3D Printed Miter Stop Block

I finally purchased a 3D printer. I’ve been wanting one forever and after researching and figuring out my price point and the right model, I purchased the FlashForge Adventure 3.

After learning the basics of Blender (modelling) and Flashprint (the Flashforge printing/splicing software), I designed a piece that slides over my table saw fence to serve as a spacer block for cutting safe miters on the table saw. It’s clean, sleek, and is a really fun execution of an idea I came up with entirely on my own.

Make sure you check out the video to follow along with the design and build!

🗜 TOOLS

• SAWSTOP 3HP PCS: https://amzn.to/3cr1dJO

• FlashForge Adventure 3 (Lite Version) https://amzn.to/3a4H4vp

• PLA Filament https://amzn.to/39ZNrQs

Above is an STL file for download incase you’re interested.

If you have any questions or find any issues with the article, feel free to get in touch.
Zach

Sawstop T-Glide Fence Storage System

I was so sick of not being able to find all the essential tools I am constantly using when at the table saw. So, I decided to spend a day designing and building a simple solution that moves with the SawStop T-Glide fence. Having had this now in the shop for the last 5 weeks, I can hands down say this is an absolute must have in your shop.

I can now officially find my tape measure!

Make sure you check out the video to follow along with the design and build!

🌳 MATERIALS

• 2' x 4' x 1/2" Maple Plywood

• TiteBond II Wood Glue: http://amzn.to/2peRFus

• Wood Screws and Brad Nails

🗜 TOOLS

• SAWSTOP 36” 3HP PCS: https://amzn.to/3cr1dJO

• Brad Nailer: https://amzn.to/2Uz6tCI

• Pin Nailer: https://amzn.to/2D6EaVf

• MagSwitch Vertical Featherboard: https://amzn.to/37IdBpS

• Power Drill: http://amzn.to/2q1l5wn

• Impact Driver: http://amzn.to/2q1l5wn

• Router Bit Storage Inserts - Rockler

Above is a Sketchup 3D file for purchase (only $2) .

If you have any questions or find any issues with the article, feel free to get in touch.
Zach

Ultimate Drill Charging / Storage Station

I've recently acquired a third drill/driver set. It's incredibly convenient and efficient to have multiple sets of tools - whatever the type - so you can avoid resetting settings each time, especially once you're dialed in. Drills / Drivers are probably the most common duplicate type tool.

It was time to expand my storage solutions - I was aiming for something that could store 8 drills/drivers, expand my other frequent tool collection, and house the bulk of my chargers. Hope you like!

The design is relatively simple. I wanted storage for 8 drills/drivers, cubbies to store additional tools I frequently use on top + drill bits, and space to mount 5 chargers. I also wanted clean, simple storage for cables.

Here is a Sketchup File of the design for you to purchase incase you're looking to build something similar. The entire piece is built from less than a single sheet of 4' x 8' x 3/4" plywood:

🌳 MATERIALS

• 1 x 4" x 8" x 3/4" Sanded Plywood

• TiteBond II Wood Glue: http://amzn.to/2peRFus

• Wood Screws and Brad Nails

• Power Strip (6 plugs) + Zip Ties

🗜 TOOLS
You can make all cuts for this project with a circular saw, but below is what I used:

• SAWSTOP 36” 3HP PCS: https://amzn.to/3cr1dJO

• ROCKLER Taper Jig: http://amzn.to/2oGYBi0

• Circular Saw: http://amzn.to/2q1l5wn

• Power Drill and Impact Driver: http://amzn.to/2q1l5wn

• Brad Nailer: https://amzn.to/2Uz6tCI

• Woodpeckers TS-24 T-Square: https://amzn.to/2AsAE9W

• Forsner Bit

Using a combination of my circular saw and table saw, I broke down my 3/4" sheet of plywood into all of the various components that make up my build. The first photo shows how those can all be made from the one sheet.

The depth of the build is 10.5"; if I could change one thing, I'd make it a half inch deeper. Just gives it that little bit of extra wiggle room for drills with long bits.

My station fits 8 drills - if you have more horizontal space you can add more as you see fit. 8 seemed like enough for me, and if I ever get more than 8 drills/drivers, then I think I should probably look at myself internally.

Each holder is evenly spaced, so I cut out that spacer on the table saw and used it and a single vertical support to mark out each location for the spacer. Then, using glue and brad nails, I could fasten each one into the lateral mount.

I used my T Square to mark out locations to drill out and drive in screws to make sure everything was super secure. I always pre drill when it comes to plywood.

I then repeated the process with the bottom supports. Additionally, I rounded over the edge to make sliding the drills in and our easier.

Once the drill holder was complete, I could go through the rather simple process of mounting the outside walls using glue, brad nails, and screws, followed by mounting the drill mount to the inside of it. To get even spacing and keep it level, I used the tool divider tabs I had already cut out clamped on each end.

