Fun router technique question

[Bill]

for that to suffice. I'd had to install my pencil sharpener inside... : )

Bill

[Hoosierpopi]

I was thinking of a two-part sled affair (I have no CNC access) with the (female) "base" part shaped like the pencil groove you want to end up with ( with a slot to allow the bit to reach the work) and a shorter, similarly-shaped (male) piece fixed to the router base. I thought you could slide the router to each end where it would raise up and out of the work.

But it would tilt as it hit the "ramp" at either end and then level as it came out of the work. It might not make a difference and would, as envisioned, employ a simple quarter-inch spiral (?) straight bit that cut bottom and sides.

But, If I had a CNC router, I would think I could put the same bit in the machine and cut your pencil tray quite easily

[Hoosierpopi]

Plunge a stacked dado in with a radial arm saw.

Yep, that would work. If the radius would be acceptable

[Hoosierpopi]

Laminate it, cut the bottom bit with long straight router and laminate the sides to it.

This approach might prove interesting - cut out the area and then insert the laminated part - allows for different wood color/grain. Marquetry?

[whit3rd]

Rout the pocket, then chisel along the pencil axis to form the slope, or gouge across the pencil axis. Either way, it helps to have a good heavy table and vise.

Finish with sandpaper (the bottom won't be esthetic straight from the router).

[Stuart]

milling cutters.

A single flat piece of MDF which forms a tray, which slides into the milling machine stand like a draw. Grooves were basically semi-circular in section though in some cases, for the larger diameter cutters I had to make two passes to increase the width.

[Bill]

I put up two SketchUp pictures of the keyboard tray I designed on my web site in case anyone wants to see where the pencil holder ended up.

plan to use yellow poplar, a wood I basically like the natural appearance of. Is there a simple finish I might consider, compared to just leave it unfinished? I don't wish to polyurethane it to a shiny finish.

Thank you again for the help I received regarding the implementation of the pencil holder feature.

Bill

[Dan Coby]

of. Is there a simple finish I might consider, compared to just leave it unfinished? I don't wish to

pencil holder feature.

Two comments:

1) Your previous sketches have a vertical edge at the front of the pencil slot. I cannot tell if that is still true in your current version. If so then it would be easier to get your pencils out of the slot if the edge had a slope to it.

2) I think that your keyboard shelf design will result in the keyboard being too high. Obviously you will want your legs to fit under the shelf. So the keyboard will have to be several inches above your legs. So you will have to have your arms bent upward at your elbows instead of having your fore arms nearly level.

Dan

[Bill]

You are right (about the previous version and this version being the same). The "track" is 3/8" deep. The way I"m going, I may be doing some chiseling along that front edge--depends on the way the tip of my router bit leaves that front edge. I haven't used my router before so this feature will probably be interesting. If history is any indication, I should probably buy enough wood to do that cut twice... : )

The configuration I described works with respect to me and my desk. The desk's keyboard holder is a little low for me, but the tray will make it work okay. I'm currently using propped up cardboard boxes yielding identical keyboard placement so I know what I'm getting, fit-wise. Without the props, my hands are so low I get a sore neck.

Thank you for your interest!

Bill

[Kevin(Bluey)]

Cut the bottom shelf into three pieces ,the pencil slot can be made by making a pattern, from some mdf or ply , then use a straight pattern bit and a router table ,rout the shape of the bottom of the pencil tray with the material on it's edge ,then rip it to width and edge glue the three pieces together .If the tray is wider than the length of the bit ,then make a couple and edge glue them together. I would use a thicker piece of material for the tray and rout it into one face , then rip that face off the bigger piece with the table saw, trim to the width you require .

The other way is to make a jig ( see link below ) to hold a piece of material on it's edge , and then make a female template and use a template guide to follow the template ,Use apiece of material larger than you need and trim it to size after on the table saw.

Actually your key board box is not a good design IMHO as you have no wrist support ,it looks to be way too high off the desk top ,I would imagine that you would get very tired in the hands and wrists if you spent a lot of time typing with that setup. I would have the keyboard below on a sliding tray and the pencil tray on the top shelf. Unless this is designed to sit across your lap and you are not using a desk at all.

Check out this link for other ways to use a router and achieve excellent results .

[Bill]

Actually, this will sit on the sliding tray. It is suitably low for me that this puts it in a good location. If I could locate yellow poplar thinner than 3/4" it may help weight-wise (I didn't locate it online). My MS Natural keyboard provides some wrist support (not shown in picture).

Thank you for your suggestions regarding implementation. They are all good, but I don't have a router table or even a TS yet. I do have a circular saw and a router--and some hand planes!

Thanks! Bill

[Ecnerwal]

If you learn to sharpen and use your hand planes, you can get your board to whatever thickness you want - faster than you might think if you think the only way to can make boards thinner is with a rotary planer or wide belt sander...

[Bill]

Thank you for the suggestion. I've got some good planing projects coming up. I haven't tried my planes yet (picked them up at auction), so I'm sure they are probably due for some fettling...and maybe a cool dip in some of that "rust-off stuff" from Harbor Freight. it would be nice to demonstrate for my wife (and me!) that I can make Something! : )

Bill

[Larry Jaques]

Speaking of which, how are your insulating and lighting projects coming? If you're good, you can stretch it out into years as I did with the bow saur project last century.

-- Ask not what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive... then go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive. -- Howard Thurman

[Bill]

Larry, I assure you that no project has been forgotten (you forgot to mention the DP baseboard one). Actually, I don't have an insulation project on the books now. I did insulate the walls and you added the ceiling without me giving the go-ahead. I am eager to start playing with the drywall mud again. I just need temps above 55F. As it is, we keep dipping into the single digits. I think I'll be able to wrap-up all the projects I've started by this summer--though I'm sure to start new ones before then...

What's a bow saur? Did you make a bow saw?

Bill