A thoughtful reader asked via e-mail how I go about accurately placing the pivot point for the folding legs on the kneeler I am currently building. For Tom, in Colorado:It starts with the divot created by the sharp tip of the compass used to draw the curves on the legs:
Outlining the rounded corners on the legs.
It is the little divot that makes it possible to drill the holes accurately. I stack both legs using double-sided tape, to drill the legs in tandem. Then I use the drilled holes to transfer the location to the legs on the upright structure while the folding legs are in their position against the back stretchers that also double as leg stops:
Transfering the layout to the upright assembly.
The hardest part that remains is easily accomplished by accurate placement of the legs at the drill press. The threaded inserts are ½-inch long; drilling about 0.050″ to 0.075″ deeper than this, the threaded inserts won’t be flush to the surface, and they will also be placed accurately:
Accurate placement!
A reminder: Always chamfer the hole – otherwise, nasty things can happen, as I documented in an earlier article (in this next photo, the chamfered hole on the left, not chamfered on the right):
The results of not chamfering a hole - horrible blowout!
Thanks for writing with your question, Tom!
— Al Navas
About Al Navas