Brad nails will secure this while the glue dries, and adding screws means that this will basically hold up forever.

The angle of the walls is 10 degrees (top) and 30 degrees (bottom) - these were arbitrary but I thought it created a less bulky design. It also made the bottom of the mount feel less crowded.

The legs of the desk were designed to sit recessed into the desktop itself exactly one 3/4” plywood layer thick.

The outside drill pieces were separate from the larger piece we assembled earlier. They were added after the fact and secured just using glue and brad nails to the outside walls.

This design was big enough to mount five chargers. If you make it wider, you'll be able to increase charger storage (obviously). The Ryobi chargers and Ridgid chargers have different mount spacing.

To mount them, I used a series of plywood spacers to get things evenly spaced vertically and horizontally, then used the tape trick to transfer the screw holes to the backer mount, and then drove in some screws. Lucky for me, this somehow all worked first try and things were secure and even.

I don't show it in the video, but the last thing I did was drive in a single screw at the top end of each charger that was mounted up against the top edge - hope that makes sense. This prevents the charger from sliding up out of the key hole and thus won't come off even if you pull really hard.

I pivoted on this step last minute and decided to mount all cables on the back of the station. This method words perfectly as I'm using a 3/4" french cleat on the back so I had extra space in the rear to store them.

To do this, I drilled a 1 1/4" hole at the top of each charger and fed the cable through. Using little nail brackets that are meant to secure wire to studs, I could then string the cables back and forth so that they could all exit one side and plug into a single power strip mounted on the side.

That power strip could then be plugged into one outlet and charge everything from a single power point.

I cut four dividers for the top section - you can add more if you want more tool division space or if you make this wider. I then marked out and drilled out pilot holes where I wanted to mount each one. It was easier to drill pilot holes from the inside so that they came out on the other side of the wood - I could then add a counter sink from the new hole that popped through which would give me the proper space to feed a screw in.

The top dividers were spaced according to my tools and what I planned on storing. Feel free to customize however you want!

This system uses a 3/4" french cleat to mount to the wall. I highly recommend this as a tactic for mounting tool systems. It makes your whole storage systems incredibly flexible and adaptable as you expand your collection.

I previously had a cabinet hanging where this would go, so I took that down and reused the french cleat I had already cut and secured it to the back with 5 wood screws. Then, I hung it up and organized my tools. It was so satisfying! I also plugged in the power strip and it was even more satisfying to see all the batteries light up and charge at once.

At first I thought that I might have mounted everything too high. However, after using it for 5 days, I realized it was perfect. Batteries were head height, drills were head height, and it left a bunch of extra space underneath for even more future storage. Definitely recommend putting it at head height.

This last step is totally optional, but my wife has an embosser, so I thought it would be prudent and fun to label each holder so I can keep a consistent system of where all my devices go.

All done! Can’t wait to have this moving forward in the shop!

Thanks for reading!
Zach

Mobile Miter Saw Station

I’ve been wanting my own personalized miter saw station basically since I moved into my shop. After months of researching my needs and designing for my space, I landed on the following project!

Thanks for checking out the article and video!

Free SketchUp Model for Download

MATERIALS

• 36 x 2"x4" 3 x 2" x 4" pressure treated lumber

• 39 x Cedar Fencing Planks

• ~200 3" wood screws

• ~500 1.5" brad nails

• Red Chestnut Stain (or whatever you prefer)

• Roofing Shingles + Roofing Nails

TOOLS

• Sliding Compound Miter Saw: http://amzn.to/2q1klHw

• Circular Saw: http://amzn.to/2q1l5wn

• Impact Driver: http://amzn.to/2q1l5wn

• Miter Saw Stand: http://amzn.to/2p1072e

• Cordless Brad Nailer: https://amzn.to/2Uz6tCI

**Optional** SAWSTOP Contractors 30” Saw: https://amzn.to/2Luh91q

I spent a very long time figuring out what I wanted out of a miter saw station. Here is my checklist based on having a 19’ x 19’ garage workshop.

• Mobile so it can move around the shop and swing outside on sunny days (I’m in SoCal)

• Self contained and automated dust collection system (my old set up was an absolute mess)

• Place to store a few tough to store tools, including metal chop saw and table saw sleds

• Additional drawer storage

• Work with a non-sliding miter saw - you can adapt for a sliding, it will just have a deeper footprint.

• No fence-system to allow for extra storage

The first step was to break down my 4x4 lumber based on my SketchUp file to create the base of the build. I chose 4x4s for strength and rigidity as this would have to carry the weight of a heavy 9 foot long station. I used large lag screws to connect everything on the exterior (these were recessed so they didn’t sit proud of the wood), and 3” wood screws for the center supports. I found using a clamp in this step helped square everything together.

