Easy Kerf Gauges

[lcronkite]

Thanks for the hint. Inkscape does that also.

[ptodd]

Very helpful! Thank you!!!

[will_bain]

Wow, this looks incredibly helpful. Thanks! I only wish I could find the download link for the vector files in this post. How can I save a copy?

[will_bain]

Never mind. I eventually figured out I could just right-click on the images, choose “Save as”, and they get saved as SVG files by default. Thanks again!

[denisetrahan]

Thanks so much!

[sqw]

Took me three attempts at posting before I realised that was how you got them downloaded The forums really need a “file” link, that is more obvious

[lcronkite]

When I download the file and select a circle it is 0.1mm larger than it is supposed to be.
Is this another case of distortion by Inkscape?

[sqw]

Select Preferences, Tools, Geometric - I think this then gives you accurate dimensions - excluding the stroke width.

It’s not impossible I’ve messed up, trying setting the stroke width to 0 and see if you get the right size, I’ll check my original as well

[reynoso]

On the same idea, I did these to adjust pressure fit slots in Acrylic, MDF and Wood. Just cut in correct width material and try the key in the different slots until you find one that is snug but not very tight.

This jig takes into consideration kerf adjustment in both dimensions of the material. Slots and key are 1 inch wide.

I have noticed that on some mdf and wood material, having chosen a slot, at different times of the day the snugness changes. I guess it has to do with ambient temperature and humidity. Not with acrylic.

Acrylic 2.85 mm Kerf Jig.ai (105.4 KB)

MDF 3.05 mm Kerf Jig.ai (105.4 KB)

Wood MDF 4.25 mm Kerf Jig.ai (101.9 KB)

Dimensions are in metric system.

Feel free to use.

[lcronkite]

Preferences, Tools, Geometric Bounding Box worked.

[Mightymahree]

best thing ever!!!

[wenning08]

nice, thanks

[7thstartech]

@sqw

No no, that’s the whole beauty of this.

1. Cut this gauge in your chosen material at the power and speed settings you will use.
2. Take the gauge and material and see which size fits.
3. That dimension you use in your drawing program for any slots.

In other words the drawing is exact, the physical gauge has been cut so includes the kerf, so when you measure you are automatically including the kerf and it will tell you the drawing dimension.

So if the piece fits into this kerf tool at the 3.10 slot is that the measurement I enter into the TabbedBox Maker in Inkscape for the material thickness or does 3.10 go into the kerf box. If I put 3.10 into the kerf box it generates errors. Sorry, I just don’t understand where to enter this number from your kerf tool.

Thanks

[sqw]

The tabbed box maker is bit different, as I believe this does actually need to know the kerf because of the way the tabs and slots are created in the box maker.

This tool does not help you with that problem. In which case use calipers to measure the material and make a guess at the kerf.

But… it might still work if you enter the gauge result for material thickness and zero for kerf. But try it first and don’t blame me if it doesn’t work.

[7thstartech]

Wouldn’t ever apply any blame. Just trying to understand what your gauge numbers represent. My material fitting into the 3.10 slot on the gauge confuses me because I don’t know what to do with the “3.10” reading. What does 3.10 represent? Where does this number go? Where is it entered? How do I apply this to a drawing I have in Adobe Illustrator? Is this only usable is programs like Fusion 360 but not Adobe Illustrator or Inkscape?

Sorry for all the questions, I understand what a kerf is, I’m just trying to wrap my head around how to adjust for it in my software.

Thanks.

[sqw]

If you are hand drawing slots into which another piece of material is going to fit - at 90 degrees - then you need to know what size the slot must be .

Instead of measuring the thickness of the material and guessing what the kerf will be - you just test it.

Whatever answer you get is how big you draw your slot - because the kerf is already taken care of when you cut the gauge.

If you measure the slots in the gauge itself, they won’t be right at all, That 3.1mm slot may well be 3.2 or 3.3mm - because it already has the kerf in it.

You’re question about box maker threw me - it has no relevance to that at all.

[redshift]

Missed this the first time around – thank you!

Had been meaning to make one myself after winging it a few too many times with poor results. My lazy self is very happy to see this

[7thstartech]

Please forgive my stupidity, I’m just not following how this works. So I will try to explain what I don’t understand.

I have some medium draft board. I cut your gauge out of the draft board and then decide that the same piece of draft board fits into the 3.10 slot just where I want it. Now I go into Adobe Illustrator to hand draw a box with slots and tabs. Where does the 3.10mm measurement come into play with my drawing? Is this the size all slots on the box need to be? Is it slot width, or depth? Is this the only size these slots can be on the box? Can I double the 3.10 and make it 6.20mm so I don’t have as many slots on the box?

Sorry just confused and trying to understand.
Thanks

[sqw]

You are still thinking slots and tabs - that is not what this is for.

This is for joining cross pieces at right angles to each other. Think of an X shape.

You draw the size that you measured on the gauge.

[cheesynrse]

AWESOME!! This is what I’ve been looking for for some time. Thank you for the hard work you put into it.