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miked wrote: I will be even MORE glad when I finally can buy a small router table. Instead of clamp both sides, run router over one edge, unclamp, turn workpiece, clamp both sides, and on and on, I could just spin the frame around the bit on the table and be done in two minutes. That's next on the wish-and-point-and-shoot-and-hope-the-wife-don't-catch-me list.

AHEM! This is a DIY forum! You have to make your own! Plenty of plans and vids on the 'net.

I will make my own large, stationary router table someday, when I have the room for a proper shop, where everything doesn't have to be on wheels. I looked into making a smaller, table-top version. Being that the "table top" must be absolutely flat, or you'll wind up with crooked routed profiles, I would buy the baseplate, or whatever it's called. By the time you do that and buy the leveling stops and then a fence, etc, you might as well buy a small, table top model. But that is all down the road.

Made a little progress. Got two coats of primer on the backs and edges. Figured I'd get the backs done and over with so I could then just do the fronts and concentrate on getting those perfect.

Sharp eyes may note that the mitered corners on the backs aren't all perfectly flat. I'm aware and I intended on leaving them that way. The backs will not be seen. I sanded them relatively smooth and slapped two coats of primer on and they are done, save for spraying some black paint into the pocket holes. The fronts are almost glass-smooth and the corners are invisible; the putty/sanding went well on them.

Backs. I tried hard to keep the paint out of the dado, as the dowel that will go in there to hold the Lycra is already a very tight fit.




I'll let the backs dry until tonight, then I'll start on the fronts.

I don't think the LED light strips are going to work out the way I had intended. They have basically zero illumination side-to-side. Blindingly bright from the front, which is nice, but almost none to the sides. Basically, I have two choices and I'm not sure which way to go.

1. Mount the LED strips around the perimeter of the window, but LOSE the ability to fold the facade flat, onto itself for transport (would have to use take-apart hinges). A negative to this approach is that I would have to fab-up wire disconnects (there are four wires for each strip) and would have to plug/unplug every time.

2. Don't mount the LED strips to the facade at all, but keep the ability to fold facade onto itself (use piano hinges). A negative to this approach is that I would have to figure something out for backlighting. I have the LED Strips and want to use them vs. spending more money on an "uplight" that sits on the floor.

I've stood there with the panels in front of me and scraps of wood, mentally "trying out" this or that mounting scheme. The only choices I see are what I listed. I welcome any ideas, but I think I tried them all out already.

miked,

I'm inspired. I will be also making one of these shortly. Lycra on both sides in order to keep the LED lighting 'in'. Planning to use music controlled LED strip lighting

It's all just an excuse to try out the new Kreg jig that should be here in the next few days It was the mini that I purchased... it may take ages to position, but it will still be quicker than any alternative I can engineer.

Glad to hear you're taking on the project. How will you put Lycra on both sides? If you stretch the fabric across the front of the frames, you won't see the frames at all.

With how I'm doing it (which I did not invent the method) it gets stretched across the opening, on the backside of the frame, then, square dowels clamp it down into the routed channels, then you use a razor to cut the excess off. Secure but easy to remove/replace when it needs it.

I really should've thought out the lighting part a bit more. Based on my method of construction, LED strip lighting was not the best choice.

Basically, what I am thinking of doing is mounting 1/2"x1/2" strips where the red lines are in this pic, then attaching the LED strips on the insides of the strips, facing the window.


That would work great and was what I had in mind before I started, but then:

1. I would lose the ability to fold the facade flat onto itself and would have to use take-apart hinges, resulting in moving 3 panels instead of "1".
2. I would have to solder 4 wires to connect each strip and it's basically almost SMD soldering...tiny little fiddly solder pads you need a microscope to see.
3. I would have to come up with a connector scheme

But the plus to all that would be no lights laying across the floor in back of the facade. NOW, I am firmly right in the middle of the "DIY Doldrums." I.E. "I had a brilliant idea that seemed SO MUCH more brilliant before I attemtped to execute it."

Unsure atm about how to execute it. Am thinking some sort of 1/2" routed channel that the lycra would be attached to the inside of - not sure how yet. Then have the LEDs attached at the 'base' of the routed channel (or onto the bit of wood that sits in the channel to secure the lycra. Been thinking of how to do it all day!

Quick question: How much does the lycra stretch? I am trying to calculate how much I will need, but I don't know if it streches by a few percent or lot of percents! Thanks

Lycra is actually a brand name for a polyester/spandex blend. The stuff I bought is 90% poly/10% spandex. It was the cheapest stuff that was in the color I wanted. It is sold in (i think) up to a 50-50 blend and is more expensive the more spandex that is in it. The stuff I got is more than stretchy enough to get it "good and taught."

I tested my fabric for you. I measured a 4" space and put my fingers at the 1" and 4" marks and stretched "a good bit" not pulling it as hard as I could or anything. My fingers wound up 6.5" apart. So it's "stretchy" but not "that stretchy." The BEST thing for you to do is to go to a fabric store and find what you want. Typically it comes in either 55" or 60" wide bolts of fabric and you buy it by the linear yard here. I bought WAY more than I will need to ensure I have "repair material" to use later. And also to account for any over-zealous stretching that may occur during the installation process. I've stretched canvas before and I've stretched blackout cloth (for a DIY projection screen) too, but Lycra is very delicate...almost feels like thick panty hose, if that makes sense. My WIFE'S HOSE. Not mine. I don't have any. Really. No seriously, I'm being serious.