The next steps were all relatively straight forward. Following my SketchUp model, I broke down all of my sheets fo plywood using a combination of my table saw and circular saw. I then drilled pocketholes for all of the vertical pieces - 3-4 per piece per side.

I then could begin attaching all of my plywood pieces to the base.

I first attached the flat base piece - an 8’ sheet won’t cover it so you’ll want to make sure you’re cutting properly against the cut list. Then, using pocketholes and some spacers I cut, I could assemble the vertical walls of each section, followed by adding the top section. The framing was now complete.

After assembling the framing, I turned my attention to building the base that would hold the miter saw. Now, I should add, the framing of my design and the base for the saw are both designed to fit my saw width. I actually ended up getting a new saw in the process of making this and had to go back and make the space wider to accompany the new saw. Since this isn’t a flexible system, that meant moving the framing of my plywood out (basically redoing part of the previous step).

Before completing, I cut out a gap in the base and inserted a large dust port from Rockler that could catch dust that shot out the back. This later would be hooked up to a self-contained dust collection system.

Next came the three sets of drawers. Following my model again, I ripped up the next set of plywood on the table saw, drilled out my pocketholes, and assembled everything using pockethole screws, glue, and brad nails. I could then mark out where I wanted my drawers to go, install the drawer slides, and test out all three.

I chose to make the top drawer a very tall drawer so I could hold tall items like big bottles of glue. Feel free to do this however you want!

Next up were my two cabinets that would hold the dust collection system. These were made from 1/2” maple plywood that I had previously broken down on the table saw. The hinges could be installed using a forsner bit to recess them. I think Kreg makes a jig for this which I’d love to have, but it’s not necessary.

The hinges are built actually for cabinets with face frames, so I needed to add little strips of plywood where the hinges would attach in order to properly screw them into the miter saw. I used glue and brad nails to hold these in place, and then could install each of the hinges to the station for the two doors.

Next up, I cut to side the faces of my drawers and installed all three from the rear using some spacers, a squeeze clamp and a few screws. Pretty straight forward. These drawers do have a continuous grain pattern which I think adds a bit to the aesthetic of the design.

Before taking it any further, I stopped and added the wheels to the base. These are 4” casters rated for 100 pounds each - plenty for this build. They don’t have locks on them - maybe one thing I would change? The saw never moves on me when using it, but also moves really easily when I want it to. I used 3” wood screws to attach these.

Now that the framing was done and the base was mobile, I could finish out the dust collection system.

The way this works is pretty straight forward but I’ll still break it down.

There is a power surge attached to the inside of the cabinet space which is plugged into an extension chord going to the house that powers the whole thing. The base where the saw sits has a large dust collector port from Rockler, attached to a 2.5”hose that goes directly to a Dust Rite separator for shop vacuums that then is attached to my massive 16 gallon Ridgid shop vacuum.

The miter saw is plugged into a special outlet where, once the saw is engaged, the outlet will cause the vacuum to turn on automatically and run for an additional 5 seconds. It’s pretty amazing and is such a great simple $30 addition to have in your shop for any tool that you want to power an additional system connected to it. Everything was then held in place with some metal strapping. Overall - highly recommend.

The dust collection system isn’t perfect, but coupled with the dust collection box I’ll show later, it really helps minimize the mess. I’m sure I could refine this even further.

This step is totally optional - you can just purchase drawer handles. However, I had some leftover walnut that I wanted to create custom pulls for. i won’t go into too much detail on this as the design is not mine - instead you can check out Brad Rodriguez’ video from Fix This Build That to learn about them.

To install them easily, I made a little template from plywood to drill holes, and then secured them from the rear of my cabinets and drawers.

Next I turned my attention to the dust hood. I speak more about this in the video, but I ended up rebuilding it to be a little deeper and fit my new saw better. You’ll want it to have walls that come as close to your fence as possible to capture as much dust. I’ve seen other versions that also include a front piece that will frame the miter saw itself to be more efficient. I didn’t do that, but might eventually. So far, what I have works pretty well to capture 90% of the dust, or at least contain it.

I also made this little simple holder for a speed square. This little idea came from an April Wilkerson video. I have five speed squares throughout my shop. Having them readily available at pretty much all of the major areas in my shop is such a valuable time saver.

I don’t want a fence on my miter saw system. I’ve seen enough stations to know it’s not super useful and definitely not necessary, and by not having one, it actually allows for storage expansion. I won’t go into a huge amount of detail on this set up, but basically the replacement for a fence is a stop block system that runs on Rockler T Tracks. I made my set of two blocks from some spare white oak I had. The system and design was lifted from a Make Something video - check out the full build video here.

Installation of the T Track system is relatively straight forward, it just requires patience and a steady hand. I marked out exactly where I wanted mine to go on each side of the station - this will be relative to where you position your miter saw. I then set the depth of my track using an actual piece of track against the cut depth stop of my plunge router.

