How do I make this cut?

[Vic Baron]

I'm trying to figure out how to make the following cut -

I'm making a lid for a rectangular box. Normally, I'd just rabbet the edges of the lid so it fits inside the opening of the box. This is what I want to do but my problem is the piece of wood that will become the lid. It is not a rectangle, it's edge is just a freeform shape, like a blob. One face of the piece is flat, the other is rough and uneven. I want to have the FLAT surface on top, which means I need to rabbet the rough surface. I have no reference side and can't seem to figure out how to make the cut.

I have a router, a router table, table and band saw and assorted other tools. A radial arm saw with it's top cutting action would seem ideal but I don't have access to one.

Any ideas?

Thanx,

Vic Baron

[J.B. Bobbitt]

1. Rig a surfacing jig (search google) for your router, and surface the rough face of the blob so its parallel to the other face. Then cut the rabbets.

1. Use a hand plane to thickness/smooth the blob (its a GREAT reason to buy a good bench plane). Then cut the rabbets.

2. Call around town and find a lumber yard, hardwood dealer, etc., who will thickness plane the blob for you. Then cut the rabbets.

-JBB

[Nova]

I assume you want to keep the rough surface on the bottom of the lid.

Fashion a fixture that you could mount your router to that would suspend the router slightly above the table, making it an overhead router. Use a bottom bearing piloted bit to cut the rabbet.

-- Jack Novak Buffalo, NY - USA (Remove "SPAM" from email address to reply)

[Jim Wilson]

Use a slot cutter in the router table, with a bearing on the shaft. Run it with the flat side down, edge against the bearing. The width of the rabbet (in from the edge) is determined by the size of the bearing. The depth of the rabbet is determined by the height of the bit above the table.

It may take more than one pass, if your slot cutter is narrower than the desired depth of the rabbet. Be sure to cut the end grain first.

If you can't put a bearing on your slot cutter, you can use a template bushing in the router baseplate instead. It's harder to be as accurate that way, though. If your router table does not accommodate a template bushing, you could clamp the lid down to a piece of scrap at the edge of your bench and use the same technique with a freehand router, but I would recommend modifying your router table to accept a template bushing instead.

Cheers,

Jim

[Jim Wilson]

Jim Wilson was unclear...

That is, place the lid flat side down on the table, edge against the bearing...

Sorry,

Jim

[Vic Baron]

Got it!

Thanx!

Vic

[Lawrence Wasserman]

If I understand your description correctly, I can envision a variation of a "pin router" that might work. Look for a picture of of one & you should see what I have in mind.