I have a need to make two vertical MDF panels absolutely parallel - top and bottom
widths - at the front edges and back edges. My first thought is to just glue two thin
sticks together, and trim to the desired length. Somewhere I have seen an advert for
some knob thingies to clamp those two sticks together. Is that the way to go or do
you use something cheap and more simple?
Hoyt W.
You don't say what the application is so I have to guess a shelf or
enclosure of some sort.
Assuming a shelf like configuration I'd cut four pieces of stock, using a
stop block, to identical lengths and use them to set the four edges/corners
to the exact spacing.
--
Mike G.
[email protected]
Heirloom Woods
www.heirloom-woods.net
"Hoyt Weathers" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I have a need to make two vertical MDF panels absolutely parallel - top
and bottom
> widths - at the front edges and back edges. My first thought is to just
glue two thin
> sticks together, and trim to the desired length. Somewhere I have seen an
advert for
> some knob thingies to clamp those two sticks together. Is that the way to
go or do
> you use something cheap and more simple?
>
> Hoyt W.
>
>
>
Hoyt Weathers wrote:
>
> I have a need to make two vertical MDF panels absolutely parallel - top and bottom
> widths - at the front edges and back edges. My first thought is to just glue two thin
> sticks together, and trim to the desired length. Somewhere I have seen an advert for
> some knob thingies to clamp those two sticks together. Is that the way to go or do
> you use something cheap and more simple?
>
> Hoyt W.
Story sticks aren't what you mean. A story stick is just a piece of
stock on which
you mark (and label) lines for key dimensions of a piece - one side
with vertical
dimension lines another face for horizontal dimensions and a third
face for depth
dimensions.
As suggested by Mike G. cutting four "spacers" to identical lengths,
either
using a stop block or cutting them all at the same time would be
better. 3/4
x 1 - 1 1/2 will give you ends that'll square themselves up. With two
thin sticks
held together with clothes pins or small clamps, the can flex a little
and blow spacing
and there's not enough on the ends to see that they're square to your
shelve unit's
sides.
The thin dual measuring sticks are great for checking diagonals in
things like
drawers or for drawer opening widths for cutting drawer faces - but
not so
good for the purpose you've described.
charlie b
I have solved my minor problem by using a piece of 1" x 2" white pine cut into a long
piece and a short piece and two brass flat-top # 12 x 1.5" screws. It is adjustable
in that I can remove the screws and slide the short piece of white pine back and
forth to any reasonable new dimension and put the screws back in.
TKX to everyone who replied.
Hoyt W.
I use thin sticks and two binder clips.
"Hoyt Weathers" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I have a need to make two vertical MDF panels absolutely parallel - top
and bottom
> widths - at the front edges and back edges. My first thought is to just
glue two thin
> sticks together, and trim to the desired length. Somewhere I have seen an
advert for
> some knob thingies to clamp those two sticks together. Is that the way to
go or do
> you use something cheap and more simple?
>
> Hoyt W.
>
>
>
Hoyt Weathers wrote:
> I have a need to make two vertical MDF panels absolutely parallel - top and bottom
> widths - at the front edges and back edges. My first thought is to just glue two thin
> sticks together, and trim to the desired length. Somewhere I have seen an advert for
> some knob thingies to clamp those two sticks together. Is that the way to go or do
> you use something cheap and more simple?
Lee Valley sells some bar gage heads that sounds like what you're
looking for:
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.asp?page=32585&category=1,43513,43553&ccurrency=2&SID=
Personally, I bought some thinking they would be handy and I have
never used them, but I imagine they could come in handy for others. (I
just make up my own story sticks and since I don't do large casework, I
don't usually need the extra length they provide.)
Chuck Vance
On Thu, 27 May 2004 11:03:27 -0500, Hoyt Weathers <[email protected]>
wrote:
>I have a need to make two vertical MDF panels absolutely parallel - top and bottom
>widths - at the front edges and back edges. My first thought is to just glue two thin
>sticks together, and trim to the desired length. Somewhere I have seen an advert for
>some knob thingies to clamp those two sticks together. Is that the way to go or do
>you use something cheap and more simple?
>
I have the "knob thingies" from Lee Valley. They work well, don't
cost much, and will probably outlast you.
There are ways to do without them, but considering the cost, I think
they're well worth it.
Barry