Then, using a straight bit and my tracksaw track as a straight edge, I routed my channel. The bit I had was only a half inch bit, so I had to move the fence inward 1/4” to finish the groove. I think I routed each groove in 2-3 passes to avoid tear out.

I then cut the aluminum track to length on my new miter saw station (Aluminum can be cut on a regular miter saw), drilled pilot holes for installation, and then installed the track. You can see how the block fits in the track to serve as a stop for repeated cuts.

All done! I fucking love this thing. Also, there is great space underneath it for either a scrap shop trashcan or more storage to store offcuts and other tools that are handy to have on hand over at the miter station. In particular - the storage for my table saw sleds has been wonderful, because there is no good place for those!

Thanks for checking out the project! Make sure you check out the video in the first step on my YT channel!

See you around! 
Zach

$100 10FT WORKBENCH

After moving into my home a few months ago, my priority from day one was to continue to build out my garage into my dream workshop. Garages will always have their limitations, so I have been consistently trying to best utilize my space before making any bit decisions. This workbench was a long time coming - something big, robust, heavy as all hell, and that gave me storage with a ton of work area surface. Excited to share my build!

Below is the final design for the bench, as well as all the components of the build.

Here is the SketchUp file for purchase if you want to build it!

You can see the sad state that was my "temporary solution". These cabinets weren't bad necessarily, but they were very ineffective for what I needed moving forward.

MATERIALS

• 2 x 4' x 8' x 3/4" Plywood

• 2 x 10' x 4" x 4"

• 6 x 2' x 4' 10'

• 1 x 5mm x 4' x 4' plywood

• TiteBond II Wood Glue: http://amzn.to/2peRFus

• 2.5" Screws

TOOLS
Sawstop
Contractors 30” Saw: https://amzn.to/2Luh91q

RYOBI
10 in. Sliding Compound Miter Saw: http://amzn.to/2q1klHw
Miter Saw Stand: http://amzn.to/2p1072e
Circular Saw: http://amzn.to/2q1l5wn
Impact Driver: http://amzn.to/2q1l5wn
Cordless Brad Nailer: http://amzn.to/2p1dYFD

KREG
K5 Pocket Hole Jig: http://amzn.to/2qb8S7t
Quick Clamp: http://amzn.to/2riyHU8

My 4 x 4's were 10' long, so I marked out 34" (Pic 1) and ripped to length on my miter saw (Pic 2). My saw is just big enough for this. I repeated that for all six legs (Pic 3).

Pic 1 shows how I plan to cut dados and half lap joints into the legs to accept stretchers.

For bottom supports, I wanted to have my stretchers recessed in the legs. Pics 2-3 show me marking and measuring out the space that I'd later cut away with dados. These are for the Outside Dados.

Pics 4-5 show me cutting those dados on the miter saw using a miter gauge. Note that I do not have the piece sliding up against the fence - that is dangerous. Instead, clamp a piece at the front of your saw where you start, then when you rest your piece up against it, it will be in the proper position. As you move away from it over the blade, your piece will stay in that position against your miter gauge but won't be up against the fence. And I cut them for all six legs (Pic 6).

I then ripped the full dados on each leg for the button stretchers (Pics 7-8). These are Inside Dados

After cutting my dados, I moved to ripping my stretchers to length. They were around 10' long - I clamped them all together and cut them with a circular saw (Pic 1). I then laid out everything to begin assembly (Pic 2).

Three legs per side - I put a single stretcher in the bottom dado (Pic 3) and used a spacer block to line up the piece. I designed this so the stretcher would fill the entire dado, less the width of a 2x4 which would later be filled with an actual 2x4 for cross supports.

I applied glue and used 2.5" wood screws to hold things in place, checking for square in the process (Pics 4-5).

I then repeated that process for the other outside leg, and then lined up the middle stretcher (Pic 6) and attached using glue and screws. Pic 7 shows one final full leg support.

Note - i should have cut my top stretchers 3" longer - you can see they don't go all the way to the edges in Pic 7 - it's not a big deal - actually, that space can be used to put a vice in! Making lemonade...

I cut a bunch of 2 x 4's on the miter saw to specific lengths (in my case I was looking to make my bench about 25" deep on the top) (Pic 1). I then used glue and screws to attached everything together - Pics 2-4 show me doing the top stretchers. Pic 5 shows me attaching the supports at the bottom - you can see here, per my earlier step, why I left the 1.5" gap on the ends, as now I could insert a 2x4 in that gap and bring everything together. Very sturdy!

I also cut middle stretchers for the middle of the bench (Pics 6-7) - I had 7 total stretchers on the top and bottom to provide rigidity and support for my work surface. The middle stretchers that were not on the outsides are just held together with screws.

