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Posted by2 years ago
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![Furring strip home depot Furring strip home depot](http://chestofbooks.com/architecture/Cyclopedia-Carpentry-Building-1-3/images/Fig-123-Furring-strips-on-Outside-Wall.jpg)
I'm at the stage in my van build where I'm just about ready to start paneling the walls and building furniture. I've been wondering about attaching furring strips to walls and ceiling with 2x4's. From what I've read, most people think that 2x4's are too heavy and suggest using 1x3's or 2x2's.
Aug 06, 2018 Furring strips are made from wood such as pine or even plywood, although steel and metal furring is often used by builders You can buy them pre-made so to speak, or you can rip them down with a good table saw.
I have little experience in this area so I'm wondering if it really does add considerable weight to the vehicle. If they're too bulky to frame the whole van, what can I use them for? Maybe framing the bed? I have a bunch leftover from a previous project and I would like to find a way to use them.
Also, what's best way to attach furring strips? I've read about attaching them to the ribs of the van OR attaching them between the ribs. Is one preferable to the other?
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powergliderStainless
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OT: how do you cut a 2 x 4 in long wedges on a table saw?
Hi guys,
I need to make some long and low angle wedges from a wood 2 x 4 that is initially 96' long (8 feet).
I can cut them with a skill saw with a guide and hold down the 2 x 4 with some screws onto a sacrificial temporary 'table' (essentially a 2 x 10 or 2 x 8 the same length).
But is there any way I can just push them through my table saw with a made up jig? I need to make quite a few of them (about 50) to make some low angle supports for an inclined rubber roof.
I can't figure it out and yet there must be a way to push it through the table saw (I hope)?? -
Diamond
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There have been home made and factory built tapering jigs been around forever. Here's a link for a how to:
A Simple Tapering Jig - Fine Woodworking Video
Tapering jigs that are adjustable and have other features are also handy. Since you're working with 8 ft long stuff you will probably have to contend with a little stress in the lumber. I suggest you make up a 'carrier jig' the work clamps to.
2 x 4's right out of the lumber yard tend to be a little crooked and the surfaces and corners leave much to be desired for accurate woodwork. Slightly undersize material is often acceptable provided allowance is made in the project. I suggest you tune them up on a jointer and run them through the planer to a common undesize. Your wedges will be that much more accurate and better finished.
Don't make your roof at too low an angle. I recall 1/4' per foot pitch is minimum to shed weather but only if the surface is really rigid like a sidewalk. You get snow in Iowa and that means snow loads capable of deflecting roof structure forming deflection ponds. Better check with local code on acceptable roof pitches. If it was me I'd hold out for inch to the foot. -
Diamond
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Sure! Nail a board to the 2x at the angle you want and use it against the fence. Maybe even get two pieces that way.
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Diamond
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A sheet of 1/2' masonite (or phenolic-coated plywood). Slice off a foot to yield a nice 1'x8'. Depending upon precision needed, screw either a metal or hardwood strip the same size as the slots on your table (e.g. use 3/4x1/4 inch stock, with holes drilled and countersunk), onto the bottom of your masonite. You now have a sled. Install chocks or a strip of 4/4 stock to set the angle of your 2x4. install a couple of DeStaCo clamps as hold-downs.
You could finish your sawing job in an hour.
Would this address your needs? -
Titanium
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You can make a taper jig for your tablesaw. Use a 8-foot 2x6 or 8 -- whatever will easily reach from your miter slot to the blade -- and put a 8-foot runner on the bottom (table side) that fits in your miter slot. Fasten the runner at an angle, so that the correct slope is produced when your 2x4 is fastened to the taper jig. You want the 2x4 and the taper jig to move as one, instead of sliding just the 2x4. (You may have to re-adjust the angle if your make more than two parts from each 2x4.)
The runner can be a wood, or aluminum, or even plastic. You want it to fit well in the slot, because if the assembly pivots, it can bind the blade, and bad things could happen.
Snapping a chalkline and following it with your worm-drive skill saw is how I'd do it, though. Any small issues can be shimmed up when applying the decking.
But whichever way you do it is fine. You're the only one who can balance the skills -- available tools -- accuracy required equation.
Be safe!
Chip -
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Determine the wedge size. For example. you want a wedge 6' long, 1 1/2' wide, tapering from 1/8' to 1' thick. (on a long wedge it can be a bit tricky to go to 0' on the pointy end.)
To make a jig, take a 2x4, and cut the reverse of the wedge out of one edge of it, so you have a notch the is the same as the wedge shape you need. This notch is on the left side of the 2x, with the wide portion of the notch on your end. (this notch will run out to '0' on the far end.)
