Randy Charles described his setting-up a new wind chest. I'll describe
my system which works very well.
The front and back rails are sawn and planed, together in one piece,
i.e., double-depth. The positions of the left edge of all the dividing
bars is marked using a ruler and pencil.
Not possessing a precision tool for the job, I avoid jigging them by
pitch, as any error would be multiplied by the number of bars in the
chest. A small guide jig for the router is clamped over the vice on
the woodworking bench and a slot is cut, using a cutter equal to the
width of the bars, into the edges of the jig at front and back.
The rail is placed into the jig and the first pencil mark is lined up
with the left edge of the slot just cut. The assembly is clamped in
the vice, and, having set the correct depth, a groove is cut right
across the rail. The clamp is loosened and the rail slid along to the
each position in turn, and all grooves cut.
The grooved rail is then sawn down the middle to form two identically
cut pieces. These are glued onto the top board by their planed
surfaces, and the chest is then ready to accept the bars, which have
been planed to exactly match the width of the grooves.
When all bars have been glued into place the entire chest is planed
flat.
John Page
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