How can I cut a 90 degree groove the length of a log?

[jugglerguy]

I'm planning to build a desk for my son. I built him a log bed a few years ago and I'd like to make a desk to match. I'm not a very skilled woodworker, so I need some advice. I'd like to add vertical logs to the corners of the desk, but I'm not sure how to make a notch the length of the log so it fits onto the corner of the desk. I imagine I'll have to make some sort of a jig that will run in the miter gauge slot of my table saw. I'll run the log through, rotate it

90 degrees and run it through again. My question is, how do I attach the log to this sled that runs in the miter gauge slot? If I use screws, I'll run the risk of hitting them with my blade. Have any of you done this? Thanks for your help.

[Lee Michaels]

Not quite sure what you are trying to do.

But if I was goint to put a long dado groove into a log, I would use a router. I would build a jig to run the router on. And I would screw into that section of the log where the wood is going to be removed.

[jugglerguy]

I don't think this is a job for a router. I'm going to start with a cedar log about 3 inches in diameter. When I'm finished with this log, I should be able to look at it from the end and see a 90 degree wedge removed, like a quarter of a piece of pie gone. This pie piece will extend from one end of the log to the other. Four of these logs will be attached to the edges of a box, just for decorative purposes.

Here's a link to a picture of a desk that is similar to the one I plan to build:

'Cottage'=-Log-Student-Desk/product_info.htmlThanks again.

[Upscale]

I'd nail a straight 2x4 or some other straight edge to the log and use it to guide a router. Move the 2x4 to the other side of the cut and repeat. Since the desk leg will fill any visible parts of the slot you've cut, it won't matter if the router cuts too deep in some spots because of uneven long surface.

Essentially, you could do the same thing with the table saw. In that case, the 2x4 would ride on the table saw surface with some type of spacer thinner than the 2x4 between it and the saw fence.

[Morris Dovey]

I might try building a sled that rides against the table saw's fence - kind of like a modified v-block. I'll post an end view sketch to news:alt.binaries.pictures.woodworking to illustrate...

[Bob La Londe]

Carbide saw and brass screws?

[LEGEND65]

If you make it a U that rides over the fence you don't have to worry about it going anywhere. I would put end caps on it so you're attaching the log on the ends not trying to go into the sides. Use a nail as a pivot point in the center. Set the blade height a little short. Put a screw into the waste area to prevent rotation. Make a pass. Take out the screw. Rotate. Second pass. Chisel out the waste.

-Kevin

[SonomaProducts.com]

If you have a long enough bessy parallel jaw clamp then.

Lets say it is a 30" long, 3" log Lay the log on the table Lay the 36" clamp on the table on its side parallel to the log Slide the log 1 1/4" into the clamp jaws at each end, leaving 1 3/4 free Clamp it tight Butting the back side of the clamp against the fence, rip a 1 1/2" deep slot at the center of the log (Note, extend the fence edge as needed with a long 2x4). Rotate the log 90 degrees and clamp it in the same manner as before (note the waste should be on the free side away from the clamp and the fence, unless the clamp jaws are deep enough to hold both the finished log and the waste. Repeat the rip cut

Note, I have never d> I'm planning to build a desk for my son. =A0I built him a log bed a few

[DejaVoodoo]

Perhaps you could just drill a hole in the end of the log and attach it to the desk with a dowel.

Mark

[Swingman]

"jugglerguy" wrote

Have a band saw? On spare log. try this:

Cut the log in half, cut one of the halves in half, glue one of the quarters to the half.

Done carefully, and depending upon the type of wood, you may be able to get a glue line that will pass close inspection.

Just another approach ...

[Dr. Deb]

Since you are cutting at least two of these, you idea of a jig/sled is a good one.

Were it me, I would make a sled to go over the "RIP FENCE" rather than the miter slot. This would give greater stability and put all your cutoffs on the side away from the rip fence. You could find center on each end of the log, mark the amount of depth you wanted for your dado/rabbit AND with a bit of plane geometry mark 90 degrees to your first cut (all on the end of the log). Rotate 90 degrees and repeat the cut.

The sled would simply be a "shoe" of 3/4" stock to ride the rip fence, a piece of plywood as wide as your log for the log to ride on (any excess width will be removed with your first pass) and two brackets of 3/4" stock mounted to the blade side of the shoe to hold the log in place using a couple of screws on each end, out of the path of the blade naturally, to hold the log in place.

Deb

[Dr. Deb]

I posted a rough drawing of the sled in "alt.binaries,pictures.woodworking."

Deb

[Hoosierpopi]

HOT MELT GLUE TO JIG - ROTATE ASSEMBLY - Sacrificial jig

Would help if we knew the rough diameter of "the logs"

[Hoosierpopi]

He wants to cut a square inside corner into the "log" and fit that to the assembled desk box - sounds like decoration as opposed to structual.

[Hoosierpopi]

Hard to tell from the pictures how they did it - could have cut slots into the "logs" to catch the drawer frame material.

You could do what you propose with a router as well as cutting a "slot" that you repeat / widen would result in the ninety degree . cut you describe use a long 1/2" bit that cuts a flat bottom and mve to the outside of the log until all material is removed and viola, you have it.

[Hoosierpopi]

news:alt.binaries.pictures.woodworking to illustrate...

How does one get there to view same? New to thise news groups stuff - reply to ME please

[Bob La Londe]

Here is a picture of a quick and dirty way to jig up a log to cut out a

90deg wedge. This image assume wasting an inch or two of each end, but the basic concept might be used to setup a re-usable jig using zip ties or other clamping fixtures to not waste any of the ends. with a little creativity. I don't really have the time, to draw out and detail the re-usable jig ideas I have floating around in my head, but this one minute sketch should demonstrate the concept.

La Londe

[Bob La Londe]

P.S. If you want to try and cut it real close I would use brass screws into the log. Won't hurt a carbide saw blade.

[Charlie Groh]

...this is an interesting approach! But he's got the table saw to work with and it'd be easy to make a sled with just a couple of pieces of ply/mdf/whatever 90 degrees opposed, maybe 3" big on a side with a couple of square end caps attached. Simply put the log in it, screw into the end grain through the end caps where the screw will be out of the blade's kerf, raise your blade accordingly and run it through, end caps and all. Rotate the log and find your 90 degrees, screw it in again and run it. Done and keep the jig!

Charlie Groh

[jugglerguy]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I never did figure out how to look at the pictures posted at news:alt.binaries.pictures.woodworking, but I think I have some good ideas from the written suggestions here. I had no idea that brass screws wouldn't hurt a carbide blade.