Cutting frame rests with a table saw

[CarlinMO]

I searched many websites and YouTube for examples of jigs that could be used to quickly and safely cut frame rests.  I did not find any so I am posting this video to show you my new jig.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rN9e0ueEtq0

Carl Korschgen
Columbia, Missouri

[yotebuster1200]

Why don't you just use the rip fence? The jig looks slick but I was just wondering your motivation.

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[Michael Bush]

I see now.  I had to think about it.  You have a piece that fits in the groove and it acts as a sled, limiting the forward and backward movement with stops and holding the board for you.  It looks really slick.

[gww]

I also use the rip fence with a normal blade.  It take me two cuts to get a frame rest.  I could see where your jig would be handy if you had a dado on for the finger joints and didn't have to change it for the frame rest and you only have to make one cut.  Maby that is why I am so slow.  I usually do two to four boxes at a time and then make frames or something.  It slow me down not mass producing but I get boarred with out the change of doing differrent things pretty quickly. Your dado looks sharp and I really like your dust free table saw.  My shop is a wreck.  Over all I like it (your jig not my shop)
I am 50 miles away from you and my daughter went to collage where you live.
Cheers
gww

[CarlinMO]

Folks,

Thanks for your comments.  As you have recognized, my approach--which is tailored to bee boxes--has some unique advantages:   

1).  Safety -- there is little opportunity for operator error because the blade is completely shielded and dust is minimal with a good vacuum system on your saw.  (Instead of my approach, if you would use only the saw fence with the 3/4" dado on the outside of the board you would have exposed dado blade and a cloud of dust right in your face). 

2)  Efficiency -- I can lift my box joint jig off my table saw, mount the frame rest jig, and start cutting frame rests without changing the height of the dado blade or anything on the saw.  (Note that the math works out as long as the base of the frame rest jig is close to the thickness of your hive boards).

3)  Adaptability --  the jig is completely independent of the size of box panel (deeps, mediums, or shallow) into which you are cutting the frame rest.  To match this by doing it only with a fence you would have to have a board mounted vertically along the fence to offset the box panels from the fence

4)  Cheap -- you can build this from scrap laying around your shop.

So even though table saw sleds have been used for a long time, as far as I know, this is the first time one is used to cut frame rests. 

Carl Korschgen

[yotebuster1200]

That does make sense being able to cut the finger joints and frame rests without changing the blade. 

[Gazelle]

Wow! That would be nice. Something else I need to make! Thank you.

[capt44]

When I get done cutting box joints with Carls Jig I just adjust the fence and cut a dado joint 5/8 x 3/8 in the short board.
Perfect frame rest.
I use Carl's box joint jig and hive handle jig and have made around 1,000 boxes with them.