Brace radius jig

[Dave Bagwill]

I'm making a brace arching jig like in the pic attached.
Using 2 radii - 40' and 15', I traced them, one to each side of a walnut board, and cut the profiles close with the bandsaw. Then using a plane and scrapers I got the profiles very close and was almost happy until I put a square across the radius and saw that across the radius the board was not flat. No gots a jointer, yet, but this little 'jig' worked great - a 1" dowel, couple of 1/4" x 20 bolts and some 80 grit - drew witness lines and used the little jig like you would use a center finder - kept everything straight and only took a moment to get a nice flat surface.
Little fixes like this make me happy. I'm easy.

[Dave Bagwill]

One pic before sanding; another pic 30 seconds later, resting on the kmg radius.
I cut the profile on the bandsaw, then put a strip of 220 stick'em sandpaper on the jig, took no time at all for a flat and perfectly radiused brace.
Another cat-skinner.

[Dave Bagwill]

BTW this is what gave me the idea - a center finder that handles any width of board that fits between the post. In mine, as long as the screws both stay in contact with the board, the sandpaper will sand perpendicular to the sides.

[John Parchem]

It certainly looks like it worked out well! The jig you're making is very useful as well.

[Dave Bagwill]

Yep, it works surprisingly well. My wife says: "You'd think you layed a golden egg or something". LOL. I tried to explain that if you don't have the perfect tool - which she should buy me from Grizzly - then it is a hoot and for me one of the joys of working in the shop to make something that works well enough and then some for the task at hand.