Portable Board Mill Jig for Flat Surface Cutting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Woodworkers face difficulties and safety concerns when using portable routers to cut flat or planar surfaces on uneven workpieces, as they often require multiple assisting devices, increasing time and effort.
Innovation Solution
A portable board mill jig that includes a sled with alignment guides and skis, allowing for the adjustment and alignment of a portable router to cut flat surfaces at a desired depth, reducing the need for multiple devices and enhancing safety by stabilizing the router during operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If multiple assisting devices are used to stabilize and guide the portable router, then the cutting precision and stability are improved, but the device complexity and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple assisting devices (sled, alignment guides, skis, fence assembly) into a single integrated board mill system. The sled serves as the base structure that incorporates mounting points for alignment guides, skis for depth control, and fence assembly for positioning, eliminating the need to use separate devices and reducing overall complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The board mill system is designed as a universal device that can perform multiple functions: the sled provides a stable base, alignment guides ensure precise routing paths, skis control cutting depth, and the fence assembly positions workpieces. This multi-functional design replaces multiple specialized devices with one versatile system.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple assisting devices are used to stabilize and guide the portable router, then the cutting precision and stability are improved, but the time and effort required increase
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating all assisting components into a single board mill system, the woodworker sets up the system once and can continuously perform multiple cutting operations without needing to switch between separate devices, significantly reducing setup time and operational interruptions.
Solution Approach 2:
The alignment guides and fence assembly are pre-positioned on the sled, and the skis are pre-adjusted to the required depth settings before the cutting operation begins. This preliminary setup ensures that the router is pre-aligned and pre-positioned, eliminating time-consuming adjustments during the actual cutting process.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a portable router is used to cut flat surfaces on uneven workpieces, then the versatility is improved, but the safety and operational difficulty worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The board mill system acts as an intermediary between the portable router and the workpiece. The sled provides a stable moving platform, the alignment guides ensure controlled router movement, the skis maintain consistent cutting depth, and the fence assembly secures proper positioning, collectively stabilizing the router operation on uneven surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies different stabilization functions at different locations: the sled base provides overall stability, alignment guides constrain lateral movement, skis control vertical depth at the cutting point, and the fence assembly secures longitudinal positioning. Each component addresses specific stability requirements at its local position.
Data Source
AI summary
A portable board mill that includes a sled, at least one ski, and at least one alignment guide. The sled may include a first end, a second end opposite to the first end, and a longitudinal axis defined between the first end and the second end, wherein the sled is adapted to engage with a router. The at least one ski also is also selectively operably engagable with the sled at one of the first end and the second end, wherein the at least one ski is adapted to engage with a work surface. The at least one alignment guide also operably engages with the sled and is moveable between the first end and the second end.