My dad and I ripped down our sheet of plywood on the table saw (Pic 1). The top sheet was full length, and about 25" wide - this was purposeful as it left about 23" of width on the remainder of the piece to be used for the bottom shelf. Since the bottom stretchers were on the insides of the posts, it made the lower shelf skinnier than the bench to - so again, this was perfect.

I lined up the top surface to the bench and attached it using brad nails (Pics 2-3). I wanted the freedom later on to replace this top with new material if it ever got too dinged up. For the bottom shelf, I needed to measure and notch out places for the 4x4s to go. I did this by measuring the bottom shelf and then cutting out the spaces with a jig saw (Pic 4). And it fell nicely into place after (Pic 5).

Since the bench was between 9 - 10 feet long, I needed additional plywood to finish out the top. I cut down the remainder from a second sheet of plywood (Pic 6) and then attached the top and bottom pieces again using brad nails (Pics 7-8). I needed to notch out the bottom piece like I did the other parts, but that was a lot of the same so I don't show it here.

You're left with a 4' x 6' sheet of 3/4" plywood - this is a ton of extra wood - I ended up making a huge clamp rack out of it - so although it felt like I might be way overbuying for this bench, there is nothing like having a huge amount of scraps to make something else that is very useful!

After the bench was assembled, I cleaned out the space and wiggled the bench into place. It was really heavy. Once I added all my tools to it, I couldn't physically move it.

Perfect!

I decided last minute to add drawers with additional scrap plywood that I salvaged from my parents old TV credenza that they were looking to toss. It was pretty high quality furniture plywood, so it ripped easily on the table saw (Pic 1) and miter saw (Pic 2). The drawers would be 4" tall and were as deep as the bench measured.

I then cut dados on the table saw to accept the drawer bottom. The kerf of the blade makes it so you just need to make two passes on the table saw 1/8" apart - very quick and easy (Pic 3). I then drilled pocket holes for joinery (Pic 4).

I used a sheet of 5mm 4'x4' plywood for the drawer bottoms that I broke down on my table saw (Pic 5). I then assembled everything - first attaching three sides together (Pic 6), then sliding in the drawer bottom between the dados, and then adding the fourth side. And I repeated that for all four drawers (Pic 7).

I didn't want to buy drawer slides - this just felt unecessary and there wasn't really anything for me to mount them too on this bench.

Instead, I cut three pieces - a single 3/4" x 3/4" strip that would attach to the top sides of the drawer, an additional strip of the same size, and a strip that was 1.5" x 3.4", the ladder of which would combine to form an L. The L would be mounted to the bottom of the top shelf, and the strip could then be slide into it. Pic 1 shows this set up but upside down - it was really easy and I hope my explanation is clear!

Pics 2-4 show me making the "L" pieces. I drilled and counter sunk the holes so that when I glued up and screwed together, the screws didn't split the plywood or stick out and hinder the sliding of the drawer. Using little squeeze clamps while attaching screws was very handy.

I then repeated the same process for the strips that would be mounted to the drawers, and mounted them (Pics 5-6). I then could mount the slides to the underside of the drawer (Pic 7), and then slid in all four drawers (Pic 8).

NOTE - make sure your "L" stretchers are long enough to span the underside of the bench - I almost messed this up by cutting them too short!

These drawers were massive - about 2' x 2', and I loved them. I decided last minute to add some false drawer fronts. This would make the piece a bit "prettier" and would also prevent the drawers from sliding any further back than they needed too.

I used left over walnut plywood from Purebond for this step - but you can just as easily use any type of wood for this - hardwoods, different plywoods, whitewoods, etc.

I unfortunately did not have enough material in the right size to make the drawer fronts a continuous grain, but anyways - I ripped down the pieces on the table saw (Pics 1-2) based on the sizes I needed.

I then clamped into place, leveled off, and attached the drawer fronts using some brad nails (Pics 3-5).

I then marked center and drilled pilot holes for some single pine door nobs that I had from left over Ikea furniture back in the day (Pic 6). Then just some screws to attach them (Pic 7).

I didn't film me putting on a finish, but I used some cutting board oil just to bring out the grain - I didn't want to go fancy and I didn't want to spend any more time making this thing! You can see how big and robust this thing is with me next to it, how the drawers look, and how many tools it olds.

I love it!

Thanks for reading - make sure you check out the video in the first step on my YT channel!

See you around! 
Zach

Convert Shop Storage to Whiteboard Surfaces

I acquired two 5.5' wide red oak cabinets from a house that just had their kitchen remodeled. They are only 12" deep and make them ideal storage for a garage shop as you don't have to sacrifice a lot of shop space to create a lot of surface.

I wanted to add whiteboard space to my shop for a host of reasons, but didn't want to sacrifice open wall space, so I came up with a quick and easy solution to repurpose these shelves as new whiteboard space. Check out how I did it here:

If you don't have old cabinets, you'll have to go the old tried and true DIY method of actually building some shelves - this can work to your advantage as you can make them more bespoke to your space, add storage, and add whiteboard space.

