom made jig and plunge router should do it. The jig will take some planning and thinking though.

 

[d_bondi]

Hi Derek. If I were trying this, I would use my router table with two stops on the fence. Place one edge against one of the stops and lower the piece onto the router bit, the reverse of a plunge cut with a hand held router or circular saw, then slide the piece against the fence until meeting the opposite stop. Then stop the router, flip the board and do it again. Move the fence and repeat. Continue until you meet in the center. It will require a little math to plan it out.

The slots in this one look flat bottomed, so if the plunge cut is concerning, you could start by using a forstner bit to drill each end of the slots and then use a router table to clear out between.

If you don't have a router table, then this method would work to do the ends iwth the forstner bit and clean out slot between them with a simple dado jig like in this video.

Hope this makes some sense.

 

[Hippie3180]

Very cool.

 

[KMCloonan]

Hi Derek. If I were trying this, I would use my router table with two stops on the fence. Place one edge against one of the stops and lower the piece onto the router bit, the reverse of a plunge cut with a hand held router or circular saw, then slide the piece against the fence until meeting the opposite stop. Then stop the router, flip the board and do it again. Move the fence and repeat. Continue until you meet in the center. It will require a little math to plan it out.

The slots in this one look flat bottomed, so if the plunge cut is concerning, you could start by using a forstner bit to drill each end of the slots and then use a router table to clear out between.

If you don't have a router table, then this method would work to do the ends iwth the forstner bit and clean out slot between them with a simple dado jig like in this video.

Hope this makes some sense.

My thoughts exactly. I have a router table, and I have done some stuff like this.

 

[egnald]

They make a router bit specifically for making radiused plunges usually called a Bowl Bit or sometimes a Bowl and Tray Bit. The edges would have a radius at the bottom instead of the flat edges but it really shouldn't have an impact on the way the pen would lay in it.

There are many ways of getting this done, but the approach I would take would be to make a template out of 1/4" MDF or hardboard and use a Router Template Guide appropriately sized for the Bowl Bit. Before I had a laser I would have made the template with a drill and jigsaw with final tweaks using a rasp, file, and sandpaper.

Dave

 

[jttheclockman]

Easy to do. A couple straight edges and router with a round cove core box router bit. You can cut a flat piece of plywood as a spacer between the 2 straight edges so no measuring is required after the first one. Basically rinse and repeat. Or you can make a jig and make it as complicated as you want. Make a sled with 2 straight sides for router to ride in and have 2 cross pieces for stops on top and bottom. Then put 2 cleats underneathe to ride the sides of the board you are routing. make a spacer for the spacing you want between slots and lay that to side of rail and clamp. man that is such an easy project. I would not use a router table because you want the router on top to discharge the cuttings and if you do from the bottom they will not.

 

[Lew]

Hi Derek. If I were trying this, I would use my router table with two stops on the fence. Place one edge against one of the stops and lower the piece onto the router bit, the reverse of a plunge cut with a hand held router or circular saw, then slide the piece against the fence until meeting the opposite stop. Then stop the router, flip the board and do it again. Move the fence and repeat. Continue until you meet in the center. It will require a little math to plan it out

I have used exactly this method to make a pen holder for multiple pens. When I wanted a flat bottom, I used the bowl bit as David suggests, but for a rounded bottom I use the cove bit as John says. I don't, however, flip the board, but I do make multiple shallow cuts to get to the finished depth. Mark the center line for each groove on the top side of the board and move the fence so the bit will be centered on that line. I didn't use a template.

 

[duncsuss]

Rockler sell a router fluting jig that might give you an idea where to start.

 

[carlmorrell]

I would make a template that is for ONE slot. I would use a template guide bushing and a core box bit. On the bottom of the template i would fashion a half-dowel adjacent to the slot. Make it so it fits precisely in a slot. This allows you to move the template for one slot to the next with even spacing. This way is a fairly minor setup and would allow you to make as many slots as you wish.

 

[RunnerVince]

And I JUST spent money on some clear acrylic pen stands for display purposes.

 

[derekdd]

This is one of the reasons why I love this group so much. You guys are the best!

I had thought about using my small router table as @d_bondi suggests, but was having a tough time wrapping my head around getting the math and lines right without screwing it up. Once you pour that much epoxy, you have a decent amount of time and $ invested.

@egnald @jttheclockman & @carlmorrell have the solution I think I'll work out. Yes, I've seen both the bowl bits Dave describes and the cove core box bits John describes. Create a template for one slot, cut, rinse & repeat.

Thanks again!

 

[d_bondi]

This is one of the reasons why I love this group so much. You guys are the best!

I had thought about using my small router table as @d_bondi suggests, but was having a tough time wrapping my head around getting the math and lines right without screwing it up. Once you pour that much epoxy, you have a decent amount of time and $ invested.

@egnald @jttheclockman & @carlmorrell have the solution I think I'll work out. Yes, I've seen both the bowl bits Dave describes and the cove core box bits John describes. Create a template for one slot, cut, rinse & repeat.

Thanks again!

I think that is a wise way to go Derek. If your router table isn't pretty substantial, it could be problematic.

I really like the idea that @carlmorrell noted above which is basically add a key to the bottom of the template, after cutting the first grove so that the key locks the template in place at the desired spacing. That way you clamp the jig down, cut first grove. Add the key to the bottom of the jig, put key in first groove, clamp down, cut second grove, rinse and repeat as required. Between the key and the clamps, I think you have much less chance of the template shifting on you.

Please show us how it goes!

 

[Curly]

Just a caution when using a "key" to do the step overs. Even a small error will accumulate as you move along the board. For example. The board in the first post above has 19 pen slots. If the router jig is off just 0.012" (three sheets of paper) by the time the last slot is cut the spacing has grown by .228" or a little under 1/4". No problem if you trim the final length after grooving the board. If you cut the board to length one end will be closer to the edge than the other. Maybe not noticeable by most but it would drive me nuts. Generally better to work to lines carefully laid out first.

 

[leehljp]

This is one of the reasons why I love this group so much. You guys are the best!

I had thought about using my small router table as @d_bondi suggests, but was having a tough time wrapping my head around getting the math and lines right without screwing it up. Once you pour that much epoxy, you have a decent amount of time and $ invested.

@egnald @jttheclockman & @carlmorrell have the solution I think I'll work out. Yes, I've seen both the bowl bits Dave describes and the cove core box bits John describes. Create a template for one slot, cut, rinse & repeat.

Thanks again!

Some great advice above. Be patient. Plan each cut individually and all the way through. Hold the router firmly. Do each cut from the same perspective - i.e. don't do some while partly to the side. Move your body to be in line with each cut. Make sure the board is well clamped to a non moving table. Make sure EACH jig setting is clamped well too. Do a practice run on a board before hand. This is very similar to sign making templates for me. It is not difficult but it just takes clear focus on each and every step, even after one becomes comfortable with it.