Replies

1. 
   redplumjam | Jan 08, 2002 07:36am | #1

   *
   sbaia

   you might surprise yourself if you tried making the butterfly- little things like that can seem so daunting to start, but once you're doing it, you'll see it's within your means. (start with the insert- make it just over 1/2 the thickness of the surface it's joining. then scribe around it on the table top. hog most of butterfly opening out with your router, & clean up the lines with a sharp chisel.)

   otherwise, i think woodcraft sells a router template kit (for porter cable baseplates, i'm sure) that'll fit the bill. check online to see...

   have fun

   alex

1. 
   sbaia_ | Jan 08, 2002 08:31pm | #2

   *Alex,Normally I'd try it by hand, but I don't think I can support the wood sufficiently to withstand the force of the chisel. I'm afraid I may over stress adjacent joints in the process.I'll give woodcraft a try. Thanks for the info.Steve

1. 
   Danford_C._Jennings | Jan 08, 2002 11:34pm | #3

   *Steve,I think it would be important to try to determine why this joint failed.Just a thought.......Dano

1. 
   Don_Cameron | Jan 10, 2002 12:58am | #4

   *Using a router "Inlay Bushing and Bit with Removable Collar" is pretty easy. You can buy butterfly templates at Rockler but it is pretty easy to make one. What I did for a complicated pattern was to find a washer with a "wall" (i.e., the distance between the outer and inner rims) that was the same size as the wall of the router bushing (with the removable collar attached). I then made a positive of the shape I wanted to cut and traced around it using the washer as a spacer for the pencil tip. You can cut out the template with a scroll saw and neaten it up with a file or sand paper.The nice thing about using the bushing and removable collar is that the same template can be used to cut the hole and the inlay. I have the Rocker set http://www.rockler.com/ecom7/findprod.cfm?&DID=6&sku=2007 but there are better ones available as well. These have a positioning rod that is used to center the bushing.I'm just a beginner, but I managed to cut and install 8 odd shaped inlays in an afternoon. Making the template just took another hour or so.Good luck!

1. 
   Don_Cameron | Jan 10, 2002 02:13am | #5

   *That was as clear as mud. Attached is picture showing how to use the washer to trace the outline for a template.

2. 
   Don_Cameron | Jan 10, 2002 02:13am | #6

   *That was as clear as mud. Attached is picture showing how to use the washer to trace the outline for a template.

3. 
   sbaia_ | Jan 10, 2002 11:32pm | #7

   *Dan,The join failed due to poor design by a novice - namely me. I edge glued two piece of diff woods (maple and mahogany) then end glued the two pieces to a cross piece of mahogany using biscuits. The piece was left unfinished in my basement workshop for a long time and developed the crack due to humidity changes and differences in the properties of the two woods.I've since learned a little to create better joints, but I'm left with fixing this. I thought the inlays, followed by a finish on both sides would support and protect the the joint. I know the joint will continue to expand and contract, so perhaps a small bracket with slots could be used to join the two - but I didn't have the heart to do that. Other thoughts would be welcomed.Steve

4. 
   sbaia_ | Jan 10, 2002 11:38pm | #8

   *Don,Thanks for including the drawing. I'd like to give this a try on some scrape this weekend if I have time. I'll let you know how it turns out.Steve

5. 
   Danford_C._Jennings | Jan 11, 2002 01:05am | #9

   *Steve,Forgive if I sounded curt, that was not my intent. I was hoping that you would step back and think about a little more as there might have been the need for more butter flys.FWIW, the butter fly joint is a functional one, your approach to the fix was a good one. On the Mission style tables I do, they are a "standard" joint and used primarily as a functional joinery method, not as a decorative one. I make the butter flys on the TS, lay them out, then use the router with a straight bit for the mortise, and clean up with a paring chisel. To keep in practice, the mortises are sometimes done by hand. :)Dano

6. 
   sbaia_ | Jan 11, 2002 01:50am | #10

   *Dan,No offense taken. It was one of my first pieces, looking back I should have seen the short coming. Hindsight being what it is...I was planning to use several butterflies to reinforce the joint. Good to know that this is a sound approach.Thanks for your advise. I appreciate learning from your experience and the experience from others on this site. It's extremely informative.Steve

7. 
   Danford_C._Jennings | Jan 11, 2002 02:05am | #11

   *Steve,I'm glad and you are welcome. As a little tip that might be of help; I lay out the mortise using the fly as a template with a marking knife, then use a paring chisel, flat side out, to "scribe" a deeper line. Using a straight bit on the router I free hand the mortise, then clean with the paring chisel. I find this quicker and makes for a more accurate joint. FWIW.Dano