My cabinets have sliding doors. If you don't have cabinets that have these types of doors and you don't need to make new ones, you can also look into whiteboard paint!

MATERIALS (Assuming you already have shelves)

• 1 x 4' x 8' x 1/8" White Hardboard (about $13 at Lowes / Home Depot)

• Shallow cabinets (can be made from 3/4" plywood!)

TOOLS
Sawstop

• SAWSTOP Contractors 30” Saw: https://amzn.to/2Luh91q

RYOBI

• 8 Piece Forsner Bit Set: http://amzn.to/2u7zAzk

• Power Drill: http://amzn.to/2q1l5wn

You can just as easily get away with a circular saw for this project instead of a table saw - it's just that simple.

My cabinets were red oak - which I find pretty ugly - so I painted them. One coat of primer, two coats of paint I used on my kitchen remodel. Above is a photo of me pretending to paint.

Remove your cabinet doors (probably do this before painting) and measure their length and width - grab assistant for this if needed.

Using a table saw, circular saw with a straight edge, or a track saw, cut down your white hard board to proper dimensions. I have a table saw so this took about 3 minutes total - white hardboard cuts very easily but is very strong. Test to make sure your cuts fit (and crack a smile!).

You'll need holes in each door to insert your finger to slide open. I used a scrap piece of plywood to mark and measure a hole the exact same distance inward from the bottom and side and used my punch to mark a hole. I then repeated this process but on the opposite side for the sister cabinet.

My cabinets were divided into four sections, each with two sliders, so your holes should be in the same position but mirrored so they both end up on the outside. Then I used a 3/4" forsner bit to drill out holes - again this drills very easily.

Now you can just mount your new sliders and have a ton of whiteboard space!

I love these - it is SOOOO simple in design but so practical in function. It took me a few days to come to this solution, so I hope sharing it with you on this website helps spark some ideas on how to make your shop more efficient.

So far, I've used the panels to list out future projects, steps for projects mid-build, and then post production needs on my videos.

Thanks for reading - make sure you check out the video in the first step on my YT channel!

See you around!

Zach

Making a Huge Assembly / Out feed Table

I made my first big purchase for the shop - a SawStop. Safety has become paramount for me as a hobbyist maker, so in addition to the purchase, I knew it was time to build a big assembly out feed table! Below is the full video build where I talk about why I built my table the way I did and how I went about it. Materials and tools are below as well! Hope you Enjoy!

MATERIALS
3 x 3/4" x 4' x 8' Sanded Plywood
~100 x 1.25” Pocket Hole Screws: http://amzn.to/2p5vKYw
1” Brad Nails: http://amzn.to/2oNLc8W
TiteBond II Wood Glue: http://amzn.to/2peRFus

TOOLS
SAWSTOP Contractors 30” Saw: https://amzn.to/2Luh91q
Circular Saw: http://amzn.to/2q1l5wn
Power Drill: http://amzn.to/2q1l5wn
Cordless Brad Nailer: http://amzn.to/2p1dYFD
Impact Driver: http://amzn.to/2q1l5wn
Miter Saw: http://amzn.to/2q1klHw
Miter Saw Stand: http://amzn.to/2p1072e
Plunge Router: http://amzn.to/2p15eiC
1” Dado Bit: http://amzn.to/2eR6tOO
KREG K5 Pocket Hole Jig: http://amzn.to/2qb8S7t
Kreg Clamp: http://amzn.to/2riyHU8
12” Speed Square: http://amzn.to/2phZUIt

Above are new renderings completed in SketchUp of the table. You can access those plans for purchase ($4.00 USD) here.

My design called for 3 sheets of plywood. Some were to remain quite large, others would be broken down via a circular saw, table saw, and miter saw. In pics 2-3, I am breaking down the (super detail and awesome hand drawn) cut list featured in Pic 1. I labeled my pieces in Pic 4, and then stacked the bigger pieces off to the side while I broke down the smaller parts.

My legs were composed of two pieces of plywood - one 3" wide, butt jointed against another piece 3.375" wide. I'm ripping them down in Pic 1, and then "gang" cutting them in pic 2 - I believe they were cut to just under 32" which would give me a final height of my table just under 34" (~height of my table saw).

In Pics 3-5, I drilled pocket holes every 8-10 inches or so, apply glue, and then use pocket hole screws to combine the two pieces together. Pic 6 shows all four legs built identically.

Framing this table to combine legs was relatively straight forward. Each leg was connected by a stretcher running from leg to leg, on the top and bottom, so that I'd have two shelves.

Pics 1-3 show me using glue and pocket hole screws to combine a set of legs together at the top and bottom (then repeating for the other set of legs), resulting in two sets of legs in Pic 4.

