Blogging My Custom PBB

This thread was originally posted on SMC.

I have started a series of posts on my blog that cover the design and details of my custom PBB.

Andy Cover Posted:

Thank You Dik!

That clears some things up for me. My design in my head was very much like yours but some little differences can make a big difference.

I just wish I could use SketchUp as well as you do.

Andy


Tom McCann Posted:

Dik as always thanks for your input your design. I too have something in mind similar to yours. I currently built a 2550 and find little small for my needs. I like to extend it with an additional table and maybe some additions like burt added.

Burt Wadell Posted:

Dik,

This is another of your great presentations. You did a super job!!

Burt


Andy Cover Posted:

Dik,

I may have had another light bulb come on in my head but it is kind of dim right now. Is your cut line intended to be between the fence and the guide rail or on the "outside" of the guide rail? It appears to be the latter. Is there a reason for this? If on the outside, it would seem that either a left bladed saw or a "backwards" cut with a left handed/right blade saw would be used.

Andy


Dik Harrison Replied:

Andy,

I cut on the side opposite the fence. I always want the keeper under the fence. I am comfortable using either hand when I cut, but I usually have my left hand on the saw, the right lifts the blade guard to get started and holds the cutoff when it overhangs the bench even if it rests on a support.


Dik Harrison Posted:

The second installment, Construction has been posted.

Andy Cover Posted:

Dik,

Your posts are fantastic! I couldn't quite figure out why the fence within the table would be worth the trouble, but I started to see the logic after thinking about it for a while. Has there ever been one of those "Eureka!" moments where you were really glad you made it with the fence the way you did? Or, are you wondering if it was worth it?

Andy


Dik Harrison Replied:

Andy,

I spent a lot of time planning this PBB, and definitely would not have gone to the trouble to make it that way if I wasn't sure it would be worth it. I got the idea from Burt's EZ-Uni. It does several things;
(1) it extends the effective length of the fence by moving it toward the middle of the rail, (2) it moves the fence away from the SME that is used for squaring so that I don't have to move or remove squaring stops to slide the fence back and forth, (3) it allows me to have SMEs along the full length of the side for mounting the bridge and jigs if necessary, and (4) it gives me a convenient out of the way place to keep things like the hex key, the triangle I use for checking the squareness of things, the straight edge I use for checking the alignment of the rails, etc., notes and drawings I'm working from, and the brush I use to clear duse from the bench top.