Next, take a rip of plywood and nail it over the notch,on the flat of the 2x4, covering it completely. Go to the tablesaw and trim the plywood and the edge of the 2x4 perfectly flush, leaving the notch. Leave the saw set.
Now - Cut your wedge stock 6' long, slide it into the notch, underneath the plywood, and rip it. The wide end of the resulting wedge will stop against the notch in the 2x, and the ply will hold it down, and the saw blade will trap the wedge to the jig. Turn the stock end for end every cut.
The important things here ,
make sure the jig thickness and the stock thickness are the same,
that there is zero clearance between the blade and the left side of the jig.
Raise the blade an inch or so over the ply, so the cutting force is down. And try to use some decent stock, warped ,knotty crappy wood are not going to yield good results, as well as being a safety hazard. Forrest is spot on here- just make sure the planed lumber and the jig are the same thickness.
Disclaimer- Like they say in the books- Woodworking is inherently dangerous- all risk is yours alone! Use appropriate safety precautions ! -
powergliderStainless
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Got it guys, thanks a bunch.
I'm going to be at 1/2' per foot slope for rubber roof.
It's going to be a challenge working with the warp in the 2 x 4's after being used to milling and measuring within .00X' most days.
Taper Jig is the term I was missing, and I couldn't see it clearly right away. -
Diamond
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A common method of putting slope on flat roofs is wire cut rigid foam, this allows the roof to be sloped in several ways to help drainage.
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Cast Iron
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I've occasionally made up quick and dirty tapering jigs from one piece of wood and two sheet metal screws. The wood rides against your fence. One screw at the back (end toward you) of the piece sticking out to the side to act as a stop for your workpiece. The sharp rim of the screw digging into the end of the workpiece will hold it pretty well. The other screw slightly forward of that one, with the protrusion of the scrrew setting the taper angle.
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powergliderStainless
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that's the way I wanted to do it at first.
But it was confusing as to the adhesive that can be applied directly to the foam and then stick to the rubber roof material (EPDM)
Originally Posted by Miguels244A common method of putting slope on flat roofs is wire cut rigid foam, this allows the roof to be sloped in several ways to help drainage. -
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i prefer using a bandsaw for that sort of thing. faster, quieter and safer.
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Diamond
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Easy. Make one piece using a bandsaw or wood plane.
Now attach that piece to a 2x4 and push the combination through the saw.
Attachment can just be a couple of pieces of scrap with wood screws on top. -
powergliderStainless
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i don't follow your technique.
I've been able to follow the other techniques and links but not what you are writing.
I'm OK and have a plan that I'm going to use, but still would like to try and understand yours.
You say cut a piece with a bandsaw, so now you have a long triabgle shaped wedge. You say bolt it to the next 2 x4 , so now you have a triangle wedge on a square 2 x 4, what's next? You going to try and follow the line on top? You'll end up with a wobbly line at best, no way to keep it straight over an 8 foot distance unless I'm missing something? At worst you jam the wood somehow and who knows what happens next.
Originally Posted by ronsEasy. Make one piece using a bandsaw or wood plane.
Now attach that piece to a 2x4 and push the combination through the saw.
Attachment can just be a couple of pieces of scrap with wood screws on top. -
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Aluminum
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I'd cut the 2x4s in half before tapering them, much easier ( and safer) to work with.
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Titanium
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Ron's method makes a tapered-one-side board combo, and you place the 'rough' taper side against the fence. Saw cuts parallel to the 'rough' taper, (taper-cutting the 2x4 as desired) except the fence, because it's 3' long, sort of averages out the small variations in the bandsaw-cut guide. Some twist or binding is still possible, but it's controllable.
Chip -
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Doesn't needing this justify a tool purchase? ;-)
A Felder or equivalent table saw with 8' slider makes this trivially simple, safe, and easy to do solo. -
powergliderStainless
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OK, I get it now, thank you.
Originally Posted by Chip ChesterRon's method makes a tapered-one-side board combo, and you place the 'rough' taper side against the fence. Saw cuts parallel to the 'rough' taper, (taper-cutting the 2x4 as desired) except the fence, because it's 3' long, sort of averages out the small variations in the bandsaw-cut guide. Some twist or binding is still possible, but it's controllable.
Chip -
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Here's some pictures of a unit which cuts compound angles in wood which is used to make a cone shaped barrel thing. Martin
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Cast Iron
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Time to think like a wood butcher insead of a machinist.
Use a 2x6 nailed along side the the existing roof rafter held at the proper angle and positoion. No cutting necessary.
What do they call this? Sister the rafters.
Frank
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