I ripped and cut a few additional strips with 45° miters on the end in Pic 5, then used glue and pocket hole screws in Pics 6-7 to attach them at the corners to add sheering strength. Lastly, in Pic 8, I attached 4 x stretchers at the bottom that would eventually bring the two sides together. You'll see what I mean in the next step.

Pics 1-2 show me taking the two sides and combining together again using glue and pocket hole screws with the four stretchers I attached in the previous step. Pic 3 shows the result of this - I added more miters to the corners to fully strengthen the bottom piece. I used glue and finish nails in Pics 3-5 to hold down the shelf - this shelf was cut at the beginning of the build when I was breaking down my big sheets.

Then, in Pics 6-7, I repeated the entire process for the top that I had just done for the bottom, adding horizontal stretchers, as well as miter'd corners for shearing strength.

Next up was to finish the top. From my cut list, you can see that I planned it out so that left over, I'd have a piece that was 4' x 5' (final top), and two pieces that were 2' x 4' and 3' x 4'. The second two pieces were going to serve the purpose of a permanent bottom shelf, with the larger overall piece serving as a top shelf that could take wear and tear and be replaced if needed.

In pics 1-2, I am moving the table into place and moving the two smaller sheets into place. I then clamped one piece down (Pic 3), and removed the other piece to add glue (Pic 4). This way, everything stayed where I needed it. In Pic 5, I put the piece into place, use brad nails to hold it down (Pic 6), and then off camera, repeated that process for the other smaller piece. Then, I had a complete top.

Pic 7 then shows me moving in the single large sheet on top of that and adding finish nails (Pic 8) to keep it in place. Again, this was so I could go back and remove / replace if I ever wanted as well as add weight and strength to the top.

Because this was going to be an out feed table, i wanted to add miters to the side touching the table saw so that I could pass jigs and other miter tracks through the table saw and onto it if needed. I made sure the table saw was square to the table (Pic 1), and then used the miter gauge that the table saw came with to figure out where to cut my dados (not shown).

I used my plunge router to find the right depth (pic 2), and then took 2-3 passes with a 1" dado bit in Pic 3 for each miter slot, resulting in two nicely cut miters in the table top (pic 4).

After finishing the miters, the table was done (for now). I have so many plans in mind for this down the road - additional storage, drawers, hardwood boarders, more hangers to add essentials (you can see things already being hung), adding casters for mobility.

I error'd on the side of simplicity for this build knowing that I would want to use it and see it in my space and then figure out what would be the best ways to build on it as I progress in my hobby.

If you want to know any materials, tools, or have any general questions answered, you can check out the second step or contact me via my website, thecuttingbored.com and I would be happy to do answer them.

As always, thank you for reading! I would be so grateful if you could please subscribe to my Youtube Channel for future projects.

I put out videos every few weeks. 

Cheers!
Zach

DIY Router Sled

THANKS FOR CHECKING OUT THE FULL ARTICLE! 

Full video build is below, followed by detailed instructions with tools and measurements! You can subscribe to our YouTube channel by clicking here!

I have a 13" Ridgid thickness planer that is a tank. However, I can only plane up to that width, and it is unsafe to do anything end grain (in my personal opinion), so I have, for a long time, wanted to build my own jig. I chose to use MDF wood knowing that it was already very smooth, very easy to cut and rip into the right dimensions, and is quite cheap.

Also, I stand by this design - it worked incredibly well for me on my first go around and I cannot wait to use it again.

MATERIALS
2 x 2' x 4' Pieces of MDF Wood (1/2" thick)
1 5/8" Wood Screws

TOOLS
RYOBI Table Saw: http://amzn.to/2h6ZQc4
RYOBI Power Drill: http://amzn.to/2q1l5wn
RYOBI 10 in. Sliding Compound Miter Saw: http://amzn.to/2q1klHw
RYOBI Miter Saw Stand: http://amzn.to/2p1072e
RYOBI Plunge Router: http://amzn.to/2p15eiC
1” Dado Bit: http://amzn.to/2eR6tOO
RYOBI Drill Bit Set: http://amzn.to/2oKKWXi
BESSEY 2.5” x 12” Clamps: http://amzn.to/2oIJGVy

AUDIO / VISUAL EQUIPMENT
Canon Rebel EOS T2i: http://amzn.to/2pwwlDI
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II Lens: http://amzn.to/2pwmuhi
Rode Microphone: http://amzn.to/2oIExg3
Studio Lighting Equipment: http://amzn.to/2rtrkg0
Adobe Premiere (Editorial): http://amzn.to/2oIXKhE

Here is a link to a SketchUp model of the entire build for purchase.

My build video uses uses a single piece of 4' x 4' x .5" MDF; this model using a single piece of 4' x 4' x .75" MDF as it will be more rigid, flat, and sturdy. Good luck!

