Cat Climbing Structure #7: Strut Edge Detail

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The strut edges receive a thumbnail detail on each long edge.  I used a 3/8" radius roundover bit in the router table and adjusted the bit height until I got the profile I wanted on a scrap of wood (which was the same thickness as the struts).




The JessEm stock guides came today, and I am an instant convert.  These things are great.  They are well-built and feel substantial.  They're so much easier to install and adjust than featherboards, and their canted guide wheels really do a good job at keeping the work pushed against the fence.  I was able to concentrate on alternating-hand continuous feeding without having to worry about the strut drifting away from the fence.  There was slim chance of kickback since I was removing so little material, but the wheels only turn in one direction in order to mitigate kickback if should it happen.  Highly recommended.


In no time at all, the edge detail was done.


Finally, I needed to trim the excess on one end of each strut.  One end already had the correct spacing to the first hole, so I just flipped one strut end-to-end, dropped two connector nuts to index the last two holes in the upper strut and those of the one below, and marked the cut line. 
Once all were trimmed to length, I set them aside until it was time to sand.
Some good progress Ross.

Main Street to the Mountains

Cool,  those JessEm guides look awesome.

Figuring out how to do something you have never done is what makes a good challenge.

Nice precision work. This is going to be sweet!

The early bird gets the worm but its the second mouse that gets the cheese.

I’ve got the JessEm guides on my table saw (on the Incra fence), and they are awesome!

Ryan/// ~sigh~ I blew up another bowl. Moke told me "I made the inside bigger than the outside".