Ace of Staves
In the very first post on this blog, I wrote about how to make Scout staves using a router table. That method required that you have a router table and a 9/16" roundover bit. It was also labor intensive, as you had to round off all four corners of the stock piece. I have subsequently devised a method for making staves that is easier and requires less equipment. The new method uses a jig that is easily constructed and sits atop a table saw clamped to the fence, while the stock is spun with a drill and fed into the jig.
Tools:
table saw
drill (corded or cordless)
1-1/8" hole saw
1-3/4" hole saw
1/4" drill bit (brad point is best)
5/16" or adjustable wrench
clamp
center marking square (optional but helpful)
Materials:
5/16" hanger bolt
2 5/16" nuts
2x4, about 14" long
scrap of plywood 3" x 6"
wood glue
2" finish nails
2x4's for however many staves being made
The first step is to set your table saw to 3-1/4" and rip the 14" 2x4 to square off one side. Then set your fence to 3" and square off the other side. Then use your table saw miter or a miter saw to cut 4 3x3" square blocks. Mark diagonal lines on each block to find the center. Use a punch or nail to make a starting point at each center.
Next use hole saws or forstner bits to cut 1-1/8" holes in 2 of the blocks and 1-3/4" holes through the other 2. Drill partially through one side and flip it over to finish. This eliminates tear-out on the other side. You can get a set of hole saws from Harbor Freight that includes the above sizes for about $17.
Now use glue and 2" finish nails to connect all the blocks together. Make sure they are line up perfectly. Clamp and let dry overnight. Then add a 3x6" piece of plywood to the top for stability.
Set your table saw fence to half the width of the jig (1.5") minus 1/2 the width of your saw blade. If you have a standard 1/8" wide blade, then set the fence to 1-7/16". (1-8/16" - 1/16" = 1-7/16") This will center the blade on the jig. Then cut a slot through the bottom of the jig. You will use this same fence setting whenever you are using the jig.
Find the apex (the very top) of your saw blade and mark a corresponding line on the fence. Then mark another line 3" in front of that. That is where you will line up your jig on the fence.
Use the 1-1/8" outlet hole on the back of the jig to set the height of the blade. The blade should just barely line up with the bottom of the hole at its highest point.
Now clamp your jig to the fence lined up with the index lines. Be careful not to place the clamp too low on the jig. If you do, you will compress the slot in the bottom of the jig, which will pinch the saw blade.
Using a test piece of 2x4" ripped to 1-1/4" square, mark the center of one end. Use a punch or nail to make a starting point for your drill bit. Then drill a 1/4" hole about 1.5" deep. A brad point bit works best. You don't need to use the punch if you are using a brad point bit.
A center marking square is handy for marking the center of your stock. It is important to find the center before you place the hanger bolt. Otherwise, your stock will not spin evenly. This center marking square is sold on Amazon for about $5. I will show you how to make one from scraps of plywood in a future post. I will also show you how to make a drill guide so you can drill the hole straight in a future post.
Screw a 5/16" x 3"hanger bolt into the hole. You may be able to screw it in by chucking it in your drill and spinning it in. Or you may have to put 2 5/16" nuts on the end of the hanger bolt and use a 5/16" or adjustable wrench to screw it in if your wood is tough.
Chuck the end of the hanger bolt in your drill. Turn on the table saw. Place the end of the 1-1/4" square stock into the 1-3/4" hole on the jig and use the drill to spin it as you feed it through. You may have to make fine adjustments to the height of the saw blade to get this to work. Start off with scrap piece until you have confirmed proper setup of the jig.
You will not be able to put the piece entirely through the jig. You will have to turn the saw off and pull it back out. Pulling it out with the blade turning will gouge it up. I learned the hard way. Start off with stock that is a few inches longer that the length of your finished stave and just cut off the square part. In a future post, I will show you how to reconfigure this jig to point a bevel on the ends of your stave.
The traditional size of a Scout stave is 1-1/8" diameter x 66" long. If you are making it to be a patrol flag pole, I think 72" is a better length. You can get two staves out of a standard 2x4, which as of this writing is about $2.50 at the my local home improvement store. That is about $1.25 per stave.
