New Product - "Jessem Mite-R-Slide"

Beth and I have completed the Jessem Mite-R-Slide installation. Now she wants to "see it work." I have pulled out one of my favorite sets of bits, the CMT Sommerfeld Junior Raised Panel Set. I have also cut several pieces of 1/2" walnut for Beth to make one frame.    I have picked this set mainly because it is a great test of holding the work piece solidly when cutting. I have made a number of jigs to do this. It will be interesting to see how well this new Jessem Mite-R-Slide will do the job.
	Beth has raised the PorterCable 7518 that is installed in the Jessem Mast-R-Lift. To change bits easily, she has cranked the lift all the way up. Beth is inserting the coping bit into the router until it is seated. There is an O-ring in the base of the collet to keep the bit from bottoming out.
After firmly tightening the collet, Beth places an insert ring into position and locks it.
	Beth is setting the height of the bit. The drawing in the inset shows that she wants to center the mortise groove in the 1/2" thick piece of wood.
She adjusts the fences so that they are about 1/8" from the bit cutters. She rotates the bit manually to ensure that there is clearance.
	With a small speed square across the bearing, she adjusts the fence until it is in line with the pattern bearing. She once again checks that the bit can rotate without touching either side. She is ready to make her cut.
This is the proof of the pudding. The slide works smoothly and safely. One hand is on the firm handle, the other on her workpiece. The white piece of the Mite-R-Fence can be replaced easily, so for now, I am using it as a backer board. [* see photo at bottom of page.]
	She takes a close look at the coped end of the rail. It is machined very smoothly with negligible tearout.
With all her rails shaped, she has cranked the router bit all the way up (zero position) and jots down the exact number of turns and the dial indication. She will use this to lower the profile bit to the same position. The white laminate top of the router table can take these jottings without any permanent marring.
	Once she has changed bits, she only has to crank back the same number of turns. This is a matched set, so she should be able to go ahead and make her cuts.    For the profile cuts, she does not use the miter gauge. The arrow shows how it is easily swung over the fence. What you do not see is that there are some notches for the assembly to fit in and keep the miter gauge from moving. Everything about the Mite-R-Slide has been very well thought out.
The profile cuts of the shorter rails are cut the same way except that the push block has the profile shape on its front edge. This way, it mates exactly with the cope cut of the rail ends. By mating the two, there is no tearout at the end of the cut.
	The bottom line: a perfect frame with tight joints, totally aligned profiles and sharp corners. This is Beth's first such frame. I have done many. It is nice having the Jessem Mite-R-Slide work so well.
It is not the sharpest picture, but I think it shows the nice, tight corner I was talking about. There is the slightest of "feathers" that a light sanding will take care of.    Beth asked: "What can we do with this?" I said: "It is the start of a great jewelry box." Next week, maybe we can start on the base.
	* The picture above of Beth making the cut caused me to think about ways to do the job — safer and easier. At left is the result of my trying every hold down available to me. I have added this hold-down with just enough downward pressure to start to flex the fingers. The Mite-R-Slide is heavy enough to keep objects down. In use, I place the workpiece under the fingers by slightly lifting the whole Mite-R-Slide fence up. With the wood positioned against both fences, I lower the Mite-R-Slide and make the cut. My pressure on the large red handle pushes the workpiece through the cutter at the same time as keeping the workpiece in place.  Sometimes, simple is best.

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