Mike, are you planning on having the slots on the front? I thought the dowel slots were on the back. Will the LEDs shine through the Lycra? If so, either A/ -route slots on the front to have the LEDs inserted into, or B/ -make extention wings for the LEDs and mount inside the frame(makes the frame wider when looking at it straight on).

For connecting, the wire can be formed into a circle with each end soldered onto either frame panel (think of an airplane barrel roll). This allows the circle to grow or shrink when opening or closing, and removes the stress from the solder joints. The circle could be hid by a piece of Lycra scrap stapled on so that the wire circle won't get caught during transport.

Revers the hinges so that the sides don't fold into where the LED's are mounted, but rather in the other direction.
Meaning that the two wings fold toward the "outside", or side that the people see, of the facade. That will allow it to fold as flat as possible and you can then mount the lights anyway you want.

Those are two very good suggestions, Tom and John. Thanks very much. I will add them to the mix of ideas circling my small brain. About reversing the hinges: The only way to make the panels fold outwards is to put the hinges outside...unless I'm missing something.

The slots are indeed on the back. The (visual) idea is that from the front, all you see is a smooth, black frame with a white, diffused center window where the Lycra is..and colorful lights shining through that.

I originally wanted LEDs on all three panels, but I think the only way to do that securely is to have 3 individual sets of lights, which would cost $75, or the same amount that 3 LED PAR-CAN type fixtures would cost. The main problem with the LED strips is that the solder points are very small. There are 4 of them on a 1/2" wide strip. That's 1/8" apart but actually less b/c the pads are round and take up space. I'm no SMD soldering pro, but I COULD solder 4 connecting wires successfully. The main issue is durability. 22-gauge wire soldered to those little pads won't take flexing much at all. Not to mention HOW to connect 3 LED strips with 4 connections each, togther. By the time I assemble all the little fiddly bits I'd need, I'd be at the $100 point.

I think (think) I'm going to scrap the LED strip idea and just go with 4 PAR cans sitting on the floor, mounted onto wooden bases. They are cheap, especially if you buy multiples and use the "Make an offer" on Ebay. Something like this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Pro-86-RGB-LED- ... 3a86c72571

If I decide to use the LEDs, they'll only be mounted on the center panel, which is mainly what will be seen anyway. I may fab up a test frame, put the lights on it, clamp it to the rear of the 4' piece and see what that looks like.

MIKED - BRINGING THE HEADACHE INTO "DIY!"

ps
I got the first coat of primer on the frame fronts. It's drying, slooooooowly, in my 75% humidity Texas garage.

miked wrote:ps
I got the first coat of primer on the frame fronts. It's drying, slooooooowly, in my 75% humidity Texas garage.

Today is not a good day to paint.....it's so humid that a fish just swam through my front yard......3 feet off the ground.

Gotta jig your lure further off the grass then......

Bruce Weldy wrote:

miked wrote:ps
I got the first coat of primer on the frame fronts. It's drying, slooooooowly, in my 75% humidity Texas garage.

Today is not a good day to paint.....it's so humid that a fish just swam through my front yard......3 feet off the ground.

Agreed, pal. I doubt this first coat will be dry, even by tonight. Trying to get it done, though.

miked wrote:I will make my own large, stationary router table someday, when I have the room for a proper shop, where everything doesn't have to be on wheels. I looked into making a smaller, table-top version. Being that the "table top" must be absolutely flat, or you'll wind up with crooked routed profiles, I would buy the baseplate, or whatever it's called. By the time you do that and buy the leveling stops and then a fence, etc, you might as well buy a small, table top model. But that is all down the road.

Amen to that. I bought the cheapest crappiest little ugly router table money could buy, a few years ago. It is really crap, but still a lovely piece in the shop, never regretted that crappy purchase. I much rather run objects over the little router table for round over instead of moving the handheld router around all edges. Even though changing router bits is just about as much of a pain in the behind as setting and adjusting the proper depth. Don't get me started on the fence or the fit of the dust extraction to my hoses. And still I love it for what it is. You will be over the moon with that proper large stationary router table that is in your future. Great addition to the workshop.

AntonZ wrote:Amen to that. I bought the cheapest crappiest little ugly router table money could buy, a few years ago. It is really crap, but still a lovely piece in the shop, never regretted that crappy purchase. I much rather run objects over the little router table for round over instead of moving the handheld router around all edges. Even though changing router bits is just about as much of a pain in the behind as setting and adjusting the proper depth. Don't get me started on the fence or the fit of the dust extraction to my hoses. And still I love it for what it is. You will be over the moon with that proper large stationary router table that is in your future. Great addition to the workshop.

They had a cheapy one on offer on eBay a few days ago (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/370748548471? ... 1423.l2649... I was thinking of getting it, but they sold out a day before I got my money You can still get it direct from them for £52... I may have to invest, judging by your review. I also saw a Kreg video about a router table (some guy giving a seminar). I now understand just how bloody useful these things are.