You can get ideas for camp gadgets to make out of staves at https://scoutpioneering.com/. I put together kits to make the camp table and dish washing rack. The dish washing rack gets used at every campout where we are stationary. The camp table is good project for pioneering merit badge because it also has a floor lashing. I prefer paracord for these because it is much easier to deal with. I also like the Japanese Mark II square lashing. The Scouts love it and the projects get built quicker. Here is what I put in the two kits:
Camp Table
14 staves
2 half staves
2 stakes
6 6' paracord (square & shear lashings)
2 15' paracord (floor lashings)
1 20' paracord (guy line)
Dish Washing Rack
8 staves
2 half staves
2 stakes
14 6' paracord (square & shear lashings)
1 20' paracord (guy line)
3 basins
Tools:
table saw
drill (corded or cordless)
1-1/8" hole saw
1-3/4" hole saw
1/4" drill bit (brad point is best)
5/16" or adjustable wrench
clamp
center marking square (optional but helpful)
Materials:
5/16" hanger bolt
2 5/16" nuts
2x4, about 14" long
scrap of plywood 3" x 6"
wood glue
2" finish nails
2x4's for however many staves being made
The first step is to set your table saw to 3-1/4" and rip the 14" 2x4 to square off one side. Then set your fence to 3" and square off the other side. Then use your table saw miter or a miter saw to cut 4 3x3" square blocks. Mark diagonal lines on each block to find the center. Use a punch or nail to make a starting point at each center.
Next use hole saws or forstner bits to cut 1-1/8" holes in 2 of the blocks and 1-3/4" holes through the other 2. Drill partially through one side and flip it over to finish. This eliminates tear-out on the other side. You can get a set of hole saws from Harbor Freight that includes the above sizes for about $17.
Hole saw set from Harbor Freight.
Now use glue and 2" finish nails to connect all the blocks together. Make sure they are line up perfectly. Clamp and let dry overnight. Then add a 3x6" piece of plywood to the top for stability.
Set your table saw fence to half the width of the jig (1.5") minus 1/2 the width of your saw blade. If you have a standard 1/8" wide blade, then set the fence to 1-7/16". (1-8/16" - 1/16" = 1-7/16") This will center the blade on the jig. Then cut a slot through the bottom of the jig. You will use this same fence setting whenever you are using the jig.
Infeed side of jig.
Outfeed side of jig.
Find the apex (the very top) of your saw blade and mark a corresponding line on the fence. Then mark another line 3" in front of that. That is where you will line up your jig on the fence.
Use the 1-1/8" outlet hole on the back of the jig to set the height of the blade. The blade should just barely line up with the bottom of the hole at its highest point.
Now clamp your jig to the fence lined up with the index lines. Be careful not to place the clamp too low on the jig. If you do, you will compress the slot in the bottom of the jig, which will pinch the saw blade.
Using a test piece of 2x4" ripped to 1-1/4" square, mark the center of one end. Use a punch or nail to make a starting point for your drill bit. Then drill a 1/4" hole about 1.5" deep. A brad point bit works best. You don't need to use the punch if you are using a brad point bit.
A center marking square is handy for marking the center of your stock. It is important to find the center before you place the hanger bolt. Otherwise, your stock will not spin evenly. This center marking square is sold on Amazon for about $5. I will show you how to make one from scraps of plywood in a future post. I will also show you how to make a drill guide so you can drill the hole straight in a future post.
Screw a 5/16" x 3"hanger bolt into the hole. You may be able to screw it in by chucking it in your drill and spinning it in. Or you may have to put 2 5/16" nuts on the end of the hanger bolt and use a 5/16" or adjustable wrench to screw it in if your wood is tough.
Chuck the end of the hanger bolt in your drill. Turn on the table saw. Place the end of the 1-1/4" square stock into the 1-3/4" hole on the jig and use the drill to spin it as you feed it through. You may have to make fine adjustments to the height of the saw blade to get this to work. Start off with scrap piece until you have confirmed proper setup of the jig.
You will not be able to put the piece entirely through the jig. You will have to turn the saw off and pull it back out. Pulling it out with the blade turning will gouge it up. I learned the hard way. Start off with stock that is a few inches longer that the length of your finished stave and just cut off the square part. In a future post, I will show you how to reconfigure this jig to point a bevel on the ends of your stave.
The traditional size of a Scout stave is 1-1/8" diameter x 66" long. If you are making it to be a patrol flag pole, I think 72" is a better length. You can get two staves out of a standard 2x4, which as of this writing is about $2.50 at the my local home improvement store. That is about $1.25 per stave.
You can get ideas for camp gadgets to make out of staves at https://scoutpioneering.com/. I put together kits to make the camp table and dish washing rack. The dish washing rack gets used at every campout where we are stationary. The camp table is good project for pioneering merit badge because it also has a floor lashing. I prefer paracord for these because it is much easier to deal with. I also like the Japanese Mark II square lashing. The Scouts love it and the projects get built quicker. Here is what I put in the two kits:
Camp Table
14 staves
2 half staves
2 stakes
6 6' paracord (square & shear lashings)
2 15' paracord (floor lashings)
1 20' paracord (guy line)
Dish Washing Rack
8 staves
2 half staves
2 stakes
14 6' paracord (square & shear lashings)
1 20' paracord (guy line)
3 basins
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