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| This handsome outdoor serving bar has a secret: it breaks down into 3 portable, easy-to-store pieces, and sets up easily on a deck, patio, or yard. |
T1-11 exterior grade plywood will make up the front and sides of the serving bar. Begin by cutting 4x8 sheets of plywood to size using a table saw. |
Once the sides have been cut, assemble the pieces with clamps to make sure they match. |
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| Since T1-11 has a tendency to bow or twist, it will require a rigid, durable frame. With a table saw, cut 2x8 pieces of wood into long strips that measure 1.5" wide. |
To cut the grooves into the strips,
replace the table saw's ripping blade with a dado
set. |
The dado set is comprised of scoring and cutting blades on the outside and chippers in the middle. By stacking the right combination of blades you can cut a dado, or groove, to match the thickness of the plywood. |
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| Attach an auxiliary fence to the table saw with clamps and slide it into position. |
With the blade lowered and a work piece in place, attach one feather board to the fence with clamps, and one to the table saw's top. The feather boards prevent kick backs, and provide a safe distance from the blade. |
Use the table saw and dado set to cut grooves along the length of the frame pieces. Then use a blade to miter the ends of the pieces at 45 degree angles. After mitering, the groove should be on the shorter side of the mitered piece. |
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| Slip the frame segments over the sides of the pieces of plywood and nail them into place. |
The frame pieces should come together evenly at the corners. |
To make the top, you will need four 1-1/4"x6" cedar boards, which will be glued together to form the top. Four 1"x6" cedar boards will form the interior shelf. |
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| Trim the length of the bristles on a glue brush to make the brush slightly stiffer, and perfect for glue spreading. |
Using the glue brush, make sure that the long edges of the boards are covered in glue. |
Lay the bar top and shelf on bar clamps and tighten the hand screws. A few taps from a dead blow mallet ensure firm contact with the bars below and that the pieces are flush on top. Be sure to hold a scrap piece of lumber against the work pieces, to absorb the impact of the mallet. |
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