I'd love to hear if you build this, so make sure you send me a picture or tag me in your build @workshopedits on IG. Cheers!

Below is the full design of my build in 2D if you are uncomfortable with SketchUp (remember - SketchUp is free to use online so don't be afraid to learn to use the software!). It took me 2 hours of videos and hands on use to get the feel for how it works, the shortcuts, etc. It’s incredible. Go. Learn. It.

I purchased my MDF material at Orchard Supply Hardware in SoCal, where they sell it in 2' x 4' sections for $8 each. EDIT in 2020 - RIP to OSH - you were incredible. You can still get the same wonderful MDF at Home Depot, Lowest, etc., but in 4' x 8' sheets

You can use the large amount of excess to build additional jigs or just build a larger sled if you'd like!

Picture 1 shows the cuts needed for the sled base
Picture 2 shows the cuts needed for the sled.

My design leveraged the original size of my MDF. So, if you want to design the same one, then you don't need to make any cuts. High five yourself because you just saved yourself 3 minutes.

I cut two strips from the second piece of MDF all the way through at 2.5" wide. I chose this as it would translate to me being able to plane surfaces up to that thickness. I can always cut larger strips to make the sled higher if needed for very cheap.

Next, I measured the width of the base of my router plate - this will change based on what router you have. Mine was a little over 5.5". I went ahead and added 1/4" - 1/8" to that width, and then ripped down another strip of MDF from the same piece that would later become the floor of my sled and the outside guides.

Lastly, I ripped two more strips, 3 inches wide to serve as the walls of my sled. Given that the sled itself will be about 25" wide, you'll need to rip two strips as cutting one single strip and then cutting in half will not yield you enough material (48" / 2 = 24" < 25"). #Math

To begin the assembly, I clamped a single base wall to the edge of my large base piece, making sure everything was as flush and straight as can be (Pic 1), pre drilled holes for the screws (Pic 2), then screwed in and attached the sled base wall (Pic 3).

Picture 4 shows the final result. I then repeated for my other wall and was finished with the base

NOTE - You must pre drill with MDF as it'll split very easily otherwise.

The goal of the sled is to hang over the railings of your base by the same width as your material. My sled is 24" wide, so I measured out, using scrap pieces of MDF, the exact width of the bottom of my sled. This came out to be 25' (24" sled width + 2 x 1/2" material).

I then made the cuts (Pic 2) on my Miter Saw. I then measured our the sled sides to be the exact same with as the sled bottom (Pic 3) and cut to length (Pic 4). Then, using left over pieces from cutting my sled bottom (from Pic 2), I cut two pieces at 2" wide to serve as the guides for the sled against the walls (Pic 5). I also decided to add 45° angles to the sled walls (Pic 6), which has no function, I just thought it looked better aesthetically.

Picture 7 shows all of the final cuts (sled bottom, sled sides x 2, sled guides x 2)

Clamp our Sled Wall pieces to the outside of your sled bottom piece (Pic 1). Double check that your router will fit comfortably but still tightly in between.

Pre-drill holes (Pic 2) and screw in (Pic 3) your wood screws like you did with the sled base to assemble the sled. Repeat this process for the second wall on the other side.

Finally, clamp on your guides underneath the ends of the sled base (Pic 4), pre-drill holes again (Pic 5), and screw in screws (Pic 6) to attach the guide. Repeat this process for second guide on the other side.

Double check your sled fits and slides tightly but freely on your sled base. If you are careful with measurements and make clean cuts, this shouldn't be an issue at all!

Using your Plunge Router and a Dado Bit (Pic 1), plunge your router into your sled to begin routing a groove (Pic 2). Once you have made multiple passes and cut all of the way through, you should end up with a groove (Pic 3) that you can now pass your dado bit through and surface any piece of wood, etc. that you place under the sled.

NOTE - You have the freedom to route this hole as wide as you'd like, but be careful not to do it too wide as you'll hit your sled base walls. Also, because your router will have a bit of wiggle room, you'll want to make passes with your router base plate up against both walls so the hole is clean, consistent, and slightly larger than your actual dado bit width.

Below is the full video of me using it for the first time on a set of Walnut Butcher Block Bedside Tables I was making.

I am so thrilled with how well it works, and it will work for ANY type of wood material you put underneath, all you need to do is make sure the piece is secured and shimmed properly so that you begin with as flat and stable of a surface as you can (I held it with weights, but you can look into your own solutions that work for you!).

The best part is, between the tools you need for the sled, and the materials, it will still be about half (or less) the price of a standard thickness planer, which many people can't afford and will be limited by anyways.

If you want to know any materials, tools, or have any general questions answered, you can check out the second step or contact me via my website, thecuttingbored.com and I would be happy to do answer them.

As always, thank you for reading! I would be so grateful if you could please subscribe to my Youtube Channel for future projects.

I put out videos every few weeks.

Cheers! 
Zach