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Stu's Shed

Kerfmaker: Making some Kerfs

Posted on January 3, 2011 by Stuart
Wanted to take the opportunity to give you a beer idea of the Kerfmaker, and just how such a simple
tool creates such precise joints without numerical measurements. I took a piece of Cyprus Pine
(probably not the best test material- brile and prone to spliing), gave it a quick sand with the drum
sander for consistent stock thickness, ripped for box side height, then cut the sides and ends to length.
No rules were harmed at any stage during the entire evolution there was no requirement to actually
measure anything.

(hp://stusshed.les.wordpress.com/2011/01
/kerf-1.jpg)
Box Sides
With the sides all ready, it was time to calibrate the Kerfmaker.

(hp://stusshed.les.wordpress.com/2011/01
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/kerf-2.jpg)
Perfect Kerf Calibration
The rst step is to set the Kerfmaker to the exact kerf of the blade (in this case). This is not done by
measuring the blade then transferring that measurement to the Kerfmaker. Instead, a piece of (waste)
board is used, with a piece ripped then cut away so the actual kerf is the step created. The Kerfmaker
is calibrated to this step. This is the real kerf of the blade, runout included, rather than just measuring
the width of the teeth.

(hp://stusshed.les.wordpress.com/2011/01
/kerf-3.jpg)
Material Thickness Calibration
Next, the Kerfmaker is calibrated to the stock thickness. The tightness between the Kerfmaker and the
stock will be as tight as the resulting joint.

(hp://stusshed.les.wordpress.com/2011/01
/kerf-5.jpg)
Cuing Outside Shoulders of Slots
The rst cuts were made with the Kerfmaker orientated as you can see it here. I did both ends of both
long sides so all the pieces came out identically. (You can only do this with pieces of identical length I
reset everything for the ends).

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(hp://stusshed.les.wordpress.com/2011/01
/kerf-4.jpg)
Cuing Inside Shoulders of Slots
Next, the Kerfmaker is ipped over and the other shoulder is cut. Again, repeated for both ends of
both lengths. These steps are then repeated for the two end pieces.

(hp://stusshed.les.wordpress.com/2011/01
/kerf-6.jpg)
Slots Cut, Waste Removed
Finally, all the material between the two shoulders is wasted away with the tablesaw, producing the
pieces seen here. These are all then carefully tapped together (the joints are tight- as tight as the
original calibration step, and the Cyprus Pine is brile).

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(hp://stusshed.les.wordpress.com/2011/01
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Final Result, Perfect Joints with the Kerfmaker
All joined together, nice and tight, with the Kerfmaker in pride of place. A remarkable tool and
amazing dimensionless construction. It is fun producing joints so precise without a rule, tapemeasure
or digital caliper in sight.
Filed under: Techniques, Tools | Tagged: Kerfmaker, KM-1 | 8 Comments

The Drool Award goes to.

Posted on October 8, 2009 by Stuart
Bridge City Toolworks (hp://www.bridgecitytools.com/).
Expensive stu (quality costs), but some bloody cool ideas coming out of there recently, and with droolworthy quality.

DJ-1 Drilling Jig

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KM-1 Kerfmaker
Damn it now I have to wipe drool o the keyboard. Again.
Filed under: Manufactures and Suppliers, Tools | Tagged: ASP-25, BridgeCity Toolworks, CT-16, DJ-1,
KM-1, MG-5 | 1 Comment

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