Abstract: A rotating tenon cutter having a wooden or aluminum body and a curved cutter blade positioned adjacent to a throat having a bell mouth with a matching curve. A cylindrical tenon is formed with an attractive shoulder that curves from the tenon to the largest cross-sectional dimension of the work piece on the same radius as the cutter blade. A bubble level vial in the body indicates when the axis of rotation (and axis of the tenon to be formed) is horizontal. The cutter blade is repositionable on the body so that the bevel is appropriately presented for sharpening using a drum sander while the face or a flat side of the tenon cutter body rests on a drill press table.

Abstract: A plumb bob assembly including a plumb bob for use adjacent to a wall or other vertical surface, a cord, cord spool attachable to the plumb bob for storage and a tip cover. A pencil may be inserted through a vertical slot in the plumb bob body to mark the position of the plumb bob relative to an adjacent wall. The plumb bob has a relatively flat, tear-drop shaped plastic body, to which two disk-shaped brass weights, a brass cord attachment ball and a conical brass tip are attached. A plastic spool has a cord receiving region defined by two walls and a plate that protrudes beyond one of the walls. Opposed hooks on the plate provide a means for tying-off the cord and hanging the plumb bob assembly from a nail during use. A collar on the plate locks the spool on the plumb bob during storage by inserting the plate into the slot in the plumb bob body.

Abstract: A mechanism that attaches to a plunge router, particularly when the router is used in a router table, to conveniently and accurately move the router body relative to the router base in order to adjust the position of a router bit in the router relative to the router table. Substantial excursions are made by moving a handle up or down using a handle or a foot pedal, and small excursions are made using a micro-adjust mechanism that has a detent set screw and cooperating structure to facilitate adjustment of the micro-adjust mechanism by very small predetermined increments.

Abstract: A router table sled for use with a router table and a router table fence includes an arm assembly that rides along the fence and a strut assembly that supports the workpiece. The arm assembly includes a slider that slides along an upper edge of the fence and an arm attached to an upper edge of the slide. The arm is usually in a position perpendicular to the slide. The arm is also coupled to a strut assembly that includes a main strut, and two additional struts located beneath the main strut. Each strut includes a longitudinally-centered T-shaped slot formed into top, front, and rear faces. The front faces of each strut lie substantially within the same plane. The two lower struts have opposing edges that are spaced a predetermined distance from each other. When a workpiece is clamped to the faces of the struts, an edge may be placed against the fence. The workpiece may then be moved across the router bit to produce a square cut.

Abstract: A cutter for use in fabricating dowels, plugs, or tenons has a hex-shaped shank and a body portion. The body portion includes a spur which is the first part of the cutter to contact the wood and which makes an initial depression into the wood. A cutting tooth has a cutting edge for cutting a trough into the wood and is the widest part of the cutter. The exterior surfaces of the cutter above the cutting tooth are formed at smaller radial distances and consequently have less, if not no, contact with the piece of wood being cut. The cutting tooth may be tapered along its height whereby the bottom of the tooth would be the thickest part of the tooth and would have the most contact with the wood. Also, the portion of the cutter trailing the spur may be formed with teeth and flutes thereby reducing the amount of contact between the cutter and the wood. By reducing the amount of contact between the wood and the cutter, the cutter has a reduced amount of friction with the wood.

Abstract: A router table fence having three nesting aluminum extrusions or spars, two of which lie under a longer third spar. By positioning the inner ends of the two lower spars adjacent to a router cutter protruding through a router table, it is possible to provide a fence, particularly when the lower spars are used with wood facings or sub-fences, that can be adjusted to closely surround the cutter. Lateral movement of the fence assembly adjusts the amount of cutter that contacts a workpiece manipulated past the cutter while contacting the fence. The cross sectional shapes of the spars are identical and are generally square, with structure that permits the upper, longer spar to rest on top of, and be attached in a manner permitting it to slide against, the lower two spars. T-shaped slots in each face of the spars accept fasteners that connect the spars together and also accept fasteners for a variety of accessories, such as hold-down devices and shields.

Abstract: A router baseplate and router table, and a method for accurately mounting the baseplate on a router base and machining table top material to receive the baseplate so that the router may be used suspended upside down in the table top. The router baseplate is a relatively thin plate centered on the router collet that remains attached to the router for free hand use and that is received snugly in a hole in the table top supported by a ledge adjacent to the hole. Two opposed sections of the ledge are omitted so that the router and baseplate can be installed in the table top from the bottom of the table top by tilting the router and baseplate, sliding the baseplate through the openings in the ledge, and then untilting the router and seating the baseplate edge on the ledge. Movement during use in the tabletop is limited by a pin fixed in the baseplate and received in a recess in the ledge.

Abstract: A scraper plane and plane insert that substitutes, in the place of a conventional plane iron or blade and cap iron, a bracket formed by bending sheet mild steel to form two arms, one of which is secured to the frog and the other of which holds a scraper blade in a substantially upright position. Small adjustments in the angle between the scraper blade and plane sole can be made by actuating a micro-adjustment mechanism that forms a bridge between the support arm and securing arm of the bracket.

Abstract: A clamping bench dog that provides a simple, economical clamp that may typically be used with conventional round dogs but is also usable with square or rectangular dogs, other clamping dogs and the hold-down described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,391. A section of round metal rod provides a clamp body or post that fits into a bench dog hole. A second, threaded rod passes through a threaded hole near the upper end of the post at an angle of approximately eighty-seven degrees (87.degree.) to the axis of the post. A rotatable foot is attached to one end of the threaded rod and can tilt up to about three degrees (3.degree.). A handle, knob or tangent on the other end of the threaded rod is utilized to rotate it, and a wire spring journaled in a longitudinal groove on the post assures that the post will remain fixed in bench top dog holes by pressing against the wall of the hole to increase the friction between the post and wall.

Abstract: A clamping apparatus having a fixed post with a pad and a clamping jaw post with a threaded hole, through which a screw with a handle on one end and a pad on the other passes. The clamping apparatus may be used with rails so that on the bottom rail the fixed post is placed within one hole and the clamping jaw post placed within another hole such that a workpiece may be clamped between the two, and additionally a top rail with holes that the other ends of the fixed and clamping jaw post engage with may be added to prevent the workpiece from buckling when clamping pressure is applied by turning the screw.

Abstract: A holder for conventional rectangular cabinet scrapers having a body shaped like an open scroll, pivoting structures within each scroll-like end of the body to grasp a scraper blade along a substantial portion of its entire end, and a centrally located padded pressure plate adjustable with a thumb screw to apply pressure to one face of the cabinet scraper in order to bow it away from the body.