I’ve made lots of of cope-and-stick cupboard doorways. The cope reduce is hard, partly as a result of the reduce is cross-grain, however extra so as a result of the ends of the rails are sometimes solely 2 in. to three in. large. Issues can go incorrect if you end up supporting the rails whereas passing their brief ends throughout the router bit, as a result of the workpiece can tip into the opening within the fence, ruining the workpiece and bringing your arms rapidly and dangerously towards the bit. The answer is to carry the rails securely on a sled together with your arms a protected distance away.
Infinity has two new sleds that just do this, the COP-200 and the COP-201. The primary makes use of customary toggle clamps, and the second self-adjusting toggle clamps. I examined the 201, which labored nice on my router desk. With a 3⁄8-in.-thick anodized aluminum base plate and 3⁄4-in.-thick pink aluminum assist blocks, the unit is effectively engineered and weighs in at virtually 8 lb. Its heft is essential to minimizing chatter. The sled has two handles, and three metal toggle clamps that maintain your backer block and workpiece firmly towards the sled—two clamps on the mounted assist block, and one on the movable block.
A 3⁄8-in.-thick clear polycarbonate visor is the reference edge for the sled. It extends past the bottom and rides towards the router desk fence. This implies the bottom itself isn’t towards the fence or near the bit. The visor has two units of mounting holes, permitting you to set it up for deeper or shallower cuts.
Cope and stick are reduce on the router desk, however this sled works effectively on the tablesaw too, the place you may put it to make use of for different joinery.
The match and end of the Infinity COP-201 components are very clear and exact, and meeting was a breeze. One concern is the small, undesirable play within the visor mounting holes for the reason that fringe of the visor must be sq. to the rear base block. It’s a straightforward, one-time repair although, with a squared workpiece within the sled everytime you transfer the visor.
Infinity sells a metal miter bar ($20) to make use of the sled in a miter slot. Optionally available setup blocks ($10) assist you dial within the bit peak whereas accounting for the thickness of the sled’s base.
|
|
|
|
—Tony O’Malley is an expert cabinetmaker in Emmaus, Pa.
Photographs: Barry NM Dima
From Advantageous Woodworking #293
Join eletters immediately and get the newest methods and how-to from Advantageous Woodworking, plus particular gives.
